3D Design Architeture Software

[cat herder]

[snip] I downloaded Sketcher. That is some cool program and has a lot of intuitive, ie user friendly features. Thanks for posting.

[John Silva]

3D Peruna,

Sorry about the delay to answer your question, but I had some problems with my computer and only fixed it today. Well, I'm training for the WMC (World Memory Championships) and my idea is to use CAD programs to build places for a Journey System (or "Loci System", "Memory Palace", etc). You can find more about this at

. I didn't explain it earlier because nobody knows it and soulds a little crazy, but really works and exists.

This technique is based in associating images (or pieces of information) to places. So, when you want to remember something you just have to walk trough the place you used to "keep" your information and you'll remember it as you see the places. I need that because the number of locations that I can remember perfectly is pretty limited, and sometimes I use all the places I know to keep information, which makes me need a new one. It gives me some work because when I need to memorize a new place I have to walk through to city to find new ones... My idea with this CAD stuff is creating places to fit my own needs.

There's a competition in the World Memory Championships called Speed Cards where you have to memorize an entire pack of playing cards (52 cards) as fast as you can. The standards are something like 3 minutes, and the technique used for it consists of associating each card to a location. Then you'll need a place with 52 locations (or a building with 52 rooms, a course with 52 landmarks, whatever) to do it. Finding a place like this and memorizing it is not easy... With CAD I could imagine and create a place from my own. Do you know what I mean? That's it! So my answer to your question is "creating funny pictures", but I need to be able to walk though those funny pictures seing every single detail of its structure.

Cheers,

John Silva

"3D Peruna" escreveu na mensagem news:qWt6e.1647$ [e-mail]...

[3D Peruna]

It will take longer to create the space, unless a simple textured rectangle will suffice, than it would to use more "traditional" techniques. The whole 3D walk-through stuff is very cool...but presently overrated.

[LouR]

i've been using sketchup for 1 year now. i am still impressed with what it does. i've used it for preliminary 3D designs with my customers, who cannot visualize what will take to their homes.

[John Silva]

Hi Don,

There are a lot of "real" applications to mnemonics. I personally use it to pass exams in the university, remember speeches, essays, names and faces of people I've just met, set a "mental calendar", "mental notebook" and many other things... I was presented to the Memory Sports by a friend of mine who told me that it's making his student life so much easier. Then I tought: "Well! If it's working for this guy, it might work for me too!". Then here I am. My friend and his Memory Coach, Mark Channon from Memory School

are trying to develop this CAD Journey System. The only problem is that neither them nor me are architects or architecture students, we're just "memory guys" trying to make our life easier. If you're interested in Memory Sports take a look at Memory School forums. Mark and the guys would be glad to help you.

Cheers,

John Silva

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[John Silva]

Hi 3D Peruna,

Well, I've tried 3D Home Architect Home Design Deluxe 6 a few days ago. The software itself is very good but the "walk trough" feature isn't. I need to move freely around the space, but I can't do it the way I want with the mouse. The kind of software I'm looking for would be as easy to use as 3D Home Architect but with a better "walk trough" feature. Is there such thing?

Cheers,

John Silva

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[3D Peruna]

Depends on the level of detail you're looking for. Quite frankly, I'd steer you towards the game engines...like Doom or Quake. There are development tools for those types of games that have great "walk-through" capabilities and might be more what you're looking for. The stuff geared towards the architecture market isn't where you want to go...trust me.

[cat rancher]

: > Well, I've tried 3D Home Architect Home Design Deluxe 6 a few days ago. The : > software itself is very good but the "walk trough" feature isn't. I need to : > move freely around the space, but I can't do it the way I want with the : > mouse. : > The kind of software I'm looking for would be as easy to use as 3D Home : > Architect but with a better "walk trough" feature. Is there such thing? : >

: > Cheers, : : : Depends on the level of detail you're looking for. Quite frankly, I'd : steer you towards the game engines...like Doom or Quake. There are : development tools for those types of games that have great : "walk-through" capabilities and might be more what you're looking for. : The stuff geared towards the architecture market isn't where you want to : go...trust me.

That sounds so 'out of the mainstream' but that might be a good thing. Have you ever used gaming software to produce walkthroughs? It doesn't seem like that specialized of a thing would be available to the public not directly involved with the particular game. How do you find it? Thanks for the idea.

[3D Peruna]

Actually, researched the idea in the late 90's for doing architectural visualizations. The goal was to "Playstation" them. Problem was the development package for the game systems of the time was into the 6 figures and out of budget (meaning cost more than free).

But games like Quake, Doom, etc. all had level designers that were free. We had some mock ups of existing buildings done. The problem at the time was the "realism" was generated by textures not by geometry.

Things may have progressed to make it worth a look again...they've come a long way in the last 10 years...

gives you what you need for Quake. If you're serious, buy the game, learn the tools...see what you can do.

[Ralph Hertle]

You're asking for something that doesn't exist. It takes quite some time to learn the "basics" and then it takes some time to learn the software.

Are you looking to create "pretty pictures" or "building information models?" They're related, but very different in how they're approached. And for either of them, you're looking at investing considerable time and money. The decent software starts at about $1K (and I don't think that stuff is all that good -- to get anything worthwhile for 3D work, look to spend at least $3K). And the learning curve is steep--because you're not only learning the software, but how to represent a building.

