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ATree3D - free 3ds max plants generator for architectural visualizations


Atanas Bakardzhiev
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As many of you we searched for cost effective tool for 3d trees and plants. There are many good plugins, programs and tree collections but nothing was exactly what we needed. We wanted a tool that work inside the 3ds max window, with not too many and complex parameters, precise control over each element and polygon count, a scalable solution for our different scenes and projects. At the end we decide to develop our own solution - ATree3D.

 

ATree3D was design as easy to use, powerful tool for creating 3d plants for architectural visualization.

It's free and you can download it and learn more about it from this page.

 

Try it and let us know what you think!

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This is a great plugin. I've tried it out several times, and each time I'm happy with the results. It's a great plug-in to have around for a rainy day when you feel like building up your tree/shrub/grass library.

 

The ability to pick custom objects for leaves is a life-saver when you don't feel like using opacity mapped planes...

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  • 2 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Well. looks very effective. just a quick question to those who have already used it!

and the most beautiful thing of the plugin is its free!! :)

 

BTW, did anybody create a large tree within 10000 polygon count and yet realistic. I really need something that is capable of creating nice and low polygon count model. I have been creating these manually. because if you buy a realistic tree model they are very high polygon count. most possibly trees from evermotion is created using some scripts or automated process. this is not being possible to lower the polygon count for them. well this is my assumption only. dont stair your finger at me. ;)

 

A

Edited by aristocratic3d
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  • 4 months later...

BTW, did anybody create a large tree within 10000 polygon count and yet realistic. I really need something that is capable of creating nice and low polygon count model. I have been creating these manually. because if you buy a realistic tree model they are very high polygon count.

 

I've been trying out atree3d combined with a bit of manual work to make low poly trees for realtime applications. It really is a very versatile tool, I used to model my vegetaion entirely by hand, I've tried out a few other tree generators but could never really get them to do what i wanted.

 

Heres what I did, its still pretty WIP but im happy with the results i got in quite a short time.

 

1. I've made a few high poly branches and used the Projection Modifier in 3dsmax to render diffuse and normal maps of the Atree3d generated vegetation:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47276[/ATTACH]

Just incase you're unfamilier with using the projection modifier for vegetation check out this tutorial, you can skip all the modelling parts and got strait to baking ;)

 

 

2. I then made a copy of the model with the projection modifier on it and convert to editable poly, applied the newly baked maps to a material with alpha channel and seperated the already divided polygons for the different branches.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47278[/ATTACH]

 

3. I've then assembled by hand several different branches and foliage clusters to be used in differnt situations,

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47275[/ATTACH]

 

4. I've used the foliage clusters in place of leaves and generated some pretty large low poly trees.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47277[/ATTACH]

 

as you can see the little guy whos being selected is only 1,368 tri's and 2,152 vertices. The larger one is only 2,224 tri's and 3,792 verts.

I reckon if I wanted to make much bigger tree, for e.g: 10,000 tri's worth, i'd probably want to manually create some larger variations of low poly branches.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47279[/ATTACH]

Edited by mikebart
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Thanks Atanas, and thanks for releasing such a brilliant script.

 

Do you have any plans to further develop it?, if so would you consider including some sort of "level of detail" function for creating low poly trees?

Perhaps if for each leaf/low poly branch type, you could add how many # of LOD's you want and be able to pick them from editable meshes.

 

Also it would be great if 2nd UVW channels could be added to the Atree3d editable model for baking of lightmaps and colour variation.

 

heres a better render of the trees (although im not the best at rendering), its a common aussie gum tree (eucalyptus radiata, I think), the smaller one looks a bit better than the large tree, some of the solid branches dont meet up with the foliage plane branches very well on the bigger one, so ill have to make a few tweeks, probably some larger foliage plane branches to accomadate its size.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47280[/ATTACH]

 

Ill definitly post some realtime renders as soon as i get the tree finished.

thanks once again :)

Edited by mikebart
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Just another idea for tree with 200 polygons:

 

I'm working on next version of the script. It's too early to say when it will be ready. For sure will include support for more then one UVW map channels but I haven't thought for "level of detail" function. For now you can save multiple trees with different level of detail and change them from the drop down menu under build button.

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Its good to hear you're still working on it

 

For now you can save multiple trees with different level of detail and change them from the drop down menu under build button.

 

Ill have to LOD it manually though if I want to have a second UVW channel, it doesnt take too long, (except when you have to do it to about 10 trees). I like the idea of pressing a button and having scripts do things for me :)

 

heres a link to the archived scene with the projection modifier, i've included the textures and .at3d files used.

http://www.mediafire.com/?js1kj3ycskc89ce

Edited by mikebart
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Thanks for the link atanasbak, ill definitly share these trees on the 3dtreexchange blog once I feel they're a bit more finished. I've just made a larger version of the tree, this ones 10,166 tris, I think this one worked pretty well, without making larger lowpoly branches to use as leaves.

renderlarge01.th.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...
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New version 1.1 of the script is available for download.

New features:

 

  • Change the orientation of branches and leaves relative to parent or world.
  • Multiply branches and leaves count.
  • All leaves and branches now can be generated in spiral shape.
  • Leaves support more than one UVW map channels.
  • Paint with mouse the shape of trunks and branches.

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I just tried opening an .at3d file just to remind myself so that I could explain it to you, but it didnt work, it just brought up the 'about' dialogue box. Maybe we're having the same problem, when you try to open an .at3d file does it bring up the 'about' dialogue box?.

im running 3dsmax 2013

 

normally its pretty easy to open you just click the 'load' button and choose an .at3d file.

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  • 5 weeks later...

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