Anyone using Lumion w/ Sketchup

d_say · 28 Nov 2011, 00:38

Thank you very much ArthuR I cant wait for it to be released!

wozabee · 28 Nov 2011, 01:08

Hi Arthur,
Just sent off pretty much this same message to Lumion.
...but I'm just too excited about it to wait.
I'm keenly interested in using Lumion for some upcoming projects my work may have in the works soon.

I'm currently producing various previsual environment fly-throughs and scene block-outs exclusively using Google Sketchup in combination with Twilight Render (which uses the Kerkythea rendering engine).
Unfortunately, Kerkythea (and therefore Twilight) does NOTcurrently use my GPU - a Quadro FX 4600 - and literally takes forever to render my final runs - especially involving any large quantity of foliage - so, I imagin just the initial savings in waiting time would be worth the initial investment.
Over the last 3 years I have grown VERY adept to navigating environments fluidly with 3Dconnexion's SpaceNavigator in Sketchup. It gives my left hand something to do while adjusting models with the right hand, and Mostly, I forget it's there. Mostly.

Does Lumion currently interface with the SpaceNavigator, or have any future plans to?
Will it support stereoscopic output (with the right hardware) at full HD?
Also, having noticed on your promo videos that such things as shore/wave interaction have still quite some way to go, what are your present next goals to see to? (though, I have to say most of the water stuff so far is beautiful).

Cheers,

Woz

Bob James · 28 Nov 2011, 06:57

@solo said:

This one blew me away..

Very nearly a British understatement
What an incredible tour de force.

rv1974 · 28 Nov 2011, 09:35

@gaieus said:

I have Lumion on an XP machine (32 bit with 4Gb ram installed but 32 bit won't use all) and a Geforce 9600 GT with 1Gb ram. I can run Lumion without any issues - the only time I ran out of memory was when I tried to import a 40 Mb file. Then broke it down into two and could import flawlessly.

Not really a gallery stuff but shows the vast amount of vegetation placed in this model:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD1gw6fSWGc
It rendered in HD in a couple of hours.

Lumion 2 is around the corner but if you purchase now (more exactly after October 1), you get the upgrade free so no need to wait if you really consider it.

Whose music was used?

Gaieus · 28 Nov 2011, 10:21

I can no longer remember. I used YT AudioSwap to quickly add something that is more or less as long (and fit my mood when I did it). To me it sounds like it could be maybe Chopin (or any of the Romanticism actually).

This idiot YT does not display what is currently selected for it (or I am just blind).

bjornkn · 28 Nov 2011, 19:39

Lumion sure looks like a very easy and powerful tool for making videos with atmosphere, volumetrics, vegetation etc.
I think it looks a bit like a game though.

What about using a "real" game engine, like the CryEngine?
Has anyone here tried doing that?
http://www.crydev.net/dm_eds/download_detail.php?id=4 is a free download (non-commercial)

Here's a very detailed tour through the interiors of Titanic (very jerky camera though.. )
http://wimp.com/titanicrendered/
or at YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ORMEntertainment#p/u/0/-_IKqjb9TRY

fossa · 28 Nov 2011, 22:07

Just got the OK to purchase Lumion. Going to pick up a GTX560 tonight and get Lumion tomorrow.

solo · 28 Nov 2011, 22:19

Excellent, see you on the other side.

Gaieus · 29 Nov 2011, 08:05

@bjornkn said:

I think it looks a bit like a game though.

Because it isalso a game engine driven application http://quest3d.com/

True that it is not photorealistic - but as you say, it gives a lot of wonderful effects and also very easy to use, set up a scene and extremely fast to render from there on.

ArthurR · 1 Dec 2011, 14:47

Hi Wozabee,

Some people use Lumion with 3DConnection devices. They posted info on the right configuration here http://lumion3d.com/forum/index.php?topic=1033.0
Lumion allows you to create 3D movies, for instance for Youtube3D. Max output resolution is 1080p.

We continuously improve water/ocean. The latest improvements included better waves / shore realism. 3rd place of the Lumion Competition shows part of this.

Best regards,

Arthur

pilou · 5 Jan 2012, 16:10

[flash=560,315:112z8ry9]http://www.youtube.com/v/Sq25GV0x3L0[/flash:112z8ry9]

Stevo · 5 Jan 2012, 20:15

I've found some time to explore Lumion. At first I thought it was too gamer like, and well, it is, but so what. Like Sketchup it isnt about photorealism, its about communication. What I think makes it exceptoinal is that its fast and easy to learn and really adds life to a model. I did two short videos. I used existing Sketchup models of the structures (not the landform)and manipulated the topography in Lumion. Overall I've been very impressed with the software. Its way more stable than I would have thought; I can see it working its way into my workflow. If you interested check out my video.

All comments welcome

Lumion comes with a full dose of 'fun factor'

wozabee · 12 Jan 2012, 20:12

Well, I finally got around to trialling Lumion.

Very disappointed. Not in Lumion itself, but what I learned i needed to run it.
My home PC is an intel quad core with Space navigator, lots of ram, and an Nvidia Qudaro FX1700 GPU.
Lumion ran at about 1 frame per...week, would only recognise 2 axis of the navigator (have latest drivers) which, I think conflicted with the mouse badly, as itwould only pan/tilt in very small bits as if it were frustratedly fighting something.

Looking at Lumion's minimum specs on their forum referred me to this site: http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html
which told me my home card had a score of only 437! waaay lower than the 1500 needed for even the simplest stuff.
This also told me why my WORK PC with its Quadro FX 4600 card (about $2000 worth!) was going soooo slow also, with a Passmark score of only 875!!!

Wish now I'd just bought a Gforce GTX 580 - with a Passmark of nearly 4000, its only about $500.

Although its going to be hard to convince work to front that cash up just to TRIAL Lumion to see if it benifits - let alone, convincing the MISSUS on my home PC.

I think they really need to explain this issue somewhere more accessible to prospective buyers, rather than buried in their forum.

Rant over.

Cheers,

Woz

solo · 12 Jan 2012, 20:31

Woz,

It's the shape of things to come unfortunately.

Most render apps will either be GPU or a hybrid of GPU and CPU soon.

akyrak · 28 Oct 2013, 23:16

Both apps are Very easy to use.
A test. sketchup w/ lumion
http://youtu.be/yXkRmNi1Qco

Lumion runs on my amd x6 1090 4ghz w/ 16gb 1866, video geforce gtx590 3072mb gddr5
also on my laptop with a centrino and only 3gbs with basic video card