Wokka

Nigel, If it was done in ArchiCad, you should have contacted the architect and her could have sent you the model complete as a 3ds file. I've attached a few quick images I did a few years ago, combining the ArchiCad Sketch and a quick C4D rendereing. (The exported file will also give you the camera locations) Just overlaying the images in Photoshop. Cheers

Nigel, The image actually looks like a sketch render directly from ArchiCad. Cheers

Hey guys, Thanks for the replies. I'm a little late thanking Jntdigital (only 5 yeas!). Graphisoft Virtual Building Explorer looks promising but I wish they'd fix the exchange plugin to C4D AND get Archicad right first! Cheers

WAcky, Just completed the same type of project for some local builders. Get the first one right and the rest are easy. I'd be really tempted to alter the view so the driveway and garage isn't the main point of interest. I agree about the glass, put some blinds or curtains in and reflect a street scene in them. Also frame the image with something in the foreground out of focus maybe. If your after some good natives, try "envirographic.com", even though they are Kiwi's they are still pretty good PS Did you do the original model in ArchiCad? PPS Don't they love the entrance portico and vertical windows now? I had to take a second look at the design as my builder (in NSW) has them on everything. Cheers

Also try: http://www.culturedstone.com/ and download Stonecad. Great for stone hatchings and textures

Adrian, I think the water colour is fine (see Strats second image), just a bit more life in the dispalcement/bump. Also, you mention refraction is on because you don't want to see the pillars meet the sandbed, but isn't that what you would/should see? At the moment the post look like they are sitting on the water, not in it. Apart from that and the pool overflows (that just look too solid but if animated might look OK) I think it's looking great. Looks like a great project and you've put a great deal of effort into it.

The live file linking work great (ay least with Archicad and Vectorworks). The updated model is just merged into C4D and automatically alters the objects changed without needing to reapply materials etc (depending upon the method you use). For AutoCad, could you have a dwg placed in a C4D file and Xref it into the model C4D file. If the DWG is updated, you only updated the 'xref'ed' file? That should not affect the main model file?

Did you say Engineers officce? WAAAAAAAY to tidy Nice render! Maybe soften the light source so it's less distracting. Cheers

Thanks jack, I thought that might be the case. Can't blame me for trying to cut corners ; ) Cheers

Hi, I'm creating an animation with lots of trees in the foreground (Simple plane, tree image and alpha). I'd usually set Antialiasing to Geometry (Filter -animation). I'm finding that the areas behind the 'invisible' parts of the tree plane, are reacting like there is no antialising at all. and it's causing the animation to flicker on the elements behind. I've tried all kinds of variations with little success. Anyone any ideas or is this a limitation of using Geometry? Thanks PS The jpgs hide the jaggies a bit but it's pretty obvious in the originals.

Hi, Has anyone had time to test all the vaireties of filters, softness, threshold, Min/Max and MIP scales to determine the best output for an animation with the rendering time as an issue? I need to produce a animation for TV (PAL). If I use Best antialiasing and Animation I get a bit of flickering with the shadow lines thats really obvious in the test movies I made. Any ideas? Thanks

Yeah the article was good but deals with large trees and forest. I'll use a simialr technique for my trees but the landscaping calls for lots of 1-1.5m high shrubs and bushes. I suppose I can try using the same ideas but I get up a bit too close on some of the shots. Thanks anyhow.

Thanks Andrew, Yeah I had a deeper look into my fakosity settings and finally got a reasonable result, though the soft shadow parameters still confuse me Whilst I'm here, just wondering what you (or anyone looking) use for mass low planting like small hedges and bushes etc. Anything I've found is either too many polygons or looks too CG. Thanks again

Thanks for the reply. By fakosity do you mean a dome of lights/soft shadows to add depth then one light source for the sun? That's what I'm trying but can't seem to get the depth in the shadows I need, hence adding the AO. Are there any specific parameters I should look at for the light dome light sources that would increase the shadows at the junctions (ie under the eaves)? Would applying AO only to the wall, eaves,floor,ground materials speed up the rendering instead of using global AO? Thanks in advance