Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Raylectron (https://Raylectron.com) is a 3D rendering engine for Trimble Sketchup (https://sketchup.com)
Dknight
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:07 pm

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Dknight »

Hm. ok.

Do you have a place i can read about "Normal Maps" versus the "diffuse map"

I'm really new at rendering. Done sketchup for a while, but never did renderings... I'm not sure what these maps are for and how to even load it (it looks like when i check the normal map box, i don't have the ability to load anything).

Do you have a guide you point people at for things like this?

I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks again for the props on the model. It was a fun one to build and had MANY iterations. The renovation just started this month.
User avatar
Support
Site Admin
Posts: 3004
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:49 am

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Support »

There is a bit of tutorial on here, at the bottom, but this page shortly explain all the settings.

Basically, the diffuse image is the texture you want to apply to the surface, same thing as using a Sketchup texture, except it has a normal map of same size for it. The normal map tells Raylectron how the surface bumps are like, and setting the bump level makes the bumps more or less pronounced, similar to emboss.

The way it works is, you create a new Sketchup material and load the diffuse image for it, set the width/height so it looks right, and in Raylectron, simply click on the "Normal map" checkbox to load the normal map image of it (it will not be displayed), set the bump level to 1 or whatever, click Apply, and that's all there is to it.

For the water, what I do is set the transparency to 0% first, then set the width/height until I like the size of the ripples, then set the transparency back to 100%

You don't always have to re-export from Sketchup every time you make a change. You can do it in the render first until you like it, then you can change it in Sketchup. For example, if you start a render and don't like the water, stop it, go to the Model View, bring up the Material editor window, right click on the water and now you can change the bump level (or whatever), click Apply and start the render, repeat until you like it, then you can make those changes in Sketchup. Much faster this way than having to export the model every time you change bump levels, colors, camera position etc.
Your support team.
https://SoftByteLabs.com
User avatar
Support
Site Admin
Posts: 3004
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:49 am

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Support »

Dknight wrote:The renovation just started this month.
This looks like a BIG reno! 40' long pool, 12' deep, wow, that's nice!
Your support team.
https://SoftByteLabs.com
Mike
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 4:49 pm

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Mike »

Sorry to step in like this, @Dknight, just wanna congrat you on your model, it's fantastic, I like the design, layout, and the pool.

Again, sorry to interupt.
Mike
Dknight
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:07 pm

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Dknight »

@support -> Thanks for the link! I'll read up on this today and this evening. I'm looking forward to playing with this alot more even though we don't anticipate using the rendering package on a daily basis.

@Mike -> Thanks. Unfortunately i can not take credit for the design ;) That would be the Architect. I'm just the Drafter / 3D Modeler / IT Guy here. I have a few more hats in my drawer too i wear on occasion.

It's funny, at first we weren't going for a photo-realistic render... and while its not a photo perfect render - it looks really good and the Architect loves it. We've modified some materials and we're working on some others we're going to modify.

I'll get a new render up when we have some more nailed down.

Thanks again!
David.
User avatar
Support
Site Admin
Posts: 3004
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:49 am

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Support »

If you really want to go perfect, then environment maps is what you want.

Here's an example how to turn this RAM into realism using only an environment map for lighting...
Attachments
RAM1500_Sketchup.jpg
RAM1500_Sketchup.jpg (126.52 KiB) Viewed 33436 times
RAM1500_Raylectron.jpg
RAM1500_Raylectron.jpg (171.48 KiB) Viewed 33437 times
Your support team.
https://SoftByteLabs.com
Dknight
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:07 pm

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Dknight »

That's an impressive bit of work there... I'll have to do some more homework before attempting something like that.

I'll have to read about environmental maps. I'll check out the stickies. I haven't read any of them yet :oops:
User avatar
Support
Site Admin
Posts: 3004
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:49 am

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Support »

It was so simple to do David. Set the car paint to be shinny, windows as glass, chrome as reflective and that's it. Loaded an environment map in Raylectron and started the render, nothing else done.

Here is a link to the map...
http://www.openfootage.net/?cat=15&paged=4

it's the second one, it's 10,000x4,000 pixels, 122mb. When you have it, in Raylectron, go to File menu, select Load 360 environment map, and in the environment map viewer, you can rotate it left and right, then start the render.
Your support team.
https://SoftByteLabs.com
Dknight
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:07 pm

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Dknight »

Hey, as promised an updated render.

