Rendering

[Anonymous]

I cant understand why ArchiCAD has such a poor renderer, this is surely costing Graphisoft huge amounts of lost sales to Architectural Desktop et al that link to VIZ render and 3DS Max

I personally use ArchiCAD and Max together, but there isnt a very good link between the programs, probably because they are from competing companies.

Have graphisoft thought of including something like Mental Ray with ArchiCAD in the same way as Max 6?

[Anonymous]

Djordje wrote:
Switch the shadows on and try again.

shadows? are you referring to shadow casting? because that is selected, as shown in my writeup.

[Anonymous]

Djordje wrote:
Switch the shadows on and try again.

Or perhaps you are referring to turning on the shadows checkbox in the object settings? This also is checked, as you can see from the .pln which is available for download from my writeup page. This strange behaviour makes ArchiCAD useless for any type of interior rendering, as light sources do not cast shadows and bleed across multiple rooms, thus overexposing every surface in the project.

[Anonymous]

To Andydob have you try AV-works Photorealistic rendering engine? A full version is downloadable at:

http://www.abvent.com/us/software/avworks/avw2.asp

Once installed you choose the AV-works Photorealistic Engine instead of ArchiCAD Engine. Without leaving ArchiCAD you will have Reflection, Refraction, Depth of field, Raytracing, 49 lamps with Soft shadows…

Please try it…

[#5]

Alain,

I downloaded the beta test version of AV-Works a few days ago and must say am impressed. Was able to create in short time a rendering superior to what took a colleague using ADT plus Accurender (on the same project) more than two days to complete. Its rendering speed far surpasses the stock Archicad rendering engine. The image quality is very good (not quite as those on your Artlantis gallery) considering the simplicity involved in creating it. I am especially impressed with the seamlessness derived from operating within Archicad.

It's like Djordje said, the abilities of the people using it is more important than the abilities of the software.

Will soon report on the few slight glitches picked up thus far.

Now how about including the sketch and cartoon engines with the AC plug-in?

Regards,

Dirk le Roux

[Anonymous]

Hello Dirk,

Apologize, I'm quite last to reply to your post. Good to hear that you like AV-works. Things are not so easy like in Art*lantis this is due to the fact we have to stick to the ArchiCAD interface. Actually we are finalizing the AV-works add-on and we are looking for some rendering example we could put on our documentation. If you have some rendering to submit please contact me at picard@abvent.fr. If any question use the same address too.

Regards

Alain Picard
Abvent SA

[Anonymous]

yea .... i guess if graphisoft has supported Archicad as a prouduction tool ... and Link it to an advanced modeling and rendering tool as 3d studio max .... i wish that it had a strong link together .... in this case ... it's easier to design Using Archicad than drafting lines with Architectural desktop ,, in the same time i can do custom modeling in 3d max , vis and have the fantastic effect of rendering that no program has competed it (3ds max , vis ) .....
let's say if we used Artlantis ..... i guess lot's of users told me it has a lot's of lacks ... even shaders are so expensive and limited ....and it does'nt model anything too !! it's just a rendering tool which is not that famose as ( 3ds max , vis ) that's why the lack of shader library ...
i hope that i really decide what to use or learn in my future work ??
1.archicad , artlantis , archiglazing , zoom gdl , architerra , photoshop ??
2.Autodesk , 3ds max or vis , photoshop ??
or should i use software from both tracks that has a powerful links to each others ??
i really want to know where to settle with my CAD tools !?
i have seen Designs that was made by Architectural desktop 2004 and modeld , renderd with 3d studio viz ..... it really had a Strong Affect on it's presentation ... the Materials , light effect ,, all stuff was creative and new .... i wish archicad had this duribility

[stefan]

As I replied in another thread, you can perfectly combine ArchiCAD with Autodesk VIZ to have the best of both worlds.

I suggest to do a clean ArchiCAD model (without trees and people, but you can use the ArchiCAD GDL-objects for the furniture) and export that as a 3ds-file, then you can open it in VIZ (you may use the Marc Lorenz plugins, to help with the import) and then add trees, people, moving cars etc... And do the walkthroughs there.

ArchiCAD is fine for what it does and is complete (althouh a bit aging) in the rendering aspects. But other (specialised) tools work fine with it.

[rm]

Djordje wrote:

However, ArchiCAD is NOT modeling&rendering software, which is pretty popular misconception about it. It is the architectural CAD software, for the architectural design and construction documentation production.

It is NOT an unfounded misconception given GS printed advertising in US Architecture magazines. I KNOW you are familiar with their website, it DOES everything possible to lead prospective buyers into believing that AC IS your one-stop source for Architecture Software.

In the typical workflow, it is very probable that the final renderings, which take as much specialized knowledge and time as the design and the construction documentation production, will be done by a dedicated person with a software of their choice, using the same ArchiCAD model. Here is where the proper link becomes essential.

Your assertion is off base from what GS is advertising. Maybe this happens in larger offices, but again, that is NOT AT ALL what GS is advertising!

I know your one of the most generous contributors to this forum, and you contribute MANY helpful solutions. However, your response sounds a bit like a typical corporate response which contradicts its own propaganda.

Given the cost of the software, and I'm sure we pay less in the US than most users in other countries. Those users whom depend on providing a service that is comparible to larger firms look to the software to provide what IS advertised. This is especially important to small and medium sized firms whom don't have the budgets to outsource renderings.

IMO it is futher devaluation of architectural services when we cannot illustrate our designs at the highest level that technology will allow without having to outsource to a digital artist.

That approach further limits the design process. I may, while studying material selections, render my model a dozen times before my final material selection is made. I could never afford to outsource that service. It would limit my creative choices, and probablly cause scheduling delays.

At the end of the day, whether Artlantis gets radiosity, ( Abvent...don't even get me started ) or GS incorporates a trully "Professional" grade rendering engine.....the software upgrade IS a needed addition!

My 2 cents worth.....not sure what the euro conversion is on that




Regards,
Architects Design Forum, Ltd.

Robert Mariani

[__archiben]

rm wrote:
My 2 cents worth.....not sure what the euro conversion is on that

i think that you'll find it's still 2 cents.

it's a rate of exchange that'll never change.

~/archiben

[Anonymous]

rm wrote:
It is NOT an unfounded misconception given GS printed advertising in US Architecture magazines. I KNOW you are familiar with their website, it DOES everything possible to lead prospective buyers into believing that AC IS your one-stop source for Architecture Software.

I totally agree with you here. When ArchiCAD can not do such simple things as cast wall shadows, ie: lights shining through walls (see my post above), Graphisoft's claim that ArchiCAD's rendering can produce "stunning results" and that ArchiCAD is the "complete building design software solution" is a little suspect. When we bought our ArchiCAD licenses we were told it could do basic renderings - not that we would need additional software to do so. In response to stefan, ArchiCAD (even at version is far from "complete" in the rendering aspects.