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3D Modeling and VW future directions?


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It has been reported that Rhino is being ported to the Mac.

http://www.architosh.com/news/2007-06/2007a0606_an-rhinomac.html

This is particularly pertinant to my situation, and maybe to others'.

I was wondering if NNA would make some comment on it's 'vision' -to use the nasty corporate gobbledegook ;-) for the future direction of more powerfull and robust 3D modelling in VW.

I'm not talking about specifics about particular releases or features, but generally; about to what extent this is a direction that NNA will be pursuing.

regards,

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The Rhino to Mac porting is great news for to me - as a Rhino user and Windows hater!

Yes, the solid modelling in VW could do with an improvement. At the moment (I've just finished a big project) the most frustrating things are fillets, the inability to "pick up" a centre of an extrude, and the difficulty in selecting one of several coincident points or edges. On the latter, VW would do well to emulate how Rhino handles this with a contextural menu. The other thing is - Renderworks has a lousy HLR.

Rhino is great for what it can do, but I still use VW to base the project in, and it's quicker for flat panels - and 2D of course. I can do the fancy shapes in Rhino and import them via IGES. It doesn't work too badly.

If VW could improve it's nurbs modelling then I'd like to have better filleting (again), blending surfaces, and a 2 rail loft with multiple cross-sections. And maybe actively viewable real-time viewports.

Otherwise I eagerly await that Rhino Beta!

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Some architects do not even consider VW because they see it as not 3D and those who use VW mainly use it as 2D.

Perhaps VW has no future in terms of 3D!?

Michael,

Well actually, I was specifically talking about non-architectural 3D. The majority (I'm guessing) of the 3D engineering in VW is already allocated to providing tools for architecture such as hybrid walls and windows, stairs etc (whether those functions are used by architects or not).

What I'm refering to is 3D Modelling

Designing Product

Think; Car bodies, Egg Beaters, Mobile Phones, or, in my case ; Furniture.

That's the sort of functionality this thread is about.

cheers

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Maybe VW can incorporate T-Nurbs, to solve some problems of precision. It's needed a better 3d interface (with a more intuitive aproach) and a more robust set of operations. Now the 3d power pack is really powerfull, but lacks consistency in the relationships of nurbs (surfaces, curves, perhaps volumes). For me all those thing are important even as an architect. :)

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Well actually, I was specifically talking about non-architectural 3D. The majority (I'm guessing) of the 3D engineering in VW is already allocated to providing tools for architecture such as hybrid walls and windows, stairs etc (whether those functions are used by architects or not).

Nicholas, as an architect I use and appreciate the window/door/wall objects. But I agree with you wholeheartedly, and many architects would also agree, that robust NURBS modeling would increase the attraction to VectorWorks. ArchiCAD doesn't have NURBS at all, nor AutoCAD ADT. And what Rhino specifically lacks is the separate 2d space that is always present in VW, no matter what the 3d view, and that allows us to construct extrudes, 3d polys and NURBS curves with precision in any orientation.

Maybe Calatrava is going to use a more expensive and sophisticated program than VectorWorks, but if I were NNA my goal would be to provide a program that could meet the sculptural needs of architecture. VW already has a leg up, it's good to build on strengths, and freeform expression is the wave of the immediate future.

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Rendering In Vectorworks is mainly dependant on the processor now.

Are there plans to take advantage of the new line of high end graphic cards for rendering?

Maybe even encoprating a third party rendering engine like Crytek?s CryENGINE 2

http://www.crytek.com/screenshots/index.php?sx=cryengine2&px=environment_set6_new.jpg

Real time 60 to 80 FPS rendering what it takes VectorWorks on a Core 2 Quad two hours for one frame ????? check the link above, the future is here?.

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if I were NNA my goal would be to provide a program that could meet the sculptural needs of architecture. VW already has a leg up, it's good to build on strengths, and freeform expression is the wave of the immediate future.

Gehry's got a lot to answer for. ;-D

Pete, my point was that VW is already oriented towards meeting the needs (including sculptural) of Architects, and not currently, to the needs of Product Designers.

I think NNA will continue to build strongly on it's offerings to the building industry, -including free-form structures, but; dare I say it, those 3D modelling needs are insufficient for the design of modern products.

My question to NNA was whether they see themselves pursuing becoming a viable tool for Product Design.

cheers,

N

PS just joking about Gehry; I think the Springfield Opera House was one of the worlds finest buildings. ;-)

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