Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Version 4.5
www.abvent.com
Artlantis is a registered trademark of ABVENT S.A. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, LaserWriter, Finder, Mac
OS, QuickTime, QuickTime VR, QuickDraw are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.; Windows is a
registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation; AutoCAD and DXF/DWG are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc.
RealSpace is a registered trademark of Live Picture Corp; Mart is a registered trademark of Meta CS. All other
trademarks are property of their respective owners.
About Artlantis
Created and developed by ABVENT R&D, Artlantis software is protected by copyright laws
that are the sole property of ABVENT R&D S.A.R.L, all rights reserved internationally
(1989-2002).
Have contributed in the creation of this manual: Tara Salman, Jacques Sdille for the
translation and Nadia Dhoukar for the text and layout. The entire manual is the sole property of
ABVENT S.A. (2002).
Thus, in compliance with copyright laws, the software, program, and manual cannot be copied,
photocopied, reproduced, translated, partially or entirely, without the prior written permission
of ABVENT, in accordance with the license contract granted to the user.
Registered Trademarks
Artlantis is a registered trademark of ABVENT S.A. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh,
LaserWriter, Finder, Mac OS, QuickTime, QuickTime VR, QuickDraw are registered
trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.; Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft
Corporation; AutoCAD and DXF/DWG are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. RealSpace
is a registered trademark of Live Picture Corp; Mart is a registered trademark of Meta CS. All
other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Network Protection
Artlantis is sold as a single-user license: to install Artlantis on multiple computers, a new
license must be purchased for each workstation. However, when launching Artlantis on
several computers forming a network, all machines, except the one on which the application
was initially launched, will display an alert message every 25 seconds and interrupt any
operation in progress. Click Continue to proceed with your work.
Welcome to Artlantis!
Artlantis is a rendering software for computer-generated images, VR panoramas and objects,
animation sequences. Designed to help you create high-quality photo-realistic images from
your 3D files, Artlantis is perfectly compatible with most standard file formats.
Artlantis gives you full and realistic views of your scenes, which you can modify as you like
while observing your changes in real-time in the Preview Window. You can adjust your 3D
scenes parameters easily and instinctively with simple mouse clicks, then determine different
ways of calculating you images before rendering them. You can also directly interact with your
scene. Artlantis renders high-quality 3D images, VR panoramas and VR objects, and
animation sequences like never before with unequaled calculation speeds. With this ergonomic
and complete software, you can create extremely realistic renderings. Versatile, efficient and
easy-to-use, Artlantis makes computer-generated imaging, animation and virtual reality
accessible to all.
In order to learn how to use this software quickly and easily, you can download Abvents
online tutorials which will guide you step by step to design and view 3D scenes:
www.artlantis.com.
Table of Contents
About Artlantis................................................................................................................................3
Warranty and Liability Limitations .................................................................................................3
Registered Trademarks ....................................................................................................................3
Network Protection ..........................................................................................................................3
Welcome to Artlantis! ....................................................................................................................4
New Features in Artlantis 4.5.........................................................................................................4
Table of Contents
............................................................................ I
Introduction....................................................................................................9
Chapter One
................................................................................... 11
Installation...............................................................................11
System Requirements.....................................................................................................................11
Installing Your Software................................................................................................................11
Initial Settings................................................................................................................... 12
Language ........................................................................................................................................12
Choose a Working Unit..................................................................................................................12
Display Status Bar..........................................................................................................................12
Tesselation Quality.........................................................................................................................12
Chapter Two ................................................................................... 15
Table of Contents
II
Paste .............................................................................................................................................21
Copy Preview ..............................................................................................................................21
................................................................................ 25
Display ....................................................................................... 25
The Preview Window....................................................................................................... 25
Preview Window Quality............................................................................................................25
Level of Reflections ....................................................................................................................25
Level of Refractions ....................................................................................................................26
Dressing .................................................................................... 29
Materials ........................................................................................................................... 29
Display the Materials List..............................................................................................................29
Level of Smoothness ...................................................................................................................29
Visibility ......................................................................................................................................29
Shadows.......................................................................................................................................30
Import Materials.............................................................................................................................30
Reapply Materials ..........................................................................................................................31
Create New Materials..................................................................................................................31
Shaders.............................................................................................................................. 32
Selecting the Shader Folder...........................................................................................................32
Using Another Shader Folder .....................................................................................................32
Shader Library................................................................................................................................33
Flip through the pages of the Current Library ...........................................................................33
Apply Shaders to Materials.........................................................................................................33
Rearrange the Display of Each Family.......................................................................................33
Display All Library Families ......................................................................................................34
Change the Family of a Shader...................................................................................................34
Editing Shaders ..............................................................................................................................35
Using Colors................................................................................................................................35
Working on Surfaces...................................................................................................................37
Editing Shaders Sizes and Patterns.............................................................................................37
Changing the Anchoring Point (Point of Origin) of a Shader on a 3D Model .........................38
Saving a New Shader.....................................................................................................................39
Saving a Shader Family.................................................................................................................39
Textures ............................................................................................................................ 40
Editing a Texture............................................................................................................................40
Table of Contents
III
Billboards.......................................................................................................................... 45
Inserting a Billboard ....................................................................................................................45
Moving a Billboard......................................................................................................................45
Duplicating a Billboard ...............................................................................................................46
Editing a billboard..........................................................................................................................46
Chapter Five ................................................................................... 47
Lighting ......................................................................................47
Lights ................................................................................................................................ 47
Interface ..........................................................................................................................................47
Edit Lights Window.....................................................................................................................47
3D Preview Window ...................................................................................................................48
Projected View Window .............................................................................................................48
Types and Characteristics of Light Sources..................................................................................48
Point Light ...................................................................................................................................48
Parallel Light................................................................................................................................48
Directional Light..........................................................................................................................48
Editing Lights .................................................................................................................................49
Parameters....................................................................................................................................49
Global Illumination......................................................................................................................50
Expert Mode.................................................................................................................................51
Table of Contents
IV
Environment ............................................................................. 59
Background ....................................................................................................................................59
Color Backgrounds......................................................................................................................59
Uniform Background ..................................................................................................................59
