Presenting an interactive 2D and 3D model to clients.

[PVA - Admin]

Hey folks, I'd like some feedback if you have a moment.

What specifically would you WANT a client to be able to do, in an ideal world, when viewing your model?

Forget the Viewer and Vectorworks Nomad for this, I'm more talking if neither of those existed at all; what are the kinds of things you'd like a client to be able to view, change and see when they look at your model/presentation?

I'm thinking for starters:

1) In addition to full 2D views, 3D Walkthrough (with full transparencies/textures of course)

2) The ability to share your file, or an instance of your file with a user via a simple "share..." interface where you can control what the receiver can and can not see. (By layer, class, sheet layer and saved view)

3) A single "package" that can be sent to a client, no installation of a viewer needed, where your file and the viewing software is bundled into an easy double clickable box that works regardless of the users OS (within limits, sorry Windows 2000 and OS 9)

4)The ability for the client to make notes or comments that could be passed back directly into your Vectorworks file in a non disruptive manner.

[michaelk]

Jim

There was a plug in called AR-works a couple years ago that quickly lost support that had a lot of promise. Looks like development stopped in 2012.

It had feature that allowed a user to put a registration board in front of a webcam and the building would be virtually placed on top of that board on a screen. I found that feature useless.

But there were some features that were really great:

1. You could also view models in any web browser

2. The client could control the visibility of layers and classes

3. You had the ability to specify which layers and classes were included. This was helpful in cases were there was a Option 1, Option 2, Option 3 situation. It allowed the client to turn furniture and plumbing fixtures on and off.

4. With a simple slider the client could cut sections on the x,y, and z axes. The response time of the slider was fast enough that it felt interactive.

5. It had simple built in lighting controls.

6. It rendered in Open GL

I think your #3 is the most important. If possible, I'd like to just send the client a link. Nothing for them to download or configure. Anyone who can click a link on an email and has a web browser on their computer can use it.

mk

[PVA - Admin]

Agreed. Augmented reality has promise, but currently (Unless HoloLense from Microsoft stuns cynics into silence, which we will see...) its more a gimmick than anything else.

The AR 3d-model-on-a-card IS very cool, but cool should come after solid, useful features and implemented and the development has turned more towards "Ok we already do what users want, now what do they not know they want yet?" which is a stage we aren't at yet as far as a client viewer goes.

[zoomer]

1.

The final clients want 3DPDF because they think PDF is good and

anyone has Acrobat Reader.

2.

Most do just walkthroughs and maybe some screenshot printing.

(< 20 % know that you can toggle layers)

3.

Annotations and measurements would be very nice for the project

leader of the office I freelance for.

Currently he prints my renderings, draws in by hand, scans it again

and send it by email.

But please no annotations for the final client :grin:

Ability to set cameras or saved views, if a client got lost in 3D space

is nice.

[PVA - Admin]

3.

Annotations and measurements would be very nice for the project

leader of the office I freelance for.

Currently he prints my renderings, draws in by hand, scans it again

and send it by email.

But please no annotations for the final client :grin:

Haha yes, I would think annotations would be user controllable, having the option enabled for coworkers or managers or... well I cant think of the politically correct term so "Viewers who know what they are talking about" and then having it disabled for general client viewing, with the feedback being sortable/disable-able by WHO gave the feedback to you as a sort of overlay, not something that would actually draw junk all over your file without your knowledge.

[zoomer]

Exactly

[Benson Shaw]

Yes to Jim W list:

1. 2d/3d viewer. 2d views, eg sheets and saved views. 3d walkthrough or at least flyover.

2. File share with control. yes (sort of same as #1)

3. Single package.

Clients, print shops seem to resist acquiring and installing software. Something automatic is best - either auto load from the viewer or something widely installed (browser? 3d PDF?)

4. Notes/Annotations direct in file, but non destructive.

Could save to the master document as a set of special Annotation Layers or Classes, one for each "author" or topic. A few active tools, eg text, and basic 2d & 3d object creation.

Agree w/Michael K comments about ARworks. That 3d model on a card was a fun idea, but seemed less than useful, but I never tried it with good cameras and cards. It was not of interest to clients, or even other vwx users I spoke with. The browser interface was good idea.

General comments.

My main interactions with clients are pdf drawing sets augmented with personal presentations including vwx running on a projector for walkthrough and clicking through the sheets. It would be great to also leave them a file with features discussed. The interface has to be self evident.

Looking forward to more discussion on this.

-B

[AlanW]

Jim,

Thanks for raising this to the next level.

My main issue was that I wanted to show Clients the model I was working on, as I saw it with VW2015, material texture, lighting etc and be able to use the walk-through tools. I would like to do this on a laptop or ipad which does not have the power to run the large files in VW2015.

I have used Nomad but I have to send the file up and to get processed than download.

Not sure if most Clients would want to mark up drawings as it may be a daunting task for the not so tech savvy. They will usually call to discuss or you are with them in the presentation.

I think the ability to render your model in the different styles would be helpful, open GL or hidden line etc. You would have to be mindful of the items capacity to render files and the time of the item you have in your hands. (Ipad etc).

I first used Unity (a gaming program) to bring my 3d model into and then the Client can walk around their house as in a game. They loved it, it was easy and with the W,A,S,D keys and the mouse, they were away.

The ability to use the clip cube and turn on and off classes and layers would also be great.

Any ways hope this produces results.

Regards

Alan

Edited February 9, 2015 by Alan777

[AlanW]

Jim,

One comment came up today was why not just put effort into getting the VW nomad to work better rather than have basically 2 separate viewers?

[PVA - Admin]

My phrasing was mostly to get the raw ideas and what was desired, not to suggest that we wanted to make a new viewer in addition to Nomad, no worries.

[TimG]

I'd like a way to share my model with anyone to view easily. For me I would rather have the pendulum swing over to the side of more compatibility and performance than slow with superior quality renderings... Some points to add from my wishlist.

- I'd like it to work with everything... wether their OS is desktop, mobile, or tablet.

- textures, transparency a must, or a way to "white out" textures at least for massing model look

-definitely want ability to toggle annotations ( i could see this being a nightmare with certain clients if they could draw /edit/mark it up)

-ability to set view/ scenes (this could help people not familiar with navigation tremendously.. which is who would be using this %90 of the time)

-i'd like to share models on a per project base with individual clients and teams... not based on my service select subscription where every project I'm currently working on can be viewed by people not associated with that project (Nomad failed at this because you can only share per service select user, instead of multiple projects managed by that service select user)

-I'd like a Ferrari too, red (just incase a bigwig at Nemetschek passes this thread along at and says... do all this stuff)

Edited February 12, 2015 by TimG