RevisionView 3D

From Road Trip to a Review Tool

RevisionView 3D started as a side project while I was developing Road Trip: Ahead One. As I revised and optimized assets, I needed a convenient way to compare the original model with the next candidate and decide whether the visual result still held up.

The useful comparison was more specific than opening two files: I wanted to inspect the same silhouette, surface, or small detail from the same angle, then return to that view after another iteration. I built RevisionView around that review loop and developed it into a standalone browser tool.

WIP — the current focus is local model comparison and repeatable visual review.

Coffee Shop Example

The example uses Seattle Coffee Shop, a locally saved Road Trip asset. The baseline is an archived version of the model; the revised model is a later version. Both are included in the website's built-in demo, so visitors can try the comparison immediately.

In the side-by-side view above, synchronized cameras keep the two versions at a matching angle. The facade, awning, rooftop cup sign, and building footprint provide useful landmarks when checking whether a revision changes the asset's proportions or readability.

Compare the same area

Split view places both versions in one frame with a movable divider. Overlay blends them together to make offsets and silhouette changes easier to inspect. Original materials show the asset's appearance, while clay and wireframe modes help isolate shape and geometry.

Seattle Coffee Shop in split view. The baseline and revised facade share one camera, with a movable divider for checking the same area across versions.

Seattle Coffee Shop in wireframe overlay from above. This saved viewpoint combines the version pair, camera, comparison mode, and material mode for a repeatable geometry check.

These views demonstrate the review workflow. They help judge whether an optimization preserves the intended appearance; runtime performance still needs to be measured in the game.

Keeping Iteration Reviewable

The review loop is straightforward:

1. Choose a baseline and a revised model, then compare them with synchronized views.
2. Switch comparison and material modes to inspect a particular change.
3. Save the viewpoint and annotate a concern on the relevant model version.
4. Load the next revision and revisit the saved angle to continue the check.

The implementation uses Three.js and WebGL for model rendering, with React and TypeScript for the review interface and state. Saved viewpoints retain the version pair and display settings, so a review can resume with its original context.

For user-imported assets, GLB files are read locally and review records persist in the browser. Source-file fingerprints help detect when a file has changed underneath an existing version. Review records can be exported separately from the model files, and a source folder can be reconnected in one batch.

Current Direction

The practical outcome is a shorter setup process for repeated visual checks during Road Trip development. It also gives me a focused tool to refine around the needs of artists, small studios, and model-production teams reviewing successive deliveries.

RevisionView remains work in progress. The current workflow centers on local files and browser-saved reviews; cloud collaboration is still a product direction.

Try the Coffee Shop example in RevisionView