We talked in passing about how Google Blocks can be used in conjunction with other VR apps like Tilt Brush; now the company is taking things a little bit further in 3D-land.
Poly, Google’s new dedicated VR/AR sharing platform, lets users download and upload designs for sharing within the community. It replaces Blocks’ previous online gallery (whose link now redirects you to the Poly site), which used to be the only way users could find and repurpose others’ Tilt Brush and Blocks designs in a non-piratey manner.
Modelers can upload their designs for free for other users can download and redesign them. The remixed work, when uploaded, gets labeled as a new design—which then links back to the original 3D file to give the initial modeler props for his or her work (nice!). Google is also toying with the possibility to pull objects from the library directly into a VR workspace for editing.
The platform serves as an art library for people using Google’s own ARCore, Apple’s ARKit, and various other VR platforms. Seeing as there are many asset libraries which come with payment systems, Poly’s free-to-use platform looks to be the right fit with Google’s aim to make ARCore easy and accessible to use.
Poly is already up for mass browsing, with Google planning to integrate an API for the platform later down the road. Developers can sign up to preview the upcoming API here.
