The clip below details how to go from SketchUp to CryEngine 3 using PlayUp tools - a quick and easy route direct into the game engine:
Thanks go to @TimothyMDevlin for sending us a tweet with the link...
Showing posts with label SketchUp. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SketchUp. Show all posts
ESRI CityEngine, Lumion, and SketchUp - The Ultimate City Toolkit?
Over the last few weeks we have been looking at ESRI's CityEngine and how it can be used to create rapid urban scenes. As we noted it moves GIS visualisation a step forward while at the same time bringing procedural city modelling into the mainstream game engine world. Of course the heart of the CityEngine is the ability to import real world data but to get to grips with the interface it is sometimes easier to look at creating urban scenes from simple procedural rules.
As part of the MRes in Advanced in Spatial Analysis and Visualisation, here in CASA we have been looking at various techniques to visualise urban data. One such technique is the creation of a 3D exhibition space, allowing agent based models and urban data to be visualised within an architectural space.
Music by Portoponte
As part of the MRes in Advanced in Spatial Analysis and Visualisation, here in CASA we have been looking at various techniques to visualise urban data. One such technique is the creation of a 3D exhibition space, allowing agent based models and urban data to be visualised within an architectural space.
The movie above combines the use of CityEngine in Lumion with SketchUp and 3DMax to insert an exhibition space into a city while burning the CASA logo into the street network. CityEngine is a notable step forward for ESRI, both in terms of visualisation and analysis, linking it with Lumion and SketchUp allows it to be taken even further, towards the ultimate city creation toolkit...
SketchUp 8: Full Building Maker Integration
We have just fallen in love with Google SketchUp all over again, we are slightly late to the table on this one but Google Building Maker is now fully integrated into SketchUp 8. It has the genius of Canoma with the addition of all the editing functions that come with SketchUp and its free:
Combine this with the free version of Unity and you have a very powerful toolset. Talking of which, we have just downloaded Unity 3.0 to further develop our agent based modelling exhibition space, its good to be back....
Combine this with the free version of Unity and you have a very powerful toolset. Talking of which, we have just downloaded Unity 3.0 to further develop our agent based modelling exhibition space, its good to be back....
SketchUp Realtime Lighting: LightUp
Game Engines such as Unity make the perfect platform to create a virtual exhibition space. Spaces where architecture, urban models and urban furniture can be displayed and viewed alongside movies and sound-scapes to provide a sense of place.
Google SketchUp is our current tool of choice for modelling internal spaces, the combination of quick and easy modelling with lighting simulation via LightUp provides the perfect work flow.
LightUp is remarkably easy to use, you can simply click on any textured shape and allow it emit light, opening up the way for quick and easy renders out of SketchUp.
Of note is the ability to run LightUp in the free version of SketchUp allowing models to be exported in .fbx without having to upgrade to the pro.
Head over to http://www.light-up.co.uk/ for full details. We will have more on our exhibition space as it develops.
Google SketchUp is our current tool of choice for modelling internal spaces, the combination of quick and easy modelling with lighting simulation via LightUp provides the perfect work flow.
LightUp is remarkably easy to use, you can simply click on any textured shape and allow it emit light, opening up the way for quick and easy renders out of SketchUp.
Of note is the ability to run LightUp in the free version of SketchUp allowing models to be exported in .fbx without having to upgrade to the pro.
Head over to http://www.light-up.co.uk/ for full details. We will have more on our exhibition space as it develops.
iClone City Packs
iClone combines 4 video production with 3D real-time animation, the software integrates with various 3D packages, including SketchUp and provides a quick and easy way to add animation to scenes.
The clip below provides an overview:
Of particular note are the city expansion packs, allowing complex cityscapes to be built quickly and easily.
City Blocks Vol. 1-Skyscrapers in Metro City:
For more information head over to http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/
Also take a look at Reallusions uploads to the Google 3D Warehouse, there are a range of useful street, park and city elements.
