Thea Render is about to be launched..(edit available now)

arail1

Regarding importing models, SU has a very serious poly limit problem, we all know it, in fact rumour has it that even Podium is going studio because of it (too bad Google does not give this issue more priority)
So where Thea can have an advantage is for either using proxies (implemented very soon into exporter) or doing straight 3d imports using .3ds, .obj etc.

Thanks. That's the information I was looking for. I don't create the sort of extraordinary images you do, and maybe never will, so I don't have so much the poly issue but I have the 'models spread over several different software applications' issue. Right now I have a client talking to me about a design for a stair that could use some objects I created in SketchUp but also some objects that are in modo. Instead of going back through one or the other I'd ideally like to take things from each application out into one renderer - which I guess Thea could do if I read your post correctly.

solo

You are correct.

With all the exporters available and under construction soon you will be able to take a C4D model, XSI model, Maya model, Max model, SU model, Modo model, MOI model, Z-brush model, etc and merge them all into one scene and render in Thea.

notareal

@arail1 said:

Thea is desperately in need of a couple simple video tutorials that show you how to open a model in Thea and render it.
I go to File / Open and select an OBJ file of a simple workbench and, well, I don't really know what happens. I don't seem to get anything in the viewport and I don't know what to do next.
I guess I'll have to read the manual which is hardly too bitter a pill to swallow but a couple videos covering the basics wouldn't hurt at this stage of the software.

.obj should load fine in Thea render and when using 64-bit version I have not yet find a scene that is not possible to open or render... sure there must be one
Do you see base grid after you opened the .obj. If you don't see the grid, it could be some OpenGL clipping issue (scene might be huge). Try to use scale 0.01 when you open the scene. Possible you need to swap axis too. If you still don't see anything, you might have find a bug.

Richard

BTW I'm not trying to be FIG JAM here just putting weight to my argument!

Richard

@frederik said:

I apologize on beforehand... It is not my intention to sound annoyed and also not my intention to offend anyone here, but... Trying to excuse that some users do not want to read a manual is utterly ridiculous...
If you want to learn how to use any application, it is a necessity to read a very simple manual or a couple of tutorials...

I don't know anybody using i.e. Adobe PhotoShop, who haven't read through some simple manuals or tutorials to get some basic knowledge...

Trust mate I for one took no offence!

Im my own defence! Part the reason I trial software without a manual is to determine the steepness of the learning curve and that realising that of the many tools in ones arsenal some may well be used on an irregular basis.

If one can determine the workflow easily without reference it is then logical that later after they are somewhat proficient in the app and don't use it for some time chances are they wont need to relearn the process then!

And mate I can also suggest in regards to Photoshop, mate I've never read any manual and only one tut in the newsagency in a mag on how to create brushes, I've never opened the help file and once reading a thread on the pushpullbar about someone using actions to assist repetitive tasks set about learning actions myself and developed an action that day that allows me to create colour, bump and spec maps for floor and wall tiles that stops at points to allow me to adjust the grout width, depth and roughness, tile edge curve and degree or surface texture all else is done by action. Sure I have picked up little tips here and there along the way but never by searching for an answer!

About two months ago I was asked to do a book for a professional print job, I realised this would need to be done in Indesign so bought the Adobe publication Classroom in a Book. I just checked this moment and had read to page 24 of 444 before putting the book down because I realised I could learn it hands on quicker than referencing the book. The only issue that arose and called upon the help file was for the insertion of fold lines, search of the help file was unsuccessful, the book gave no hints and an online search revealed that there actually is no function for this and it needs to be done manually!

With SU I would suggest the complete opposite to all the above, I watched every video tutorial to assist my learning of the application as simply besides microsoft word it was the first program I purchased and had never used a computer before. Like TBG I've been a very late bloomer!

And don't get me wrong in Thea's case I will read the manual simply because I will likely have too, my point though is that generally I find a well designed interface and workflow can almost if not completely eliminate this need!!!

I guess I'm trying to reinforce that todays best applications are often designed so well that a user in most cases need very little reference to complete most tasks.

Pixero

Probably a silly question...but I can't find where to scale and rotate a texture in Thea.
All I've managed is to create a new texture layer.
Please some hint here. (End of silly question.)

arail1

@pixero said:

Probably a silly question...but I can't find where to scale and rotate a texture in Thea.
All I've managed is to create a new texture layer.
Please some hint here. (End of silly question.)

Not a silly question.

While waiting for the video tutorials, a handful of short 'here's how to do this' documents would be helpful.

The Thea manual tends, like most manuals, towards what the program can do from the technical aspect with not that much attention to the How - that is, step by step How To Do This type of instruction.

sella

Now, this is delicious...

action toolbar -> tools -> transform -> bitmap

...and this without reading manual (in 2 min) !

Don't mean to brag, but what can I do?

sus4

ploblem
Export .xml SU say Thea not found in:

mm what..

tomasz

@sus4 said:

ploblem
Export .xml SU say Thea not found in:

Please make sure you have Thea installed, before running SU2TH installation.
You can also try latest SU2Thea version here.

rickgraham

Ok, I'm reading the Thea manual and it says that for Mac the current application is 32-bit only. Any news on a 64-bit upgrade?