Graduated Background................................................................................................................59
Graduated Line ............................................................................................................................59
Background Images.....................................................................................................................60
3D Background............................................................................................................................60
Motif ............................................................................................................................................61
Atmosphere ....................................................................................................................................61
Visibility Distance.......................................................................................................................61
Maximum Distance .....................................................................................................................61
Color ............................................................................................................................................61
Density .........................................................................................................................................62
Turbulence ...................................................................................................................................62
Scale.............................................................................................................................................62
Visualization ................................................................................................ 63
Interface................................................................................... 65
Display Types ................................................................................................................................65
Bounding Boxes ..........................................................................................................................65
Wireframe Display ......................................................................................................................65
Gouraud shading..........................................................................................................................65
Textured Display .........................................................................................................................65
Displaying the Projected View Window.......................................................................................65
Rendering Parameters....................................................................................................................66
Transferring Coordinates...............................................................................................................66
Chapter Seven ................................................................................ 67
Table of Contents
Depth of Field................................................................................................................... 69
Editing Depth of Field....................................................................................................................69
Activating Depth of Field............................................................................................................69
Choosing a Focal Point................................................................................................................69
Adjusting the Depth of the Sharpness Zone ...............................................................................70
Site Insertion..................................................................................................................... 71
Interface ..........................................................................................................................................71
Site Insertion Dialog Box ............................................................................................................71
3D Preview Window ...................................................................................................................71
Projected View Window .............................................................................................................72
Inserting a 3D Model into a Site....................................................................................................72
Choosing a Background Image ...................................................................................................72
Calculating the Focal Angle........................................................................................................72
Determining the Fixed Point on the 3D Model ..........................................................................73
Positioning and Calibrating the 3D Model .................................................................................73
Validating and Refining ..............................................................................................................74
Rendering Fixed Images ................................................................................................................75
Launching the Rendering ............................................................................................................75
The Render Menu ........................................................................................................................75
Rendering Fixed Cameras..............................................................................................................75
Fixed Camera Name ....................................................................................................................75
Format ..........................................................................................................................................75
Size ...............................................................................................................................................76
Rendering Parameters..................................................................................................................76
Anti-aliasing.................................................................................................................................76
Ray Tracing..................................................................................................................................76
Transparency................................................................................................................................76
Alpha Channel .............................................................................................................................76
Render Now .................................................................................................................................77
Render Later.................................................................................................................................77
Render all Fixed Cameras ...........................................................................................................77
Render ..........................................................................................................................................77
Batch Rendering ..........................................................................................................................77
Chapter Eight ................................................................................. 79
Table of Contents
VI
VR Panoramas .......................................................................... 85
Interface..........................................................................................................................................85
Panoramas Window.....................................................................................................................85
3D Preview Window ...................................................................................................................86
Projected View Window .............................................................................................................86
Editing a Panorama........................................................................................................................86
Modifying the Position of a Panorama.......................................................................................86
Modifying the Target Direction..................................................................................................87
Modifying the Focal Angle.........................................................................................................87
Modifying the Tilt Angle (Pitch)................................................................................................87
Creating Links between Panoramas ..............................................................................................87
Linking Two Panoramas .............................................................................................................88
Starting Panorama .......................................................................................................................88
Starting View...............................................................................................................................88
Nodes ...........................................................................................................................................88
Modifying the Starting Image.....................................................................................................88
Modifying Sensitive Zone...........................................................................................................88
Rendering panoramas ....................................................................................................................89
Launching the Rendering ............................................................................................................89
Panorama name ...........................................................................................................................89
Format..........................................................................................................................................89
Size...............................................................................................................................................90
Rendering Parameters .................................................................................................................90
Resolution....................................................................................................................................90
Render Now.................................................................................................................................90
Render Later ................................................................................................................................90
Render all panoramas..................................................................................................................90
Chapter TEN ................................................................................... 91
Animation .................................................................................. 91
Interface..........................................................................................................................................91
Edit Animations Window............................................................................................................91
3D Preview Window ...................................................................................................................93
Projected View Window .............................................................................................................93
Camera Path ...................................................................................................................................94
Modifying the Path......................................................................................................................94
Creating Editable Points..............................................................................................................94
Modifying Editable Points ..........................................................................................................94
Camera Behavior ...........................................................................................................................95
Path Behavior ..............................................................................................................................95
Local Traveling Behavior ...........................................................................................................95
Table of Contents
VII
Index......................................................................................... 107
ABVENT in the World ................................................................. 112
Table of Contents
Introduction
11
Chapter One
Installation
System Requirements
The software has been tested to work on the following systems:
For Power Macintosh:
Equipment: Power Macintosh.
System: Mac OS 8.6 (CarbonLib 1.4 minimum) to 9.2 and Mac OS X.
RAM: 128 MB minimum, 256 MB or higher recommended.
Hard Disk Space: 130 MB for complete software installation; 100 MB minimum
recommended.
Millions of colors.
QuickTime 4.0 or higher.
