RpTreeMaker - new version Dec 12, 2008

EarthMover

Al,

Have you considered the idea of creating a .png to .skp converter to add to your line of RP tools? It seems you already have the coding done for a tool like this. Hypothetically, this tool would allow the user to import a .png, or .tif transparent file and the converter would spit out a .skp file with the shadow mask applied. Also adding a alpha mask output would be invaluable for certain rendering users.

Al Hart

@earthmover said:

Al,

Have you considered the idea of creating a .png to .skp converter to add to your line of RP tools? It seems you already have the coding done for a tool like this. Hypothetically, this tool would allow the user to import a .png, or .tif transparent file and the converter would spit out a .skp file with the shadow mask applied. Also adding a alpha mask output would be invaluable for certain rendering users.

That would be a good addition to RpTools.

I wanted to get holes working, but I hadn't gotten around to it yet. (Its the same algorithm - but applied again to the holes). I decided to release the RpTreeMaker version without holes. As I write this I can't decide whether to wait for holes or not.

Also, RpTools already has a tool which converts a color (range of colors) in your image into an alpha channel. So it would be easy to grab the background color of images which are not alpha transparent and use them as well.

EarthMover

Al,

When you say "holes", do you mean in the shadow mask?

Al Hart

@earthmover said:

Al,

When you say "holes", do you mean in the shadow mask?

Holes in the tree, which should also create holes in the shadow mask so light can pass through the tree.

Anssi

Thank you very much AL,

What a versatile tool this has become!

Anssi

tomasz

@al hart said:

Also, send me a sample of a KT compatible proxy object. RpTools has a tool which creates proxy objects. I have attached one. Let me know what changes I need to make to make it compatible with KT.
...
We are looking at an option to create 3D trees, but haven't had a chance to do it yet.

Hi Al,
Thanks for models and new version. Will try it and come back with comments.

I have done proxy objects in SU2KT following way: There are two components Tree1 and Tree1_HIGHPOLY.
The highpoly has an attibute set pointing to lowpoly (component name):

highpoly_definition.set_attribute("su2kt","high_poly",su_lowpoly_comp.definition.name)

That is mainly it.
It lets an user to place components on whatever layer they want.

I am glad you consider exporting 3D trees is a future!

Al Hart

@unknownuser said:

I have done proxy objects in SU2KT following way: There are two components Tree1 and Tree1_HIGHPOLY.
The highpoly has an attibute set pointing to lowpoly (component name):

highpoly_definition.set_attribute("su2kt","high_poly",su_lowpoly_comp.definition.name)

Doesn't this have the problem that if a user selects Purge then one of the components disappears - or does the user place both in the drawing and turn off one of the layers,

Does the low poly component point the high polu component as well?

We wound putting the High Poly and Low poly geometry in the same component (option A), or having the low poly component include an instance of the high-poly component in a layer (option B)

me3mar

FIRST OF ALL THANKS SOOOOO MUCH FOR THE GREAT TOOL,

i would like to ask about rendering with vray, is there a specific way to do it ? i just tried and got a black shadow surrounding the whole tree, is there any trick to do ?
thanks in advance

me3mar

i just found it out , sorry

Al Hart

@unknownuser said:

Al, I had downloaded the RpTreeMaker - The one big problem I see with it, is that the trees don't cast shadows (or have I missed a step?). Please let me know if I am doing something wrong, or if you get that fixed.

The latest version should cast shadows in SketchUp. We added a shadow mask to cast shadows.

Al Hart

@me3mar said:

FIRST OF ALL THANKS SOOOOO MUCH FOR THE GREAT TOOL,

i would like to ask about rendering with vray, is there a specific way to do it ? i just tried and got a black shadow surrounding the whole tree, is there any trick to do ?
thanks in advance

Note: There is a setting on the advanced settings dialog to create an alpha clipmask for VRay. You can export it from the SketchUp Materials Wizard.

Al Hart

We put out a new version today.

