SketchUp Nurbs

RayOchoa · 30 Sept 2008, 01:18

@ Paris, you make this seam so easy. I love the way you do all these presentations which make one believe that that is actually possible.

plot-paris · 30 Sept 2008, 06:28

thanks, Ray
unfortunately my vivid imagination doen't go beyond Photoshop. I have no idea of programming. and this SketchUp Nurbs (in short SUN ) is something not even our ruby masters can achieve for it is a completely different technology.

and I have to admit, I fear there is some huge drawback of nurbs. otherwise, why do polygons exist in the first place? they have to have their own advantages. I should do some reading about nurbs and then report here, what I understood - so the dream of SUN lives on

Bruell · 17 Oct 2008, 22:25

Hi, I think this is a great idea, and should be doable.
My input to this tool is, to keep the models clean, you can start with NURBS then turn it to poly's, since the benefit of NURBS lyes in the creation. And I would like to see 2 rail sweeps and all the good stuff that comes with the NURBS tool set.

And with this could come real circles, that stay round when you zoom closer.

plot-paris · 18 Oct 2008, 12:20

@bruell said:

And with this could come real circles, that stay round when you zoom closer.

and the great thing is the versatility. at the moment if you draw a circle in SketchUp and delete a segment of it, the information of the original curve is gone forever.
with SUN (SketchUp Nurbs) you not only the information of a circle is kept (because the formula for the curve is still that of a circle, except with manipulated start- and end-point), but you can even change a straight line you created with the LineTool turn into a circle by entering the NurbsEditMode:

so if you select any elliptic shape and click the "simplify" button often enough, it will eventually turn into a perfect circle. if you use the simplify too to "paint" on certain parts of a curve, only these parts will smooth out...

of course it is dangerous to loose yourself in the mere number of functions that could be useful - if you are not careful you end up having something like almighty Maya, that can do anything you want and takes years to master.
important is to keep the main interface simple, to reduce the number of tools as much as possible and keep them intuitive, like SketchUp did with the copy function - instead of introducing a seperate tool they integrated it into the move tool. this approach has to be kept in mind when shaping SketchUp Nurbs.

plot-paris · 18 Oct 2008, 19:12

well, NURBS means "Non-uniform rational B-spline" and fredo's bezier curves are splines. I guess, that soapskin bubble works in a similar way.
as far as I know they both use mathematical algorythms like nurbs and later transform it into polygons.

so just imagine what our ruby-geeks can come up with if you give them a SketchUp that is solely based on nurbs!

I have something in mind, where I don't know, if it already exists and I saw it somewhere or if it is my own idea:

Imagine you create a curved surface in SUN, calculated with nurbs technique. it is supposed to be a rocky, uneven ground. you could apply a material with displacement map, that creates the rough surface during the render process. but you want to see the result while modelling, perhaps even interact with the uneven surface. instead of modelling it yourself, you apply a displacement filter preset to the surface, that recalculates the whole surface, because it is a nurbs element, you don't have to translate it to polygons every time you make a change.
thus you can easily change the overall shape by manipulating the original curves of the surface, while the displacement filter will adopt to the changes.

chango70 · 19 Oct 2008, 10:11

Sounds great! I'd imagine whoever can do this and indeed does it should get paid.

chango70 · 19 Oct 2008, 10:15

Isn't Bezier Curve and Bubble Skin script able to approximate Nurb Modelling?

minguinhirigue · 19 Oct 2008, 12:44

This is quite a big idea, but implicit geometry (NURBS, Blobs, and other forms that could be redraw from control points, lines and faces) is really far from what sketchup is doing today. However, there are a lot of soft which are actually doing what you are talking about :

But, I recognize that Sketchup interface is easer than Rhino one... And Rhino or Moi do not have any free version. So this could be a great improvement for SU7 : providing a free version which keep a clear interface and user-friendly workflow, while allowing edition on complex NURBS and spline.