For Windows 98, NT, Me, 2000 or XP:
Equipment: Intel Pentium.
RAM: 128 MB minimum, 256MB or higher recommended.
Hard Disk Space: 130 MB for complete software installation. We recommend a minimum
hard disk space of 100 MB.
Video: 24-bit card recommended.
QuickTime 4.0 or higher.
QuickTime :
Artlantis uses QuickTime for animations and QuickTime VR for panoramas and objects.
QuickTime comes with Mac OS but not with Windows, so if not already installed on your PC,
you will find it in the Utilities folder of the Artlantis CD -Rom.
Chapter I: Installation
12
you to enter your name, the name of your company and the serial number of your software
(you will find it on your Registration card). Fill in these fields and click OK. Congratulations!
You have successfully installed Artlantis.
Initial Settings
Language
Choose the language (Path:File/Preferences/Language or Artlantis/Preferences/Language (MacOS
X)) in which you want to use Artlantis. The changes will be made immediately.
For some functions, an alert message will appear in the Display Status Bar along with a beep.
For example, when activating the Transparency option (Path: Options/Transparency) to view a
transparent material (Path: Windows/Edit Shaders then Windows/Library), you will get a message
indicating that you have to Recalculate in order to view the result.
Tesselation Quality
Tessellation Quality (Path: File/Preferences) allows you to regulate the tessellation level of your
3D scene by choosing the number of facets that will be generated while a file is being opened.
Tessellation quality of 128 facets, which produces a basic sphere but speeds up
calculation time. This option is best for large-scale 3D models.
Chapter I: Installation
13
Chapter I: Installation
15
Chapter Two
File Management
Artlantis allows you to import and work on a 3D model created in different file formats. This
chapter provides instructions on how to open and import different files.
Opening a Document
By selecting the Open command (Path: File/Open), Artlantis reads the file containing a 3D
scene you wish to open from your hard drive or peripheral device in one of the compatible file
formats (see the compatible file formats in the images below). You can then apply shaders to
different objects, adjust the rendering parameters, calculate an image or create animations and
VR panoramas all on an existing 3D model.
An opened file is displayed as it looked when it was last saved.
Upon selecting the Open command, a dialog box will pop up asking you to select the name of
the file to open:
Mac OS
Windows
16
The .db file contains the geometric description of the scene objects (materials, polygons,
lighting, etc.), whereas the .opt file contains the data required to view the scene (fixed
cameras, background color, etc.).
When opening a file not in Artlantis format (.atl), a
warming message will appear informing you that your file
will be converted into .atl. After clicking O K, a window
with progress bars will then appear indicating the progress
of your file being read, then two windows with progress
bars will appear displaying the different preparation phases
executed.
17
Note: When creating a DXF file, you should put the objects with different materials on
different layers because Artlantis applies the same shader to all objects on the same layer.
List of DXF14 and DWG14 entities read by Artlantis: LINE3D; CIRCLE; ELLIPSE;
ARC; TRACE; SOLID; INSERT; POLYLINE; FACE3D. Other entities such as 3DSOLID
(ACIS entities) are ignored.
18
Merging
The Open feature also lets you merge several databases. For example, you can open another
file by selecting Open and add it to the already-opened file. A dialog box will appear asking
you if you want to add a new database: click O K or Cancel. You can perform this function
using any format, except for the Artlantis binary format.
Note: Artlantis saves merged files as one file.
19
3.
Import the DWG file to Artlantis by clicking the Open with Reference... command
in the File menu. Artlantis will ask you to open a file; select myproject2.dwg.
Artlantis will then ask you to open a reference file; select myproject.opt.. The first
file will then open and you will see the new window added to it and updated with all
the Artlantis parameters you set for myproject.opt before modifying it as a DWG
file in your modeler.
Note: If you open a file with the Open with Reference... command, and click Save; only the
modifications of the first file will be saved. However, if you use Save as, and rename your
file, all modifications in the new file will be saved.
Memory Status
Each time you open a file, Artlantis performs a memory check before you can work on it. If
you get a green dialog box with a message warning you that the file cannot be opened because
the memory is saturated, this means that there is not enough memory (RAM) left on your
computer. In other words, your computers memory is nearing zero. The Save As dialog box
will then appear; click on it to rename your file and save your work.
Note: The more polygons in a file, the more memory required by Artlantis. The same goes
for large textures, which use up a lot of memory.
Saving a file
The Save command (Path: File/Save) saves the file you are working on under its current name
and in Artlantis OPT/DB format. The former file with the same name will then be deleted
from your disk and replaced by the new one.
Note: If you used the Reapply Materials command (described later in this guide), the Save
command will be grayed out and you will have to save your document using the Save as
command.
Save as
You can save your file under any name and anywhere on your computer with the Save as
command (Path: File/Save as). The name you gave the file name by default and will be
displayed in the title bar of the Preview window.
20
You should save the different versions of the document you are working on under different
names using the Save as... command instead of the Save command.
Printing
Page setup
This command (Path: File/Page Setup) displays a dialog box with the parameters of the
previously selected printer. In Page Setup, you can determine the paper size, orientation, and
other parameters of the documents you want to print.
Print
After selecting a printer and determining the Page Setup, you can print (Path: File/Print)
On Mac OS:
The scene as it appears in the Preview window the moment you launch your print job.
The last calculated image after rendering, with the title bar at the top of the image.
On Windows:
The main window containing the Preview window, the calculated image, the materials list,
and/or any other window open in the main window. It is similar to a screen shot.
