Renderers: ok ok i know theres this q every 5 mins!!!but........

[manc]

ok this is the usual question, but i need some info to print out and put in front of my boss.

I managed to convince my bosss to get sketchup........ saves me bringing in my own laptop and struglling not being connected to network.

I need to prove to them that you can model and render more than just massing model in SU.

We use microstation, is it efficient to render in that or is there a program podium etc that can sit inside SU and give top quality renders.

I know ur all going to say "read the forums" but i need some concrete infor to go to my boss.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.


Hopefully now i got SU in the office i can be as active in the forums as i used to be!!!!!!!!!

[kwistenbiebel]

If you have a boss that doesn't know a lot about 3D and rendering I would go for the Sketchup/Podium combo.
It is easy to use, fast if used correctly and quickly learned by all colleagues at your firm. And it's cheap.

If your firm doesn't have much of a rendering history, chances are your boss is going to like this.

[Marr]

I would go for artlantis. It has a standalone interface, but it is very easy to use, and imports all the textures intact from sketchup. And it has been around longer than podium so it is much more mature plus the rendering times are extreamly short.

[InArch]

SU is not a renderer, but I'll have to agree that Podium makes a good complement to the SU environment.

1. get SketchUp and start using it for design and modeling
2. integrate SU with Microstation (the new MS will import SU files)
3. rendering in MS
4a. read the "Renderers" section of this forum for plenty of examples and pros and cons.
4b. download and test the other renders: Podium, Artlantis, etc and see if you will gain anything from making a jump.
5. keep this thread updated on your progress

Are you currently rendering in Microstation? I have Microstation experience and know it can be done (with great effort). If you are using Microstation for rendering, then SU could be your modeler, especially with the new Microstation features that import SU models. SU will save you time in design and also provide you with better design models throughout the process. So I would stick with Microstation for high end renderings because of your experience (a rare skill).

Some of the SU, add-on or stand alone renderers are fairly new products on the market and are still being developed. They offer good results, but if you are used to FormZ, 3d Studio Max, Microstation, etc - then you will not be impressed. Podium is a quick rendering solution because the settings are few and it's just a matter of pressing a button and waiting. The longer you wait the better the rendering (sometimes)

Stick with Microstation (or what you know best) for renderings, save yourself the cost and learning curve of another application.

Once again it all depends what you want the program to accomplish and how you generate content. SU is best for design and basic presentations. After I started using SU years ago I stopped building models in Autocad and gave up the need for high end renderings in 3d Studio Max. All my clients liked the SU output and to me it was a better explanation of the design process than a photo real image that took longer to produce than the actual design effort.

Manc, can you post your example of a Microstation rendering?

just my 2 cents...

[spadestick]

I'm reading up that a lot of users are raving about K-ray.

however, I'm having heaps of trouble with K at home, just trying it out. So far, I'm getting more luck with vray at the office.

1) K - don't know how to import properly - ie. the units mm and I guess the import is in metres.

2) because of this, can't navigate the model properly

3) don't know how to setup outdoor lighting.

4) interface is much clunkier than Artlantis. where is zoom extents (extremeties of model and centre)?

5) everything is in wireframe, can't see anything on my model. Can we preview the sun shading angle before hitting render?

6) basic output is not as instantly great at Vray.

7) The output of Vray really is industry standard.

Podium is pretty ok. but not to my standard.

[danielz]

IMO SU and Vray thats the easiest way to get quality renders in just alittle time

[Richard]

Tell us some purpose - Interiors? Exteriors?

For exteriors go Indigo, its free and exports all textures colour edited in SU and near no setting issues!

Results may take a little while but you will save that time on setup.

If you do lots of exteriors and aren't so worried about all the details of bump, glossies etc you can crank out lots in no time!

Seriously the results from plain SU applied materials will do for about 90% of the materials in your renders and the fact that Indigo utilises these colour edited materials on export you will find what you see in SU gets rendered.

I must say even when or if this engine / app starts to be charged for it will still be one to consider highly.

And here is the proof!!! First test from Indigo, did nothing but export from SU other than play with glass (selected Glass) and here is the result!

[kwistenbiebel]

Wow Richard...
That's great output considering the setup time is almost nihil.

[kwistenbiebel]

Originally Posted by spadestick

I'm reading up that a lot of users are raving about K-ray.

however, I'm having heaps of trouble with K at home, just trying it out. So far, I'm getting more luck with vray at the office.

1) K - don't know how to import properly - ie. the units mm and I guess the import is in metres.

2) because of this, can't navigate the model properly

3) don't know how to setup outdoor lighting.

4) interface is much clunkier than Artlantis. where is zoom extents (extremeties of model and centre)?

5) everything is in wireframe, can't see anything on my model. Can we preview the sun shading angle before hitting render?

6) basic output is not as instantly great at Vray.

7) The output of Vray really is industry standard.

Podium is pretty ok. but not to my standard.

Spadestick,
I believe you are talking about Kerkythea.
http://www.kerkythea.net

Kerkythea is NOT the same as K-ray.

K-ray is a render engine that works only with Lightwave and is comparable to V-ray but even quicker. For the moment K-Ray isn't compatible with Sketchup.
You can find their website here:
http://www.kraytracing.com/
If you check the gallery you will find that it can produce fantastic and true photoreal imagery.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by kwistenbiebel

Wow Richard...
That's great output considering the setup time is almost nihil.

Exactly what I thought, when they get some camera / film control aka Maxwell like upon rendering - which I'm sure they will to keep up the competition I think this will be my external renderer of choice. Still think they need a arch glass solution or (just thought of another way they could do it) some way that the exporter adds thickness to the glass upon export.

Though I must say I like the Maxwell arch glass solution that it enables you to play with reflection / roughness levels so the user can customise the glass to avoid the view of interior easily if desired.