KIRI Engine vs. Reality Capture

KIRI Engine vs. Reality Capture

KIRI Engine vs. Reality Capture: what is your scope of work?

Reality Capture, developed by Epic Games, offers affordable powerful photogrammetry solutions for professionals who work with the Unreal Engine, allowing them to process photos into detailed 3D meshes, typically used as valuable assets for games and cinematic renderings. While boasting a cutting-edge algorithm for photogrammetry processing, Reality Capture is exclusively available on the PC and only has local processing.

Similar to Reality Capture, KIRI Engine is also a 3D scanner application that features powerful photogrammetry solutions. It features not only photogrammetry, but also solutions to address difficult problems such as scanning shiny surfaces with KIRI's Featureless Object Scan. Unlike Reality Capture, KIRI Engine leverages cloud computing to maximize efficiency and consistency for processing the 3D scans.

All in all, it becomes a simple question: what are you 3D scanning for and how do you plan on using the results?

What is Reality Capture?

As an extension tool of the Unreal Engine, Epic Games created this tool to aid Unreal Engine developers in gathering assets for their practical usage. With great technical advantages and result oriented goals, Reality Scan is made to be a free tool that provides professional-grade photogrammetry solutions that can create extremely detailed 3D models.

Reality Capture, opposed to a standalone multi-platform tool, is more of an extension of Unreal Engine exclusively on the PC, with a high threshold on the computer's specs. The application processes all files locally; while the model quality easily stands out from many of the entry-level photogrammetry applications, processing times can take up upwards of an hour. In addition, to ensure precision, the computer needs to dedicate all computing power to generating one file at a time.

There's a steep learning curve to Reality Capture, as the software is built for professionals who have a fundamental understanding of 3D technology as well as the Unreal Engine. With a complex interface of various features to fine tune the generation, Reality Capture can output amazing results with the correct settings, but can be quite an overwhelming tool for beginners.

Reality Capture's official homepage (from the Reality Capture website).

What is KIRI Engine?

KIRI Engine is a robust and all-encompassing 3D scanning application designed to meet the needs of both hobbyists and professionals. Available on iOS, Android, and web platforms, KIRI Engine provides a ready-to-use, cloud-based 3D scanning solution. Utilizing advanced technologies such as photogrammetry, Neural Radiance Fields (NeRFs), 3D Gaussian splatting, and LiDAR, KIRI Engine ensures reliable and versatile 3D scanning capabilities for its users.

As a comprehensive standalone 3D scanner app, KIRI Enging leverages the power of cloud computing to ensure precision as well as efficiency. Capable of processing multiple projects on a cloud server simultaneously, KIRI Engine enables users to create detailed 3D scans without having to worry about storage or hardware limitations. Not only is efficiency elevated with these features, cloud computing also ensures consistent analysis of photos and videos, leveraging advanced algorithms powered by machine learning capabilities.

The cross-platform KIRI Engine is designed with an emphasis of ease to use and accessibility. Although there is an inherent learning curve for 3D scanning, KIRI's interface and pop-up guides drastically reduce trial and error for anyone looking into exploring this realm.

KIRI Enging offers a wide range of convenient features such as 3DGS (left) and Auto-Rigging (right).

Which one should I choose?

Before you make a final decision between Reality Scan and KIRI Engine for your 3D scanning needs, there are a few questions you should ask yourself:

1. Am I going to use the scanned files for Unreal Engine exclusively?
2. Am I looking to invest days to learn the intricacies of a complex computer program from the ground up?
3. Am I going to use a DSLR camera to take photos everywhere and only have them be processed later on when I have access to my computer?
4. Do I have a powerful computer that's capable of processing gigabytes worth of images at a time?
5. Do I have the patience to wait for an hour, if not two, for a single file?

If your answer is yes to most of these questions, Reality Capture will be a great tool for you to incorporate into your workflow. As it is a powerful photogrammetry program that can process and generate professional-grade 3D models.

If not, KIRI Engine will most definitely be the correct choice for you. With powerful generative abilities, KIRI Engine offers solutions for all your scanning needs via the cloud, contained in a simple, user-friendly application. The wide range of compatibility also makes KIRI Engine stand out, as it's a useful tool for various practices and fields such as film production, game development, 3D printing, archaological preservation, and many more.