BIMx Sky

[Anonymous]

The sky in BIMx is a bit grim. Does anyone have better/alternative skybox (TGA) images they would be willing to share?

[Karl Ottenstein]

All old posts regarding VBE for the most part pertain to BIMx (same thing, just a new name). See:

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=31116

and

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=33712

Sure would be nice if GS just delivered a more cheerful sky... it would probably be good enough for most of us. 😉

Cheers,
Karl

[Anonymous]

Cheers Karl!

That's the ticket. I followed the guidance and got one up and running from CG Textures website (once I got rid of the lines) and I found some more free low-res maps to try at http://www.3delyvisions.com/skf1.htm and http://www.redsorceress.com/skybox.html

Does anyone have any higher-res ready-made "sets of 6" they would be willing to share?

[JaredBanks]

Here are a couple decent free skyboxes:

http://www.terathon.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=238

and some others:

http://www.codemonsters.de/home/content.php?show=cubemaps

[David Collins]

I've found that having five or six alternate skyboxes on hand gives Bimx a much needed extra dimension in terms of architectural illustration. A gloomy overcast sky or night view can entirely change the atmosphere of a Bimx environment. Graphisoft should include a library of these in the next version. Unlike something like extra interior light sources, which would require extensive re-programming and eat up much needed computer memory, a skybox library needs no extra resources and could probably be programmed in an afternoon. Okay, maybe you need a week to get the solar flare to work for each different sky...

However, has anyone else noticed that custom skyboxes are not exported when converting to *.bimx iPad/iPhone files? Instead, you always get that default nuclear winter sky. Is this buried too deep in the app to change?

[JaredBanks]

David,

I've noticed the same thing with the horrid sky returning. Which is very disappointing. I think multiple skies would be brilliant.

[Anonymous]

I hate to bring up an old thread but was this question every answered? We need to change the skybox of our mobile BIMx viewers. We have changed the skybox successfully on a desktop BIMx viewer but we cannot find the same file structure on the apps.

Any help would be great,
thanks.

[JaredBanks]

Isaac, in ARCHICAD 20 when you create the BIMx file you can choose between nuclear wasteland, gradient, black, white, and gray. I'm not sure where the gradient comes from, or if there's a way to set it to colors you'd want. My guess is white is the way to go 99% of the time, if the default skybox bothers you.

http://helpcenter.graphisoft.com/guides/archicad-20/archicad-20-reference-guide/visualization/graphi...

[Anonymous]

Thanks Jared.

We want to insert a skybox image that we created of the site from a 360 degree photo we took. It worked marvelously on the desktop! We can see out windows and walk around the model and the views are spot on! We cannot however change the skybox files on the mobile app. I went as far as de-compiling the app and creating the .PVRTC texture files(of our site) to replace in the code and re-compile that modded .apk file and install on mobile devices, although I think de-compiling an app to modify it may be illegal... so obviously not a work-around we can use. We are hoping that in the future BIMx has an option to use 360 photos (like google maps does) or have the option to upload our own per project.

Anyways, if there are any workarounds anyone else finds let me us know! We love this stuff!

[JaredBanks]

That's awesome what you're doing; though frustrating we can't replace the Skyboxes on the mobile app—a long standing wish. I'll pass along your wishes to whoever at GS I know.

One less than perfect workaround would be to put the site imagery as a Surface on a cylinder around the site. You could mimic the effect you want that way, but it would be less easy than using a custom skybox. BTW, if you do this Object for scenery solution, make sure the Object (or Morph) has shadow casting turned off.