3D plants - how to get more

[phin]

Hi,

 

I am trying to move from SketchUp to 3D VW, so excuse what could be a stupid question...

 

I am trying to create a visual with quite specific plants in. In SU this is easy as there's a wide variety on the 3D Warehouse. I've imported everything from Help > Download Content, but there are very few plants there.

 

Is it the case that one must buy a library? Or are there free ones? Or ones that could be imported from other software?

 

I have imported a couple from SU and just used that symbol as the 3D Graphic for the plant object - does anyone else use that workaround?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Fiona

[Dave Donley]

Hello Fiona:

 

There is a VBvisual Plant tool in the Visualization tool palette that places low-poly textured plants in the drawing.  You can buy more VBvisual plants and add them to that tool.  Or like you have tried, importing Sketchup models into VW should work fine as well.  If you need to simplify the imported models you can try using the Modify->Simplify Mesh command on the selected imported object.

 

[Guest BillV]

Dave, there appears to be an issue importing Sketchup these days. It used to work well  but it appears the necessary translators have not been updated for some time in Vectorworks. I ran a test on Vectorworks 2019 on Mac OS 10.14 and was unable to import version 2019, 2018 and 2017 Sketchup files  The 2019 had been produced with Sketchup Pro.  It was only when I got back to a very much earlier Sketchup model that the import worked. Given how many of our Architects use Sketchup this could become a real issue.  I have attached a Schneider wall socket file for test.

4025XA_SOCKET_OUTLET_10A_TWIN_WITH_EXTRA_SWITCH_Horizon_Silver 2019.skp

[Nicola B]

Bill, thank you for sharing this.  I was just about to buy Vectorworks, but the lack of plants, and inability to get plants from sketchup means I'll have to stay with sketchup.  What a shame. You've just saved me wasting a lot of money, thank you.  I would have been pretty annoyed having to pay another £500 to get a few plants.  

Edited July 24, 2019 by Nicola B

[Jeff Prince]

7 hours ago, Nicola B said:

Bill, thank you for sharing this.  I was just about to buy Vectorworks, but the lack of plants, and inability to get plants from sketchup means I'll have to stay with sketchup.  What a shame. You've just saved me wasting a lot of money, thank you.  I would have been pretty annoyed having to pay another £500 to get a few plants.  

 

You can always make your own plants with image props or converting sketchup (or other 3D formats) models to VW.  I pretty much have to make all mine to suit my aesthetic preferences and to make up for the general lack of quality desert plants in every software package.

[Nicola B]

Hi Jeff, thank you for this.  I’m not familiar with image props but I can google.  I thought what Bill was saying is that you can no longer convert SketchUp models.  If it’s just a bit of extra faff but it can be done, then maybe it would be worth it.  

[Sebastiaan]

1 hour ago, Nicola B said:

Hi Jeff, thank you for this.  I’m not familiar with image props but I can google.  I thought what Bill was saying is that you can no longer convert SketchUp models.  If it’s just a bit of extra faff but it can be done, then maybe it would be worth it.  

 

There is no problem importing Sketchup if you import an older version sketchup file. For som reason the newest version import never works. 

 

Download 2017 or 2018 files from 3D warehouse and you are fine 😎

[Nicola B]

Thanks Sebastiaan, this is reassuring.  

[bgoff]

Image props are where its at!! They are generally smaller in file size and help drastically with rendering times. Images can be collected online or create your own with a photo editor to knock out the background. Or take it to the extreme and buy an 8' x 14' chroma key fabric cut a 6' slit up the middle on one of the 8' sides. prop the screen over a simple snap together frame of 1"pic and bingo you have a green screen. just set it up behind your plant and use the tails to run along either side of the ground. you have now isolated your plant and you can get some top notch photos for image props. Image props work great for people, I have used them for garbage cans, mailboxes, water spouts, plants, backgrounds and best yet gorgeous planted pots I find near businesses. Fast and simple to make they should be in everyones toolbox!!!!

[Nicola B]

Thank you for this

[bgoff]

No problem glad to help.

[Nico_be]

Hello,

 

I think Image props are good for long distance plants, but for details they are not so realistic.  I prefer 3D plant.  Of course, they increase the file size but result is far better.

For the render time, it's easy to play with setting to have very beautifull images in less time.  Or use the Vw Cloud! 

In addition, free plant are sometimes good but for some money, I've purchased some plants.  For example, choose Low-poly, they are optimised with lower file size. 

For example : https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models?keywords=low+plant+poly&suggested=1

[Nicola B]

This is really nice, and I do need detail for planting designs.  I use 3D plants in sketchup for this reason, but it has been horrifically slow.  I upgraded my mac this week, so I am hoping for much better performance now.  Today will be my first chance to test it.  

I still haven't purchased Vectorworks but having had advice and examples from all of you, I'm much more likely to do so now.  

[bgoff]

Many people are also using Vectorworks for design and moving the renders to Lumion or Twinmotion! It is very fast and does a fantastic job.

[E|FA]

On 6/12/2018 at 9:45 AM, Dave Donley said:

Hello Fiona:

 

There is a VBvisual Plant tool in the Visualization tool palette that places low-poly textured plants in the drawing.  You can buy more VBvisual plants and add them to that tool.  Or like you have tried, importing Sketchup models into VW should work fine as well.  If you need to simplify the imported models you can try using the Modify->Simplify Mesh command on the selected imported object.

 

@Dave Donley@bgoff It looks like the VBvisual (Rendermall) website is gone.  Does VW have any info on the availability of purchasing additional plants for this tool? 

[Tom W.]

28 minutes ago, E|FA said:

@Dave Donley@bgoff It looks like the VBvisual (Rendermall) website is gone.  Does VW have any info on the availability of purchasing additional plants for this tool? 

 

Also, what will this mean for the RenderMall Plant Tool if RenderMall no longer exists...? Presumably if it's removed from the Visualisation Tool Palette in future versions it will remain as a legacy tool so I can continue to use the library of plants I purchased?

[M5d]

Looks like it went into liquidation January 2nd. You'd expect NV would have been notified at the time.

 

Hopefully the library gets repurchased by another entity and NV renegotiates or NV looks at purchasing it themselves. I assume in these circumstances, the remaining assets typically go to the highest bidder, but it would be a pretty awful outcome if the library simply ceases to exist.

 

[Ben Beaumont]

Keep an eye on Globe Plants. They are doing great stuff, with Vectorworks content also. 

[M5d]

On 2/23/2023 at 1:15 PM, Ben Beaumont said:

Keep an eye on Globe Plants. They are doing great stuff, with Vectorworks content also. 

 

Thanks, bookmarked. I'm hopeful we'll see the Mac version of Enscape / VW this year. 

 

Keep an eye on . . . as a possible future partner to replace the VBvisual Tool?

[c.markus]

On 2/23/2023 at 4:15 AM, Ben Beaumont said:

with Vectorworks content also

They really have beautiful plants in a wide range of species, thanks for the hint. Would one have to import the plants via Cinema4D?

[Ben Beaumont]

@c.markusThey have a number of options. They are building image prop Vectorworks Symbols, you can also access their content as Enscape assets. Plus a wide range of other formats. Their mesh .obj files can import into directly into Vectorworks - but watch the performance hit. For plant models, Enscape is probably the best pathway (Win only at the moment). Contact them directly.