Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim), the developer of the Virtual Battlespace (VBS®) series of training games, is pleased to announce that it has acquired TerraSim®, Inc. the developer of TerraTools® and several source data preparation products used to simplify simulation database development. TerraSim is the technology leader in commercial products enabling the rapid production of correlated terrain for visual, constructive, and serious game simulation systems. TerraTools supports correlation across the largest number of third party modeling and simulation runtimes. It is widely used within the VBS2 community to support complex urban environments based on procedural generation including Urban Details™ technology.

BISim is committed to extending the capability of VBS2 for tactical training and mission rehearsal, and supporting ever-larger terrain content requirements. VBS2 v2.0 introduced paging terrain, which presently supports training environments as large as 1000km x 1000km. In order to facilitate the development of such large areas, and with support for even larger areas planned, TerraSim technology will soon be tightly coupled with the existing VBS2 Development Suite to deliver a more robust and yet still easy-to-use rapid terrain development capability.

The mutual customers of BISim and TerraSim can expect significant capability enhancements as a result of this merger. For example, BISim is working to fully support PhysX by Nvidia Apex Destruction within VBS2, and TerraTools will add procedural generation of high-fidelity VBS2 destructible buildings, bridges, and tunnels to support increased runtime training fidelity. Using TerraSim’s recently developed annotated urban environment (AUE) capability; BISim will leverage procedurally generated pattern-of-life annotations to support realistic entity behaviors within VBS2. BISim will continue to work closely with TerraSim to improve the visual fidelity of procedurally generated features created by TerraTools.

TerraSim will continue to enhance TerraTools capabilities working with third parties to expand its already extensive support for modeling and simulation runtimes. They will continue to enable customers to create high fidelity networked simulations using a diverse set of runtimes while meeting their advanced training requirements. TerraSim’s highly responsive customer support group and geospatial technology team will remain intact in Pittsburgh and will take on additional technology development projects.

Peter Morrison, the CEO of BISim, said “Our acquisition of TerraSim will ultimately deliver unparalleled games-for-training capability to our users, through an even closer integration of VBS with TerraTools and improved support for procedural terrain features, such as destructible buildings.”

Dave McKeown, the CEO of TerraSim, said, “TerraSim has worked closely with BISim engineers for a number of years solving difficult technology problems for our mutual customers. This merger represents a unique opportunity for us to leverage the significant resources provided by BISim while continuing our growth as a leading technology and product development group.”

Both BISim and TerraSim are proud to serve the military simulation market, and look forward to providing tightly integrated, cutting-edge games-for-training solutions for years to come.

About TerraSim

TerraSim is a high-technology company that provides software solutions and services for advanced visual simulation and database construction using a variety of geospatial source data. TerraSim's TerraTools® automates construction of dense urban environments for operations planning and situation assessment as well as produces exercise databases covering hundreds of one degree geocells. TerraSim also provides database construction services and advanced technology development for both civilian and military customers.

About BISim

BISim is a world leader in providing simulation technologies and integrated training solutions for government and commercial organisations. With origins in the gaming industry, BISim has repeatedly delivered high fidelity, affordable, disruptive technology into the virtual simulation domain. BISim has successfully exploited game-based technology with stunning visuals and applied this to a range of breakthrough simulation products. Our flagship product, VBS2, is employed for daily tactical training and mission rehearsal by most western militaries.

Via RealWire