Topic: Swamp Modeling Invitational

[Josh Nieman]

So this isn't my office, but it is a project I've worked on this week...

Dang... that's pretty dang neat.  I like the canopy and lookout tower roof.  How are you guys planning on making those curved pieces?

[Maverick®]

  Nice that you have parking for Josh figured in there. 

[Greg B]

Dang... that's pretty dang neat.  I like the canopy and lookout tower roof.  How are you guys planning on making those curved pieces?

I honestly don't know.  It will change before we get done with it.  We let the structural engineers figure out the hard parts.  Tell us if we can do it or not.

[Draftek]

Here's mine

[Josh Nieman]

Here's mine

Please tell me they let you work in the fire truck!

[hudster]

Does anyone have an idiots guide to rendering using 2007?

[Josh Nieman]

Does anyone have an idiots guide to rendering using 2007?

What would you like to know?

If I were to offer an idiots guide, I would simply say "Type 'render' " 

But if you want a thorough explanation, it might help to know where you're starting...

For instance... you have a 3d model, right?  You simply wish to learn the ins and outs of lighting, materials, texture maps, bump maps, opacity manipulation, refraction, etc?

[Josh Nieman]

Here's mine

btw, that is an awesome model... that looks like a lot of fun to make!  I bet you loved the addition of the 'sweep' command to Autocad

*edit*  I'm sorry... I probably made an absurd assumption, that you're using Autocad... the rendering has details that seem specific to Autocad, but what ARE you using?  I guess using something like Inventor or Solidworks would be better for what you're doing... */edit*

[hudster]

For instance... you have a 3d model, right?  You simply wish to learn the ins and outs of lighting, materials, texture maps, bump maps, opacity manipulation, refraction, etc?

Bang on the money.

I have a model, but for rendering i only use the preset values, I have never been taught rendering and would like to know more.

[Josh Nieman]

For instance... you have a 3d model, right?  You simply wish to learn the ins and outs of lighting, materials, texture maps, bump maps, opacity manipulation, refraction, etc?

Bang on the money.

I have a model, but for rendering i only use the preset values, I have never been taught rendering and would like to know more.

Have you ever tried placing lights at all?  Upload a rendering of your model, and maybe I can give some specific advice, rather than the general "select an appropriate material... apply to the appropriate object... etc"

Mean time, I'll look through my printed tutorial type stuff, and see if I can find a couple websites I may have looked off of.

(edit)
Sorry... looks like all the printed stuff I kept are dynamic blocks and cad manual stuff... but I'd be willing to help you with what I can.

[Draftek]

It's not mine, I didn't know how to model my oversized floppy red shoes...

It's all done in AutoCAD by a client of mine, who will be migrating to Inventor once the application is finished.

[Tramber]

Draftek !

It looks like Kompan equipment (kompan.com) ! (by the way, the web site is full of very good 3D dwg, if still is).

[hudster]

You simply wish to learn the ins and outs of lighting, materials, texture maps, bump maps, opacity manipulation, refraction, etc?

It's more the advanced rendering settings to get the best output from 2007 i'm after.

I can do materials from image files, lights cameras etc.
But anything other than the standard render settings are a mystery.

[Josh Nieman]

You simply wish to learn the ins and outs of lighting, materials, texture maps, bump maps, opacity manipulation, refraction, etc?

It's more the advanced rendering settings to get the best output from 2007 i'm after.

I can do materials from image files, lights cameras etc.
But anything other than the standard render settings are a mystery.

Well I had begun defining each and every item on the Advanced Rendering Preferences panel, but I came upon "texture filtering" which I had no clue about, searched it, and found the following thorough explanation that had already been done:

http://www.dscohn.com/AU2006/GD33-2%20doc.pdf

Very interesting read of someone's handouts at AU2006 about rendering in Autocad 2007... including migrating scenes made in older releases.

[Josh Nieman]

Would anyone get any benefit if I uploaded the scene now, or when I'm done?  I don't have a problem sharing the models, setup, or anything else... there's nothing here I feel anyone else couldn't do if they felt like spending the time.  There's a couple dozen materials, half a dozen images attached to materials (other than standard Autocad textures) and a dozen or so lights set up... but if anyone wanted to leech the desks, chair, monitor, computer w/e, I don't mind.