Interoperable Simulation and Gaming Domain Working Group

Overview

This OGC DWG provides a forum for the discussion of requirements and use cases for standards and the registration of implementations related to use and re-use of geospatial data within the Interoperable Simulation and Gaming (ISG) community.

Project Scope

The working group will provide a forum for broad discussion of ISG topics and research activities that are of relevance to various geospatial and modeling, simulation, and gaming communities and that may potentially impact on existing, or new, geospatial standards. The working group will aim to increase awareness of the advantages of ISG in general, to define the qualities of ISG systems, to enhance their interoperability, and to support activities to standardize operations within and among them related to the use and re-use of geospatial data. This DWG is not intended to be a forum for scientific modeling and simulation.

Background

The Interoperable Simulation and Gaming Domain Working Group (ISG DWG) operates at the evolving intersection of gaming and simulation technologies. Initially developed for entertainment, gaming systems are increasingly employed for more serious purposes such as training and rehearsal, offering a platform for interoperable simulation. Historically, these gaming systems have utilized either fictitious or oversimplified world models. However, a shift has occurred towards the incorporation of more realistic and geographically accurate representations of real-world environments. This enhanced realism, coupled with the gaming systems’ capabilities to represent extensive swaths of the Earth, has profound implications for their use in simulation-based training and other geospatial applications.

The group recognizes that while gaming and traditional simulation systems vary in their technical architectures, the convergence of these technologies can lead to significant advancements in virtual environment fidelity and cost-effectiveness. The group’s aim is to investigate how the technical architectures of gaming systems could be harnessed for geospatial applications. Another challenge addressed by the DWG is the interoperability of these systems, particularly the inconsistencies in rendering and perception of 3D environments when integrating different systems. These discrepancies can present significant hurdles, especially in defense applications where a consistent and fair representation of the operational environment is critical for effective training and system interoperability. The DWG is dedicated to exploring solutions to harmonize these environments, ensuring a level playing field across interconnected simulation platforms.

Activities

The DWG engages in a range of activities designed to enhance the integration and functionality of simulation and gaming technologies. A primary activity is to conduct summits in conjunction with OGC member meetings. These summits are key to gathering requirements and use cases that inform the group’s work, ensuring that the standards and practices developed are responsive to the actual needs of the user community.

In pursuit of operational and technical synergy, the DWG also works closely with the OGC Compliance Program and other TC Working Groups to establish a robust registration system for ISG specifications and their implementations. This system is intended to streamline the process by which ISG specifications are documented, tracked, and validated. Moreover, the DWG actively investigates the development of extensions to the core OGC ISG Standards. This involves defining additional functional algorithms and/or schemas to support and expand interoperability protocols. The group also explores potential contributions to the OGC Standards and Best Practices, seeking to integrate ISG standards enhancements with other OGC standards, thereby broadening their applicability and reinforcing the framework of interoperable simulation and gaming technologies.

Partners

The ISG DWG will coordinate efforts with other OGC Working Groups (WGs) including those that encompass enabling domains and technologies such as the GeoPackage SWG and user communities including the 3D Info Management DWG.