Elite Exhibits

With the Hype on C4D - I am curious if the long standing issues, bugs and general problems with Renderworks 2010 will simply fall by the wayside ??? Maybe Dave D. can fill me in on when the "Align Selected Mappings" option will be functional ??? Peter

Contacted Tech support in the past and was told that problems with the software (ie: it won't load from the provided disks) were their domain. Training is where you should be asking the "how questions". (ie: how do you use the circle tool to make a cylinder) Now I am told by training that tech support is where I should be going for these questions. (FYI: I have the emails to document this.) In past years tech support has been terrible or non existent, while training recently has been great. Now my question is ... Where do I really go to get questions answered ? Peter

Does any one have a functional VW 2010 file or a run down on how to actually get the Align Selected Mappings check box to work. ( ... in the Render Tab of the Obj Info Palette) I have only seen it grayed out ... Thanks Peter

The Decal feature in RenderWorks is interesting, but not for adding a decal. It is back to the issue of control and how complex it is the position the decal accurately. I find that it is still much easier to make an additional piece of geometry and place it "ontop". If RenderWorks Attribute tool was not so problematic then the decal would be great. Hint. Work outside RenderWorks (Photoshop) to get the decal size correctly and with a solid background color or alpha channel. Either way you add it. Peter

Overhaul may be good, how about just fixing RenderWorks so the features actually work ??? My biggest concern is not the rendering speed but the complexity with RenderWorks texture placement and many bugs / issues that exist in VW / RW 2010. We are looking at going back to Art-Lantis. Because the speed we need is in the creation process, not the computer time to make the rendering. (although this added speed would be nice). Examples: There are three distinct issues with the malfunctioning Attribute Mapping Tool. Texture size vs object size. (Disappearing handles) Object location vs Zero - Zero. (Disappearing shader) ... and the switch required from the default Perimeter to Planar. (Disappearing map). All know "Bugs". We typically work outside RenderWorks (Photoshop) as much as possible to limit the interaction with the Mapping controls. Also: Shader Scale change induces unwanted changes in the Delta X and Y. Why: Textures apply at different origins for some similar shaped object. (Extruded Lines as an example) And I have never seen the "Align Selected Mappings" option work. A feature that would be useful in our discipline. (Send me an example is you got one...) One of My big texturing complaints with Form Z (when I used it) was the numerical dialogs. Excess amount of guessing and entering numbers then guessing again, again and again. When RenderWorks came along it inherited this convoluted logic. (Lightworks?) Where a change on the screen does not always equate to a change in the Object Info. Where the snaps in the drawing are not the same in the texture mapping. Overhaul? Sure, start by fixing the bugs. Peter

Michaelk Great example ... Thanks Peter

Our small group of designers has petitioned to bring back the old style Obj Info Mapping Preview. The VW / RW Movie of the 2010 (Planar Only) Texture adjustments with the Attribute Mapping Tool reminds me of a Wow -it great! got to have it Kids Toy / TV advert at Christmas time. Then you get the toy out of the box ... Textures, like brickwork on a wall, that repeat and can have variation to their start / stop locations hide a multitude of sins. In the case of Textures that need to be accurate it is NOT how the texture is applied that counts, it is how you draw the shape in the first place. Here are a few suggestion to try. Work out side of VW / RW to make the Shaders similar in size / ratio if it is to be an Image based Texture (Photoshop etc). Apply Textures to objects that have been drawn in 2D then converted to 3D Polygons (From the Modify Menu) More predictable than with an extrudes. If the object is essentially flat (ie: painting on a wall. Draw it flat.) With the Attribute Mapping Tool ... Start in Wireframe mode, when selecting the Attribute Mapping Tool. DO NOT have a texture that is larger than the object it is applied to. DO NOT have an object that is "remote" from the origin of the drawing. DO NOT have an object that is other than "flat on the ground plane" In each of these cases, the Attribute Mapping Tool will lose the texture "out in space somewhere" and one needs to zoom out / and or change to another view to see "where the texture went" or where the texture "handles went". Start in Wireframe mode, when selecting the Attribute Mapping Tool Suggestions: Create the object to be textured at (0,0) (Move it afterwords to a desired place) Work in Top Plan and apply the texture at (0,0) (Rotate afterwords if needed) Make the object a Group, then edit "the Group" without other object being visible. Adjust the Texture while in this Edit Group Mode. (Only one thing to work on / worry about) Could also be a separate layer or even a separate drawing. As an alternate: DO NOT use the Scale slider in the Obj Info Palette. Change the Texture Size Think numerically and adjust the Delta X and Y in the Obj Info Palette ... This can be a "Form-Z" style pain - yet it is often easier than the Attribute Mapping Tool if you know what the Texture size and the object size are. Adjust the object to match the texture. ie: resize a 3D Polygon in Open GL rendering ( ... or set the texture size to the desired shape dimension) Peter

Same issue here - Much to often - VW Tech support avoided calling it a Bug - I have reproduced it many times (submitted movie files to VW) I have noticed that the issue arrises when the drawing is rendered in Open GL and a group is selected and edited. The assumption: Problem is Open GL inside a group. Another potential item in the mix is the use of Symbols and / or groups of symbols. Suggestion: When this "clipped screen" happens our norm is to save - close - quit - restart. VW (Macintosh) appears to have memory based issues. If you keep your machine running (laptop or otherwise) we find that it is good to restart now and then. This clears up some of those gremlins that occur but are hard to pin down. Peter