Quitting
By quitting the program (Path: File/Quit), you can return to your Windows desktop or Mac
Finder. If you made any change to your document, a dialog box will appear asking you to save
(see instructions above) your document before quitting. Click either Quit to exit Artlantis
without saving your document, or OK to save your document and exit the program.
Edit Menu
The Edit Menu contains standard editing tools to make certain basic operations easier.
Undo
By selecting this command (Path: Edit/Undo) you can cancel the last modification you made to a
scene, fixed camera, animation, VR panorama or object.
Cut
By selecting this command (Path: Edit/Cut) you can remove a shader on a selected object in the
Preview window and place it in your clipboard. The cut shader will then be grayed out.
21
Copy
By selecting this command (Path: Edit/Copy) you can copy all the parameters of a shader to the
clipboard. For example, if you created a shader for a wall and you want to apply it to another
object in the scene, copy and paste it to the object.
Paste
By selecting this command (Path: Edit/Paste), you can apply a shader stored in the clipboard to
an object (see Copy above).
Copy Preview
By selecting this command (Path: Edit/Copy Preview), you can make screenshots of your scene
by placing the entire contents of the Preview window on the clipboard in PICT (Mac OS) or
BMP (Windows) format. This way you can save different phases of your document or archive
them in an image catalog, for example.
22
25
Chapter Three
Display
The Preview Window
Even novice users will notice how Artlantis renders final
images in record time. Also, most rendering software programs
only allow you to preview the application of a material to a
single object without even being able to see the final rendered
image.
The Preview Window is the window in which you work in
Artlantis, where you can view all the changes you make to an
image, such as applying shaders and customizing surface
parameters. This way, you dont get any unpleasant surprises
during the final rendering!
Note: The larger the Preview window, the longer the calculation time, and the more memory
required. The amount of available memory depends on the number of objects in a scene, and
especially on the options you have chosen: ray tracing, transparency and cast shadows require
more calculation time. If the size of the Preview window is more than 300 x 300 pixels,
calculation time will require more than 10 MB of memory.
Level of Reflections
This parameter indicates the number of reflections from a ray of light while the Ray Tracing
option is on (see the Options Menu further below). The number of reflections ranges from 1 to
6 and is set at 2 by default. It is best to use the default value in the Preview window to quickly
Chapter III: Display
26
see the visual effects. If you enter a higher value, and there are several reflective objects like
mirrors, calculation time will take longer.
Level of Refractions
This value allows you to specify the number of reflections of a ray of light on a transparent
material that has a refraction of more than 1, like water and glass. It also lets you specify the
number of consecutive transparent facets you want to view. For example, lets say you have
three slightly offset windows (3 rectangular but not square facets) placed one behind the other
facing a brick wall. If the number of refractions is 2, you will not see the transparency of the
third window, nor the brick wall through it. However, if the number of refractions is 3, you will
see the transparency of the third window and the brick wall through it.
The level of roughness (between 1 and 16) corresponds to the number of surfaces exposed to a
ray. A value between 4 and 6 generally gives good results.
Display Options
You can activate the different parameters of the Preview window in the Options menu.
However, the effects of these parameters will not be visible until they have been recalculated
(see p. 28). The only effect youll be able to see immediately is on the material you last
selected and applied parameters to.
Each option that you activate can slow down the updating speed of the Preview window. For
the Ray Tracing and Transparency options, we recommend that you watch the indicator light
below the Shininess sliding gauge in the Editing Shader dialog. When it is red it means that the
rays and/or reflections will be calculated. You can then choose whether or not to activate these
options based on the number of calculations to be performed and the complexity of your scene.
We recommend that you not activate the Cast Shadows option unless it is important to your
scene, or to use it sparingly because using too many light sources slows down calculation time.
Ray Tracing
Checking the Ray Tracing option (Path: Options /Ray Tracing) activates the ray tracing
calculation and makes reflections of reflective objects visible.
Ray Tracing on
27
Transparency
Checking the Transparency option (Path: Options/Transparency) activates the transparency
calculations by ray tracing in the Preview window.
Transparency on
Note: To see the effects of transparent objects with a high refraction index, check both Ray
Tracing and Transparency.
Cast Shadows
Activating the Cast Shadows option (Path: Options/Cast Shadows) calculates shadows the next
time you recalculate your scene. This means that shadows are cast on all objects illuminated by
light sources that give off shadows
Zoom
By selecting the Zoom command (Path: Options/Zoom) you can focus on and enlarge an area of
the Preview window. A rectangle will be displayed in the center of the Preview window. You
can move this rectangle around by clicking on one of its sides and dragging it with the cursor,
which becomes a hand, to the area you want to zoom in to; then let go of the mouse. To enlarge
the rectangle, click on one of its corners and drag it outwards until you get the size you want.
Then, move your cursor inside the rectangle; it will become a magnifying glass. Click once
inside the rectangle to zoom into your selection; if you click outside the rectangle, you will
cancel the zoom function.
28
Recalculate
Select this option (Path: Options/Recalculate) to recalculate your entire scene with the parameters
you specified in the Options menu commands (see. p. 26). p. Erreur ! Signet non dfini.).
29
Chapter Four
Dressing
Materials
In Artlantis, 3D scene objects are distinguished by the materials applied to them. The
materials in your scene are the ones you specified in your modeler: an object can have several
materials and a material can be applied to different objects. By default, all materials are visible
in your scene and appear in the materials list.
Level of Smoothness
It determines the smoothness of an object; any angles less than 60 between two facets are
smoothed by default and best for sphere-, column- and cylinder-type objects.
