Lighting Plugin for Sketchup

juju · 9 Jan 2008, 14:06

me3mar, as far as can be ascertained from the previous posts it is still in development and thus not available yet.

AdamB · 9 Jan 2008, 21:00

Yes, having done the 40% of the work to show a prototype I'm very hard at work doing the other 90% to make it a product.

As promised, here's a grab of the ambient occlusion lighting (BTW 3.6 seconds to generate):

Adam

juju · 10 Jan 2008, 09:00

Nice work! Keep going, keep going!

a4chitect · 10 Jan 2008, 09:30

the 'render' time is amazing, truly amazing! very sketchup! very useful!

kwistenbiebel · 10 Jan 2008, 10:17

Personally I think the AO (ambient occlusion) image is too sloppy to be used for presentations.

AdamB,
Why can't your plugin be combined with an (existing?)photoreal render engine so we can get super real results? That would be awesome.

I personally wouldn't mind having to wait for some hours to get the light calculation done, because from that point on, I know I will be able to make animations in a blink of an eye, because the light solution is 'baked' in the textures....

That kind of VR technology with baked in light solution is kind of cutting edge.
Feversoft (Fryrender) is currently coding a similar feature for their render engine (it's called RC4).

Combine this with a good animation/walkthrough technique and I know what I will be nagging for 'til christmas

sorgesu · 10 Jan 2008, 13:11

I'm glad that I decided to check in here. I was sure that this was yet another thread asking "Is there a lighting plug-in for SketchUP" followed by 500 posts saying, yeah I want one or saying 'never gonna happen' so I didn't even bother looking.

But it has been going on for so long I thought I'd just peek in. This is just astounding. Congratulations on a much needed and wonderful addition.

Gaieus · 10 Jan 2008, 13:15

Hehe, Susan... Wondered why it is not sinking down didn't you?
We should have a rating system here so even without opening the topic, one could see what's hot...

kwistenbiebel · 10 Jan 2008, 13:39

AdamB,

I uploaded a video on youtube of a texture baked (including light/shadow) model I made, just to show what can be the benefit of using a photoreal render engine for your project.

Click the link to see the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnR0Okfaz4c

The method I used isn't as great as the thing you possibly have in your hand, but it's a good example of how baked textures can look like in SU when animated.

How I got the 'baked in light' on the textures?
I rendered my model using Podium,used the rendering as a photomatch background in SU and push-pulled some faces.
The new model is pan-able/rotatable and has a more photoreal appeal than ordinary SU.
Photomatch has the downside that things behind an object appear duplicated on the walls, limiting the rotation range (10 to 15 °)...

Your method however, combined with a render engine, would provide a full 360 VR manipulation . Bloody awesome

Fletch · 11 Jan 2008, 07:45

@KB - love that! great work... you know you can rotate your model, and photomatch it with another render and paint the other faces so you could theoretically get another shot of that space from the other end of the room... at least it's a theory... works better with an exterior I imagine.

noro · 11 Jan 2008, 08:54

I think we all waiting for that gr8 plugin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tony · 27 Jan 2008, 07:49

I don't suppose these is a way you would let the public take a look at the tool at it stands?

Tony

GUNAWAN W · 28 Jan 2008, 00:30

@kwistenbiebel said:

AdamB,

I uploaded a video on youtube of a texture baked (including light/shadow) model I made, just to show what can be the benefit of using a photoreal render engine for your project.
Click the link to see the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnR0Okfaz4c

its pretty awesome kwistenbiebel, To Mr.adam,... you're damn Genius!!!,... i loved it.

juju · 5 Feb 2008, 08:18

I'm bumping this thread, hoping to hear what progress is like. AdamB?

jim smith · 5 Feb 2008, 15:30

I would like to add my WOW! to the discussion. I just opened this thread by accident, having passed it by with the same feeling Susan expressed several week ago, that it would be and "i wish" rather than this.

AdamB - great work! Hope to see something soon!

AdamB · 6 Feb 2008, 21:16

@unknownuser said:

I'm bumping this thread, hoping to hear what progress is like. AdamB?

Yes.. been busy. Making really good progress; I now have it running natively on Mac and PC (so its 3x faster), blending ambient occlusion pass and direct lighting which gives stunning results, focussing on workflow to make it easier to tweak lighting, finding 'n' fixing bugs, testing testing testing.

Hopefully I'll be able to post some pics / youtube stuff RSN.

Adam

AdamB · 6 Feb 2008, 21:21

@tony said:

I don't suppose these is a way you would let the public take a look at the tool at it stands?

Tony

Unfortunately not. I'm not happy with it, so you won't be either. To be a really good "fire and forget" tool, it has to handle anything you throw at it sensibly. But its coming on in leaps and bounds - I'm on in fulltime right now - so hang in there. And thanks for the continued interest!

Adam

tomsdesk · 6 Feb 2008, 21:32

Interest might just be the gross understatement of the year! We're rootin' for you Adam...and waiting to reward your efforts!

boofredlay · 7 Feb 2008, 16:29

What Tom said.

FIRE1BULL · 10 Feb 2008, 13:34

This is something where many modellers have been waiting for, so keep up this amazing work!

Mike Lucey · 10 Feb 2008, 18:17

@tomsdesk said:

Interest might just be the gross understatement of the year! We're rootin' for you Adam...and waiting to reward your efforts!

Thanks Adam, just keep us updated on prgress and we shall wait.

Mike