The clip below provides an overview:
Of particular note are the city expansion packs, allowing complex cityscapes to be built quickly and easily.
City Blocks Vol. 1-Skyscrapers in Metro City:
For more information head over to http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/
Also take a look at Reallusions uploads to the Google 3D Warehouse, there are a range of useful street, park and city elements.
How the 3D Engine is Changing the World: The Guardian
Keith Stuart has a good article in today's Guardian Newspaper entitled 'How the 3D Engine is Changing the World'. Keith notes that John D Carmack, the programming legend behind the Doom and Quake games runs an aerospace company as a relaxing diversion from his role as technical director at games developer, id. Which goes to show that 3D engine design isn't rocket science – it's far more complicated than that.You can read the full article online, including our thoughts on Google SketchUp....
Monopoly City Streets: Google Maps/Earth and SketchUp?
Google has teamed up with the people behind Monopoly to launch a global online version running on top of Google Maps and perhaps Google Earth (?). Details are scarce at the moment but an announcement is imminent via both the game's official site and the blog.
Of note is the mention for SketchUp users to check back September 7th (today)....
SketchUp to Google Earth Timelapse
Reader will know that a couple of main themes here on digital urban are timelapse imagery and 3d modelling, as such the movie below appeals as it features both:
Created by db3d2 the movie is actually an interesting insight into the photograph to SketchUp to Google Earth modelling process.
See http://www.db-3d.com/blog.html for more info.
Created by db3d2 the movie is actually an interesting insight into the photograph to SketchUp to Google Earth modelling process.
See http://www.db-3d.com/blog.html for more info.
Sketchlife: SketchUp to Second Life
We have never quite understood why Second Life is such a closed shop when it comes down to importing models - compared to systems such as Sketch Worlds, which we covered earlier this week, it has been a positively painful process to get any model in the environment. However, Sketchlife is a step in a right direction, allowing models to be built in SketchUp and import to Second Life.
The video below details a simple model of the words "Hello World" being built and uploaded using Sketchlife tools. It demonstrates the process: press "Export", copy and paste the model key, drop the textures into the box, and, finally, copy and paste the build key. The process is the same for all models:
Written by Evgeni Sergeev the plugin for SketchUp is available for free, take a look at http://vrshed.com/sketchlife/ for details and download.
The video below details a simple model of the words "Hello World" being built and uploaded using Sketchlife tools. It demonstrates the process: press "Export", copy and paste the model key, drop the textures into the box, and, finally, copy and paste the build key. The process is the same for all models:
Written by Evgeni Sergeev the plugin for SketchUp is available for free, take a look at http://vrshed.com/sketchlife/ for details and download.
Pachube: Realtime Sensor Data Linked to SketchUp
Pachube is a web service available at http://www.pachube.com that enables you to connect, tag and share real time sensor data from objects, devices, buildings and environments around the world.
The key aim is to facilitate interaction between remote environments, both physical and virtual. If you have not heard of Pachube before it is well worth taking a look at their site and the exploring the concept which is a little bit like YouTube, except that, rather than sharing videos, Pachube enables people to monitor and share real time environmental data from sensors that are connected to the internet.
The linkages can now be visualised via SketchUp, the incoming data can be used to generate or modulate a 3D model of a building or environment, and enables sophisticated design-decisions that are based on actual (and not simulated) sensor and environment data. Possible uses include designing interactive façades, undertaking post-occupancy evaluation (which is where you evaluate how well the design performs) and sensor-based form generation:
The demo details real-time water, gas and energy usage from a building management system being graphed on top of a model of the building. Although in this demo the data is merely driving simple scalar transformations to visualize energy usage, the real potential of the plug-in is to serve Pachube data to real-world design tools to directly inform design decisions in a much more sophisticated way.
The key aim is to facilitate interaction between remote environments, both physical and virtual. If you have not heard of Pachube before it is well worth taking a look at their site and the exploring the concept which is a little bit like YouTube, except that, rather than sharing videos, Pachube enables people to monitor and share real time environmental data from sensors that are connected to the internet.
