New Archicad user - Importing c4D files

[Anonymous]

I just installed Archicad 24 for the purpose of evaluation.

Is there a method for importing c4d files into Archicad? I've tried searching the help menus and the forum but have not found anything helpful.

thanks,
Jeff

[Laszlo Nagy]

There used to be a Cinema 4D Exchange Add-On with which you could import C4D files, but I think it ceased to exist many versions ago, most probably because the CineRender Engine was incorporated into Archicad in version AC18:

https://helpcenter.graphisoft.com/knowledgebase/25718/

So your best bet is to check which 3D file types Archicad can import/open, and see if you can save such a file format from Cinema 4D:

https://helpcenter.graphisoft.com/knowledgebase/25765/#3dbim_anchor

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply.

[squall_tmo]

If you are using AC23 or previous you can find a free add-on from GRAPHISOFT here:

https://graphisoft.com/it/downloads/addons/cinema_4d/cinema4d_download

I hope that they will develop the AC24 version too, because it's even quite useful when you have to export and update your model in C4D.

[furtonb]

Is this a working thing?

I am in the middle of a project where I am doing visualisation in C4D and that would be awesome to import the assets from C4D to Archicad, because the client requires a walkable 3D model - I have no intention nor the budget to go the UE route with this one.

Unfortunately, the C4D Exchange Addon freezes with even the simplest of assets (still considered high poly by AC standards..), e.g. a sofa or cushioned armchairs.

Is there a working method to populate the model for BIMx with reasonably looking models? Or should I move to Twinmotion? Then I would lose the ability to showcase the documentation in the same model...

[mikas]

If you are an ArchiCAD subscribing client you should get TwinMotion for free until the end of this year. And maybe they will extend the free period, I don't know. Even the Quixel MegaScan is free now, at least for now, with TwinMotion. Checked it (megascans), nothing groundbreaking for me though.

Beginning this year I believe there is this DataSmith exchange/wokflow available in TwinMotion too. I haven't touched it yet, but Cinema 4D is in that exlaining graphic too. So maybe you could try that workflow.
https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/datasmith

I have made a few visualisations with TwinMotion within a couple of years maybe. It's not as professional as some other rivals are, I can see that. But it's free at the moment, and it's enough for it's purpose. To show the client and authorities your work and aims. You can use the cloud to show your model. Client can walk through the model in their browser just like you would in TwinMotion.

TwinMotion is really easy to use and learn. Maybe that's why there are some limitatons to it. Not too much, but needs attention from developers. The best part is the speed though. Nothing beats the speed. It does not even matter if it is a video and not stills you are outputing. You can output many many minutes of video in an hour - if your a GPU is enough for that, of course. I use a Radeon VII 16GB with an ancient 2009 Mac Pro. And it's just that fast with TwinMotion.

I love the BimX too. I still really and very much like that you get the drawings too with it. But the graphical quality is behind a little bit today, espcecially the new version is. I would want to show some more realistic models to clients etc.

There is a little bit of a game feeling to it though - who would have thought..
😉

[furtonb]

Yup, I use Twinmotion - not on a daily basis though. The main reasons I like about it the speed of exporting videos or a walkable model, graphics quality not so much. But still magnitudes better than what BIMx is capable of currently.

Keeping the documentation together is a must, I create the hero shots with Corona anyway, so even a white model BIMx could work in this case, with detailed furniture and other assets.

But importing everything one by one is just a nightmare and just takes too long.