Dont worry mate I've been having the same issues with HDRI location and actually posted to the MR wish list a solution I'd like to see incorporated. Modo also does real time lighting from HDRI so the results from the illumination channel can be quickly tested.

I've been playing with a work around for correctly positioning the HDRI for the illumination channel, though haven't get it finished yet! Check it out it may give you some ideas, or you may see ways to contribute! Oh hang on you posted to it - duh!

Mate as the last post I always add my skys in later, there are a ton of sky images out there, infact any photo with plenty of sky will work.

Using plastic for car paints can look a bit unrealistic unless you are going for more primary colours that aren't so suited for arch work - the grey, silver, brown inert tones one wants for arch vis are generally metallic and therefore need a coating in the BSDF. Metallics do tend to look a bit flat as the sheen spreads and disperses the light more!

I one day should get back to this project - I can still see a great need for them for Maxwell and any other app they might work with - any that can take weight maps!

301 Moved Permanently

(www.sketchucation.com)

Here is a bit of the post!

If you want best results with sky replacement later in post processing using alpha allows you to get a better result as you don't get pixel blending at the inference of your sky and roof silhouette. However I rarely do render with alpha as I find it a little hit and miss with lighting otherwise and the maxwell sky give you a good guide or reference when adding a new sky to match the colour and lighting intensity. I will normally blend my new sky with the maxwell one to get the sky close to best. However if your scene contains trees then rendering with alpha is almost a must if the sky is to be replaced.

A few tricks I found to cut in you new sky is to always render with material ID enabled. This is also great for any material editing later as you don't need to spend as much time initially getting material colours correct. When in post pro in PS the material ID image allows you to use the magic wand to select the sky.

1. Open the render in PS, duplicate background layer,
2. Open the material ID in PS, shift drag to the render file (shift locates it to the correct location),
3. Select the sky on the material ID layer using the magic wand,
4. Expand the selection by one pixel,
5. Switch to the duplicate render layer and hit delete to delete the sky,
6. Expand the selection again 1 or 2 pixels and apply a subtle gaisson blur to soften the hard edge of the silhouette,
7. Drag in new sky and place/scale behind the duplicate render layer and blend this layer as required with the maxwell sky from the original maxwell sky (background layer).

Nice work Brodie!!!

Mate was the sky a HDRI in the render or did you add it later? I posted a fairly lengthy post on the PPB yesterday regarding cutting in a new sky and getting it right.

For me the sky is a little deep for the camera angle if that makes sense? meaning it feels it needs to be transformed by squeezing its height!

Glad to hear the cars paints I did gave some help, though wasn't aware they were too flat, though I haven't done a lot of testing with them, just wanted something that cleaned faster than the MR distributed ones.

Mate you need generally to use bigger maps, tile repeats in small maps are near impossible to avoid. An almost consistant non varied material can work with small maps though you will then end up with unrealistic flat boring surfaces!

One tip I can give is for testing! In PS I will work on a new or existing texture and set up an action;

1. select all,
2. copy merged,
3. canvas size, percent, 400 / 400 origin from top left
4. paste, move next to original,
5. paste, move next to last, etc etc
6. paste, move row down
7. paste, move to next etc, etc

I don't actually use paste but alt+move but for the explantation it's a bit more clear!

then check for tiling

new action; undo, undo, undo etc!

Then make any changes and hit action 1 check for tiling and hit action 2. After the first these actions happen REALLY fast. You can set one up for differing common size maps - 512x512, 1024x1024, 2000x2000, 2048x2048, 2400x2400

OR simply have an instance of SU open with a large plane and each time you make a change to the material save it and reload into SU - not actually as fast as the action option but does allow for a much larger repeat!

Yeah but it command line - I'd have to type stuff like C;/go2bedRichard/orUwont-getupinthe-moring....

@aidus said:

Richard.
Pavol is working on this problem. He said that probably next plugin update can add external proxies even mxm files. So if he can do such update then there is no more need for taking huge geometry trees in sketchup.

I know mate it will be so cool! Hey not sure what you mean about proxies for MXM files?

@arail1 said:

There doesn't seem to be any difference between the Pro Demo and the licensed version of ShaderMap.

Mate the demo doesn't allow saving of the results for testing, so it's pretty hard to determine which produces the best result. Though at $20 v's $300 for crazybump the result is right there!

Mate i'm just checking out shadermap now and it's sweet for $20 and the functionality is well above that of crazybump.

Mate I've tried CrazyBump, darn pricey though!

You can download a normal map generator free from Nvidia's download page though it only works with PS CS3.

