Question about methods

Hazza · 10 Sept 2008, 02:29

I have not read much of this forum but I have looked at alot of models that I got from the 3D warehouse.

All of them leave alot to be desired. I use components like there is no tomorrow, for example a "frame" component will be made up of 4 post components, 2 long side components, 2 short side components and a bottom component.

Almost all models don't even use the fact that Sketchup gives you the centre (or midpoint) to make the model symmetrical.

The computer does all the calculations and alignment for you why don't people use it?

To see what I mean check out my bird feeder model and the one I based it on here:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=55050bbca6e112434cc1952ae0d6e81a

Gaieus · 10 Sept 2008, 07:49

You are right. But also, think about it; many of the people who download and start using SU don't care too much about really learning the program since even from the very beginning they seem to be able to model things with ease. Then they get stuck at a level but that's enough for them and they do not even imagine how powerful application it can be in experienced hands.

thomthom · 10 Sept 2008, 08:33

@gaieus said:

You are right. But also, think about it; many of the people who download and start using SU don't care too much about really learning the program since even from the very beginning they seem to be able to model things with ease. Then they get stuck at a level but that's enough for them and they do not even imagine how powerful application it can be in experienced hands.

The same thing happens in many professions. Webdesign for instance is a very good example.

Gaieus · 10 Sept 2008, 08:39

Yeah, definitely. Especially if you have a free tool like SU (or some in webdesign field). If it were only the Pro version, people who invest quite a bit of money in it would also invest enough effort to learn how to use the program efficiently.

Of course I'm not saying that the free version is a bad thing (I also started with it and if Google hadn't made it free I would most probably have not got(ten) into it back then) and there are a lot of people who can master SU with the free version as well as well as making the effort to learn like all those in these forums as well - but certainly there are "masses" who don't.

Alan Fraser · 10 Sept 2008, 08:56

True, there is a lot of newbie junk in the Warehouse...a lot of "My first house" kind of stuff; and it's possible that many of these people will not push their expertise any further than that....mostly because they don't come here and see how it's done.

Much of the stuff (other than Google content) that gets 5 stars in the warehouse hasn't been produced in SU at all...just imported from some freebie 3ds file found on the Web. So in that respect it's something of a dead end, as it doesn't demonstrate what actually is possible in SU, or the techniques that help you achieve it.

I noticed that the birdhouse you cited was a Google one. To be fair, this was probably only intended as a low-poly architectural prop, not a definitive construction document of how to actually build one.

You actually hit upon a major point when you mentioned letting SU do the calculations. This is exactly what many newbies get wrong. We constantly get asked questions like "How do I turn the inference snapping off?" The obvious answer is that you don't, you work with the program, not against it. In the right hands SU can almost instantly calculate solutions to problems (complicated roof intersections come to mind) that would take quite some time to work out using geometry.

Tekkybot · 10 Sept 2008, 15:42

@gaieus said:

You are right. But also, think about it; many of the people who download and start using SU don't care too much about really learning the program since even from the very beginning they seem to be able to model things with ease. Then they get stuck at a level but that's enough for them and they do not even imagine how powerful application it can be in experienced hands.

exactly what i want to avoid. 'a comfort zone' its why i keep asking questions. and watch the tutorials when i have time

Tekkybot · 10 Sept 2008, 15:47

@hazza said:

To see what I mean check out my bird feeder model and the one I based it on here:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=55050bbca6e112434cc1952ae0d6e81a

i dig your buffet hutch

Hazza · 11 Sept 2008, 05:30

@tekkybot said:

i dig your buffet hutch

Thanks, it was the hardest I have done so far because I kept having to go back with my tape measure.

I had a thought that because people don't pay for SketchUp they don't value it like they would if they had to pay $200 for it. If you are willing to pay for it you are going to put in the effort to learn to get the most out of it.

I use Linux and all Open source software, it's all free but I value it more than the MS Windows I had to pay for so that I could dual boot.... now if Google would just release a Linux version of SketchUp ....

Tekkybot · 11 Sept 2008, 15:53

@hazza said:

I had a thought that because people don't pay for SketchUp they don't value it like they would if they had to pay $200 for it. If you are willing to pay for it you are going to put in the effort to learn to get the most out of it.

nah thats not true at all. i love using the free version of sketchup. i found sketchup after finding tradtion 3d modeling software to hard to learn and to boring to learn and use. sketchup is fun! if version 7 comes out and its as good as i hope it will be ill spend the 495.00 for it. its not 200.00

Hazza · 11 Sept 2008, 21:35

@tekkybot said:

@hazza said:

I had a thought that because people don't pay for SketchUp they don't value it like they would if they had to pay $200 for it. If you are willing to pay for it you are going to put in the effort to learn to get the most out of it.

nah thats not true at all. i love using the free version of sketchup. i found sketchup after finding tradtion 3d modeling software to hard to learn and to boring to learn and use. sketchup is fun! if version 7 comes out and its as good as i hope it will be ill spend the 495.00 for it. its not 200.00

I value it too, maybe I should have said "...mostpeople don't value it like they should..."

@unknownuser said:

In the case of your own model....It as well is not complete.

I don't understand some of what you are talking about but the model is only 126k in size and I wanted it to be as real life as possible. The end component is a single piece of wood so that's how I modeled it.

Of cource I could have done it like the one I based it, build 1/4 of the model then copy and rotate, that would make the model file even smaller but WAY less realistic.

Hazza · 12 Sept 2008, 06:16

@unknownuser said:

I guess I am saying you are brave to point a finger.

I don't mean to say that the model can't be improved but there is a diminishing return for effort. With the size it is now you could fit almost 8,000 copies of it on a 1Gig USB stick.

Most models in the 3D warehouse don't even get the low hanging, VERY easy, computer does it all for you fruit, that was my point.

Alan Fraser · 12 Sept 2008, 08:38

I don't think you would find any argument amongst forum members here that the vast majority of models in the Warehouse leave a lot to be desired. A 9 MB car might be fine for a teenager to mess around with...when it's the only model in the scene...but try importing one or two to liven-up an architectural rendering and you have real problems.