Added ability to set the camera height as a percentage of the tree height.
Added shadow masks so trees cast realistic shadows in SketchUp
Used faces so trees render more easily in Podium
Added clipmask for easier rendering with VRay (Of course the trees render easily, and better, with IRender)

Batch Mode
The version has a Batch mode, for those people who have been having problems executing it from SketchUp. See: Batch Mode

Shadows masks in sketchUp

chango70

This is brilliant! Yon've even thought of VRay!

me3mar

it works perfectly thank you ao much...
is this a free plugin ? or is it yet just a beta vergin?
thanks in advance

me3mar

LOOOOOOOL that was pretty funny, thanks AL for the great plugin and the great " Virgin" Imagination
greetings
me3mar

Al Hart

@me3mar said:

it works perfectly thank you ao much...
is this a free plugin ? or is it yet just a beta vergin?
thanks in advance

RpTreeMaker is going to remain a free plugin. But we could offer a Pro version someday. (for $$). (We don't believe we should announce a product as free, and change out mind later - although this could always happen - especially if we get gobbled up by a large, greedy (and hopefully with deep pockets) conglomerate. (And of course, "free" is a different phrase than "free trial".)

RPS is offering some of it products free, (RpTreeMaker, RpEdits, ProjectSketch and the free version of RpWalls - which we hope to beta next week). We think we get good feedback from a wider audience from the free versions, and hopefully the free versions will inspire some SketchUp users to purchase our other products. (For instance RpTreeMaker works pretty well with the other add-on renderers, but works even better with IRender. Also, RpEdits has some useful tools, but RpTools has ever more.)

(I'm not sure if the word you used - "vergin" - was a misspelling of "version", or a clever play on words based on the word "virgin" - meaning that we were trying to trap virgins into using it and then surprising them later when it turned out not to be free after all. )

EarthMover

Al,

Just tried out the newest version and it's a lot better. I'm really happy with the results. A couple things though.

It would be nice to have some control over the secondary branching. Even at Max fullness, the secondary branching remains disproportionate to what occurs in nature. The off shoot branching should be fuller and vary in direction depending on the type of specimen. Control of secondary branching would help to achieve a higher level of realism.
Control over the central leader. Most deciduous trees don't have the same central leader structure as a conifer, where the main trunk extends to the top. The central leader will generally split into branching off shoots at the crotch, long before the top of the tree. This is true especially as deciduous trees mature. In the editor however, for standard trees, the central leader is always extending to the top of the tree. It works for some trees, like Oak for instance, but for others, I have a hard time creating the proper branching structure. Take this Zelcova Serrata for instance. Notice the central leader vs. branching structure -
Lastly, I was wondering if it were possible to allow an option to create an NPR version of the tree? Something that will be read in a B&W sketchy line style. I tried playing around with unhiding the lines that are around the shadow mask, and this works okay, but it would be great if some of the branching was also translated into line work. I know this may be pushing it, but it's worth a shot.

Al Hart

@earthmover said:

Al,

Just tried out the newest version and it's a lot better. I'm really happy with the results. A couple things though.

It would be nice to have some control over the secondary branching.

Control over the central leader.

Lastly, I was wondering if it were possible to allow an option to create an NPR version of the tree? Something that will be read in a B&W sketchy line style. I tried playing around with unhiding the lines that are around the shadow mask, and this works okay, but it would be great if some of the branching was also translated into line work. I know this may be pushing it, but it's worth a shot.

I passed your comments on to the author. He is working on shrubs and such and perhaps that will help.

I'm trying to think of a good way to get edge lines for the trunk and branches. I think the only way to make this work will be to create a 3D tree with edges. Then the Sketchy Edges should just work. However, this will probably be in the "Pro" version, rather than the free version.

I tried some Sketchy edges on cylinders and they work OK. So if I can create geometry for the branches and leaves, we should be able to get a NPR effect.

Al Hart

@unknownuser said:

I am an ex Forest Ranger and always wanted to try creating fractal trees.

I have downloaded RPtreemaker.
Yes I have used it a lot in the last week and think its excellent.
The program is simple to use but I do get confused between the functions of
bend and horizontal.

I do have some ideas.
I think the trees would be more realistic if there was some randomness
generated between multiple trunks. Most trees with multiple trunks have each
trunk start at different height and with different diameters. I notice that
in the standard type currently multiple trunks are duplicates all starting
at the same height.

It would be great to have a control or two that addressed this issue.

Another factor of reality would be windage. Many locations cause trees to
grow more out one side than the other. The trunk at ground level is not in
the centre of the dripline and the tree ends up asymmetric. A windage
control could address this issue.

I am enjoying using your software and particularly like the uniformity it
gives with the trees in my models. Please keep up the great work.

Thanks for the comments - I will pass them on to the developer, and hopefully he will incorporate some of them in future versions.

xrok1

sure would be nice if i could get past 100k of the 40 meg download??

looks like a great prog. but please fix the download link i've tried about 20 times now and can't get more than 100k or so of the file then it pauses and times out?