House modelling tutorial??? and How to??

[MJV]

I would build the floor, then one wall at a time, doors, windows, then the roof. Build your walls etc. with accurate thicknesses, then knife out the door and window holes. Avoid using booleans unless there's a arch or something.

[Iggy]

Somewhere there's a plugin called "Dimensions" or something... It's supposed to let you either measure easily, or maybe actually set a distance easily... I forget, and I can't find it... Maybe someone else can tell us where it is??

[adeptus minor]

if you got the $ the cinema 4d r8 handbook has a tutorial were you build a house and some of the interior elements. Its good to the book anyway lots of usefull info probably better for new to intermidiate users, but none the less very good.

[AdamT]

I agree with MV's suggestion, although for most of my architectural modeling I use Sketchup. Cinema's just not set up very well for dimensionally accurate modeling.

[MaxP]

This is one topic I'm very interested in, since a couple of years ago I started writing some software to aid the creation of geometry for rooms. Once created, I used to import these room models into Cinema to create a complete house. As others have suggested, it is important to build the walls with real thickness and then carve out the windows, doors, etc. It is also easier to start building from the ground up. I would suggest first building the shell of the house and then put in the levels (floors), then the walls, then the stairs and finally add the windows / doors.

Oh, if you're doing internal views, I would strongly suggest taking the time to round-off the corner of walls. This makes a big difference to the specular highlights you get.

In the end, although my modelling software could do some pretty complex stuff (I'll try to dig out some examples to post if anyone's is interested) - it was a pain to reassemble the rooms and make the internal features line up. Hence, I'm about to start on version 2 which will handle the construction of entire buildings, not just rooms. Wish me luck...

[adeptus minor]

Hey adamT
do you import the model from sketch-up into cinema?
I have never used it but someone at my school was telling me how great it is, but I am taking a class on vectworks and am busyier then a beaver and dont have time to learn another complex program but curious none the less.

[AdamT]

Originally posted by adeptus minor
Hey adamT
do you import the model from sketch-up into cinema?
I have never used it but someone at my school was telling me how great it is, but I am taking a class on vectworks and am busyier then a beaver and dont have time to learn another complex program but curious none the less.
Yep--import from SU to Cinema. The great think about SU is that it's *really* easy to learn and a lot of fun to model in. Just watch the tutorial animations on their site and you'll be up and running in no time. The downside is that it doesn't do fillets/chamfers, which really sucks. I'm actually considering switching to FormZ for my arch. modeling.

[adeptus minor]

Yeh Form Z that is another one. My school has a class that uses form z maybe I should check that out as well. Holy #@$$% is it expensive. No fillet is a problem but I had a look at SU and I think its realy good if you need to put something together quick for a client or just to bust something out quick to get a idea of what you want to model, like a virtual napkin. Looks very usefull and cheap for students will give them a call next week. I was taken more by vectorworks just for the fact that they have a direct plugin for Cinema my 3d app of choice and the learning curve is not so steep like Form Z which is a nightmare I tryed the demo and lost hope the interface is confusing but looks powerfull! Most of the CADD programs are on windows not many on mac:thumbsdow

[Tugmaster]

You might consider Rhino also for this type modeling. Like C4D, it's very easy to use and powerful. I tried the demo of FormZ and found it difficult after using Rhino for so long even though the tools are similar.

[brammelo]

Adeptus Minor: the NURBS system in VW will be equal to the one you know in Form-Z. Towards the end of the year, Nemetschek will release 10.5, and there are lots of 3D-features that will make choosing between VW and Form-Z really difficult. A HUGE advantage is that, for most of its 3D operations, VW retains the construction history. Unlike Form-Z...

Anyway, lots of solutions outside of Cinema. For rough and quick modeling, Adam's solution is probably the best (and cheapest).

Cheers,
BaRa

[AdamT]

Hi BaRa,

Do you know if VW has FormZ's ability to generate a smooth landscape from topo lines?

[brammelo]

Hi Adam,

Haven't got a clue about this in Form-Z, sorry. There is however a decent user forum on the Autodessys website - perhaps they will be able to anser you question.

VW has an add-on with which you can do it - the Digital Terrain Modeler - can be found in the Landscape version of VW. I did a demo with this once in a combo with C4D for a golf course designer.

Cheers,
BaRa

[jddog]

Hi,

to built a house the better things to start is to crate some plan before create something in 3D. Try to sketch something, evaluate the dimension of each room, draw all the face of the house and so on. In c4d is better to take easy measure (h: 3m, walls thick 0.3m and so on).

I use VW (VectorWorks) + c4d plug ins, like a landscape architect is easy to work with. So I build normally all house elements in VW the I add all other elements in C4D. Same things for landscapes...

