Importing buildings into Bryce
GussNemo
Posts: 1,855
I've tried importing both 3ds and dae formatted building into Bryce, but with limited success. The 3ds formats have imported with a few pieces out of place to a bunch of pieces out of place. And the dae formatted buildings import without added textures; the textures are in a separate folder from the model.
So, is there a secret to importing 3ds and dae formated building so they look like they're supposed to?
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@GussNemo - I don't remember having used DAE files yet, SKP I have. 3DS usually work fine with Bryce, I used this format before I started using OBJ. As for 3DS, have you tried to group the building before you exported it?
I know that Bryce complains if it cannot find the textures when importing from OBJ format and you can point to the location where they are stored. If the materials (jpg images) are saved in another folder as you experience with DAE, try to put model and images into the same folder. In such cases, I create a temporary folder and throw everything in it.
Some models that have been offered as 3DS do tend to blow apart. I guess they are done by someone who doesn't know how to make 3DS files for any other program but the one they are made in. Often it is freebies that do it.
@Horo: I've had a couple of 3DS models which imported correctly into Bryce. The rest have bits and pieces scattered about. One nice looking church I found was blown completely apart when imported into Bryce. I don't think it's worth the time to try and reassemble it since I don't have a detailed picture to go by. It isn't exporting that's the problem, it's importing the 3DS models. I don't have any control over them until I import them into Bryce, providing they import correctly.
@Pam: So far in my hunts I've not found any .obj building models. Everything seems to be either 3DS, dae, or something other than .obj. It would be nice if those who create these models offered more variety in formats, but that's very limited. Also, I'd like to see these same folks learn how to group their pieces so first floor windows, as an example, are only the first floor windows. Not being part of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors. And yeah, what I've been downloading are freebies.
I don't have time currently but a possible solution might be to bring it into Meshbox (it's free - Google it) and export it as OBJ from that. When I have time I will report back.
Thanks for the information, Dino. I'll look into it when time permits.
Guss – I also use freebies and always have problems when importing obj, dae or 3ds, besides the fact that some fall apart, the 3ds and dae never come in with the materials although I have everything in the same folder.
The only ones that are imported nicely are the flowers and fishes I downloaded from here:
http://www.toucan.co.jp/3DCGE.html
To apply the materials, I select the objects Ctrl+Click near the one I want to select – (Horo’s advice) and give the ones which are similar and I want to apply the same material a family color (Dave’s advice). I’m still working on a colosseum which I started months ago. It’s a dae
3Dbar.net has some nice buildings but I have not used anything from there except for a mini which is another ongoing WIP
I think I will also look into Mesh lab. Thanks Dino for mentioning it.
@mermaid: When I unzip the dae files two folders are created. One is for the actual model, the other for the material. The models have so far imported upside down and without material. If I right the model then try to apply the material, as I did to one model, the material is then upside down. Righting the material wasn't a real problem, after I figured out it was upside down, but it then just looked like a 2D picture. Even on the model it still looked 2D.
I like the look of the 3ds models when imported, just not the time some will take to reassemble. And the church I imported, without the instruction sheet, reassembly isn't possible. No, the only format which doesn't cause problems is .obj, and unless the program Dino mentioned will allow 3ds to be saved, or exported as .obj, many good looking 3ds models will be left where I find them.
Guss - I'm hoping the Mesh lab will work too, as I use only freebies. I will try to download it soon.
I finally found a place where I could download Meshbox, several versions really, but only one seemed to work. I say seemed until I imported one of the converted models into Bryce. It was an .obj file, but still blown apart. I don't know if the original file had an exploded model or if it occurred during downloading. And one of the converted models was missing both end walls, where it didn't originally. For what I want, Meshbox doesn't seem to work.
I Googled again for other file converters and found Ivcon 3D Conversion, but haven't tried it yet. On a forum someone asked how to convert a graphic file and someone suggested, are you ready for this, Wings 3d. Well, that would make sense because Wings can import .3ds and export .obj.
I imported the exploded, freebie, church into Wings and saw it wasn't as bad a reconstruction as I first thought. So I spend a couple of days, off and on, putting it back together, and imported it into Bryce to add material and render it. Below is the result.
Guss - I don't know why I thought about Mesh Lab when Dino was referring to Meshbox.
It's cool that Wings 3D can do the job.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Guss
I know it can be frustrating to get some buildings at times to work in Bryce. I don't know exactly what you are looking for, but over the years I have posted a few Bryce specific OBP format buildings in my portfolio at ShareCG in case there is anything there that can help.
http://www.sharecg.com/pf/full_uploads.php?pf_user_name=goshtac
Bruce
Just an example of some building models below I have uploaded as freebies.
