Hi remus,
I asked for other views on this issue and you have provided me with your perspective on this. Thanks.
Don't know if it explains why millions will still go out and vote for more of the same?
I would be interested to hear any other explantions,
Only 200 have been exposed or caught red-handed.
Do you regard that as some sort of ringing endorsement of the system?
This isn't a system that just needs a few rotton apples to be cleaned out. This is a system that is rotton to the core.
If you worked for a company where nearly a third (up to now) were exposed as corrupt lying thieves, would you regard that as OK?
Unless you are wilfully blind most know that there are only a handful of MPs who took up their political careers to engage in public service.
The rest simply regarded it as a lucrative career path which paves the way to even richer rewards after they leave politics.
Hi,
Don't know how many of you follow the political situation in the UK, but this cartoon just about sums it up.
All the main political parties in the UK have been exposed as lying, corrupt, careerist, petty thieves.
No great surprise really.
We are voting tomorrow in local and Euro elections.
What I will never understand is that millions will go out and vote for them yet again. And then moan for another 5 years about "the bloody government".
Anyone care to explain this bizarre behaviour?
Great!
I asked for this a while ago.
I suggested it was something that should be a standard feature in SketchUp
Now it is. Thanks for another great contribution.
Hi Pete,
As I have just been told that I will be made redundant on the 10th July I have to ask you to add my name to the list.
See some samples of a site plan I produced for my (ex)employer.
Also if anyone wants additional tips about using SketchUp with CAD drawings visit: http://www.go-2-school.com/media/view/251
There are a number of clips with good advice.
Thanks for all the kind words and advice guys.
I really needed a boost after seeing the sadness in my wife's eyes as I delivered the news to her.
Thanks for the kind words, Pete.
Especially for injecting a little bit of positive thinking.
I really need to hear that at the moment.
Hi All,
Well, my last post concerning changing over from using AutoCAD to Microstation and other issues has now become redundant.
As have I. 
All the staff at my office were called in to a meeting yesterday and told that due to the economic downturn a third of the staff are being "let go".
In about 2 weeks time I will be joining the millions of other unemployed.
As the company I work for is an "investors in people" they have told me I can apply for a new position which is basically an admin role that pays less than half the wage I am currently on. Nice!
So, I am faced with wasting my skills and applying for a tedious paper shuffling job or "signing on".
As I still have bills to pay and I cannot stand the idea of being unemployed I will have to apply for this position. I believe looking for another job whilst still in employment is "easier" than looking for a job whilst unemployed. This is a belief my parents have always held. I hope they are right.
If anybody knows of any jobs going in Merseyside, England, I would be more than happy to hear from you.
I can dream can't I?
(If only I had chosen a career in banking).
Hi Anssi,
Thanks for the response.
This is a decision that has been taken by those "higher-ups" in the company.
I have to hope that they know what they are doing.
Powerdraft will replace AutoCAD LT (used by the majority of our staff) and Microstation V8 will replace the full version of AutoCAD.
As I understand it AutoCAD was originally created for Engineers not Architects.
Microstation, ArchiCAD etc were built from the ground up for Architects.
Whether this makes any real difference in use I have yet to see.
With regards to BIM software I am not quite sure what to make of this.
On the one hand, it makes sense to have software that can generate 3D data from your 2D data input.
In theory this should make producing 3D images a lot simpler and less error prone.
I have heard that Revit is a very clever piece of software.
But it does not have (as some try to claim) a magic button that can produce professional 3D results.
I have also heard that practically no-one outside of the demonstration team can use it in a productive manner.
(OK, I may be exaggerating a little here, but you know what I mean)
The management of my company do not want their Architectural staff wasting valuable time trying to learn and understand lighting, texturing, composition and the hundreds of other issues associated with creating professional 3D imagery. They want their Architectural staff producing working 2D CAD drawings that generate actual income!
I think they have a very good point.
Most of the 2D CAD operators I know do not seen to understand (or find very difficult) the concept of 3D.
Management can't presume to think that just because some staff use Microsoft Word every day that automatically gives them the skills to become a great novelist.
They may not even grasp basic spelling or grammar!
Or just because someone can use Microsoft Paint they will also be expert users of Adobe Photoshop.
The skills required to produce professional 3D results, seems to me, to require a great deal of dedication to learning a range of skills well beyond the normal requirements of most 2D CAD operators. It also requires an active imagination and what I can only describe as an "eye" for being able to visualise a 3D image.
