Google has made Google Blocks an open-source application, which it says will enable “novel and rich experiences”.
Google Blocks is a 3D modelling platform for virtual reality that does not require expert knowledge to use.
Now, open-source contributors like the Icosa Foundation will have free reign to expand the Google Blocks app, as it has done already with Tilt Brush, which Google open-sourced in 2021.
Mike Nisbet, Unity Engineer at SideQuest and Icosa Foundation Team Member, was excited about the possibilities that lay ahead with Google Blocks:
“We’re thrilled to see Blocks join Tilt Brush in being released to the community, allowing another fantastic tool to grow and evolve.
“We can’t wait to take the app to the next level as we have done with Open Brush.”
Icosa Foundation is a global community of developers that create open-source replacements for Tilt Brush and Google Poly.
It began following the news that Google was shutting down its Poly platform, which enabled creators to share and edit works created in Tilt Blocks and Google Blocks.
Key Info for Google Blocks Creators
According to a recent Google Open Source blog post, Google Blocks will no longer be actively developed, and no pull requests will be accepted.
Anyone can use, share, and make changes to the Blocks code, provided they adhere to the Apache 2.0 license, which it has been released under.
The version of Google Blocks that is currently available will continue to be hosted in digital stores for users with supported VR headsets.
If you wish to create your own Blocks experience, Google advises that you should first read the build guide.
To access the source code itself, you simply need to go to Google’s github repo, which contains the archived repository of Google Blocks source code.
The Launch of Google Blocks
Google blocks was introduced in 2017. It was originally released for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.
Blocks was designed to model VR experiences through something more akin to building with children’s blocks than traditional 3D modelling software.
By using a set of shapes, colours and an easy-to-use tools, users of all skill levels are quickly able to create almost any VR experience imaginable, from small details like a slice of watermelon to complete scenes.
Creations could then be exported as an OBJ for use in AR or VR apps,a nd they could be shared to the web or turned into animated gifs.
Jason Toff, Group Product Manager at Google, introduced Google Blocks via a company blog post: “Today, it takes complex software and a specific skillset to create compelling VR and AR experiences.
“That software also requires building 3D objects on a 2D screen—something our brains aren’t wired to do.
“It occurred to us that creating the objects while in virtual reality could make this easier.
“So we developed Blocks, a VR app for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift that lets you easily create beautiful, 3D objects in no time.”
In November, 2021, XR Today’s Rebekah Carter reviewed Google Blocks, which considered both the limitations and benefits of the technology.