The linkages can now be visualised via SketchUp, the incoming data can be used to generate or modulate a 3D model of a building or environment, and enables sophisticated design-decisions that are based on actual (and not simulated) sensor and environment data. Possible uses include designing interactive façades, undertaking post-occupancy evaluation (which is where you evaluate how well the design performs) and sensor-based form generation:
The demo details real-time water, gas and energy usage from a building management system being graphed on top of a model of the building. Although in this demo the data is merely driving simple scalar transformations to visualize energy usage, the real potential of the plug-in is to serve Pachube data to real-world design tools to directly inform design decisions in a much more sophisticated way.
Download the plug-in and see the tutorial here: http://community.pachube.com/sketchup
Picked up via UrbanTick
Picked up via UrbanTick
PhotoSketch Launched with 30 Day Trial
PhotoSketch by Brainstorm Technology LLC is now available with a fully functional 30 day trial version available for download. PhotoSketch is a Google SketchUp plugin that enables the user to model 3D urban structures directly from photographs. It is aimed at architects, designers, and entertainment content creators allowing a new approach to create lightweight 3D models of existing buildings.
Sure you can model direct onto photographs already in SketchUp and indeed that is the basis of a lot of the models currently seen in Google Earth. Where Photoshetch seems to differ is the ability to determine camera positions and extract and match geometric features derived from a collection of overlapping photos of an urban scene.
Head over to http://www.brainstormllc.com/ for the download.
SketchUp: San Diego High Speed Rail Station
For his spring quarter 3rd year design studio Josh Ayer was asked asked to design a long span high speed rail station. His concept, designed with SketchUp, was the form of dolphins being that the site was right on the bay of San Diego. We don't know what grade the work archived but we really liked the movie:
Of note the renders were produced using Kerkythea, a standalone renderer, using physically accurate materials and lights, allowing for high quality output - its is also free so well worth checking out.
Trump Tower - SketchUp School Project
One of the joys of SketchUp is the way it has moved architectural visualisation and design out of the studio and into the classroom at all levels, from primary to under grad the software has provided a quick and easy way to explore design.
The movie below is by a YouTube user known as tomcatinlovee, she used SketchUp as part of a school architecture project to design a new Trump Tower Hotel:
The music is Freestyler by the Bomfunk MC's which featured heavily on our playlist while writing up a few years back so nice to see it featured.
The movie below is by a YouTube user known as tomcatinlovee, she used SketchUp as part of a school architecture project to design a new Trump Tower Hotel:
The music is Freestyler by the Bomfunk MC's which featured heavily on our playlist while writing up a few years back so nice to see it featured.
Google SketchUp Tips and Tricks: Scaling from a Photo
Today has been taken up by wordpress and a new photogrammetry project - more on that in later posts - but talking about photogrammetry the movie above by concept3Dmodeling is a good 3d modelling tip for finding out the height of a building using SketchUp.
Thanks go to http://www.concept3d.com for uploading the movie, their YouTube channel is well worth a look.
iClone and SketchUp: Interior Design Tutorials
As we have posted before, we like iClone, the 3D creation program that allows avatars to be lip synced and placed in 3d scenes, its perfect for story telling, presentations and pre-visualisation. Indeed we have recently used it in a grant bid, sometimes 3D avatars are better at communicating to an audience than 6 sides of A4 paper.
One of its major benefits of iClone is its integration with the free version of SketchUp - 3d models can be imported and used within iClone with the addition of various realtime lighting and shadow effects. The two tutorials below provide a look at using SketchUp and iClone together for interior design:
Part 2 focuses on lighting and textures:
If you are new to iClone it is well worth downloading the demo and looking through the examples at http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/
Guggenheim: Design It - SketchUp Competition
The Guggenheim and Google SketchUp invite amateur and professional designers from around the world to enter Design It: Shelter Competition. From now until August 23, you can submit a 3-D shelter for locations around the world using Google SketchUp and Google Earth.