Quite simply, not everyone has this, no matter how good the software.
Anyway, I would appreciate reading any further thoughts on this subject.
Hi,
To begin with, a little bit of background.
I have a graphics background (photography, video and computer graphics) and work for a large architectural company with my main role being the production of 2D and 3D graphics. This is mostly for presentations, bids and public display. The majority of the staff are Architects and Architectural Technicians. The management prefer me to spend my time on producing the "pretty" stuff while the rest of the staff stay focused on the nuts and bolts of production, i.e. 2D CAD.
We have just been informed that the company is switching from using AutoCAD to Microstation. Obviously, there will be a transition period. We have just received our first batch of training and I have been informed that the 3D capabilities of Microstation far outstrips SketchUp and has a great ease of use compared to the likes of 3DS MAX or VIZ. More complicated than SketchUp perhaps, but with far superior output results.
Visit: http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/MicroStation/Iterative+Luxology+Rendering.htm
Microstation has incorporated the Luxology render engine and the surface modelling tools of Modo, so I would expect the results to be better. It can also import SketchUp files and produce high quality renders.
It looks as though I am going to have to up my game somewhat!
Although I love SketchUp, it looks like my company have given up on it being upgraded to keep up with the advances being made by other 2D/3D applications. This is a real shame. 4 years ago I watched their faces light-up as I showed them the results that could be achieved with SketchUp. 4 years later they have become frustrated that SketchUp doesn't seem to have progressed much. They were never great fans of AutoCAD either, but used it because "everyone else does".
In their eyes they have decided to up the capabilities of our 2D and 3D tools. If I'm really honest with myself, I have to agree with them that this is probably the right way to go.
So, I was wondering if anyone here has experience of Microstation or Modo.
If so, I would like to read your thoughts on this issue.
Any links that would help me in this transition would also be appreciated.
Top quality images and good guide.
So good, I have uploaded a PDF version of this for downloading for easier use and viewing at:
http://www.evilshare.com/f4fb1cac-8c2e-102c-8cae-0030489aabc6
The file is called: Illustrating SketchUp in Photoshop by liam887.pdf
Regards
Mr S
You probably need a response from the Vray experts, but in the meantime...
Are you using the very latest version of Vray?
Are you reading the very latest version of the manual?
The guys who can help you will neeed to know this.
As far as I know, you only get the Vray for Sketchup option on your menu when you right-click on a Vray object such as lights.
This allows you to edit the settings of that object. (Colour, Intensity etc).
The menu you show in your sample is the render options menu.
That defines the "global" settings for your scene render.
The Materials menu is the one that interacts more with the objects in your scene. (Apply Vray textures with bump, displacement reflections values etc)
Hope this helps.
After seeing this post, I went to visit the new revamped site.
Didn't get very far.
After clicking on the "Software" button I got the following error from my Anti-Virus software.
I am getting our IT guys to look in to the problem.
I guess it is a false positive rather than a real threat?
Beautiful, crisp and clean renders.
Everything looks to have been created with great attention to detail.
If you can supply any info on the lighting setup in this scene (amount, type and where positioned) it would be most appreciated.
Once again, great work and a fantastic example of what SketchUp and Vray is capable of producing in the right hands.
I'd be a very happy man if I ever get to reach the high standards set by the likes of yourself and Solo.
Just discovered the actual Ruby I required was this: HideAll.rb
by Todd Burch
Similar to the "Isolate" function in 3DS MAX.
A compact, neat and helpful tool.
Visit: http://www.smustard.com/script/HideAll
Hi,
Actually, this is something I mostly use to hide objects.
I just select the object I wish to work on , right click, select invert, then hit the hide key. I then have on-screen just what I want.
It should be a feature built in to the Hide options on the menu.
Hi Pilou,
Thanks.
That was exactly what I was looking for.
Hi,
I was sure that there was a Ruby script that performed the same function as "Select Invert" in Photoshop.
You have an object selected then choose "Select Invert" and that object is deselected and everything else in the scene becomes selected.
Am I dreaming or did such a thing exist?
If so, could someone provide a link?
That must be the SketchUp Picasso Edition!
Hi,
There is another good link on that page.
Take a look at the "The 10 Best Political Videos You've (Probably) Never Seen"
Or click on this link: http://digg.com/d1okUR