These are lovely Thanks Bruce
Hey Guss;
I think you started something - ( I guess one more Iron in the Fire won't matter ) ;-) You got me thinking when I saw the church model you had rendered and decided it was time for a new building model for a Bryce Freebie.
This is just a WIP at this time, but you gave me some inspiration to play around with a modern church design. Still need to make a bell, lay a foundation, do some steps, etc. But wanted to show you this and get your input on it. Once done I will save it as a Bryce OBP preset so members of the Bryce community can play with it if they so desire. ( Model is external only - No insides)
Bruce
I do have a questions as a bit of a follow-up to this thread. Once I load an .obj file into Bryce (or DAZ Studio) is it possible to annotate that object or have it as part of an interactive environment. For example, I have a church .obj file and what I would like to do is have when someone clicks on the stained glass windows have a dialog appear with more information about the window, the scene it depicts, etc... Additionally, have people as well, have them performing a certain task and describe what is going on. Is that possible within these products?
I would think that what you are looking for there is some sort of multi-media authoring tool, not a 3d program as such.
@Bruce - nice work on the buildings. Thank you for sharing them!
@ttucky - you could do this in HTML with the MAP tag. There is an example on my website (see sig). Go to Astronomy > Sun-Dials. You can click on the individual sun-dials and get more information.
@Bruce: Those are really nice buildings. And the church is really looking nice, would like to see it again when you've finished.
I showed this church to others on another site, and it occurred to me it would be good if they saw it before I put it back together. The first image is how this .3ds church imported into Bryce. The second image is another different material on the church. While this material obscures some of the church features, I think it does look rather nice. Especially with a different roof material.
A thought occurred to me (always dangerous when that happens).
The other day I imported a sketchup model and as I was re-matting it in Bryce I needed to move one component. When I ungrouped the model and tried to rotate it on it's Y axis, it didn't rotate around it's center. I got Attributes and clicked Show Origin Handle and for whatever reason it was well away from it's own center.
So my thought is: I wonder if you can ungroup the church then by selecting each component click Show Origin Handle to see if they have a common center. If that is the case, you should be able to just set each origin to 0, 0, 0 and it will put itself back together.
I can't test that at the moment because I'm on with a long render, but it may be worth checking out Guss.
@Dave: That's an idea I'd never have come up with, what with my limited experience. You've made me curious with that idea, so much so I'm going to give it a try. If this works it'll be quicker than trying to reassemble without instructions.
EDIt: Nice idea, Dave, but no go. Each of the pieces I looked at has its own Origin Point. I even tried zeroing a few pieces to the main part of the church but ended up repositioning those pieces. I have a couple of other .3ds formatted buildings which also import out of skew, I'll give your idea a try with them.
Hi Folks;
Just a little update on the church model design - Still a WIP as I notice a few things I want to address yet like the sides of the buildings which are just a bit too white. In certain lighting it just washes out and even the lines of the siding just disappear. Also I may have to redo the handicap ramp from scratch as it is one of the few Booleans I made and I am not overly fond of the texture of the wood. Shows up a bit too much even at a distance.
Luckily most of this model is just grouped so far so it can be modified yet as needed -- Thought when I set it up as an OBP freebie I may offer it in two versions - a static Boolean and a grouped model so end users can modify what they want. I still have a few things I want to add or change such as taking the static front door and making it into an opening door showing a foyer just inside to add to usefulness to end users. Thought for the scene sample I created with it, the doors just opening with wedding couple just coming out would have been nice???
Any comments, suggestions, harsh words, always appreciated. First is just the stand alone model WIP and in the second image I call Waiting on the Bride and Groom I created a little scene of a photographer waiting outside for wedding to end. ( Having done wedding photos myself back in the day, I would not be outside like this waiting, but needed to add this to give more to the scene )
Hope all are having a great weekend.
Bruce
Tried the other .3ds models I had and as with the church, each piece has its own Origin Point.
@Bruce: Were I to advise someone who creates models I'd give them the following suggestions after fighting with some free models:
1. Put a proper name to each and every piece in the model. "Leg 1", "Slab 2", etc. does not tell me what it is or WHERE it goes.
2. Two or more pieces which create one part should be grouped and properly labeled.
3. Group the entire model when it's completed. Nothing worse than trying to resize a model only to have a few pieces stay the original size. Or location.
4. Offer it in as many formats as possible. Even though a program is able to import several formats, that doesn't mean the model will import in its original saved shape.
And btw, Bruce, love what you've done with that church.