Viz related questions.

[LukeC]

Ok I should first mention that Im using viz more for engineering and exterior scenes not so much indoor architectural.

 

So this provides me with a few problems.

 

First of which is importing the model

 

1. I can import a model fine in dxf format, no worries. My problem more lies with the process before it gets to me. Alot of the terain data is in 12D which is then exported in dxf format and imported into viz. Problem is on large landscapes the poly count is enormous. Too big to use. So i need to find a way to cut down the polys. I know this isnt a viz directed question, but maybe someone out there who does a similar process knows of a way to efficiently do this.

 

2. once the scene is setup, lighting the scene well, but time effecient at the same time. As mentioned before my scenes are normally outdoor and the models are generally very large. I was originally a maya user who has moved onto viz for engineering use (been using for about a month now). So im kinda familiar but not too much with the rendering settings in viz. Ive come up with a few general solutions but it can always be better. so if anyone knows of any tutorials that they can point me int he direction of, please do.

 

 

i think thats all my questions for now. sorry for all the questions, i have adapt to viz pretty quickly for my new job.

 

Thanks

Luke

 

p.s sorry for posting multiple threads

[Harjeet Singh]

If you are using acad for 2d plans. You can import selected terrain layers in VIZ as .dwg rather than .dxf. This way VIZ offers control on curves while importing.

 

On the other hand, if you are using some other modeling package, try using a optimizer to reduce polycount for meshes. Generic modifier "optimize" can be helpful or try "polygon cruncher". Search on google for this.

 

For lighting there are several practices people use for exterior renderings:

 

1. create ambience lights (direct or spot) and a shadow casting sun light for non GI renderings.

 

2. You can use the light-tracer in recent versions of max.viz for GI renderings

 

3. Or use MentalRay in MAX6 of more realistic GI renderings. But remeber that the GI comes with costly time consumptions.

 

regards

Harjeet Singh

[LukeC]

Thanks

 

Another thing that ive found a little bit frustrating is the modifyer stack. Is there a way to bake the stack as such to make it permanent. Take for example im working on a model that was imported and its imported with its normals flipped, so i flip them back with a normal modifyer. Next using the editable mesh modifier im editing a few faces/vertecies etc but when i click on the editable mesh that is below the optimise in the stack it flips the normals back so i have to try and work on the model upside down so i can see what I am doing. Not sure if im making any sence but if anyone can help, that'd be great

[Chad Warner]

One thing you can do to "bake" the stack is to collapse the stack--if you right click on the top most modifier, you will get the option "collapse all" this will collpase the object and all of the modifiers to an editable mesh.

 

-Chad

[LukeC]

ah cheers, just what i was looking for.

 

Another question (im full of them today). How do you repeat a command. For example in maya its G to save the effort of going menu1>menu2>command .. its just quicker to hit the repeat command key