Autocad modeling to Viz modeling

[Tim Nelson]

Hello everyone.

 

I've been modeling with solids in autocad for years now and then linking to viz to finish up my renderings. Now I'm trying to make the transition of modeling in viz completely for everything and I feel extremely clumsey with everything. Has anyone had to do this before? Any advice to make it easier? Please tell me that it will pay off in the long run. Based on what I've seen, it will make a big difference for radiosity processing & not getting weird shadows & artifacts.

 

Thanks!

[Ted Boardman]

>>Now I'm trying to make the transition of modeling in viz completely for everything and I feel extremely clumsey with everything. Has anyone had to do this before? Any advice to make it easier? Please tell me that it will pay off in the long run.

 

Tim,

 

Yes, it is well worth it in the long run. You will still find some things are easier to do in Acad, but VIZ gives you much more control over editing and mesh density.

 

The biggest hurdle to productivity I see in most offices is just plain too many unnecessary faces. You can't control this easily in Acad.

 

Your point about modeling for radiosity is a new issue that will become much more important as we get deeper into the process unless something radical changes in the software.

 

Learn the fundamentals! Understand how the modifiers/modifier stack can work for you. Get a handle on how lofting works. Learn the coordinate systems. Then build on this base knowledge to create more complex scenes.

 

VIZ is not Acad -- didn't mean to surprise anyone --. and trying to make it work like acad will be very frustrating and non-productive.

 

Once you know how VIZ works then, and only then, you can make an intelligent choice of which works best for any situation.

 

Relax and dive into it. Oh yeah, and try to get some quality training early on to avoid too many bad habits. Taking a fundametal max class is just as valuable as a VIZ class as long as it sticks to the fundamental issues.

 

Ted -- acad power-user from V1.4 to V13 --

[Ted Boardman]

>>Any advice to make it easier?

 

Tim,

 

Let me add that I have a fundmental max class coming up in Green Bay in mid-July that would be ideal to get started.

 

Go to http://www.virtualpartners.com and contact Jim Murphy for details.

 

Ted

[Ted Boardman]

>>fundmental max class

 

It's not a spelling class!

 

Ted

[Tim Nelson]

Wow, thanks a lot Ted. I think thats what I needed to hear. Last night I was going crazy trying to weld 3 lines to an arc to extrude the whole surface and I couldn't even get that to work! So then I gave it a rest for a while and had fun with your exterior radiosity tutorial. I would have never guessed about the "max quadtree depth". That was amazing!

 

Unfortunately Green Bay is just a little too far away, otherwise I would definitely take you up on that.

 

Does anybody know of good Max/Viz classes in the Phoenix area?

[Ted Boardman]

>>Last night I was going crazy trying to weld 3 lines to an arc to extrude the whole surface and I couldn't even get that to work!

 

Yes, it's the little things in the beginning that can really drive you up the wall.

 

Did you remember to Attach the lines before welding? You can only weld vertices of the same shape, mesh, or patch.

 

If you can't find training close to Pheonix, I travel...

 

Good luck.

 

Ted

[Tim Nelson]

Yeah that would be great Ted, come on over but I'm sure I couldn't afford you! There is a class here that's about six hundred dollars for 3 days - I just didn't think I needed it that bad until now.

 

I think soon, though, more colleges will start offering courses aimed specifically at architectural visualization cg. I'm sure a lot of the universities already do, but last time I checked, none my community colleges had anything like that yet.

[nisus]

Hi Timmatron,

 

We have made the change from modelling everything in CAD to max years ago.

 

Here are a few benefits:

- parametrics/stack (you can change everything without too much effort) + instances/references

- everything is done within one package (Reduce costs, the need to learn a lot of packages...)

- no import/export troubles

- very fast modelling using splines (for walls, roofs, floors) extremely used with the bevel modefier for chamfered edges

Understanding and mastering subobject spline operations will get your workflow to full throttle for architectural visualisation. Basicly these operations will replace the need to use too many lofts

- scripts let you model repetitive actions with a single click

 

rgds

 

nisus

[vizwhiz]

hi There

 

Timmatron,

 

you are either an Optomist or a jokester

snowboarding is one of your favorite hobbies?

 

has hell frozen over? i live in Phoenix, too

also, hey, i do acad 3d solids modeling, too

 

and i wish we could import Ted B down here

sometime during the winter months (so he doesn melt)

 

if you figure out how to model in VIZ, please let me know (soon too)

i probably am going to make the switch when Miz (max + viz) comes out

 

until Then i am just getting along with old style Techniques

 

give me a call sometime

 

Thanks

 

Randy

[Da_RoCk]

hey ive been an acad modeler ever since. the problem with max or viz is accuracy. when i model in autocad, i am always concern with detail and accuracy. In viz, i dont seem to find a better way to have an angle when making lines. and also i dont have enough control in modifying my objects because im much more fond with Acad object snaps. it seems that any point in acad can be ur obj snap. thats wat i feel about it. But im always ready to learn.

 

Peace

[STRAT]

this topic has been covered and discussed here numerous times before.

 

Acad and Viz/max each have their own strengths and faults which can be manipulated to the N'th degree.

 

personally even though i model in both i'd always go for acad modelling over max because i personally find it faster, easier, 1000000% more accurate and more user friendly.

 

but hey, that just be mine own attitude. i've modelled in both for over 10 years and thats why i choose it. there is no right or wrong, choose what package you want and use that!

[mzagorski]

I model 50/50 between Max and Viz. I dont use one as a complete replacement for the other.

 

I find that making a layout of where objects are going to go etc in acad is good for its accuracy then i import into viz and add more objects into there. I like Viz for making clean optimal meshes... and for texturing.

[nisus]

Well I go for max all the time. Making the change from acad to viz/max, remember to think SPLINE / OUTLINE / BEVEL / SUB-OBJECT

Those will help you out a lot!

 

rgds

 

nisus

[Christian Miranda]

Hi folks,

 

I thought I should put my experience as well.

 

I started learning modeling in Form-Z on the macintosh and in Autocad back in 1993 and after working with Autocad's solids/surfaces I quickly decided to use it only for cleaning up drawings and closing polylines and Form-Z for modeling.

 

Then it came 3dsmax 1.0 and I jumped in the bandwagon of parametric modeling and never looked back. :angecool:

 

In my opinion the best combination of softwares for Architectural Vizualization is Autocad LT (because it's cheaper for cleaning up drawings and closing polylines although you can edit splines in Max easily) Viz or Max (depending on your demands for animation) and a fast/stable GI renderer (Although you can do wonders with max's fast scanline renderer and I love it for fakeosity). Don't forget Photoshop.

 

But that's all a matter of taste.

 

Regards,

 

Christian