To increase or decrease the smoothness of an object, click on the name of the material in the
list to select it, then slide the cursor either way along the Smoothness slider below while
observing the effects in the Preview window.
Visibility
It makes a material visible or invisible in the Preview window. For example, if you want to
make an object located in the foreground invisible without changing the geometry of the
database, choose the material you want to make invisible by selecting its name from the list,
then remove the bullet () or the cross (x) in the left-hand column. To see the result in the
Preview window, select the Recalculate command in the Options menu.
30
Shadows
By default, all materials emit shadows. The Shadow parameter lets you cast shadows on
objects or remove them. For example, lets say you want to make an object visible but the
shadow of another object is hiding it: follow the steps in visibility above, but this time remove
the cross (x) or bullet () in the right-hand column. To see the result in the Preview window,
select the Recalculate command in the Options menu.
Import Materials
When you are working on a file, you can open another .opt or .atl file to import its materials
using the Import Materials (Path: File/Import Materials) item. This function replaces all the
present materials with those from your original file (but only for the materials contained in
both files). This function is very useful to test different shader parameters, quickly compare
different rendering combinations, and apply a collection of different types of materials to create
several declinations of the same model. Also, if you have customized and saved a set of
selected materials (each combination = one file), then you can apply them immediately to any
scene containing the same materials. Here is a scene with the same parameters created in
different combinations.
1st combination
file
2nd combination
file
3rd combination
file
31
Reapply Materials
Reapplying a material directly in Artlantis without
reopening your file in your original modeler saves you a
considerable amount of time. In the Reapply Materials
window (Path: Windows/Reapply Materials), you can create
or delete materials or modify their application. Also, an
object originally composed of one material can now be
composed of two.
32
Shaders
Selecting the Shader Folder
Artlantis uses shaders to dress surfaces. In the Library the shaders are grouped by families.
The shader families are located in the Shaders folder in the Artlantis program folder. The
shaders are organized in such a way that you can easily drag and drop families and shaders
from one family or folder into another, in Artlantis or on your desktop, thus customizing the
Library. You can also delete families and shaders so they no longer appear in the Library. The
Library therefore offers you a lot of flexibility in organizing shaders.
33
Shader Library
Selecting Library (Path: Windows/Edit
Shaders, then Windows/Library): displays
the Shader Library. You can browse its
different shader families and organize
them. You can also:
34
35
Editing Shaders
Shader interfaces may be very different from one another.
However, some share the same commands in terms of
their appearance and functions. The most common
functions are described below:
Using Colors
You can access Artlantis different color pickers from the
scroll down menu pictured on the right.
Note: If you enter equal numerical values in each field of the color scale (RGB or CMY), you
will always get a grey shade ranging from black to white.
The Nuancer
You can choose colors from this picker like choosing color pencils, but the
colors in the Nuancer can be modified and stored with the programs
preferences. To save a color created in another picker, select the Nuancer
from the Picker menu, then hold down the CTRL key and click in the box
where you would like to save this color: it will then be applied immediately.
Note: If the new color erases another one in the Nuancer, you will not be able to retrieve it
unless you know its exact numerical values in CMY, HSV or RGB.
36
For shaders that have two colors, the picker will display two color palettes
instead of one. You can control the gradation level between these two colors in
the Color Table below.
37
Working on Surfaces
Shininess
The Shininess slider lets you control the luminosity of a material. If a
material becomes bright enough to reflect its environment
(reflection), the light below the slider will turn red to warn you that
this reflection effect will slow down calculation time. To see the
reflection (mirror effect), activate Ray Tracing in the Options menu (see. p.26).
Roughness
The Roughness slider lets you control the way light react on a surface.
If you move the cursor to the left, the light becomes more diffuse and
spreads out along the surface, corresponding to a mat surface. If you
move the cursor to the right, the light becomes more concentrated,
corresponding to a more metallic material. By combining shininess and roughness, you can
adjust the way light reacts against a surface.
Opacity
This slider indicates the transparency of a material: To the left, the
material is more opaque, and to the right it is more transparent. To see
the transparency effect, activate Transparency in the Options menu
(see p. 27).
Refraction
The Refraction slider gives a material its refraction index. It defines the angle
at which light rays deviate upon contact with a transparent material. If you
choose liquid, the refraction index will increase, whereas if you choose
plexiglas, it will decrease. The light next to the slider will turn red to indicate
refraction, which means that the light rays are deviating upon contact with
the material. To see the refraction effect, activate both Ray Tracing and
Transparency in the Options menu (see p. 27).
38
Proportion
The Proportion slider defines the geometric relationship between the
colors in a shader that has a motif composed of at least two colors.
Many shaders in Artlantis have both the Proportion and Scale
parameters because each shader has very varied geometric motifs. Both
parameters always work the same way.
Turbulence
The Turbulence slider lets you control the turbulence of some shaders
(such as wood), or, in other words, monitor a noise that can deform the
shader.
The Compass
The Compass lets you orient a shader 360 on its surface, as if you were rotating a
piece of paper on a table.
Flip Button
It allows you to rotate a shader symmetrically by 90. The shader will be pivoted
around the geometry of the texture to which it is applied. The example below best
illustrates four flips of a cube.
39
40
Textures
A texture is an image that you import to Artlantis then
apply a material to in order to dress your 3D scene.
This image can be a TGA, JPEG, BMP or PICT (on
Mac OS only) file from anywhere on your computer.
