C4D role in the workflow

[Anonymous]

For those who use C4D in the pipeline as a portal to the excellent rendering engines (AR2 and VRay), how much do you use C4D for modeling beyond what you've already done in AC? In other words, what, if any, modeling tasks are easier and faster to do in C4D than in AC? I've struggled a bit with the 3D profiler, and wonder if some of those detail shapes might not be better to do in C4D?

We currently use AC for the design development and const doc phase (traditional residential architecture), but have not yet migrated to cg renderings, which I want to do.

[Anonymous]

I do not use C4D, but I use VRay. As a platform for VRay I use Max. So it's pretty much the same. I haven't heard of VRay for C4D - is there any?

In the recent years I found that I tend to model less things in Max, and much more in AC. For residential buildings it it 100% AC. Which means that either AC had become better or my projects- simpler! Max is and has always been difficult.

I use Max to remove items from the model in order to simplify it - door handles inside the building, some furniture I have forgotten to with 3D "on", back sides off floors, etc.

Actually I use Max to assemble scenes with different objects in different file formats. This is especially true for interior visualizations - 90% of the furniture in them is .3ds, .max or modelled by me. I have given up .3ds import in AC - it is rudimentary.

It's a pity I haven't designed a tent structure since my graduation!

[Anonymous]

Kliment wrote: I do not use C4D, but I use VRay. As a platform for VRay I use Max. So it's pretty much the same. I haven't heard of VRay for C4D - is there any?

In the recent years I found that I tend to model less things in Max, and much more in AC. For residential buildings it it 100% AC. Which means that either AC had become better or my projects- simpler! Max is and has always been difficult.

I use Max to remove items from the model in order to simplify it - door handles inside the building, some furniture I have forgotten to with 3D "on", back sides off floors, etc.

Actually I use Max to assemble scenes with different objects in different file formats. This is especially true for interior visualizations - 90% of the furniture in them is .3ds, .max or modelled by me. I have given up .3ds import in AC - it is rudimentary.

It's a pity I haven't designed a tent structure since my graduation!

Josephus writes: Thx for the info....check out www.vrayforc4d.com/. So you use Max kind of like a "3D Photoshop". Wonder how C4D handles Max/3DS files?

[Anonymous]

Joseph, go with Maxwell for Archicad.

[Rakela Raul]

josephus,

workflow with archicad to replace profiler?? : i think you implied maxonform but same stuff... yes, you can model anything that you could with any ac model'g tool or addon but it will cost you 595 dollars in the US per seat !!! i think it is a great price though....personally i will buy it anytime now.... it seems impossible @ first but not for a long time......but not to replace profiler or aforma or encina or ac rotate, etc......im not sure cuz others responses if you were asking this or rendering with C4D which i dont have a clue....sorry

[Anonymous]

Maxwell......that is a thought....I do have 2 licenses, the output potential is nothing short of fantastic...although I sold my four extra dual processor computers, so would need to be willing to wait.............. When I spent some time with it a while back to get acquainted with the interface, it felt cumbersome...had flashbacks of DOS programs. Thought getting the camera settings right was awkward.

I have been looking at the C4D demo...so far feels quite user friendly, and has the capability to do some (if not a lot of) modeling. Which brings me back to my original question, is anyone using C4D for modeling tasks in ADDITION to the archicad model, or just using it for a rendering portal? If the general (professional) consensus is that C4D is being used as a rendering portal only, then looking at Maxwell (again) might be a good idea.

[owen]

C4D is really very powerful and i think user friendly. We use C4D mainly for rendering and animations, although we do have the MaxonForm add-on to model forms too complicated to do easily in ArchiCAD. We are also starting to look at this as another path to import stuff from Rhino (via C4D) rather than AC's 3DS import add-on (which is unstable and butchers the geometry most of the time). MaxonForm was broken for such a long time after AC10 (GS...) that we kind of stopped using it, but picking it up again now.

Not saying its great, but its the best of some bad options to get whatever you model back into ArchiCAD to document it.

On the rendering side the VRayforC4D plugin should be really good - waiting for them to release a demo (2-3 weeks as of email last night). Not to sure about Maxwell ... i have tried it out briefly but found it a little unfriendly and although the quality is great, the render times are just too long IMO .. although maybe that was a user problem

[Anonymous]

Interesting to hear from all over the world

So Owen, is Maxonform a "must have" to bring C4D geometry back into AC? Is there a way to bring the new (C4D) geometry into AC and place it properly in the AC model without Maxonform?

VRay for C4D looks very enticing, indeed. I have pretty much given up on Maxwell after initially getting really excited about it.

[owen]

Josephus wrote:
..is Maxonform a "must have" to bring C4D geometry back into AC? Is there a way to bring the new (C4D) geometry into AC and place it properly in the AC model without Maxonform?

Without Maxonform you can just save out a 3DS and import that to AC using the 3DS Import add-on. You will have to position the element manually, and the translation of the 3DS into GDL is pretty ordinary - its certainly not parametric.

Maxonform has a few advantages, workflow is basically:

1. Start Maxonform from within ArchiCAD. Will fire up Maxonform (application version) or full Cinema4D (add-on version) and your ArchiCAD model will appear ghosted in Maxonform/C4D.

2. Modify existing elements or create new elements, including via imports to C4D from other apps .. like Rhino

3. Send changes back to ArchiCAD. All your modified/new elements are saved as objects and placed in the ArchiCAD file in the corresponding location. The objects are also better scripted than via the 3DS add-on in that they include parameters to show the object cut at each storey level, have better 2D/3D selection points, etc. Still not parametric though so if you want to edit them - back to Maxonform you go.

Aside from workflow, I've also found it more stable than the 3DS add-on which has an unhealthy relationship with the GS Bug Reporter, and it also seems to do a slightly cleaner job of the geometry.

I think if you already have C4D then the Maxonform Add-On is almost a no-brainer .. its around AU$180 from memory (although that was a while back). The full Maxonform application (essentially C4D Lite) was around AU$7-800 ... but i'm pretty sure you can only use it for modeling - no animation functions, rendering etc. I would weigh this and its cost up against buying a full Cinema license you can Network render with, etc

Not sure if they are available but i would try and get a demo from your reseller

[Anonymous]

owen wrote:
MaxonForm was broken for such a long time after AC10 (GS...) that we kind of stopped using it, but picking it up again now.

Not saying its great, but its the best of some bad options to get whatever you model back into ArchiCAD to document it.

Owen, thx for your last reply. What you mentioned in your first post worried me some....I really don't need something that is "broken".

The concept you describe sounds really great and makes C4D appear like the app of choice with AC. So is Maxonform working fine now with ACv11?

I do want to take a look at Modo before moving forward w/C4D....was VERY impressed with what one person did in his (first?) day and night...see post by Alberto Ezzy http://www.cgarchitect.com/vb/24962-first-archviz-modo.html