Features requested for Architecture

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Revision as of 10:45, 17 June 2008 by Naught101 (Talk | contribs) (Parametrics)

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Here you can find a list of features we would like to see in Blender to improve Architectural workflow:

To do

Interactive rendering enhancements

OpenGl preview of materials and lighting in 3D view

Example in 3Dsmax:

http://www.ogre3d.org/gallery/albums/album35/a.sized.jpg

To sum up, functions would be needed:

  • non UV Texture display (the flat, cube, sphere, tube buttons in the "map" material panel)
  • procedural textures (for bricks in example)
  • bump, displacement
  • matte shadows
  • glossy
  • feel of GI/ambiant ligthing/occlusion
  • translucidity, transparency
  • mirror

All of that, tight close to Blender rendering settings. This means, non-coders users could use it easily. Material settings used for rendering are translated to draw the 3d viewport material so you don"t need to define material twice, one for rendering and another time for GL previewing.

Links

Snap and dimensions

  • Proper units and measurement system.
    • Sufficient significant digits to convert between units with imperceptable error.
    • Input methods to handle various system conventions (English feet and inches, Metric meters and millimeters, English decimal feet, light years, etc.)
    • Direct preference association with each model so that imports of various units are properly scaled.
  • Ability to move objects based on a "relative" distance from a point.
  • "Dimensions" tool that can add dimensions in plan, elevations, etc.
  • Ability to define arbitrary planes based on 3d angles, or by picking three points/two edges/one face and work on those arbitrary planes as they were the "base plan" (xoy). Also constrains perpendicular to this arbitrary plane.

http://www.newtek-europe.com/uk/support/tutorials/tut9/1.html

Others

  • "LandscapeBuilder" a tool to build and plant real landscape based on contour lines.
  • Possibility to link to a database so to be possible to get "Bills of materials", to know "quantities" of a material is in the model (ie: to know how many cubic meters/feet of brick, concrete, marble,ceramic tiles, etc. or square meters/feet for paints, etc.) Maybe trying to link to OpenOffice database would be a possibility.
  • Better import/export of commonly used file formats like .DXF, .DWG, .3DS, etc.
  • A "PrintingEditor" that can work with the layouts and plot them "at scale". Printing capabilities for lines (continuous, dash, center line, etc. , thickness of a line, colors, etc. - all features that are needed to plot a complete set of construction drawings). If we could combine somehow Blender with a vector based tool - such as Inkscape, OpenOffice or similar - that might produce the result acceptable for "professional printing".
  • Easy use of Gameblender to visit our building like in a FPS game.
  • Texture baking for non UV textured objects

CAD type editing tools

  • create lines (edges) by numerical input (radius, angle, catesian co-ordinates)
  • basic parametric objects:
    • Walls: parameters: height, thickness. Defined by one edge. A problem with this is that blender edges are not vectors, so it's not immediately possible to select the right or left side.
    • Slab/Roof: Parameter: thickness. Defined by an fgon, or multiple faces. Thickness downwards from baseplane slabs, up for roofs. For slabs at least, three thickness types:
      • vertical thickness
      • thickness along normal
      • vertical thickness to absolute value (flat base plane)

Parametrics

Some basic Parametric functions would be extremely useful. Some of these could be added as mesh modifiers. The basic premise is that one simple editable part defines a much more complex 3d model (non-visually editable).

  • Column defined by:
    • a single vertex (which provides the base point)
    • height
    • width
    • an x + y offset (so that the column can be either centred on a point, or have a corner on the point),
    • cross section type (square, round, other?)
    • (later) capitals and bases
    • (later) angle of axis
  • Beam defined by:
    • a single edge (which provide the base point, angle (on all planes) and length)
    • height
    • depth
    • a vertical and lateral offset (to define whether the beam is centred or offset)
    • Cross section type (square, round, I-beam, C-beam, Z-beam, etc.)
  • Slab defined by:
    • base plane(s) (preferably an Fgon or something), which provides the shape and size.
    • depth (positive or negative)
    • depth type (vertical, or perpendicular

(slabs could also be used for rooves where the base plane(s) can be at an angle

  • Wall defined by:
    • an edge, or polyline (which provides the shape of the bottom of the wall)
    • a height
    • lateral offset
    • height-type (relative height from base line, down to absolute value, up to absolute value)

(Down to absolute value is useful for walls topped by angled roofs, where the defining line is drawn at the height of the roof, angled, and the wall drops to the floor level)

more complex, less important

  • hole (through walls, slabs, etc.
  • doors, with height, width, type, opening, reveal, etc
  • windows, similar
  • type modifications for walls, slabs, etc: brick walls, etc.

Work in Progress

You can follow Blender developement by reading theses mailing lists:

Done