: By checking this box in the Edit
Shader Dialog, the Texture Mapping window will pop
up, allowing you to open one or more textures, position
them and modify their appearance:
Editing a Texture
To add a texture to a material and/or a shader, click
Create. A Windows dialog box will appear:
(Mac OS)
(Windows)
Choose the image you want to import and click Open: an image-size definition dialog box will
appear, in this case the Dimensions texture editor, displaying the width and height of the image
in pixels. By checking the Keep Proportion box, you can maintain the height/width rate ratio
when modifying either value. There are two methods for adjusting the dimensions of a texture:
41
Positioning a Texture
Moving a Texture: if you didnt check the Automatic Adjustment box, you can move the
default position of a texture from when it was first opened. You can do this either by changing
the anchoring point in the texture (located in the middle of the texture by default) in the
Texture Mapping window, or by moving the texture by its anchoring point in the 3D window.
In the Texture Mapping window, hold down the CTRL key and click on the cross on the
texture thumbnail. Then, still holding down the mouse button, drag the cross to the desired
position: the image will be repositioned in the scene according to its new anchoring point. To
change the position of the anchoring point on the 3D model, hold down the CTRL key and
click anywhere on the material in the Preview window.
Note: If an object on the first level blocks the exact positioning of a texture, you can
temporarily delete this object from the scene by making it invisible in the Materials List (see
Materials list, p.29).
42
Compass
It allows you to orient a texture 360 around its axis by rotating its pointer.
43
H & V Repeat
You can adjust the space separating each repetition with the Space slider. Note that the values
you set in the Space fields of the dialog box that pops up when creating a texture become the
reference value of the Space slider.
The H&V Repeat lets you duplicate a texture based on its horizontal (H) and vertical (V) axes.
Note: If you want to modify the Space value, double-click the name of the texture in the list
in the Texture Mapping window to access the image size definition dialog box.
By checking the H and V Flip boxes, you can flip the texture horizontally and/or vertically
over its axes.
Masking
With Artlantis, you can create masks to prevent areas of a texture from being mapped by
hiding a textures color. There are three ways of masking:
Select a color to mask: Check the first box and click the
corresponding radio button. Then choose the color, either from the
textures thumbnail above, or from the color picker below.
Select two colors to mask: Repeat the above step for each color.
Select a color range between two color extremities: select the two
color extremities and click the second radio button to link them.
44
Note: Masking will affect the calculation of the texture on the object but not on the original
image, so you can customize masking each time you use the same texture on another material.
Color Mix
This option allows you to color the texture.
Click the Color Mix radio button below left and choose a color from the Picker. Then
slide the cursor of the Color Mix slider either way to determine the intensity of the mix.
Scale
You can adjust the dimensions of your texture using the Scale slider.
The dimensions you set in the dialog box and that appears when
creating a texture become the reference value of the Scale slider.
Note: If you want to modify the size of a texture, double-click its name in the list in the
Texture Mapping window to access the image-size definition dialog box.
Bump
You can simulate a 3D effect on a material using different texture
luminosity levels on the Bump slider: metal corrosion, waves, raised
logos, cut-stones, stucco, engravings, etc. The Bump slider gives a
materials surface an undulating effect by modifying a textures grey
levels. To deactivate the Bump slider, click on the red light below, and it will turn green to
indicate that the function has been turned off.
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Billboards
Billboards are 3D components of a facet and an associated image. They allow you to enhance
your scene with realistic details like people or vegetation. Inserting a billboard is easy to do
and is exactly like inserting a shader.
Inserting a Billboard
To insert a billboard in your scene, display the Shader Library (Path:
Windows/Library), and then in the Families list, select a Billboard
family (preceded by the initials BB). There are three types of
billboards distinguished from each other by an icon located in the
top right-hand corner of their thumbnail.
flat billboards are composed of only one facet and stay coplanar to the surface no
matter where you insert them.
mono-facetted billboards are composed of one facet and are inserted vertically to the
ground (e.g. a person).
multi-facetted billboards are composed of at least two cross-facets and are also
inserted vertically to the ground (e.g. trees).
Make sure that Transparency is activated (see. p. 27), then select the thumbnail of the billboard
you want to insert and drag it to the desired
position in the Preview Window.
Moving a Billboard
You can interactively move a billboard that has
already been inserted simply by dragging the
circle below the billboard to the desired
position. As you move the billboard, the
perspective effects (e.g. size) are automatically
generated.
46
Duplicating a Billboard
Select the billboard, then move it to the desired position while holding down the ALT key
(Mac) or CTRL key (Windows). The billboard and its editable parameters will be duplicated
here.
Editing a billboard
Once youve inserted the billboard, you can
modify it in the Edit Billboard window by:
Working on its surface aspect: the
Roughness and Shininess parameters are the same
as for shaders (see p.37). The Luminosity slider
allows you to increase or decrease the amount of
light emanating from the billboard.
Rotate the billboard: using the compass.
Resize the billboard: using the Scale slider:
the billboard will automatically be resized in the
Preview window.
By checking the H and V Flip boxes, you can
flip the texture horizontally and/or vertically over
its axes.
Camera Constraint
: this parameter only functions for mono-facetted billboards. It
ensures that the billboard will always be facing the camera. If you check this option, you will
not be able to rotate the billboard with the compass.
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Chapter Five
Lighting
Lights
Because you can preview your scene in real-time in Artlantis, you can work interactively on
lighting. For example, you can illuminate your scene with global lighting, including indirect
light sources. Thanks to Artlantis innovative lighting technology, you can create very realistic
images.
Artlantis can generate up to 128 light sources including heliodon lighting, omnidirectional or
lamp, directional or spot lighting and parallel lighting.