Note that if anybody want to model a NURBS the way it is suggested in the first message, then it could be usefull to implement T-spline instead.
T-spline are more powerfull than spline if you want to edit the object in the way you do with a polymodeler : extruding, pulling, stretching, adding details all the time. Just have a look here .

For those who are searching, there was a quick job on Bezier surface plugins for sketchup : http://groups.google.com/group/Ruby-API/browse_thread/thread/0e044d3b1f7124e5

PS : Chango70, plot-paris, I guess Soap-skin-Bubble don't use Nurbs or spline maths, there is probably just a relaxation calculus of a fixed grid of points, so it's hard maths and physics, but not the same that defines NURBS and Spline.

pilou · 19 Oct 2008, 13:11

@unknownuser said:

But, I recognize that Sketchup interface is easer than Rhino one

Sure but Moi (the little kid of Rhino has the same easer use than Sketchup

plot-paris · 19 Oct 2008, 18:58

thanks for pointing us to t-splines, minguinhirigue.
that sounds really good. so that is the way forward - and the way the organic SketchUp version has to go

chango70 · 20 Oct 2008, 21:36

I'd be happy to pay a limb if a Nurb or T-Spline modeler can be as intuitive as SU.

remus · 20 Oct 2008, 21:40

Chango, sounds like MoI is the thing for you.

And you dont even have to give away body parts.

MoI, 3D modeling for designers and artists

MoI is a new 3D Modeling/CAD application for designers and artists. Offering a blend of precision and freeform NURBS drawing tools, it sports a unique user interface that operates seamlessly with a pen tablet.

(moi3d.com)

pilou · 20 Oct 2008, 21:56

@unknownuser said:

moi not have any free version

Moi has an "infinite" Demo version but you can't save anything!
So cool for infinite training
(use key "Print screen" can make some crazzy image anyway)

icetroll · 6 Jun 2009, 08:56

i use various cad products and have dabbled in some of the modelling programs including 3ds Max and rhino. i totally agree that having a sketchup interface to allow nurbs modelling would make creation of complex 3d geometry much more intuitive. it is far nicer to manipulate geometry using realtime tools such as push / pull or follow me than delving into complex dialog boxes and altering parameters that are barely understandable at best. graphics products that operate more like manual drafting techniques are far more intuitive and are a more direct emphasis of the creative impulse. numbers get in the way of true creativity unless you are gifted in that faculty. it seems like sketchup could truly start a revolution in graphics if it supported nurbs modelling...just a thought

pilou · 6 Jun 2009, 10:14

There is just a little problem!
Nurbs are not real time! Sometime you must wait the result of some calculates
You have not that with polygons modeler
Despite of that that is a terrific tools when precision is needed

@unknownuser said:

i totally agree that having a sketchup interface to allow nurbs modelling would make creation of complex 3d geometry much more intuitive.

Moi have that and more as you can use it only with a pen graphic!
Absolute pleasure for artists! Try it!
Historically the creator want to make the more ergonomic Nurbs modeler so...

Daniel S · 6 Jun 2009, 11:25

Something very similar to plot-pairs original idea is in 3dvia shape:

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=19321

I must say that a tool like this would be fantastic for Sketchup.

Daniel S

DIEGO-RODRIGUEZ · 9 Feb 2010, 02:17

see the new tools of bonzai3d, nurbs. he can create something like this for sketchup?

301 Moved Permanently

(www.formz.com)

thomthom · 9 Feb 2010, 07:37

@diego-rodriguez said:

see the new tools of bonzai3d, nurbs. he can create something like this for sketchup?

301 Moved Permanently

(www.formz.com)

Why have NURBS in Sketchup? Why not just use Bonzai. The two applications where designed with different intention - NURBS or Surface Mesh, fundamental difference in the of that can't be changed by the flick of a switch.

pilou · 9 Feb 2010, 08:08

...or use some dedicated little efficient ergonomic nurbs prog like Moi

chrisjk · 9 Feb 2010, 08:43

@unknownuser said:

...or use some dedicated little efficient ergonomic nurbs prog like Moi

It doesn't run on a Mac!