quick time walk throughs

[Anonymous]

Hello, my name is LJ and I am new to this site. I can't get QT to do a walk through. My cards are Ge Force GO 6600 on my lap top and Geforce 4 Ti 4200 on the desk top. The program renders the images, but it when I push the play button, nothing happens - dead in the water.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Hi LJ,

Welcome to ac-talk.

A little more info might let someone help you. Platform/version: sounds like XP ...and AC 9?

Your graphics card has no effect on the production of animations.

Could you give the method you used to generate your animation (two or more cameras and path I assume) ...what settings for QT compression/etc.? Dialog screenshots are always helpful. (You might use the forum search for quicktime, qt, animation, walkthrough in various combinations to find tips to help you, too - for example, which compression methods work best, and the advantage of generating a folder full of images and then producing the movie from QT Pro/etc.)

Someone will jump in to help when provided with more info, unless you find the solution via search.

Karl

[Anonymous]

Thanks Karl - here is some more information regarding QT walk through not working. I am using Windows XP Pro., AC 9. I am trying to get a walk through going according to Part 3: VR Scenes in the Graphisoft ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide. QT compression is Cinepak, Rendering Engine is Light Works Rendering Engine. The program renders the images; however, there is not an automatic walk through; that is, when I bring up QT in the saved folder, there is three different renderings. They do show the view from where the camera was set, but the "walk through" never takes place; maybe it's not supposed to? Maybe there is no such thing? I can pan all over the place, but no virtual walk through.
Is QT Pro required for walk throughs? I was told by my salesman that it was not. I did read that "appropriate QT extensions need to be properly installed to take advantage of this option." Thanks for the help.

[Djordje]

LJ wrote:
Thanks Karl - here is some more information regarding QT walk through not working.

Ah .. VR Scene is not a walkthrough It is a 360 degree view around the camera position.

Can you post a screenshot of your walkthrough rendering settings?

[Karl Ottenstein]

And, to add to Djordje's comment and question...

A VR Scene is a single specially distorted image that QT is able to display as a virtual space that you can look around in (360 degree view as Djordje says), but you cannot 'walk' anywhere. You can zoom in and out with ctrl and shift in QT.

It's the same thing as when you go to some auto maker's web sites and they let you look around the interior of a car.

Since you're looking at the Training Guide (now in my lap):

You can 'jump' from one VR scene to another. The cursor will change to an arrow when you are over a 'jump' spot. (I'm surprised that the Part 3 steps have you create multiple, linked cameras before creating just a simple VR, but I see that that is what is in the book.)

Note: because a VR scene is a single image, and not a sequence of images (movie), JPEG is the best compression method to use here.

Part 1 produces 'walk throughs' (animations). These movies can be converted to any video format and post-processed in a video editor. A variety of compression methods are available. See the links I posted earlier. If the intent is to 'repurpose' the animation to both DVD, web and email, then it is best to do minimal compression (or generate a sequence of uncompressed still images that are later made into a movie in QT or a video editor) and have your video editor (or QT Pro) generate various sized and compressed versions from the clean 'master'.

Part 2 (VR Objects) are another special feature of QT, like VR scenes. These are actually a sequence of still images that you can navigate through in QT with the illusion that you are looking AT an object. E.g., you're looking at the exterior of your building and can rotate the building in the QT window. These can be quite large if the movement is smooth.

Part 3 (VR Scenes) are the most compact of all because the scene is a single special image. This would be looking around inside one of your rooms.

The text and illustrations in the Training Guide are inadequate in explaining the difference between these things! 😞 But, if you follow the directions with the sample files given, and watch the movies, I think it will mostly make sense? Well, and read the User Manual or online help for more details.

Karl

[Anonymous]

Karl and Djordje: Thank you very much for explaining this to me. I was under the impression that part 2 and 3 of the training manual worked similar to part one and that a movie would be produced and with a push of the button, the camera would take you through the front door and into the living room then the kitchen and up the stairs etc. Hmmm. Okay, if that is not the case, it is all working as it should be working. I can pan around, up and down, and look at all the different scenes or snap shots, as I call them. Great. Thanks again for the help.

Respectfully,
LJ Sinnott

[Anonymous]

Here you can find few samples of QuickTime VR's:
http://www.stantonarch.com/_g_q_hd_001.html
If you click on HELP in the right bottom corner you will get some basic help.
And here a sample of QT movie:
http://www.stantonarch.com/_g_a_id_001.html

Here