Starting with release 2.0 in January of 2023, the VRX simulation environment will add official support for Gazebo Sim (formerly Ignition Gazebo) and ROS 2. This release will introduce the following major changes:
- Gazebo Sim and ROS 2 will become the default prerequisites for installing and running the master branch of the VRX repository.
- The current master branch will be renamed “gazebo_classic” and will continue to be available for users running Gazebo Classic and ROS 1.
After the release, the ported version of VRX will become the recommended starting point for new users. We will be transitioning the gazebo_classic branch from an officially supported branch to a community supported branch by Spring 2023.
A preview of the release 2.0 features is currently accessible through the gazebosim branch in Github. This branch works with Gazebo Garden and ROS 2 by default. Some notable features include:
- Ported versions of the Sydney Regatta, VRX 2022 course elements, and VRX 2022 competition tasks.
- PBR support for the buoys, docks, WAM-V and WAM-V accessories, for improved visual fidelity to materials, e.g.:
- Updated documentation and tutorials.
Please give it a try and let us know what you think! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
The VRX Technical Team: Brian, Carlos, Jessica and Michael