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VR-Engage
2.2
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VR-Engage
2.2
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The VR-Engage Toolkit enables developers to extend the application with custom vehicle logic, hardware integration, and specialized simulation behaviors. This section covers environment setup, component development, and plugin deployment.
The toolkit development documentation is organized into interconnected sections that mirror the typical development workflow. Each section builds upon concepts introduced in previous sections, though experienced developers can navigate directly to specific topics as needed.
The Toolkit Fundamentals section establishes the foundation for all toolkit development. It covers the development environment setup, architectural concepts, and plugin system that underlies VR-Engage extensibility. Start here if you are new to VR-Engage development or need to configure your build environment.
Frontend development focuses on the player-facing aspects of VR-Engage: user interface, input handling, and visualization. The frontend process (vrEngage.exe) handles real-time rendering and user interaction.
| Page | Description |
|---|---|
| Player Station Framework | Component architecture, lifecycle management, and player station organization |
| Input and Control | Device abstraction, input mapping, action handling, and hardware integration |
| UI and Visualization | QML overlays, GL Studio integration, and HUD development |
Backend development covers simulation logic, physics, and network interoperability. The backend process (vrEngageSim.exe) maintains authoritative simulation state and communicates with external federates.
| Page | Description |
|---|---|
| VR-Forces Integration | Entity modeling, physics calculations, damage models, VR-Forces extensions, and simulation components |
The Inter-Process Communication section covers how frontend and backend processes exchange data. This includes the messaging framework for event-driven communication, DIS/HLA networking for interoperability with external federates, and guidance on choosing the right communication mechanism. Understanding IPC is important for features that span both processes.
The Role Configuration section explains how to package components into deployable roles. Role configuration connects compiled C++ components to the runtime system, enabling users to select roles and allowing configuration without recompilation. This section also covers input mapping configuration and entity integration.
Developing a new capability typically requires work across multiple architectural layers. The frontend handles user interaction and visualization, while the backend manages authoritative simulation state. These processes communicate through a messaging layer, and configuration files assemble components into deployable roles.
A typical workflow progresses through these stages: design the feature and identify process responsibilities, implement backend simulation logic, create frontend UI components, define inter-process communication, configure roles and parameters, then test across the full stack. The Toolkit Fundamentals section provides detailed guidance for each stage.
VR-Engage follows several architectural principles that inform toolkit development. The System Overview provides detailed coverage of these concepts.
Separation of concerns: The frontend owns the user experience (rendering, input, feedback) while the backend owns simulation truth (physics, damage, network). Visual effects belong in the frontend; authoritative state calculations belong in the backend.
Component-based architecture: Vehicles are assembled from discrete components rather than monolithic classes. A tank might combine driver, gunner, weapon, and sensor components. Frontend components inherit from DtPlayerComponent; backend components integrate with VR-Forces through documented extension points.
Configuration-driven behavior: Components read parameters from configuration files rather than hardcoding values. The Role Configuration section covers the hierarchical parameter system.
New developers should begin with Toolkit Fundamentals to understand the development environment and plugin loading mechanism. Developers familiar with the architecture can proceed directly to the relevant section: Player Station Framework for HUDs and input, VR-Forces Integration for entity behavior, or Inter-Process Communication for custom PDUs and networking.
The Code Examples section documents working examples from the examples/ directory, providing practical context for the concepts discussed here.
Toolkit development requires Visual Studio 2022 with MSVC v143 toolset, CMake 3.16 or later, Qt 5.15.x (matching the VR-Engage distribution), and the VR-Engage Toolkit installation with headers and libraries. Developers should be proficient with C++14/17 and familiar with CMake build configuration. The Toolkit Fundamentals section provides detailed environment setup instructions.
For experienced developers returning to the documentation, here are direct links to commonly needed topics:
| Topic | Location |
|---|---|
| Environment setup | Toolkit Fundamentals |
| Component lifecycle | Player Station Framework |
| Input mapping and devices | Input and Control |
| QML overlays | UI and Visualization |
| Entity modeling | VR-Forces Integration |
| Physics implementation | VR-Forces Integration |
| DIS/HLA networking | Inter-Process Communication |
| Message system | Inter-Process Communication |
| Role parameters and entity integration | Role Configuration |
| Working examples | Code Examples |
See also
For end-user documentation including default controller mappings and operational procedures, see the VR-Engage User Guide.