To build a house project can be easy, but try to crate all plans before, so you can better work and make floors one after other...

greetings, jdd

[adeptus minor]

bought VW $199 comes with all the add-ons including landmark, spotlight etc at the student price you cant beat it and they have learning dvds that sell for $75 and if you are a student $35 plus they. I also downloaded SU I like that as well but for a full on project I would use VW I am just finishing my undergrad in landscape architecture and about to start my grad in architecture so I am always on the look out for programs that better suite my profession and my addiction. jddog good advice much better to create the plans first, do you sketch them out on paper first or just jump into vectorworks? I usually sketch my plans in PS first then export them. I am trying to do my sketch work mostly in Painter and photoshop. by the way has anyone checked out onyx tree pro probably the best tree generator on the market, follow this link

http://www.onyxtree.com/

[jddog]

Hi adeptus,

> I make my scketches all time on vellum paper with my black ink pen Mont Blanc. I never starting with a Computer aided software ! (Like big 3D production, did you see Pixar starting to draws their figure before in Photoshop?) First is all times your own mind to work, usig Computres that will not be so natural... well i joke, but yes I start all on vellum paper with ink.

If I need to import them I scan in BW/Grayscale... quite low res... If I continue to do some tries I work before with Illustrator, the I import this file in VectorWorks...

After this for a landscape I can import GPS/GIS data or I modelled the levels curves and create the terrain with VW-Landmark. For precise mesurements I use Leica laser 'theodolite'. You can Import directly in your PC/Mac your data, that a great things.

When all my modell is ready i import it with the VW plug-ins in Cinema4D. But remebre for a landscape terrain don't use more that 1000 points, c4d can't import a object that contains more than 10000 pts... A terrain can contains hundrets and thousands pts...

Trees generator, yes I know Onyx tree, but I collaborate with Greenworks (Xfrog software). Chek maxon web site or http//www.xfrog.com, If you think that Onyx is great... Cinema4D + Xfrog will be amazing !!!

greeetings, jdd

[brammelo]

Originally posted by adeptus minor
by the way has anyone checked out onyx tree pro probably the best tree generator on the market, follow this link http://www.onyxtree.com/

Yes, I tested OnyxTree, and I think XFrog is a lot better. Better interface, better libraries, and better integration in C4D, which means the ability to easily modify your organic structures.

Cheers,
BaRa

[adeptus minor]

do they have a demo for x-frog? those are some good points. I will check that out as well it is a $100 dollars cheaper. but I think you have a few more options plus you can save it as C4D file and six others and it has generators for each tree type and there library is a lot bigger 200 tree presets. The interface is a little lack luster but not bad and you have a lot more usefull options with suite 6. I love that it has wind settings, chainsaw prunning, leaf plates and textures. I dont know maybe these are all in xfrog.

[jddog]

Originally posted by adeptus minor
do they have a demo for x-frog? those are some good points. I will check that out as well it is a $100 dollars cheaper. but I think you have a few more options plus you can save it as C4D file and six others and it has generators for each tree type and there library is a lot bigger 200 tree presets. The interface is a little lack luster but not bad and you have a lot more usefull options with suite 6. I love that it has wind settings, chainsaw prunning, leaf plates and textures. I dont know maybe these are all in xfrog.

What is great is with Xfrog you can use their 'parameters and objects' to create things that aren't trees... take a look to the Xfrog gallery... is impressive and really interesting.

YES you can have the demo (30 day license) visit:

www.xfrog.com > product > Xfrog4 > download Xfrog4.

greetings Julien ;)

[adeptus minor]

thanks JdDog I just download it will check it out:thumbsup:

[MaxP]

Hi,

I was going ot post some images of the rooms I have created using my utility but find the 30K file size limit a bit too restrictive. Can anyone recommend some decent web sites that allow you to upload images which I could then link to?

Regards,

Max

PS To keep on topic, I have been looking at the demo of XFrog 4 and it seems very good.

[MaxP]

Originally posted by MaxP
Hi,

I was going ot post some images of the rooms I have created using my utility but find the 30K file size limit a bit too restrictive. Can anyone recommend some decent web sites that allow you to upload images which I could then link to?

Regards,

Max

PS To keep on topic, I have been looking at the demo of XFrog 4 and it seems very good.

Right, I have now uploaded a composite image to Renderosity, which can be reached at the following link:

http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=486207

Note, you may need to be a member to be able to view the image.

The image is a collection of renders showing the type of geometry that has been created by my room construction tool. The obj files were then imported into Cinema and then rendered. I have not textured the room geometry since it would make it harder to see the raw output. Hope someone is interested. Now I need to start on version 2 ...

Regards,

Max

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