Lastly...as for "best" software. You're asking for a religious discussion. There are many programs out there. Those who use them all have their reasons for doing so and think that their software is the best for their purposes. The industry standard is based on Autodesk's AutoCAD products...but that doesn't mean they're the best, or what you should use (because you don't have a clue as to what you're getting into).

Why not just hire an architecture firm to do what you need to do?

[3D Peruna]

Hey Ralph...

I already posted this once...why are you copying it verbatim?

P

[Kris Krieger]

"John Silva" wrote in news:d37m1q$pd2$ [e-mail]:

Are you still looking?

You could potentially use a 3D modeling program (which is a bit different from a CAD program, and renders moer realistically) and then animate a camera object to do the walk-around, which is pretty easy to do.

How much detail do you need the building to have? If the detail required is low, you might be able to use VRML.

I use trueSpace,

which is not at all as expensive as other 3D modelers. Ther are more pros'n'cons lists thatn you could shake a stick at, but in the end, tS is a good modeler and gives decent renders for a lot lower price than other 3D programs. 3D Studio Max gats a lot fo billing because it was pretty much the first, but it's very expensive and the plug-ins are also very expensive. Maya is very capable but it's geared mroe towards the film industry, from what I understand, and it is *bloody* expensive.

3D generally has a high learning curve, but tS users are very helpful to one another, so you can get a lot fo instruction via the forums and the mailing list (tho' rumors are that the latter is going to be discontinued). You're also welcome to email me with questions, and I'll help where I can (since I enjoy modeling buildings) and try to find answers where I can't.

HTH, email me if you have further questions.

- KMK

[Kris Krieger]

"John Silva" wrote in news:d40dej$e15$ [e-mail]:

That doesn't sound crazy, it sounds a lot like I think. Info is related to certain areas within concept clusters, whcih themselves have a place in the overall thought-configuration. So it's perfectly reasonable that such a construct of loci would aid memory, because it *is* memory.

You certainly don't need a $5K CAD program to do that.

CAD is more for creating models using precise dimensioning. But 3D modeling software is generally more intuitive to use and is also used for photorealistic rendering. Different 3D modeling programs have different strengths and weaknesses - and different prices; try sites such as

for more info on 3D modeling software. Drop me an email if I can help any further.

HTH -

- KMK

[Kris Krieger]

"cat herder" wrote in news:Dki7e.990$xE2.163@fed1read04:

As I understand it:

CAD=precision, IOW, you can make precisely-scaled things that can be directly used where exact/precise dimensioning is required.

3D Modeler=just that, primary function is modeling and rendering. Fairly precise models can still be made using numerical input and dimensioning, but they have to be translated/formatted if you want, for example, to send them to a 3D printer or one of those resin-based-fabrication places. A lot of people will argue that there is no such thing as a good 3D package for less than $1K. In fact, much of it depends upon what you want to do AND how talented you are at what you do.

Also, the tools used by CAD and modelers tend to be quite different.

One analogy might be, using straight precision-cut balsawood boards, versus clay. Both useful but not necessarily interchangeable.

Of course, the tools used by the different 3D modelers themselves can also be very different one from the other. Some are menu-based (like Lightwave and, I think, 3D Studio Max), some are icon-based (like Bryce and trueSpace), and so on. So it's important to know which you prefer, which you can use more intuitively. I tried Lightwave and I loathed it; but other people love it. It's a very individual thing.

So:

If you're an architectural professional who needs to be a able to directly turn 3D into blueprints and plans direclty useable by contractors and so on, you need AutoCAD or ArchiCAD, or whatever the standard is, because you have to meet regulations/requirements.

If you work in the film industry, and are one of the people creating, for example, critters and/or sets for the next Star Wars movie, you'll want Maya or whatever is one of the industry standards, so that your work can be easily meshed in with the project.

If you want to do a walk-through model of a stone-age village for a new PBS special, you can usually use pretty much whatever the heck you want; even if you need to collaborate and share the project, any 3D modeler worth anything will be able to export and import a number of file formats.

Bryce isn't really a 3D modeler BTW...it's more of a world-building program.

Try that cginetworks.com link to see some image galleries, to get a sense fo what 3D modeling programs can do. Also, try the trueSpace image galleries at

(to see what pro work is being done with a so-called "hobby" program). Those will show you some of the work that can be done with various 3D programs.

Whether you go for CAD, or for 3D modeling, the first secret is: a tool is only as good as the hand that wields it. I've seen exceedingly expensive programs used to create crap, and relatively inexpensive programs used to create excellent work.

The second secret is: Choose a program with an interface you can use intuitively. If you have to fight with the interface, things will take a lot longer thn they should. So try the demo programs!

Also, CAD programs are good for precision but 3D programs are better for rendering quality and for ease of modeling and scene manipulation.

For what you want to do, tho', FWIW, I wouldn't suggest a CAD program.

- KMK

[kara]

you could export your 3d file into a SCOL world , scol is an open source technologie from cryonetworks ( rest in peace ) a french company

you could find and look some application on

and use the scol software ( it's free ) SCS available on Kara member of scol technologies association

"Kris Krieger" a écrit dans le message de news: Xns964D37755B05Epterochromics@207.69.189.191...

[Ralph Hertle]

Architects:

Those are well written posts, and I'd agree with what you say. You have observed a possible glitch.

I didn't write what was quoted - that isn't my style. Its too polished and modern. My writings are more scientific and creative, often with not so great conceptual grammar.

Why the post is there I have no explanation. A possible error of posting I would say.

Thanks for seeing the incongruity.

Ralph Hertle