TGN is open source VCS equipment for visual close study of digital models of all kinds.
Everyone knows, the array of modeling software available in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is very diverse. Modeling products commercially available, range across completely different methods of model creation, and span from 30+ years old softwares, to newer entrants, and from corporate commercial outlets, to open source projects with various kinds of funding and products that are either free or for fee.
I’m just scratching the surface here describing the modeling software landscape. Suffice it to say, whatever your needs, you have many options to choose from, and more choices are coming online all the time now, with increasing frequency it seems.
Yet, even with much diversity, there’s no shortage of complaints (that’s for sure) about shortcomings. Nor are we lacking for proposals for a restructured re-imagined software development future of AEC modeling software. “Suffice it to say”, again: there’s change (new development) underway now, and plenty more yet to come.
For those not satisfied with the modeling software currently available, more kinds of new modeling software are on their way, along with the usual slow incremental improvements to existing softwares, some of which seem stale already long ago.
Some have said the industry is in disarray. Some of the new efforts are just recreating again the same functions from 30 years ago. But others are innovative in ways that make a difference. Looking around, one can find reason for low expectations and high, reason for expecting the worst but also reason for expecting the best is yet to come and is on its way.
And yeah, there’s no harm in stating the truth, in pointing out the reasons for dissatisfaction, for things not meeting expectations. It spurs new efforts, new ways of framing the problems and new kinds of solutions.
So in general it’s no surprise and it’s news to no one that it’s a mixed bag, a very diverse array of modeling software, and more on the way.
Where does the Tangerine TGN proposal fit into this mixed bag?
We don’t make modeling software. We don’t even make a product, at all.
WE DON’T MAKE MODELING SOFTWARE.
WE MAKE THE MODELING SOFTWARE YOU USE, BETTER
TGN is EQUIPMENT FOR LOOKING AT models.
An open source working codebase is coming this summer.
An outline and overview of the TGN open source proposal:
More detailed description of the codebase, extended specification (2021), here:
In the ‘90s there was an advertising campaign on TV for the company BASF. Their commercials said,
We don’t make ___(fill in the blank, X).
We make ___(fill in the blank, X) better.
WE DON’T MAKE MODELING SOFTWARE.
WE MAKE THE MODELING SOFTWARE YOU USE, BETTER
TGN is EQUIPMENT FOR LOOKING AT models.
Our plan to do that, to make modeling software better:
- Open source development of the TGN features code base to be given away to the industry so it can be implemented in all existing modeling software products in AEC whose developers want their users to have it. This has begun now. A GitHub project and discord server for the developer community will be announced shortly.
- Maturation of a TGN developer and user community, and its resultant open source TGN code base. And incorporation of OPEN TGN definitions by relevant standards organizations (buildingSMART, IFC, OpenUSD, etc) as an open standard format (TGN to become an open standard format supported in all apps, like for example: png, tiff, SVG, etc.)
- After (1), or during, then (anyone can, if useful) contemplate producing software product extending the TGN Open core with best of breed apps extending the TGN features and adding more features under the visual close study equipment (VCS) umbrella and aiming apps at certain market segments in AEC, like:
- — project validation
- — project archiving
- — design work in progress development
- — human-in-the-loop guide rail controls built into TGN VCS rigs within AI-generated models
- — etc.
This summer we’ll show the best VCS experience anyone’s seen, and, show that it’s open to many variations in implementation, adaptable to anyone’s preferred workflow.
One example: if a user wants extra graphics (feature 7 of 8, see here) in their VCS rigs within models via linked graphics app (graphics from any linked app), or if they want extra graphics written natively directly into the VCS rigs from the modeler, TGN OPEN CODE supports either of those approaches.
Another example: you want VCS rigs propagated and tuned logically throughout a model automatically via computational logic? OK. It’s made for that.
And we’ll show portability across modeling apps and into meta, Omni, Unreal, Unity and other ‘verses…
The TGN VCS GitHub Project will be open to anyone interested after our first POC milestones are reached later this spring.
If you want TGN VCS equipment in your modeling apps, contact me on LinkedIn. We’ll be sure to include you:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robsnyder3333
OPEN VCS, a lens for looking at models 