Vue 7 Infinite

solo

I see you use 3DS MAX and SU Podium as well.
Yup, I use a few other apps too like Z-brush, C4D, Hexagon, Maya, Shade, Bryce, Silo, (learning Modo), etc.

I have a couple of questions for you...

What makes you choose a particular rendering solution for each individual project?
It really depends on what the client needs and the time of the project, I usually use Podium for interiors and quick turn around work, Max for very detailed studio work, Vue for exteriors, Maya for characters, Hexagon and Z-brush for very complexed organic models, C4D for product animation, etc.

How long did it take you to import your SketchUp files and create your Vue scenes?
Import is almost instant, faster than opening the model in SU actually. As for setting up the scene, that's another whole process of adjusting and tweaking textures, adding ecosystems, adding solid growth trees, playing around with your atmosphere editor for the best lighting, shadows and general atmosphere. Sometimes one nails it on the first go and other times one has to fiddle around to get the image in your mind to reflect on screen.

How long did your Vue renders take to complete?
Depending on the detail, render options, size, atmospheres, texture qualities (list goes on) I have learned many work arounds to optimize a rendering. I do not have the patience to wait more than an hour for a medium quality render (none of my Vue renderers on my site too longer than an hour)

Which rendering solution do you find the "easiest" to use?
Podium for sure, with some awesome results too.

I assume SU Podium would be your choice when fast results (compared to MAX or Vue) are required?
Definately my favourite app, however it does not support atmospheres and due to the fact that it works within SU it is limitted to the low poly issue and vegitation I require is not possible, hence Vue is used.

Which package handles native SketchUp files (not including SU Podium) best?
Here is a heads up on Vue 7, there is no need to spend $900 on the Inf package as the $600 Vue7 Complete has everything you will need, including .skp import.

If you don't import native SketchUp files, which file format do you choose to export as, 3DS, OBJ, FBX etc?
I always used .3ds, I have never had an issue.

Do you have experience of using Vray or Modo?
Learning Modo at moment (strange GUI to master), I have never used Vray (too expensive for my budget)

I don't know about yourself, but there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to earn a living, eat, drink, sleep and spend at least some time with your family.
There isn't, thus one needs to move computer to lounge/dinning area, get very comfortable chair (for sleeping in) and a side table for eating purposes (a mini refrigerator is an added advantage), Full size cut-outs of yourself placed in strategic parts of the house may work on the family issue.

For this reason I don't want to avoid spending weeks or months studying how to use a program that I end up never really using.
It's a tough call, why not try the demo and if you feel you can get into it then it's a go, if you get irritated and it seems a labor and not a love...walk away as you will only be wasting time and money.

I wanted to test out a material, if anyone has Vue could you test this texture on your side. The image below is the texture (glass and metal for a distant city)
and attached is the .mat, Unzip it and save .mat in a folder.

glass and metal.zip

solo

Another test material...

Rust and paint.

rust and paint.zip

solo

Cracked asphalt...

cracked asphalt.zip

sliner

To Solo
Has looked your gallery, very great and qualitative renders! About Vue it is clear, but how you have inserted plants into a Podium?

solo

Sliner,

Thanks.

I used clipmaps for my vegetation in Podium, however with the new version 1.6 available it now works with .png's which is my easier to use.

sliner

I too have done many png-plants, but my Podium 1.5 did not see a transparency and I have removed it, Kerkytheya too for the same reason. Has tried to plant trees and shrubs in Vue, there except the vegetation magnificent, also it is possible to insert my alpha planes, and in general it is beautiful very much, only it is a little long...

solo

In Vue it's very easy to use alpha images, just select an alpha plane and in dialogue box navigate to the .png image and viola!

Have you tried the new Podium 1.6 yet? as it's much faster and it supports .png's very well.

sliner

I have already tried to make in Vue alpha planes, really easily, thanks, only a question: it is possible to use very much them, like instanses? Though I only have started Vue to study and mine question probably the foolish? In the same place it is possible to do or modify excellent plants also...