While setting up the scene with the rights shaders provides basic realism, lighting will give life
to your scene: lights create shadows, volume, darkness and hierarchy in space. You can
parameterize the different light sources in the Lights, Projected View and Preview windows.
There are two ways of selecting lights: either by choosing its name from the Lights window list
or clicking on the light in the Projected View window.
Below is an explanation of the Lights interface. Notice that heliodon lighting has its own
interface separate from the other three light sources mentioned above.
Interface
Edit Lights Window
(Path: Windows/Edit Lights).
Chapter V: Lighting
48
3D Preview Window
In this window, you will observe the different effects of your
light parameters.
Point Light
The Point Light (or Lamplight), is an omnidirectional light source characterized by
its maximum and minimum lighting zones (spherical). Its characteristics can be seen
and modified in the Projected View window by clicking on its editable points.
Parallel Light
The Parallel Light (or Sunlight) illuminates the scene in a given direction. It is
characterized by its direction, represented by an arrow.
Directional Light
The Directional Light (or Spotlight) is characterized by a direction (represented by
an arrow), the opening angle of its cone, as well as by its sharpness level and
maximum lighting zone.
Chapter V: Lighting
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To change a light source, select it from the list and click another light source.
Point Light
Parallel Light
Directional Light
Editing Lights
Parameters
Each light source has both individual and shared parameters.
Chapter V: Lighting
50
Intensity
Adjusting the intensity of light sources is key to making a scene
more realistic. For light points and directional lights, Artlantis uses
a unique interface offering you total control over a light sources
intensity, ranging from candle to stadium lighting.
You can increase or decrease the intensity of a light source using the slider below the Color
Picker. This slider also has two buttons (+ and -) at either end allowing you to control the
intensity on different scales from 0 to 0.5 (candle lighting), 0 to 5 (indoor lighting), 0 to 500
(outdoor lighting) or 0 to 5000 (distant lighting).
Note: For parallel lighting, the Intensity slider has a scale between 1 and 100.
Global Illumination
Global illumination is a very realistic light source: when a light source directly lights other
objects in a scene, these objects reflect the light from that source and become new light sources
whose rays illuminate other scene objects.
For example, lets take a scene with a table illuminated solely by a spotlight. The light source
can only illuminate the table and floor without affecting the rest of the scene. This is direct
lighting..
However, to make the scene more realistic, the spotlight can be used to indirectly illuminate
the rest of the scene. The table, floor and seats should receive some of the spotlight and light up
other scene objects such as the ceiling, walls, etc. This is indirect lighting. These objects will
also reflect some of their color onto the objects they illuminate and brighten up the general
atmosphere of the room.
Global illumination encompasses both direct and indirect lighting in a scene.
Warning: Version 3.5 files may have different lighting levels in Artlantis 4. For example,
spot and point light sources are different from those in 3.5, so some scene objects may be
over- or under-exposed if illuminated by them (see page 52 for more information).
Therefore, we recommend that you not use
as many lights as you did in 3.5. Delete some
and use indirect lighting for others. By using
less light sources you will get better scene
lighting.
You can activate indirect lighting for each light source by selecting a light in the Lights list,
then checking the Global Illumination box to enable both control sliders.
Chapter V: Lighting
51
Quality Slider
It has five levels of remitted light quality. You can control the intensity of the remitted light
from 1 to 100 using the second slider to the right . To maximize light quality without making
the intensity of the scene too bright or dim, do not hesitate adjust the light source intensity
using the Intensity slider below the Color Picker. Adjust the quality and intensity of the
remitted light using the Global Illumination control sliders, and set the Ambiance slider to 0.
Cast Shadows
Artlantis has two sliders that control the
quality of shadows cast by light sources. To
activate the shadows of a light source, select
the light to edit, then check the Shadows button
to enable the control sliders:
You can control the intensity of cast shadows with the first slider, which ranges from 0 to
100: 30% casts a clear shadow, 50% to 60% is standard, and 100% casts dark shadows.
You can control the quality of directional light (spot) with the second slider. In its initial
position, the spotlight slider projects shadows with sharp outlines calculated in Ray
Transparency (RT) mode. When the spotlight slider is between 1 and 13, it projects soft
shadows with fuzzier contours depending on the RT level.
Expert Mode
In Expert Mode, you can choose the type of lighting, determine
the XYZ coordinates of the light source, and define other light
source parameters including:
Ambient Light
The Ambiance slider allows you to brighten or dim
the entire scene. This parameter is unique and
common for the 3D scene.
Chapter V: Lighting
52
Lighting Limits
Artlantis light sources are "reality-based", meaning that the closer an object is to a light
source, the brighter it gets.
The Maxi (A) slider covers the zone that receives the most amount of light from the point
where the light source originates. Lighting intensity also depends on the color of the light
source.
The Limit (B) slider indicates the distance at which the light source will stop illuminating
an area. Light source intensity increases form A to B.
These values expressed in the unit of measure chosen in Preferences, can be adjusted by typing
a value in the fields or sliding the cursor along the slider.
To modify the distance between Maxi A and Limit B in the Projected View window: select the
light to edit and click on the point on the circle representing the maximum distance (A). Then,
while holding down the mouse button, move this point towards point B and release.
Opening
This slider is only available for the spotlight. It defines the opening
angle of the light cone in degrees, and its maximum value is 180.
Sharpness
This slider determines the sharpness of the edges of a zone
illuminated by omnidirectional and spot lights. A value of 100
gives a sharp definition, whereas a value of 50 defines a larger area
between shadow and light and is then less sharp.
