3D Audiences

[Boyle]

I am currently using Zygote people from the 3D Population. My clients are hating the "fakeness" of these people.

I am wondering what other people are using in their models besides using photoshop added people.

There are times I need to create 200 - 300 people audiences to show clients.

Please let me know...

Thanks

[alanmac]

I don't think very detailed realistic 3D people will work well in Vectorworks and with the number you need may create huge unmanageable files. You may have to go beyond Vectorworks/Renderworks combination to achieve what you want.

RPC is the technology which will do the job but no path available for this in Renderworks. Don't know if they'll ever be.

Check out this web site to see what I'm talking about.

http://www.archvision.com/default.cfm

[mike m oz]

My experience is that 3D models of people don't work well in any of the programs.

I have tried it with VectorWorks, ArchiCAD and SketchUP. Each grinds to a halt pretty quickly.

There are too many calculations required to render properly.

[Kaare Baekgaard]

I tend to disagree, alanmac.

If Boyle can find the content, 200-300 imageprops is not a problem, if he chooses a reasonable image resolution. I did a shoeshop with about 250 imageprops, and it rendered nicely.

The problem is to get relevant content.

Perhaps the Zygotes can be used in the background combinded with 'real people' in the foreground.

[alanmac]

Hi Kaare

Are the imageprops you are talking about actual 3D objects?

In my email I'm stating that "detailed realistic 3D people" which are objects, which I understand the Zygote figures are.

Are the imageprops you speak of viewable from all angles as "3D" people which is what poster Boyle I believe is seeking. Or he could go back to pasting them in in Photoshop as he said.

If a fairly detailed model of a human figure is going to be say in the region of 7 mb for example, probably more, multiply that by a hundred or two hundred and I hope you have a machine capable of handling that size file and moving it around.

RPC to my mind seems the ideal way to go, giving the best of both.

Regards

Alan

[ 03-08-2005, 07:41 AM: Message edited by: alanmac ]

[Peter van der Elst]

For imageprops, just take some pictures of friends or family and turn those into imageprops. Or take some photographs at your local shopping area (don't know about privacy rules or anything). I know it's a heck of a job to cut out all the people, but once done, you have an up to date resource. We did it a couple of times, where the architect was placed within his own design. Good Luck

[Kaare Baekgaard]

>Are the imageprops you are talking about actual 3D objects?

No, Alanmac, they are 2D objects - perhaps I misunderstood the original question.

I dont think, I could have rendered real 3D figures in that number.

If RPC can do that, it is very smart. But unless I need to do an amination or several very different views, props are extremely useful, and they render fast. It is much better than pasting figures from Photoshop.

[alanmac]

Hi Kaare

From what I understand RPC is a series of images taken 360 degrees of the person or object and works together to give the effect of 3D, so as I said it makes a good alternative. I need to look at it more and use Cinema to take advantage of it. I believe they do 2D images as well so may be worth a look at those for your needs.

Alan

[ErichR]

The manual doesn't explain how to use image props, or why.

Is there an example somewhere of using image props effectively?

[Kaare Baekgaard]

The best way is just to try it out:

Go to www.matton.com and enter OS13084.JPG into the search field. Copy the image to your disk.

Open a VW file containing somthing, that you would place a flower on (a window sill or such).

Select 'create image prop' and import the image of the dafodil. Set the heigth of the prop to 12" or 300 mm. Check the 'Use mask' option and select the 'Reuse this props colour' option. Use transparent colour mask and define white as transparent. Check the 'Crossed planes' option and leave the others on default.

Then place the prop on a window sill or table and render from a relevant view. It's easy, and you can use lots of props without slowing down significantly. The only hitch is to find images taken from useful angles.

[ErichR]

Thanks, KB. I did everything you suggested and got to see the result in Open GL, but other issues surfaced (crashing), which I'll pursue in another thread.

Thanks, though!