The competition is an extension of Learning By Doing, an exhibition in the Guggenheim Museum Sackler Center for Arts Education that features plans, photographs, and models of student-built shelters from the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. For the past seven decades, students at this school have taken on the challenge of designing, building, and living in small shelters nestled in the landscapes of the school’s Arizona and Wisconsin campuses. In working on these shelters, students consider human needs for safety and comfort, as well as the relationship between architecture and place.
How would you design it to respond to the surrounding environment? Head over to the Guggenheim to enter.
Advanced SketchUp for Architecture, Engineering and Construction
The video above contains images and footage of projects carried out in SketchUp by architect Paul Lee. Paul introduces his approach to using SketchUp to carry out 2d construction drawings along with his 3d models. We like the construction drawings section and its an interesting insight into the use of SketchUp by an architect - we know its a controversial subject with some architects loving SketchUp and some viewing it as simplistic.
Our view? Some people we have met on our travels take a rather 'elitist' view of SketchUp, we think it has been probably one of the most important steps forward in 3D software to date, simply for its ease of use, its mass market availability and while being simple still allowing complex work flows and intricate model creation.
Discuss...
SketchUp: Import into Left 4 Dead Engine
Our trial version of Unity has annoyingly timed out (see here for work to date and demo) so while we wait to sort out a license the beta of Left 4 Dead Authoring Tools caught our eye. Currently in beta the tools are available as a free download for all owners of the PC version of Left 4 Dead, and can be found under the "Tools" tab in Steam. Of note is the integration with SketchUp to create building blocks and props that can be imported into Hammer for use in game levels.Using the L4D Authoring Tools, you can create your own campaign maps, character skins, 3D models, sound effects, and music and load them into the game.
Here's what's included:
- Updated version of Hammer, the source level editor
- Updated suite of command line compiling utilities
- Updated Particle editor
- Updated Faceposer
- Example maps, common infected, props, and explosives
Thanks go to Thomas Wenzler for sending this in and the source via http://news.sketchucation.com/
Vienna 3D - Visualization by Arkadiusz Szadkowski
Vienna 3D - Visualization of Arkadiusz Szadkowski MSc from Arkadiusz Szadkowski on Vimeo.
Arkadiusz sent as a email over the weekend about the visualisation of Vienna he has produced as part of his Diploma at the Warsaw University of Technology
(Department of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing) & Vienna University of Technology
(Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing).
We are impressed and it shows how times have changed - this is a high quality model with accuracy on the XY of 0,3 metre and Z axis of 0,2 metre. Where as once such models would of been team built with high end specialized software of note in the movie is the use of Google SketchUp.
Basic data was provided by the Surveying Department of the City of Vienna, Austria with 300 terrestrial images collected by Arkadiusz himself. The full list of software used is as follows:
# Adobe After Effects CS4 (intro) - we like the clouds...
# DTMaster (filtering, postprocessing LiDAR (ALS) data)
# SCOP++ (DTM & nDSM generatiing)
# GML Undistorter (undistorion of pictures)
# GVE (supporting modelling)
# Ruby Scripts (import point cloud to SketchUp)
# Google SkecthUp 7 (modeling, texturing, animating)
# Gimp (2D graphic processing)
# Windows Movie Maker (final sync & animation)
See http://city3d.blogspot.com/ and http://miasta3d.blox.pl/html for more information. You can also view and download the models via the 3D Warehouse (direct link).
Unity, SketchUp, LightUp and Max: Progress Movie
We have been working on the new exhibition space for the city and agent based modelling work here at CASA for around 4 days. Our development path has changed in favour of SketchUp with LightUp plugin for the rooms layout and 3D Max for the agent based models. The movie below shows progress so far running in Unity:
You can view the previous example, built as a proof of concept for Windows and Mac from here.
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