[Feature request]: 2D Simulation for RMF Using gazebo.

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Description

Dear OpenRMF Team,

First of all, I would like to sincerely appreciate the outstanding work you’re doing. Your efforts are being recognized across the robotics industry, and as a working professional in this field, I can confidently say that OpenRMF is proving to be a powerful and impactful framework.

As part of our internal development and proof-of-concept (POC) efforts, we rely heavily on simulations to demonstrate how effectively RMF can manage multi-robot fleets. However, we’ve encountered performance limitations when using 3D environments in Gazebo, especially as the complexity and number of robots scale up. Real-time simulation with 3D models becomes extremely resource-intensive and leads to significant lag, particularly when simulating over 100 robots.

In this context, I would like to inquire:

Is there any official or recommended way to run 2D simulations in Gazebo (or an alternative simulator) that retains all core RMF functionalities (e.g., navigation, conflict negotiation, fleet coordination), but with significantly lower computational overhead compared to 3D?

If such a 2D mode or plugin exists — or is being developed — it would be incredibly helpful for high-demand simulations, especially in resource-constrained environments.

I would greatly appreciate any guidance or recommendations regarding lightweight simulation tools or configurations that are compatible with RMF.

Thank you again for your contributions to the robotics community.

Implementation Considerations

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Alternatives

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Additional information

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Start by reviewing the RMF repository's existing simulation packages and Gazebo integration points; this issue names no files, tests, or entry points. Determine whether a supported 2D simulation path already exists and define the required navigation, negotiation, and fleet-coordination behavior before implementation.