Topic: Proxy for snapping lights

[Architectural Innovation]

Has anyone experimented with placing a proxy object in their modeling software to import into Lumion with the purpose of making it easier to place and snap lights exactly where you want them?

I was thinking of importing a group of proxy objects separately, aligning them in Lumion with the main model, but on a different layer, then turn everything else off and quickly snapping lights, or copying "set up" lights to the proxy points.

The purpose would be to avoid some of the trouble placing many lights, some that need to be in the exact same location in each instance (ie. similar light fixtures that need the exact same look).

If you have tried this, or you have another method of making light placement as easy as possible i would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks,

Bob

[Gaieus]

This is actually a very good idea IMO. I (finally) have a real project where I need to use lights - maybe I will try this way.

[Architectural Innovation]

Yes, i finally have one too and with my first experiments find it a bit tedious to place many lights freely and accurately.

I plan on making a "proxy material" that i can materialize in Lumion with the "Invisible" material, as well as turn the layer off...just in case.

Keep me posted if you run in to anything interesting along the way. I will do the same. Thanks.

Bob

This is actually a very good idea IMO. I (finally) have a real project where I need to use lights - maybe I will try this way.

[stucki]

would help if there are more layers for something like this ..

[Architectural Innovation]

yes stucki, but thats why i plan to use the invisible material for any proxy objects. theorizing that i dont really need to use a layer up for it...just a seperate material that doesnt show up.

Bob

would help if there are more layers for something like this ..

[Gaieus]

Sounds like a good idea but then how will you see it? (I mean seriously: it should rather be something strikingly colourful)

[Architectural Innovation]

ah yes, Gaieus, i will be exporting it as a bright orange material, but i wont assign the invisible material until AFTER i place the lights. then, if you need to adjust u can just delete the lumion material, the proxies reappear, place lights again, then materialize with invisible again..
Bob

Sounds like a good idea but then how will you see it? (I mean seriously: it should rather be something strikingly colourful)

[Architectural Innovation]

here is a snapshot of a simple shape...maybe i could reduce to 2 faces instead of 4, but i also plan to use a difft material in SketchUp for each light type.

So very quickly in Lumion i can copy a certain light type around to all of the orange proxies. Then setup a different light type and copy it around to all of the purple proxies, and so on.

I think it is going to work out to be a very simple process. A different color material in Sketchup for every differnt light type. Set up one of each in Lumion and copy to the associated proxy.

of course, it really works well in Sketchup because i only have to place it once in each component.

Bob

[Gaieus]

Okay, I see now. You are right

[cbcarch]

Or better yet, create your model in Revit, with complete light fixtures--pole, housing, diffuser,
and lamp/light source--and then have them recognized inside Lumion, perhaps with a script
which queries the Collada file from Revit--recognizes the Revit "light sources" and replaces them with a Lumion light (per the user's choosing) automatically.

We have THOUSANDS of lights in a lot of our Casino and Hotel models. And that is just lights.

I commend you for thinking of the "proxy" idea, as a "workaround"--but there must be a better,
more global/efficient manner of placing large quantities of objects ( not just lights--how about trees/shrubs, furniture, cars, people, etc.). Time is money. We do not like to manually replace something which we have already modeled once in Revit. (or other 3d app).

[Architectural Innovation]

i agree 100%...

but for now i am looking for a fast workaround until the Lumion team can hook a brother up. I've been "wishing" to be able to import objects from SketchUp or Revit or anything else to tackle those issues too.

We have a ruby script package in Sketchup that allows us to place kerkythea lights and materials in sketchup that are recognized when exported and opened in kerkythea. Its the bomb. i'm hoping for a similar plugin to place Lumion objects within our sketchup models but i understand the team has many development issues on their hands.

Bob

Or better yet, create your model in Revit, with complete light fixtures--pole, housing, diffuser,
and lamp/light source--and then have them recognized inside Lumion, perhaps with a script
which queries the Collada file from Revit--recognizes the Revit "light sources" and replaces them with a Lumion light (per the user's choosing) automatically.

We have THOUSANDS of lights in a lot of our Casino and Hotel models. And that is just lights.

I commend you for thinking of the "proxy" idea, as a "workaround"--but there must be a better,
more global/efficient manner of placing large quantities of objects ( not just lights--how about trees/shrubs, furniture, cars, people, etc.). Time is money. We do not like to manually replace something which we have already modeled once in Revit. (or other 3d app).

[RAD]

How RAM hungry are these Lumion lights?

I'm happy to be here.  Love me some Lumion but now way I'm throwing down 1000 lights in any model without pulling all my hair out and jumping out the second story window.

[cbcarch]

How RAM hungry are these Lumion lights?

I'm happy to be here.  Love me some Lumion but now way I'm throwing down 1000 lights in any model without pulling all my hair out and jumping out the second story window.

In our workflow with Revit and 3rd party rendering apps, we:

1. Group the lights in Revit; Turn off any un-needed lights in Revit
2. Create "vignette models" using a Section Box in Revit to export out only the required elements/geometry--i.e. a "partial" model export.
3. Bring into 3d app ( if 3dsMax, materials and lights come in from Revit ) set up scene and render.