The owners loved it.

I tried to put some copper below the dormer window and it didn't come out so well. Is there a place where i can look up some general settings for different materials? I made some bad choices for copper so we opted to leave it white.
01.jpg
01.jpg (354.34 KiB) Viewed 33432 times
02.jpg
02.jpg (329.66 KiB) Viewed 33432 times
User avatar
Support
Site Admin
Posts: 3004
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:49 am

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Support »

It looks really nice! The water is very natural. For copper, we think on using the following on the list of materials we are working on...

Copper (polished): rgb(235,170,126) : Refl=0.8 : gloss=0.0005
CopperPolished.png
CopperPolished.png (208.74 KiB) Viewed 33431 times

Copper: rgb(235,170,126) : Refl=0.8 : Gloss=0.01
Copper.png
Copper.png (208.28 KiB) Viewed 33431 times

Here are a few of them we are thinking to use...

Gold (polished): 232,196,87 : Refl=0.9 : gloss=0.0005
Gold: 232,196,87 : Refl=0.9 : Gloss=0.01

Copper (polished): 235,170,126 : Refl=0.8 : gloss=0.0005
Copper: 235,170,126 : Refl=0.8 : Gloss=0.01

Silver (polished): 192,192,192 : Refl=0.8 : gloss=0.0005
Silver: 192,192,192 : Refl=0.8 : Gloss=0.01

Stainless steel (polished): 219,219,219 : Refl=0.9 : gloss=0.0001
Stainless steel: 219,219,219 : Refl=0.9 : Gloss=0.01

Brass (polished): 213,203,149 : Refl=0.9 : gloss=0.0005
Brass: 213,203,149 : Refl=0.9 : Gloss=0.01

Pewter (polished): 139,139,139 : Refl=0.6 : gloss=0.001
Pewter: 139,139,139 : Refl=0.6 : Gloss=0.01

Chrome: 221,221,221 : Refl=1

Mirror: 255,255,255 : Refl=1

Glass: 255,255,255 : Refrac=1.51714 trans=1
Glass (glossy): 255,255,255 : Refrac=1.51714 : trans=1 : gloss=0.01

Car paint (polished): shine=1.2
Car paint (metallic): shine=1.8 : gloss=0.001
Your support team.
https://SoftByteLabs.com
Dknight
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:07 pm

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Dknight »

Oh Perfect!!!

Thanks! The non-polished copper is spot on what im looking for.

I have some time today to "play" so i'm going to use it wisely! :P
Dknight
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:07 pm

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Dknight »

also, i've been reading through the other threads here. Specifically the grass one. i found it very useful, even the "nick" videos.

Thanks for your continued support!
User avatar
Support
Site Admin
Posts: 3004
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:49 am

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Support »

Great! and in the mean time, we keep posting new versions, so make sure you download them.

As I did with Nick, if you need videos on something you're not sure how to workout, let me know.
Your support team.
https://SoftByteLabs.com
Nick1
Posts: 187
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:40 pm

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Nick1 »

Hi Michael,
Could you also share the water texture with me? That looks really nice. I am so happy to see the the works on Raylectron's own materials. I'll mess around a bit with the settings you posted. Can't wait to see the final ones as ready made textures.
Thanks much Michael,

@David- Nice model. I also liked the idea of the orthographic views on rendering options. It would be a great tool for presentation.
User avatar
Support
Site Admin
Posts: 3004
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:49 am

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Support »

Hi Nick,

That texture is from David's model, so I don't want to speek for him, you know!
Your support team.
https://SoftByteLabs.com
Dknight
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:07 pm

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Dknight »

I don't recall where i got that from... but its "Chalk.png" lol...

i just colorized it.

(H) 205
(S) 46
(L) 91

10' X 10' scaling.
chalk.png
chalk.png (4.12 KiB) Viewed 33428 times
Nick1
Posts: 187
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:40 pm

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Nick1 »

Sorry Michael, my mistake.

Wow. Thanks David. I would have never guessed that it was a chalk texture.
Thanks again.
Dknight
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:07 pm

Re: Raylectron "Model View" at startup

Post by Dknight »

no problem.
Post Reply