@aidus said:

This is my onyx trees in some project. All are 3D.
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=17206

It takes a lot of time to adjust trees for SU. Average size of tree ~ 10 - 20 Mb.

Mate you did well to get them down to that size! I'm finding my trees are ending up around 35Mb - I cant even paint them in SU as they just stall.

I'm currently working on creating what I hope will be the answer to good low poly trees for SU - so I'll keep all posted.http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=18367

Hopefully too Pavol (MR exporter developer) can pull off his belief that MXS files may be able to be substituted for SU place holders upon export, this will be a very cool feature if ever included, as correct leaf and bark mapping within Studio from Onyx exports is just a drag on function.

@chris fullmer said:

It might also help to increase the SketchUp transparency quality in the syles window.

Chris

Chris that is his Maxwell render! The shadows would be a square otherwise!

Mate the tree I used in that thread was originally 3d then rendered with alpha and depth maps exported. The depth map was used for displacement.

Without the depth map it would be hard to get the same effect.

In regards to the materials for the MXM, the bigger the map the better obviously. For most materials and maps I create from scratch I use images about 2400x2400 pixels. The ones for that tree were about 4000 x 1500.

For clip maps I'd suggest alwys using tiff format as jpg tends to have some random grey artifacts at the edges between the black and white, this will ruin the clipping effect.

I think generally your MXM is fine just the maps pretty crappy.

@ideas_arte said:

Hello ..!

Richard, please be kind enough to explain a little secret material?
I already have some Xforg in. Tiff
I did my materials (MXM) using the 'ClipMap' of the material editor and the result is this:

Shot at 2009-04-25

Yours are excellent, as you do it?

Thanks in advance

Mate for one it doesn't look like a great map to start with, bit low res! It also looks like the white area of your clip map needs to be expanded a pixel of two you would need to do this in an image editor!

BTW the trees in the image I posted are full 3d not clip maps!!

As Majid suggests there is some nasty tiling in the foreground materials. To avoid this myself I put a dirt map in the MXM and make the tiling say 0.2 (meaning it is 5 times the size of the original map.

You can do it two ways:

1. Add a second BSDF layer to the material and use a dirt map in the 0 reflectance channel, make this BSDF layer fairly low weighted say 10%.

2. Have 2 BSDF layers of the same paving material with one slightly lighter in colour and vary the weight of each layer with a low contrast greyscale noise map.

I will add that you only need to do this setup once as you know - that material can be saved in this format and used again. This is a great way to get use from smaller tiling maps!

Your windows are relflecting too much of the horizon light! To fix this either:

1. Use a HDRI in the reflection channel for environmental setting and/or

2. Make some very low poly buildings for the opposing side of the road to reflect in the window! Make sure though that these are postioned such that they are seen in the reflections from way down the road.

I will often just copy the main geometry of the building (subject) in the scene and flip it to the other side of the road and scale it up or stretch it so it blocks the horizon sun. Fairly simple and painless!

BTW I hope your having a shot at learning to surf while here! WA has some great beaches?

Actually funny I say that - haven't been on a board myself for about 20years!

So back on topic! Yes has anyone had success in arch vis with crysis yet?

@kwistenbiebel said:

@richard said:

Mate are you really in Australia? We should organise a PPB meeting, though where in Aust?

[OT]: Yes King, half a year now . WA is just wonderful....although you guys probably like to convince me to go East, right?
A PPB OZ gathering would be great.

Well mate the east has Sydney and Melb! Great to hear you enjoy WA - Aust is a pretty cool place! If you are making to the east any time soon please keep in touch! The drinks are on me to repay in only part for all your inspiration!

@kwistenbiebel said:

It seems that the PlayUptools are now updated and you can import a Sketchup model with textures and all straight into the sandbox 2 editor. ---> http://playuptools.blogspot.com/2009/03/cryengine-mini-update.html

Did anyone try to use it for realtime VIZ yet? Preferably on an architectural model? (screenshots?)
Since I left my copy of Crysis in Belgium when coming to Australia, I would love to know if it is worth to buy a new copy....

Mate are you really in Australia? We should organise a PPB meeting, though where in Aust?

BTW the tree on the right is an SU image with my favoured black fog!

@utiler said:

you bet, R. and have a nice 'lazy' form too.....

Look out the window mate! Have I got the larger branches about right?

@baz said:

Looks great Richard, It would be good to have some aussie natives.
I think the branch shape would probably suit most younger european type trees.
baz

I'll have to find out what's popular and what works well with arch rendering! Gum trees are great as they are so lightly foliaged.