Learn How to Make a Great 3D Walkthrough 

Even though 3D animation walkthrough has been around for quite a long time, it has gained even more popularity in recent years. Partially, this is obviously due to the COVID limitations we have been exposed to, but we cannot underestimate how efficient it is for various spheres such as real estate and architectural business.

The key to becoming successful in rendering and animation is working with details and understanding precisely what your customer wants. Let us take a look at a few ideas that can turn your mediocre animation skills into gold.

First of all, we need to acknowledge why the 3D walkthrough approach has proven to be so efficient. Naturally, looking at boring still, images can be exhaustingly dull, whereas 3D tours offer engagement in the process and interaction. Also, they let you show the property from different points of view, depending on the customer’s tastes and preferences.

If you are a designer or an architect, using a walkthrough will give you an opportunity to see how this or that decision affects the whole picture within only a few simple clicks and try different options that could make an impact.

Suppose you are a customer looking for a piece of property to invest in. In that case, a 3D animated tour will allow you to pay attention to the aspects that matter to you personally, regardless of how insignificant they may occur to your realtor or partners.

If you want to avoid the fuss of doing everything manually, the smartest thing you can do is use one of the websites that allow you to create a walkthrough with existing patterns. Nowadays, various tools and software can help you create 3D animation without any deep knowledge of the subject. They may also allow you to make changes easily, no matter what stage you are on.

The websites or applications where you can create a walkthrough are usually very simple. The process is mainly operated with an «add» button, and you can also find an opportunity to edit an existing one on most menus. They often include miny-maps of your animation and waypoints you can use. They allow you to control all aspects, such as camera point, speed, lighting, direction, etc. and change the whole picture without any additional effort or time investment.

This way, you can control your walkthrough by simply moving your mouse around. It may seem to be a minor benefit. Still, for people who are considering buying some property, it may be essential to be able to look around from any angle, which would, of course, be impossible had you offered them a plain PowerPoint presentation.

If you are working on creating the ultimate 3D animation walkthrough, never neglect the power of stairs and elevators. These functional parts of a building are often crucial for customers and allow you to take them through all the floors.

When creating an animation, you should always clearly understand its purpose. What kind of property is it, and what kind of people are likely to get interested? Most buildings have only so many categories of people that could allegedly become interested.

For example, if it is a small family home in the suburbs, you should aim at people after thirty and show the property as friendly and homey. At the same time, if you are trying to sell a two-bedroom apartment in a big city, your customer will most likely turn out to be young and trendy. What they are looking for may be very different, like partying, nightlife, or an artistic environment.

Of course, you cannot label people based on their age or family size, but trying to guess what kind of people you may end up dealing with is, in many ways, just common sense. This will allow you to make your presentation accustomed to your clients and, therefore, not at all soulless, boring or unified. 

What should you do once your animation is ready? You must now make sure that it will be seen by as many people as possible. Most websites make it easy by giving you a convenient «share» button that allows you to either post it on your social media or send it directly to friends, customers, or colleagues.

Your walkthrough can also be turned into a sufficient VR experience. This is, of course, taking it to another level, but why stop on your way to perfection?

To summarize everything we have mentioned earlier, let us take a look at a brief list of things you must always keep in mind when creating a 3D animation walkthrough.

Here are some of the most important points:

1. Know your clients well and learn to interpret their tastes and preferences
2. Highlight the advantages of the property by adding significant small details
3. Always think about the kind of lifestyle the property can represent
4. Show the building from different perspectives; add stairs or elevators to your presentation
5. Change the walkthrough if you dislike how some objects look together
6. Add interactive details people could have fun with
7. Share it with as many interested viewers as possible
8. Consider turning your walkthrough into a virtual reality experience

Creating a high-quality 3D animation walkthrough is very similar to art as the artist is supposed to work with more than objects and spaces – they have to create a specific atmosphere that can make one feel like they are at home. Using the right kind of tool is essential in this process as it can simplify the process of creating animation and give you more time to concentrate on the final picture you get. 

Many questions can appear when creating a walkthrough, especially if you have not been working with them for long enough to have all the required experience. However, some websites or apps that allow you to create 3D animation walkthrough can help you find all the answers within a few clicks.