Lumion vs other rendering/animation software
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Based on your requirements, you've also got LumenRT...
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You didn't say what you do... You want these things, but is it for movies? fun? architecture? landscape planning? That will help point you in the right direction. If you're an architect or work for a firm, I would go with Frederik 's advice and get LumenRT 2015. It's got Cubes for an extra fee that will put you at HALF of Lumion's price and is really quite amazing.
But if you're a 3D modeler/illustrator you might check out Vue xStream... It's like the Big Sister of LumenRT, owned by the same company. The main drawback being you won't get live walk-throughs like the LiveCubes in LumenRT. And it will be a jump of about $500. Still less than Lumion. Oh you know what i just realized? You could buy both of these and spend the same amount you would on one Lumion license. Can you tell I think Lumion is over priced?
You'll need a heavy box for Vue if you want to do animation in it, and you'll have to be willing to learn their methods. It's not drop and play like Lumion, but it's fairly easy to catch on to and it can make actual, theater level animations. Many Big Box Office Movies used it... Like Avatar for one. I don't think you'll see any movies coming out of Hollywood using Lumion anytime soon.Nothing compares to their terrain painting. It's not just painting, you can literally grow environments. Adjust the species, the grouping, the age of all the environmental elements such as rocks, boulders, grass, shrubs and trees.
Then there is the procedural terrain... Meaning it goes on for infinity and uses the environments that you've built... Entire mountains and valleys covered in some of the most realistic trees available in 3D modeling. If you couple it with their Plant Factory, you literally have every plant you can imagine at your fingertips (you have to grow them). Any type of terrain you want. Deserts, Mountains, Valleys, Beaches, Plains... use their random creations and adjust them to fit your topo from sketchup. Or use height mapping to create the terrain and then sculpt it as you please with brushes and knives.
Did I mention the skies? Every atmosphere you can think up... Moving clouds, actually see the Sun in your renders and control it's appearance... Have the moon in the sky... Hell, throw a few planets up there and maybe fly to one in a space ship. How big is your computer again? No other software offers so much control and realism in their sky appearance. It's every HDRI, every panorama, every sky dome you ever downloaded rolled into one logical interface with saveable settings and a $catalog$ of user created imports that will show you how far it can go...
The SketchUp Exporter/Importer is an added cost. It allows you to make settings and adjust your model in Sketchup before export, saving you the trouble of back and forth. Adding bump, glare, reflection to materials before you go. You could export out of SU in other formats and save $50, but it's well worth it. (yes, it should be a free add on at the least, a part of the program would be more like it)
Oh... Oceans and rivers too of course, just think of the things I described above and use your imagination. I need to get to the best part. Price...
It's HALF the cost of Lumion... $1900.00 and that's the top level version out of many versions. I think they go all the way down to a free version.
I also might mention that Thea has traditional animation and some of the best renders I've seen. Have a look at their galleries and some of the pros like Solo using it here on SCF; the realism is incredible...
Phew... That was a mouth full.
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Kris, I think you mean Vue Infinite. Vue xStream is for integration with 3ds Max, Maya, Lightwave, Cinema 4D, and Softimage. Vue Infinite is the stand alone version, and costs $400 less.
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Wow Kristoff....now that's a recommendation. I appreciate your time and advice. Based on that I will indeed check out Vue (and Lumen RT - thanks also Kim!) FYI - I'm employed in graphic design/CAD for an urban developer so would use this for anything from a local park to a full village. And as for my computer, I'm soon to renew so it's important I make the right software choice and check the minimum system requirements. Thanks again.
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@delman said:
Wow Kristoff....now that's a recommendation. I appreciate your time and advice. Based on that I will indeed check out Vue (and Lumen RT - thanks also Kim!) FYI - I'm employed in graphic design/CAD for an urban developer so would use this for anything from a local park to a full village. And as for my computer, I'm soon to renew so it's important I make the right software choice and check the minimum system requirements. Thanks again.
It's easy to talk up great software... it could use some tweaks on useability, but like Daniel said, the software was originally aimed at higher end systems. But now you know what they sell on the front page of Cornicopia3D? the SU to Vue exporter.
If you do end up wanting this program, when you upgrade your computer, think lots of quality ram and most importantly, as many fast processors as you can get. Vue xStream will use every one of them.
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Thanks Guys, will read up on Vue 'Infinite' and 'xStream'. See whats appropriate for our stuff.
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No, I do mean Vue xStream... I use the PLE with Sketchup when I have something fun to throw in. You just need the importer/exporter that I linked in my rather long post. it works incredibly well with sketchup. it's just a few minutes in the program to get things like this...
Literally 5 minutes in Vue xStream. And I have no idea what I'm doing in there. Imagine what someone with ability could do.
I'd kill to own it. But no one pays me to render.
This image is actually made with the 2 year old version.
I haven't even got to play very much with my new 2014 PLE.
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Did I mention controllable wind? lol...
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@krisidious said:
No, I do mean Vue xStream... I use the PLE with Sketchup when I have something fun to throw in. You just need the importer/exporter that I linked in my rather long post. it works incredibly well with sketchup. it's just a few minutes in the program to get things like this...
Vue xStream is the same as Vue Infinite, with the exception of the plugin that allows it to work with the programs I listed above, and it is $400 more.
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The really outstanding feature of Vue, IMHO, are the realistic plants. You can say good bye to identical, cookie cutter vegetation. You can have one species of tree - no matter how many times you add it to your scene, Vue's Ecosystem technology will make each instance unique from the others. And you can edit them individually if you're looking for a particular shape.
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I'm using the PLE so price was not an issue. I knew there were some limitations to Infinite. I love it... I wish I could afford it. One day...
I don't really understand the connection to other software. From my use of xStream I can't see any need for anything else beside making the models. And you can model inside of Vue, it's just rather odd methodology. It's more like sculpting with masses. I didn't care for it.
[bbvideo 640,480]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYh7zs_1p2M
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Lumion gets a bad knock because it is expensive. But it has one thing that no one has....SPEED!! It is just too significant to ignore now.
I can't sit around for hours waiting and I am not interested in the complicity of a rendering that requires a farm.
Depending on who's hands it is in Lumion is now coming within a hair of the best in render quality both interior and exterior.
It is so easy to set up and run that anyone can do it and of course there are some pretty wonky works of art out there in Lumion. There are also some masters.
One last point that was the deal breaker for me the licence holds its retail valueand can be sold on the open market.
I have tried all the others but Lumion has really put me into production. I actually make money now selling renderings.
If you are landscaping I suggest you get the free version of Lumion and build a forest. Then go build a forest with your favorite second choice. That will do it for you.
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