And Podium 1,6 I will look necessarily, and once again I will test on exteriors

solo

Yes it's possible to mass your alpha plane vegetation, make one and save it as an object in a folder within your objects library. Then in spray ecosystem or material ecosystem (your choice) you select 'object' and navigate to the saved object, then spray away.
As for modifying the solid growth plants and trees, just right click on it and select edit, you can modify everything from the trunk, branches and leaves, from sizes, lengths, girth, gnarly, twist, curl, etc.

sliner

Thanks big, Solo! When I will try, I can show that has turned out with alpha planes and native Vue plants. It is a pity they are just similar either on wild, or on Martian, and at me work such that recognition of garden plants is important...

linea

Pete thanks for explianing your workflow and preferences. I had a very early version of Vue, I think it was the only render app that I ever got near to really understanding. I didn't like it for modelling though, but I was always happy with the renders. I think you have convinced me to invest in Vue 7.

Mr S

Hi Pete,

Thanks for taking the time to answer all my questions.
Lots of useful points to think about there.

I liked this the best:

@unknownuser said:

I don't know about yourself, but there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to earn a living, eat, drink, sleep and spend at least some time with your family.
There isn't, thus one needs to move computer to lounge/dinning area, get very comfortable chair (for sleeping in) and a side table for eating purposes (a mini refrigerator is an added advantage), Full size cut-outs of yourself placed in strategic parts of the house may work on the family issue.

Maybe if they could speed up the human cloning project that may help?

Regards
Mr S

sliner

@solo said:

...Have you tried the new Podium 1.6 yet? as it's much faster and it supports .png's very well.

Today has tried Podium, with vegetation all is excellent, the transparency in tiff and png understands, its plant models the truth a bit left unfinished, not cut off and axes not on the centre.
But all any blue at rendering also were gone somewhere options of shades...

Bruell

Warning,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

do NOT buy VUE 7I yet, It is a great render software but the current version has major bugs, so if your life depends on this,

don't buy yet, wait for the first patch/update.

Stinkie

We got it by now.

solo

Bruell, sorry to hear about your issue, my business relies on my software and I made the jump to version 7 without any issue.

Anyway moving on....

Did you know Vue has amazing animation tools?

Here are two quick samples.

This on I did (crude 5 minute animation render) of a ball rolling.

[flash=600,400:eura63dd]http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2324780&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1[/flash:eura63dd]

This one was done by Vovka from geekatplay.com showing Vue's ability to handle D.O.F.

http://www.vimeo.com/2324810

[flash=600,400:eura63dd]http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2324810&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1[/flash:eura63dd]

Kenny

Solo, Before we lost the last few days posts due to the server crash, there was a discussion on Vue distorting and 'scattering' faces of some imported models. Attached is a screenshot of an example. Also here is a link to the skp file.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/x2jtzonwgzj/Vue fragmented.skp

Not only are the faces fragmented but the plan view has 'scattered' various parts of it around the site. I'd like to know if Vue 7 Infinite is better in this respect. I only have Vue 6 PLE that I'm testing at the moment. My aim is to create a Sketchup site model minus the vegetation and then insert the landscaping in Vue. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Kenny

Vue fragmented image1.jpg

Charlie__V

Kenny,

In VUE I6...File...options....display options....3d view display options:
Try enableing background draw thread and increase the sliders for instant draw and backgound draw.

This should correct the missing faces you are experienceing.

THEORY:
As for the scattering in VUE I6 I believe the scattering happens when components that have nested components/groups are imported to Vue and Vue has trouble with this.

Try importing a problematic model without nested components to test this theory.

Best,
C

background draw thread.png

solo

Kenny,

No problem at all with Vue 7 I tried direct importing the .skp and I also tried by exporting .3ds from SU and importing into Vue without any scattering or issues.

nb I purged your model of 54 styles