DIMOverse

DIMOverse merges Next.js, Unreal Engine, and Google’s Geospatial Creator to develop a next-generation DIMO vehicle dashboard that provides comprehensive access to real-time vehicle data. The core idea behind the project is to combine the powerful capabilities of these technologies to create an interactive, data-driven gaming experience that leverages vehicle and location information from the DIMO network.

The system begins by integrating the DIMO API to pull telemetry and trip data from a user’s connected vehicle. This data is processed by a Next.js API, which supplies it to Unreal Engine, where it becomes the foundation for two unique gaming experiences:

1. Landmark Exploration Game (Fog of War)

In this photorealistic tile-based game, players explore their city in real-time using a ‘fog of war’ mechanic. As players drive their real vehicle, the game unlocks new sections of the map, revealing nearby landmarks. These landmarks are tied to real-world points of interest, discovered progressively as the vehicle’s location data is retrieved through the DIMO API.

In addition to discovering landmarks, players can also uncover and view photos that are associated with trips taken by other users of the DIMO platform. These photos, accessed via the Trips API, provide visual insights into places others have visited, enhancing the sense of exploration and community. The game's immersive visual experience and real-world data integration make it feel like a journey through an ever-evolving, data-driven version of the player's surroundings. 2. Racing Game

The second game is a high-speed racing experience, where the real-world health of the player’s vehicle directly impacts in-game mechanics. Data points such as tire pressure, engine health, and overall vehicle status, pulled from the DIMO telemetry system, influence how the player’s in-game car performs. For example:

Low tire pressure in the real vehicle translates to reduced handling in the game.
Engine issues in the real car limit the top speed or acceleration of the in-game vehicle.
General vehicle health affects the car's responsiveness and endurance during races.

This dynamic integration of vehicle data ensures that the player’s real-world driving experience has a tangible effect on how the virtual car behaves, adding a layer of realism and strategic gameplay. Project Architecture and Technology

Next.js serves as the backend API platform, handling requests to the DIMO API to fetch telemetry and trip data. This API also manages user authentication and securely passes the vehicle data to the Unreal Engine.
Unreal Engine is used for rendering both the landmark exploration and racing games. It leverages the data from the DIMO network to create realistic, interactive environments powered by the real-world information provided by the user’s vehicle.
Google’s Geospatial Creator plays a pivotal role in enhancing the location-based elements of the landmark exploration game, ensuring that the cityscape and landmarks reflect the player's actual surroundings.

This project demonstrates how real-world vehicle data can be creatively applied to immersive gaming experiences, offering both exploration and competitive elements that feel deeply personal and dynamic.

DIMOverse integrates Next.js, Unreal Engine 5, and Google’s Geospatial Creator to create a sophisticated DIMO vehicle dashboard with two interactive games.

Next.js serves as the backend API, fetching real-time data from the DIMO Telemetry, Identity, and Trips APIs:

Telemetry API provides vehicle status data (e.g., tire pressure, engine health) for real-time gameplay adjustments.
Identity API is used for user authentication and profile management.
Trips API supplies historical trip data, including photos, which are used in the landmark exploration game.

Unreal Engine 5 renders photorealistic game environments and utilizes this data to drive gameplay. The landmark exploration game, enhanced by Google’s Geospatial Creator, maps real-world locations and reveals city landmarks based on the player's real-time vehicle data. The racing game dynamically adjusts in-game mechanics according to the vehicle’s health data.

Data flows from the DIMO APIs through Next.js to Unreal Engine, with caching solutions ensuring smooth, real-time synchronization between the real vehicle and the games.