Amid the surging wave of digitalization, major initiatives such as digital twin cities and the Realistic 3D China Project are advancing rapidly, driving high-fidelity geospatial rendering from a "nice-to-have" feature to a "core infrastructure."
This year, SuperMap GIS 2025 brings multifaceted advancements in 3D visual effects: the desktop version significantly enhances visual expression through large-scale scene light and shadow simulation, atmospheric effects, and object-level data beautification; the Web3D engine strengthens realistic lighting, dynamic cloud effects, and detailed water effects to create an immersive cloud experience; the high-fidelity 3D GIS development kit offers richer post-processing effects and more precise weather control capabilities, making it easier to build realistic scenes.
This article, part of the "SuperMap GIS 2025 New Features" series, will introduce the breakthroughs in 3D GIS visual effects of SuperMap GIS 2025.
01 Desktop Visual Effects Upgrade: Light & Shadow Simulation + Atmospheric Effects + Object-Level Beautification
Last year, SuperMap iDesktopX 2024 introduced a Vulkan-based desktop 3D GIS rendering engine, leveraging Vulkan's key features such as lower CPU load, multi-threading support, and finer GPU control to significantly improve massive data rendering performance and quality.
This year, the 2025 version upgrades 3D visual effects through large-scale scene light and shadow simulation, atmospheric effects, and object-level data beautification, achieving a qualitative leap in the realism of 3D scenes built on the desktop and laying a high-fidelity data foundation for applications like digital twins.
Dynamic clouds and Tyndall effect based on volumetric cloud and light beam rendering, with real-time changes in cloud morphology and thickness, delivering realistic and natural light transitions.
Vertical gradient height fog creates distinct spatial layers in scenes.
Ambient occlusion technology enhances shadow details, making shadows in building crevices clearly visible and strengthening the three-dimensional feel of objects.
High-fidelity high-speed railway station scenes rendered using PBR (Physically Based Rendering) materials, shadows, volumetric clouds, and other effects.
Additionally, SuperMap iDesktopX 2025 comes with 10+ categories and 200+ ready-to-use PBR materials, covering buildings (indoor and outdoor), roads, and other scenarios, meeting most material needs for digital twin cities.
By dragging and dropping PBR materials onto white models, detailed models, or BIM (in S3M format), users can replace materials in real time, quickly enhancing data quality.
02 Web3D Engine Upgrade: Dynamic Light, Shadow, Cloud, and Wate Rendering
To meet the demand for high-fidelity 3D visualization on the web, SuperMap iClient3D for WebGL/WebGPU 2025 enhances 3D effects: realistically simulating the Tyndall effect for physically accurate light scattering; supporting dynamic simulation of cloud morphology changes and light interaction; and precisely depicting water flow, light reflection, and refraction.
The synergy of these effects significantly improves the dynamic expressiveness and environmental atmosphere of 3D scenes on the web, meeting the high visual standards of online platforms like the Realistic 3D China Project.
03 High-Fidelity Development Kit Upgrade: Rich Effects Out-of-the-Box
For higher visualization requirements, SuperMap Hi-Fi 3D SDKs 2025 provides more powerful and user-friendly high-fidelity 3D scene rendering capabilities.
More post-processing effects are "out-of-the-box" to quickly enhance scene expressiveness:
Support for instant switching between styles like sketch, white model, and crystal effect, rapidly transforming scene atmosphere.
Enhanced scenario reality through global illumination, ambient occlusion, and other light optimization technologies.
Simulate realistic optical qualities with effects like bloom, vignetting, and lens flare to enhance immersion.
More weather effect templates with precise control over details:
10 weather templates: Overcast/sunny/rain/snow/dust, etc., with one-click switching and full-scene coverage.
Fine-tuned parameter control: Dynamic adjustment of clouds/fog/atmosphere/wind/rain/snow, etc., for accurate weather effects.
Additionally, SuperMap GIS enables lossless cross-platform reuse of game engine materials: Breaking down barriers between UE/Unity and GIS platforms, high-precision PBR materials created once can be reused across all platforms. PBR materials (e.g., metal/glass) made in game engines can be directly imported into SuperMap iDesktopX, instantly enhancing desktop scene quality, and parsed in browsers via SuperMap iClient3D for WebGL/WebGPU, achieving zero-loss web rendering of light and shadow details.
In the future, SuperMap will continue to deepen its expertise in multi-platform 3D GIS interaction technologies, providing a solid technical foundation for the digital transformation of all industries.
