Model Import Wizard

The Model Import Wizard makes it easy to import a model that you have downloaded from the Internet or created using a 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) program. The model must be in either SketchUp (skp) or 3D Studio (3ds) format, which are both popular formats for exchanging models over the Internet.

To import a model:

1.   Select Tools > Model Import Wizard.

2.   Click Next.

3.   Select which type of model you want to import and click Next.

4.   Navigate to the model you want to import and click Open.

5.   The model you selected will then be displayed. To select a different model, click the model and repeat the previous step.

6.   Click Next. The following dialog will be displayed:

7.   If needed, change the size and/or orientation of the model by entering the desired values. Then click Next.

8.   Click Next. Then click Finish to import the model and finish the wizard.

You can then place your newly imported model into your landscape using the type of object you selected in step 3. For example, if you selected Door, then you would use the Door tool to add your new door.

A new category, Custom, will appear in the Choose Artwork dialog after a model has been imported.

Modeling Guidelines

The following are some general guidelines for creating models for use in Realtime Landscaping Pro.

•      All meshes in the file must be triangles.

•      Position the model at the origin, with the bottom at y=0.

•      Size the model using 1 unit = 1 inch (even when metric is selected).

•      The 3DS file format is limited to texture filenames in 8.3 format (8 characters for the name, and 3 for the extension).

•      Limit the number of vertices and polygons per mesh to 32767. (The entire model can have as many meshes as needed.)

Advanced Instructions for 3DS Models

The following are some instructions for creating different types of objects using the 3DS file format. These are optional, but will help advanced users create some of the effects in Realtime Landscaping Pro such as flowing water and reflective windows.

Note: These instructions do not apply to SKP files because SketchUp does not support per-part naming.

All models

•      To create a bird landing spot, create a small polygon and name it fx_bird.

•      To create a pool of water, such as a swimming pool or hot tub, create a low-density polygon mesh for the water and name it fx_pool. To make the water ripple, create a small polygon just above the water and name it fx_rip.

Doors & Windows

•      Ensure the model facing the –Z axis (based on the left-handed coordinate system).

•      Doors and windows can automatically take on the trim color of the building that they are attached to. They can also have reflective regions. This is done using 32-bit Targa (tga) files with special values in the alpha channel. Set the alpha values as follows:

0 = fully transparent

128 = reflective (blend between color channel and environment map)

192 = blend trim color with luminance of color channel

255 = opaque (use color channel)

House and Landscape Lights

•      Name all glass in the light fx_glass. This will prevent it from getting darkened due to shadows and ambient lighting.

•      For spotlights, create a small polygon and aim it in the direction you want the light to shine. If it is a wide-angle spotlight, name it fx_lt_sw. Or, if it's a narrow-angle spotlight, name it fx_lt_sn.

•      For omni lights, create a small polygon and name it fx_lt_sm. In this case the polygon direction does not matter.

Fountains

•      To create flowing water, create a small polygon just above the nozzle and name it fx_wfall.

Waterfalls

•      To create a stream of water, create four small polygons. Position two where the water should start flowing (at the top), and two where the water should stop flowing (at the bottom). Name the top two fx_wf0_0 and fx_wf0_1. Name the bottom two fx_wf0_2 and fx_wf0_3. See the following example:

To create multiple streams of flowing water, repeat the above steps but replace fx_wf0_0 through fx_wf0_3 with fx_wf1_0 through fx_wf1_3. (The digit after "fx_wf" indicates the stream number, starting at 0.)

The following shows the above model during a realtime walkthrough:

Tips:

•      The model and all textures it uses will be copied. Therefore, if you make any changes to the model or its textures, you'll need to re-run this wizard.

•      Once a model has been imported, you can easily add additional copies to your landscape design using the appropriate tool. For example, if you imported a door, then you would use the Add Door command to add a new door.

See also:

Editing Materials
Model Creation Wizard
Selecting Objects
Grouping and Ungrouping Objects