Topic: Blender, Sketchup and Lumion

[blendman]

While I do a fair share of modelling in Blender, I have never really tested out changing/editing  materials in Lumion after doing the work. I wonder if there are others who have experimented with Blender here.  For example, I suspect that with Sketchup, the Lumion engine can quickly identify the the individual components and differentiate the materials, to identitify and edit all.  The question is whether it can do the same with something modelled in Blender?  I have experimented and noticed that the Blender Collada (.dae) export is not as efficient as the export in Sketchup, and with Blnder, the .fxb or .obj is preferred, if containing materials.

One thing I have also noticed is that if you create a group, or component with Sketchup, you have a greater chance of not missing faces etc.  With experimentation using different exports, you start to quickly get quite good at it.

For me using Blender vertices, edges and face edits combined with Sketchup's simple touch and pull system, it makes a perfect partner. 

I would be interested to know what others have discovered experimenting with Blender and Sketchup.  Certainly Blender has come a long way from that cluncking interface, esp.  in the last 2 years.  Right now there are significantly more tutorials for this open source software, then any other modelling tool.  Just check out Youtube ad Vimeo - hundreds...!

Regard,

blendman

[tug]

Hi blendman

SKU is probably the easiest modeller's software, this is due the user contributions and plugins developed, but have a lack of conectivity with other software, specially with  those which uses meshes.

As is a 32 bits program, to help the modelling process we have to do many groups and components to do the work faster. In those cases, when it's neccesary use groups, sometimes appears bugs in Lumion, as hidden faces or wrong textures for instance.

Many times, after having the complete model, the best way to export to Lumion is explode all the groups and save the model as new softcopy  (if you need to modify again something in the original scene, you still have your complete model with all your groups to a faster modifying).

Be carefull with simmetries at once you are doing groups and components in SKP. Don't do it directly from a previous group or component, first explode it, do the simetry and then make your new simetrical's group.

DAE exporting format are faster than FBX, but is less stable, especially in textures.

regards

[blendman]

Lofts wrote, inter alia:

"the best way to export to Lumion is explode all the groups and save the model as new softcopy.."

I totally agree and I only found this out trial and error.  Really apprecaite your other hnits and tips!  I do recommend Blender. Doing organic design and then importing to SKUP or directly in Lumion is very easy, with max. flexiblity.

[Gaieus]

And to make it super easy to explode everything in SketchUp, here is the Bomb plugin:
http://www.smustard.com/script/Bomb

[Morten]

Nice one, Gaieus

[blendman]

Yes, the bomb program is very helpful, rather than clicking each component etc. and exploding.

[tug]

Hi again

SKP 8 pro is more stable at models' exporting time , as they have implemented new routines regarding working  with meshes. If you're using skp 7 you'll find worst results.

regards