Microstation

[walianboy]

Hi,

 

I am a new member to this group and wondering if there are any Microstation users out there. I'm really trying to persavere with Microstation as I have lots of experience with it and I know it inside out. I'm just wondering if I should go ahead and make the change to 3d Studio though as it seems so much more widely used.

 

Any help/support/thoughts would be much appreciated.

 

Rich

[AJLynn]

Depends what you want to do with it - Microstation is a good cad program, some would say it's good for rendering but I've yet to see evidence of that. Max is for 3D modeling, animation and rendering but lacks some of the modeling capabilities of Microstation and is useless for 2D drafting. If you like modeling in Microstation but want Max's animation and rendering, you could use both.

[chodney]

I'd agree with the response above....but would go further.

I used Microstation for years....as a 2d CAD program and as a 3d modeller. I since have been using Autocad, 3dStudio, or Form-Z (just autocad for modellling now). However, I wish I could go back to Microstation. It seems to have the best of all those 3d modelling programs.

I'd recommend sticking with Microstation for modelling, and purchasing 3dstudio Viz for rendering. From what I understand, Version 8 of Microstation exports fairly seamlessly to a .dwg format.....which you can File Link into Viz for design development.

[walianboy]

How do you go about assigning materials in 3d studio then? Is it by level or colour of do you just point and click?

 

I just want to know as I will take your suggestion and keep with Microstation for modelling but I want to make sure I am not doubling-up my work when I export into Studio.

 

Attached is a rendering I did last night in Microstation. It's fine with flat surfaces but trying to model things like cloth is a nightmare!

 

Regards

 

Richard

[manta]

Thats not bad at all, it seems like you're missing shadows though ??

What rendering engine does microstation use ??

 

When I say it not bad I meant that it is certainly adequate to get your point across, I think people are getting way too hung up on photo-real, which is sort of overkill, noone needs a photo-real rendering to visualize what the space will be...

[Justin Hunt]

I think I have seen some of your posts in the Microstation visions forums. The vase looks familiar.

 

Microstation and max/viz work well together, once you have worked out the best settings of 2004dwg exporting works for you. Some suggestions are, dont do any texturing in microstation. Still use the relevant level/ level colour system in Microstation, these get brought into max. Don't light in MS. Save everything as polyface mesh and be careful of MS surfaces, there is a tendancy to drop down to wireframes.

 

I was using MS to Max until recently, but have since switched to ADT to Max.

 

JHV

Justin Hunt Visualisation

[vjaramillo]

Dude,

 

Mstation is the best cad application I've ever used. For 2d and 3d. The modeling tools blow Acad out the water, and mstation is an all-in-one application. Drafting, modeling, and rendering. Particle tracing is cool, but it doesn't compete with the reality that MAX and the third party renderers put out. I struggled with the same question 5 years ago. I now use MAX only. The reasons why I switched: All I wanted to focus on was visualization. I didn't want to draft. Hardly anyone knows Microstation unless you are in the South or maybe the East coat. MAX is the industry standard, when it come to the CG world. MAX will open more 3d doors than Microstation. So it depends what you want to be. A 3d dude, or a cad jokey/3d guy.

 

Vince

[walianboy]

Save everything as polyface mesh and be careful of MS surfaces, there is a tendancy to drop down to wireframes.

 

Sounds like a good idea. One question though - how do you save everything as a polyframe mesh?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Richard

[walianboy]

Dude,

 

Mstation is the best cad application I've ever used. For 2d and 3d. The modeling tools blow Acad out the water, and mstation is an all-in-one application.

Vince

 

Are you using 3d MAX for modelling as well now then? have you ditched Microstation completely?

 

Rich

[vjaramillo]

I've completely ditched Mstation. Only because I wanted to focus on 3d. I was so used to the one application workflow that Mstation offered, that I model, texture, light, and render in MAX.

 

Vince

[walianboy]

Thanks for your reply. What sort of restrictions should I expect to come across in MAX then? I guess they are outweighed by the overall package yeah?

 

Rich

[vjaramillo]

What do you mean by restrictions?

 

Vince

[walianboy]

Well, I guess I am asking about what sort of limitations 3dMAX has in terms of pitting it against Microstation. Are there any gaping holes that the package has which Microstation seems to cover?

 

Thanks

 

Richard

[vjaramillo]

Not really. You just have to remember that they are two different beasts. MAX is not a drafting tool, so doing certain 2d things like offseting, and trim and extend, are different. But once you get the hang of it, it isn't an issue.

 

vince

[walianboy]

Thanks for your comments.... lots to think about.... and learn I think.

[woolsgrove]

Richard,

I use MS to model, I'm just happier with it and I'm quick with it. I find it too painful to learn modelling when there is so much to learn with the material and rendering settings etc... Also I get all my design data as DGN. Also I really using Max to get to VRay.

I'm happy with the setup, once you have the export DWG + DWG Link sorted it's a piece of p...

Restriction wise I find MS far easier to navigate complex models. But Max is great and I wish I knew it better.

Richard, I've seen your images on the MS NG, and Vincent, I remember you too ;-)

Richard

[FlytE]

Sorry, not trying to hijack the thread, but seeing as we have a few microstation chaps around I have a quick question. Do any of you know of any free converters that will convert DNG files to DWG ?

[Parker1]

Since some of you may have missed this thread as it was buried deep in a strange forum....

 

http://www.cgarchitect.com/vb/17417-microstation.html

 

It talks in detail about a MICROSTATION - MAX/V-Ray workflow and how to make it work.

Enjoy

[vjaramillo]

Richard W. good to see you. Here is my e-mail. We sort of lost contact for awhile. Vince.Jaramillo@SmithGroup.com

 

Keep in touch. Good to see that you're still doing 3d. The last we talked you where venturing out into the photography world.

 

vince

[RyanSpaulding]

Sounds like a good idea. One question though - how do you save everything as a polyframe mesh?

 

When you do '> Save As' and select DWG, there's an options box. In there is something called 'Entity Mapping.' and you can choose what MStation converts the DGN element to.

 

I used MicroStation, but switched to Vue 5 Infinite for rendering. Now I'm thinking about 3D Studio but am also interested in how I should be modeling for it. I have authorization to get Max and Maxwell. Then I'd have to get Vue XTream for Max...another $600...but Vue's environments are so much nicer...

 

Just gotta gather the time.

 

I stopped rendering in microstation (unless it's an interior which is rare for us). Best non-organic modeller IMO.

[vjaramillo]

Ryan, I don't recommend getting Maxwell as a plug-in. Yes the final images look very good, but the rendering times are really high. Too high for production. IMO Try Vray or Finalrender. They are more suited for fast deadlines, and production.

 

Vince

[Ian P]

noone needs a photo-real rendering to visualize what the space will be...

 

I think that is a bit of a sweeping statement, if clients and the genral public have nothing to do with architecture, i.e. if they are the people eventually buying the product, not every one can visualise without seeing close to the finished result, As much as we all get bored of seeing photo real images, there wouldn't be a market out there if they weren't needed.