Rick

Frederik

Unfortunately not, Rick...
We're still in first open beta phase and want to iron things out before a 64-bit application is build...

rickgraham

@frederik said:

Unfortunately not, Rick...
We're still in first open beta phase and want to iron things out before a 64-bit application is build...

Thanks Frederik. But now a (hopefully) simple question:

How does one zoom in and out of Thea? On my Mac, the middle mouse button does zoom, but it would take about 10 minutes of doing that to get to my zoom that I want. In other words, its too precise. Other Mac apps are fine, just Thea.

Rick

Frederik

I'm not on mac myself, so I can't tell...
Have you tried asking about this at the Thea Forum...??

jenujacob

@rickgraham said:

@frederik said:

Unfortunately not, Rick...
We're still in first open beta phase and want to iron things out before a 64-bit application is build...

Thanks Frederik. But now a (hopefully) simple question:

How does one zoom in and out of Thea? On my Mac, the middle mouse button does zoom, but it would take about 10 minutes of doing that to get to my zoom that I want. In other words, its too precise. Other Mac apps are fine, just Thea.

Rick

Latest Build RV350 has been released...
chk out the change log...

@unknownuser said:

Changes Log

Thea Render Beta 1.2.3 Revision 350 (30 March 10)

* Fixed ability to select when viewing from a selected camera. (UI)
* Reverted to previous revision (341) key bindings for texture button & chip (in material editor). (UI)
* Exporting now packages in distinct names (.mat.pack and .tex.pack) from browsers. (UI)
* Automatic clip map assignment when loading a bitmap with alpha channel in color/texture controls in material editor. (UI)
* Crash fix when right clicking twice in empty space in scene view, accidentally planted in previous public revision (345). (UI)
* Removed double click operation to delete textures and browser objects (removal can be done from right click context menu). (UI)
* Fixed rendering of infinite plane that was producing artifacts. (all engines)
* Improved clay rendering now not replacing perfect reflectors/refractors and keeping material bumps. (biased/clay)
* Added preview support when loading and saving scene (visible only through browsers). (I/O)
* Added import support of bump/normal mapping from Kerkythea scenes. (I/O)
* Added support for browsers to include whole scenes (drag & drop leads to merging). (UI)
* Changed exposure of sky/ibl in GL viewport solid drawing mode. (UI)
* Added batch pivot centering for all scene models (useful when pivots have been written far off objects making difficult their manipulation). (UI)
* Pivot of groups is now correctly loaded/saved (previous revisions were losing that information). (I/O)
* Using now correctly the group pivot for instancing brush. (UI)
%(#FF0000)[*** Fixed MacOSX mouse-wheel in GL viewport that was too slow. (UI)**]

Pixero

Just wanted to ask if the WXSU problem (with LightUp among others) has been fixed?

tomasz

The wxSU has been improved in the SU2TH 0.77beta. 'Sleep' command doesn't crash SU any more. The LightUp message will keep on showing until Adam will decide to remove it.

I am really puzzled by the SU7 (7.1.6860) freezing. It does that without any plugin installed with a fresh, clean SU file. SU doesn't give any info on the reason of the freeze, therefore it is extremely hard to identify a source.

It looks SU lock is not related to SU2TH or WxSU, although I have to check whether re-installation of SU will help.

notareal

Thea Render RV370 Beta1.4.1 is now available thought the usual thread (registration required). It will be published later at the public Thea Render download.
This new revision could be entitled the "animation revision", with the camera, light, sun/sky animation and enhanced object/group animation.
Here is a little sample of a unbiased daylight animation.
[flash=425,344:2zcq1ed7]http://www.youtube.com/v/9s_Lem3wxnw[/flash:2zcq1ed7]

notareal

Update on Thea Render

@unknownuser said:

Dear friends

in our brand new revision (382), we have included the latest technology advances regarding our material system; that is the custom Fresnel curve and Thin Film material. These two features give the "extra touch" to Thea's material system being one of the most advanced - if not the one . We will be happy to see your renders incorporating these features.

Besides our material system "touches", a lot of people will find that things have been made easier now in the studio. First of all, many of the preferences and options of the studio are now automatically saved and restored. There is also a Recent/Favorite/Example scenes option that can be accessed from File menu.

Even more, the navigation in the OpenGL viewport is now improved. Orbiting, panning and zooming take into account the center and clicked point in order for the user to move around (much more naturally with respect to scene scale and position). User movement is not dependent now on the selection or the global frame. We believe that you will find the new navigation much better than before. Also, take note that the Alt key can be used directly now for moving in Maya style (Alt+LeftClick: Orbiting, Alt+MiddleClick: Panning, Alt+RightClick: Zooming).

In the display, there are two options to enhance scene contrast out of the box - Contrast and Chroma. Chroma is a special Thea option where image colors become more saturated - this can help creating more vivid renders.

There are some bug fixes, the most important being the ability to save now an unbiased render in HDR/EXR format keeping the whole dynamic range and the fix for the broken feature of saving the alpha channel within a png image.

Finally, I have to say the following; we have invested a lot of time enhancing Thea with a major feature that it will change the workflow inside the studio. But we decided to make more testing before publishing this feature.

As always, the new revision can be found in the usual thread:
http://www.thearender.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=1849&p=14289#p14289

best regards

Thin Film material:
Body, eyes, wings

Metal with thin oily coating

The custom Fresnel curve:
paint, alcantara

Gaieus

Holy crap, that fly...