Zermatt realtime engine for ArchiCAD 8.1 and 9

[Ben Odonnell]

Introducing Zermatt realtime engine for ArchiCAD 8.1 and 9.
Take you ArchiCAD models to the next level easily and direct from the ArchiCAD 3D window.

With Zermatt you are able to save down an exe file and send it as a mail attachment to your client, builder or simply use it as promotional material!
In the Zermatt realtime engine you are able to move freely around your model and go where ever you like. View the model with full textures or in sketch mode all the time with real time shadows on!

Please don’t hesitate to check it out at http://www.zermatt.se you can download the demo version and try it yourself.

I have loaded up ademo file , you can down load winrar, if you don't have it, at http://www.rarlabs.com you can check out, there are 2 small limitations on this file,
1. It only last for 60 seconds at at time
2. It expires in 24 Hrs.

But if you download the demo your self you can use it unlimited for 7 days.

At the moment Zermatt is PC only, but it is in the process of being ported to MAC OSX and is due for release in the near future.

If you have any questions or comments about Zermatt you can either PM me or mail me at ben.odonnell@lasercad.se

Enjoy!

Cheers.
Ben

[Djordje]

stefan wrote:

• * No gravity or collision detection, which is possible in Blaxxun Contact (for VRML) and Cult3D VIZ Exporter
It does have the colision detection - you cannot walk through things, and climbing the stairs is quite interesting 😉

Or, did you have something else in mind?

[stefan]

Djordje wrote:

stefan wrote:

• * No gravity or collision detection, which is possible in Blaxxun Contact (for VRML) and Cult3D VIZ Exporter
It does have the colision detection - you cannot walk through things, and climbing the stairs is quite interesting 😉

Or, did you have something else in mind? In the demo export files I walk through the walls and floors...

In Blaxxun Contact I can dive from a building and land on the floor (if I want to). In Zermatt (at least in the demo files) I keep walking through the air. You can walk UP the stairs, but not down!

Please tell me that these are limitations in the demo files and not in the Zermatt engine...

[David Collins]

I gather the exported files are stand-alone programs that clients can view without having to install other software? What sort of specs would they need? Would a highly detailed project require them to have huge amounts of RAM or high end OpenGL video cards?

[stefan]

David wrote:
I gather the exported files are stand-alone programs that clients can view without having to install other software? What sort of specs would they need? Would a highly detailed project require them to have huge amounts of RAM or high end OpenGL video cards?

If I understand the purpose of publishing models, they should allow the highest possible quality. They use a runtime version of the "engine" and thus should support everything you can throw at it and then some.

I guess this engine is highly optimised for 3D-graphic adapters and thus should perform well on most current hardware. My (brand new) workstation has a decent QuadroFX card, supporting all the latest graphical advancements, so I expect that I have seen the best possible quality.

That said, I didn't see any shadows appear....

Can anyone take a screenshot of how demo 1 looks on your hardware?

[Ben Odonnell]

Stefan,

• * I didn't see any shadows

F3 is your shadow toggle button. You should be seeing shadows with your F3 button.

• * Only a small subset of shortcuts is displayed. F3 does something but what? The M-shortcut is actually using the M-key as it is placed on an American qwerty-layout. At my keyboard, the key on this position is "?," and thus pressing my "m" key doesn't work.

The M key is your measure tool. I can't explain why it's not working as it should, I'll have to check it up for you. F1 will give you a comprehensive list over the available functions. You can even control layer display, culling etc etc

• * I'm always in "airplane" mode. How do I switch to walk mode? Can I?

Your F key is Fly/Walk toggle

• * Fullscreen is usually a good choice, unless you have two displays. I have two and it uses the first to show it fullscreen, but it tracks the mouse over the two screens, which makes navigation awkward. There should be an option to go in a window.

I have the same problem, I connect my laptop to an external monitor, I'll pass on this wish.

• * No gravity or collision detection, which is possible in Blaxxun Contact (for VRML) and Cult3D VIZ Exporter

Your C key is your toggle for collision.

• * No anti-aliasing, but reasonable texture smoothing

Would you like to see anti-aliasing as an option?

• * network collaboration (how does it work?)

It's all ready built in, though not fully developed. I'll let you know when it's 100% ready

I'm not ready to install the software, since 7 days are simply too short. I want demo-versions that don't expire. I often choose not to install a demo because the evaluation time is too short. I have other tasks to do 😉

I understand, I'll pass on the info.

So most of these comments are on the viewer. All by all, it seems pretty nice, but I guess the most compelling "feature" is it's integration into ArchiCAD.

Yes I agree. Thank you for takeing the time to test it and give your feed back. Muchly appreciated.

Cheers.
Ben

[Ben Odonnell]

David wrote:
I gather the exported files are stand-alone programs that clients can view without having to install other software? What sort of specs would they need? Would a highly detailed project require them to have huge amounts of RAM or high end OpenGL video cards?

Hi Dave,
No it wouldn't. That's the grate thing about Zermatt. Zermatt file sizes are relatively small compared to the ArchiCAD model.

You could get away with running a complex model on a 4-5 year old machine.

Cheers.
Ben

[stefan]

Ben wrote:

• * I didn't see any shadows

F3 is your shadow toggle button. You should be seeing shadows with your F3 button.

When disabling the second monitor, the shadows are there!

Ben wrote:

• * Only a small subset of shortcuts is displayed. F3 does something but what? The M-shortcut is actually using the M-key as it is placed on an American qwerty-layout. At my keyboard, the key on this position is "?," and thus pressing my "m" key doesn't work.

The M key is your measure tool. I can't explain why it's not working as it should, I'll have to check it up for you. F1 will give you a comprehensive list over the available functions. You can even control layer display, culling etc etc

Enabling the console with the TAB-key proves that the software is interpreting my key presses regardless of their real setting. It assumes I have a qwerty setting, even though it's Belgian/French azerty !!!

Ben wrote:

• * I'm always in "airplane" mode. How do I switch to walk mode? Can I?

Your F key is Fly/Walk toggle

OK. But the icon is still an airplane!

Ben wrote:

• * No gravity or collision detection, which is possible in Blaxxun Contact (for VRML) and Cult3D VIZ Exporter

Your C key is your toggle for collision.

Aha! Now everything is much, much better. How is it that I can walk through doors and windows but not through walls? Well, anyway, navigation is fine again.

Ben wrote:

• * No anti-aliasing, but reasonable texture smoothing

Would you like to see anti-aliasing as an option?

Yes. When I force my driver to enable anti-aliasing, the program freezes (or loads forever I assume).

So my second testing effort is much better then before. Mainly because of the disabled second monitor!

[stefan]

An a screenshot

[Rakela Raul]

i correct myself!!!!!! i just didnt know how to get all those short cuts.....now i have nice comments only...except for the michey mouse trial period

[Anonymous]

Stefan,

I also use Dual Monitors with Windows XP (Laptop #1 and External #2). The rar file loads onto the Laptop. I do not have to disable the external to see shadows.

Screen shot is after "Flying" around a bit....