!Restored: Cinema 4D CE 6

[Karl Ottenstein]

Ola wrote:
I purchased Cinema 4D 8.2 and was wondering what the best way to export from Archicad and workflow. How does the rendering time vs result compare to Artlantis. Just purchased Piranesi also, I believe you can create a Epix file directly in C4D now

thanks

Lots of new toys! 😉

I only have C4D XL 7 - so AFAIK, there I have to use 3DS and Vedute to go into Piranesi. Nice if 8.2 allows it directly.

3DS format works well from AC to C4D. See various notes and comments in the archives at:

http://www.escribe.com/software/archicadtalk/

and there are also some good comments at:

http://www.fred-speaks.com/phpBB2/index.php

Some of those guys will hopefully re-post their comments here with some nice screenshots of the parameter settings dialogs (hint, hint).

As for speed, comparing C4D and Artlantis is difficult because C4D can do so much more than Artlantis, particularly as far as lighting goes...if you have the "Advanced Render" module (or the XL package). For comparable quality on a fast computer, I don't know that you'd see the difference. With a dual processor, C4D wins since Artlantis won't use the other processor. As soon as you use a radiosity solution, C4D will start to slow down (the race depends on your parameters and number of processors - or even network rendering, and option there and not with Artlantis) - but the results will astound you compared to Artlantis 'global illumination'.

[For example: if the C4D 8.2 CD contains some of the same sample scenes as XL7... look for a folder called 'Radiosity-LIght'. There's a JPG there ("Light") that is a wonderful demonstration of lighting effects that C4D can do and Artlantis cannot even come close to. Load the sample scene file in C4D and render it as a sample of how long such a thing takes on your computer. Not bad at all on mine. I've attached a cropped section of that image for others to see here ... image copyright Maxon Computer I should imagine.]

Including human time, Artlantis is a no-brainer IMHO - wins hands down for quick renderings.

Even if you cannot create the EPix file in C4D ... you can create the file in AC or Artlantis, then render the (same sized) image in C4D and finally import that image as the new Save RGB channel in Piranesi. Mix and match.

Have fun!

Karl

[Anonymous]

Two very good links:

http://www.cinema4duser.com/index.html

http://www.3dattack.net/

Cheers

[Anonymous]

I wanted to let you know there is a helpful tool available to C4D users who want to integrate models into their background photos.

It's called, PhotoMatch.

http://www.vreel-3d.de/plugins/PhotoMatch/links.html

Attached is a screen shot of my first attempt to use the tool to simulate railings onto a bridge. I will be using this often because much of my work involves additions to residential structures. Hopefully after I fully understand it's many options I can post a helpful tips tutorial.

[Anonymous]

Here is a side by side comparision image for the Bridge Railing.

Start simple, next I will place a 40 story building into a cityscape.

[Anonymous]

Today's study, an attempt to simulate, snow, shaft of light, HDRI probe called snowfield and finally depth of focus.

C4D is a real kick, I will work on this background model a little more and then I will post it so that you can drag and drop your ArchiCAD model into the snow field scene.

Snowed over by C4D r9.

[Anonymous]

Last study of this snow scene, I promise.

[Anonymous]

After trying to tweek the LightWorks sun, etc. etc. I became fed up with the results.

Simply exported the 3Ds format file, loaded it into the C4D r9 demo, corrected the sun position, selected radiosity and 5 min. later up pops this image. Then I used snagit to screen grab the image.

A quick in progress image for the client that I am proud enough to send. Created with a minimum of time, with a rendering engine that is basically free.

[Dwight]

The Lightworks sun object and sky object are the ones to use. Place them in the scene on top of the main building. They will reference the sun setting in your last 3D camera viewpoint - unless you do it manually.

Turn off the sun, camera and ambient light sources since the sun and sky objects are lamps.

Five suns diverging at 5 degrees is pretty good. This strategy has given good results from the getgo.

For interiors, using the window light stuck against the ceiling shining down as a ceiling illuminator - not a new idea by any means - creates a softly glowing interior.

[Anonymous]

O.K., my problem was that the sun and sky object were outside of the marquee.

Now that I have them, I still find them too sensitive to each other, getting just the right value causes you to render, render, render... - re-render. That's nuts, no OpenGL preview. This image is too washed out, seems there are at least two places to set every variable. Two for shadows, there are the material settings, light value numbers have to be just right. Is there anyone who has created a lighting setup that is trick?

[TDabney]

Dwight -
Is that image done entirely in ArchiCAD? If so - you have proven yourself to be The Man once again. Nice job. The lighting in general and the sheet on the bed rock. This is probably a silly question to ask but - how much tinkering did it take? Hours, days, months?
Not worthy,
Tom

[Dwight]

LightWorks - mesh objects for bed and pillo

Extracted from a sequence of images to be a movie.
Diffuse glow to whites.
graduated burn top and bottom
applied in a batch with Photoshop.

Key lite is sun object.
Diffusion through almost transparent vertical blinds helpful as in real life.
Glowing ceiling
fill lite from closet door
window lite on ceiling
Lamps at 20 or so.

Materials - much tweaking for translucency and softness. Still learning.

Think like a photographer would.