HOW TO START WORKING WITH PROJECT
This chapter explains step by step how to create a simple room visualization from scratch. It teaches how to create a project, create and edit geometry, add materials and use models and light, and finally how to build a final visualization.
1. CREATING A PROJECT
Every new visualization is started with creating new projects. The project management window opens automatically when program starts, it can also be launched using New>New project from the File menu.
Choose a location (e.g. My Documents/Flow Architect 3D Projects) in the location field and the name of the new project in in the name field of the dialog. Then click the Create button. Notice that this dialog allows you to browse quickly through recently opened projects and open other existing projects as well. After a project is created (or opened) the project tree (on the left side of the program) will show standard libraries, project screens and the name of the project.
When the previous operation is completed, a new empty map will be created automatically. At this point, tools for creating an object can be used (e.g. Blocks and Surfaces that are a basic map substance) and the camera icon will show in the working view ports. Now the Settings window (the Settings tab on the right side of the program) can be used to set such parameters as grid or camera movement speed. When an existing project is opened, if it contains maps, the map that was previously worked on will be loaded. If you don’t want to continue working on the existing map, a new map can be created using New>New map from the Filemenu, or we can open another map (if it exists in the project) using the Project Tree on the left side of the program or using the Open>Open map option form the File menu.
2. EDITING GEOMETRY
This step will create a basic geometry for visualization. Choose Block>New Block by range, and then drag holding the left mouse button in the XY view port and create a 400 x 400 Block in such a way that its center is in the 0, 0 position. Do not worry about precision, all dimensions and positions can be corrected later. After the Block is placed the customize selected tool is automatically enabled and it can be used to correct the size and position. While this operation is performed, view port zooming can be done with the mouse wheel. The view port can be moved from side to side by dragging with the right mouse button. In the YZ window, set the thickness of the Block, set it to 20cm. The customize selected tool can always be used on any selected objects. To do so, select an object and left click on the view port to bring up the context menu and then select the customize selected option. After customizing the newly created Block, the floor for the room is created. At this point, save the map using the File>Save map option – it is easy to go back if you make a mistake (you can also use the undo option). Select the previously created Block with the left mouse button and than clone it using the Edit>Clone selected option form the menu. Then right click on the view port and choose the Translate selected option and then move the cloned Block 250cm up in the YZ window holding the left mouse button. Now yo have created the ceiling for the room. Using keyboard arrow keys and the Page Up and Page Down keys, you can move the camera around in the camera window. Rotate the camera using the < and > keys or moving the mouse holding the right button. That allows you to see what you have created in 3 dimensions. At this point, your geometry should look like this:
The next step is to create walls for the room. The final effect can be obtained in many different ways, but it is the easiest to use the Create Block by range tool that was used to create the floor. In the YZ view port, create a new Block that is as wide as the floor and is 250cm high. It will be a wall for the room. In the XY view port, use customize selected to set its thickness to 20cm and if it is necessary to position it next to the right edge of the ceiling and the floor. Clone it and move the clone to the left edge of the ceiling and the floor. Now, select one of the walls (go back to the select tool using the space key) and use the Edit>Transform selected option form the menu. Enter 90 degrees for the Z axis and click OK to apply the transformation.
Position the rotated wall in the XY window to the edge of the floor and the ceiling. The last wall can be created by cloning and positioning just like in the previous step. After this operation a closed room with the dimensions of 200x400x250 should be created.
At this point you can create a hole in one of the walls to fit a window. To do so you will use one of the CSG tools. You will need a p-prush that you will use to cut the hole in the wall. In the XY view port, create a p-prush with the dimensions of 100x100x100 and place it in the center of the right wall so it intersects with the wall approximately in the middle of the wall. In the YZ view port, position it so it is at about 2/3 of the height of the wall.
Now you are ready to cut the hole for a window. Choose the P-Brush>CSG – cut and delete option from the menu and then delete (Edit>Delete selected) the Blocks that you used to make the hole. After the room is created, materials can be assigned to Blocks.
3. USING MATERIALS
Click on the Materials tab in the right side panel and then choose the Add texture option. Choose lib1\textures\indoor\floor\wood\woodfloor03 in the Add texture dialog and then click the Add texture button. Do the same for ib1\textures\indoor\wall\wall_yellow and lib1\textures\indoor\wall\wall03. Close the Add texture dialog window. Now select an object and double click on a material on the material list on the right side of the program to assign the material to the object. Assign the woodfloor03material to the floor and wall_yellowto the walls. You can select more than one object by holding the ctrlkey and left clicking on other objects and then assign the material to all selected objects at the same time. Assign the wall03texture to the ceiling. After materials are assigned to the walls, the floor and the ceiling, the room should look like this:
4. LIGHTS.
The next step is to create a light. To do so, choose the Lights>Add Light option from the menu and then click in the 0, 0 position in the XY view port to place the light. If it is necessary, select the light and position it at the height of about 220cm in the YZ view port, using the translate selected option from the context menu. You can enable the WYSIYG preview in the camera window (to see lighting effects and shadows) using the Tools>WYSIWYG renderer option form the program menu. This allows you to fine tune lighting effects more easily. To set light parameters such as range and color, select them and then use either the properties tab in the right panel in the Light properties dialog or the Lights>Light setting option from the menu. You can set the light as shown in the picture below:
5. PLACING MODELS
Choose the Other objects>Add model option from the program menu, then choose the lib1\models\indoor\windows\window_small model from the dialog model tree. Next, click in the XY window to place the model. Select the placed model and rotate it using the Edit>Transform selected menu option just like a wall was rotated in one of the previous steps. You can also rotate the model using the context menu, but entering the parameters of the transformation manually will give you better precision. After the model is rotated, position it in the window hole that was previously made in one of the walls. After that your window should look like this:
At this point you can add other models like plants or furniture in exactly the same way as you have added the window. You can also create your own models in third party 3D modeling software (like 3D Studio) and import them to libraries.
6. ENVIRONMENT
It is easy to notice that there is nothing to be seen outside the window. Cube mapbased materials are used to create the sky with distant objects (landscape). To create a distant sky impression, create a Block outside the room in such a way that it is aligned with the outer edge of the window and covers the window area. Next, use the Add Material optionfrom the right panel Materials tab to add the sky material to the material list. Choose lib1/materials/sky/bright_day and add it using the Add material button. Then choose Close to close the material search dialog. Set this material for the Block that was created in the previous step. The effect you get should be similar to this picture:
7. FINALIZING A PROJECT AND CREATING A FINAL VISUALIZATION
One of the last steps that remain is adding a Player actor that is responsible for walking inside visualization. In order to add a Player actor, choose the Other objects>Add actor option from the menu. From the combo box, choose a Player and then click in the XY window to position the new actor. Choose the position in such a way that the Player actor is inside the room. Save the map – this is necessary to compile the map. Choose Tools>Compile map from the menu. After map compilation finishes successfully, visualization can be tested. In order to test the visualization, choose the Tools>Test visualization option from the menu. If all looks fine, a final visualization file can be created, using the Tools>Create final visualization option from the menu.
Click on the Create button. After a while, the final visualization will be created in the folder that was previously chosen (the default one is the project folder).