Soft Shadows
This slider controls auto-shading (the facets of a material that cast shadows on other facets of
the same material) on a material for spotlights only. The illustrations below indicate different
effects of the Soft Shadows slider:
1 -The deck-cleat is illuminated by a spotlight casting a shadow in RT mode (sharp edge).
Chapter V: Lighting
53
2 -The cleat is illuminated by a spotlight casting soft shadows (level 2). Part of the shadow
(indicated by the white arrow) on the cleat has disappeared. You will notice that once you
move the RT slider to the left, the Soft Shadows slider in Expert mode is reset to 30 by default.
3 -To prevent the cast shadows from shifting, lower the level of the Soft Shadows slider.
Here, 1 is sufficient.
4 - An even lower Soft Shadows level may cause extra shadows to appear on the facets of
a material.
Note: Artlantis uses a shadow-mapping technology to create soft shadows and maximize
their effect when light sources are relatively close to an object. You can try experimenting
with several different distances to see which one creates the best effects for your scene.
Depending on the number of polygons in the scene, a short delay may be needed for Artlantis
to compute the texture.
Chapter V: Lighting
54
Heliodon Lighting
Configuring the Heliodon
Heliodon lighting is the calculation of light in a scene
in relation to the position of the sun, which is
determined by the place, time and type of sunlight
chosen.
Configuring the Heliodon is done in the Heliodon tab
of the Lights window, as well as in the Projected View
window.
The Heliodon has a whole range of parameters in the
Lights window. It can be turned on or off by checking
or un-checking the Direct Sun button.
Geographic Coordinates
You can choose a city from the Cities menu. If the city you are looking for isnt there, you can
create it with the Edit Cities button:
Chapter V: Lighting
55
Orientation
You can determine the orientation of the projection by
specifying the North cardinal point with the compass. By
rotating the compass arm, you will immediately see the North
orientation of the heliodons parallel rays in the Projected
View window.
Sky Types
The type of sky (clear or covered) you choose will affect the global
illumination of your scene making it either more or less intense. This
parameter also affects shadow intensity. If the cursor is at the extreme
left of the slider, the sky will be completely covered and there will not
be any cast shadows. If the cursor is at the extreme right, the sky will be clear and the cast
shadows will be intense.
Shadows
By checking the Shadows box, you can give the Heliodon a shadow. The
Shadow Intensity slider ranges from 0 to 100 (see. p. 51).
You can also use Global Illumination with the Heliodon (see. p. 50).
Note: For indoor lighting scenes, you will get better global illumination effects with spot or
omnidirectional lighting than with heliodon lighting.
Chapter V: Lighting
56
Chapter V: Lighting
57
Rendering Parameters
To activate the parameters, check the boxes below.
Once youve activated these parameters, additional options will appear next to Antialiasing, Ray Tracing and Transparency.
Render now: clicking this button will
immediately launch the calculation of an image or
series of images, taking into account the last
modifications you made in the Render Parameters
window. By clicking OK, you will save these changes
without launching the calculation. If you click Cancel,
you can close the Render Heliodon window but will
lose all modifications.
Note: To close this dialog box without saving the modifications you made, simply dismiss the
dialog by clicking the X in the upper right (Mac OS) or left (Windows) hand of the window.
Differed Rendering isntt available for sun studies.
button in the
Chapter V: Lighting
58
Choose an Interval Between Two Images : specify the animation length (the time lag
between two images) in minutes, hours or images per second. If you choose minutes or hours,
you will have to specify the periodicity of the images in the adjacent field.
Note: The film you create will play at 25 images per second by default, so always check how
many images will be created to avoid creating a movie that's so short, you can't even see its
evolution.
If you want to Set the Animation Length , select the img./sec menu and specify the final
duration of the movie. In this case, the number of images will be calculated to generate 25
images per second for the sun study period you specified above. The advantage of this method
is that it offers a quick view of the length of your movie and processes the number of ensuing
images.
Time Period
Interval
box, you can only calculate a still image
for an exact time of day entered in the corresponding
fields. You can also get this effect by following the
steps mentioned further above for a one-day sun study.
To execute your sun study for at an exact time for more than one day, click the
button in
Chapter V: Lighting
59
Chapter Six
Environment
Background
One of the most frequent problems of computer-generated imaging is that they sometimes lack
realism. The world is full of details, imperfections and perturbations that are often missing in
computer-generated images. However, with Artlantis, not only can you apply surfaces
(shaders and textures) and lights to make scenes more realistic but you can also use other
special effects such as applying backgrounds (Path: Windows/Edit Background) and atmosphere
(Path: Windows/Edit Atmosphere).
The background is behind the 3D scene. Its role can be
essential in the calculation of reflection for the objects
of the model, in the integration of the model into a site,
and in the ambient light of images, animations, and
panoramas resulting from it. Artlantis can handle six
types of backgrounds: three colored backgrounds
(Uniform, Graduated and Graduated line) and three
image backgrounds (Stretched Picture, 3D Image and
Motif ( Pattern)).
Color Backgrounds
They are composed of one or more colors from the Colors Picker:
Uniform Background is made up of a single color from the Color Picker.
Graduated Background is made up of two colors mixed linearly. By default, it consists
of a high-band color and a low-band color in the image, with a vertical gradation between
them. Use the compass to change the orientation of this gradation.
Graduated Line is made up of two colors mixed linearly. By default, it consists of a color
horizontally centered in the image as well as a high-band color and low-band color with a
gradation between them. You can define the width of the center color area using the Line
Width slider, and change the orientation of the gradation with the compass.
60
Background Images
With Artlantis, you can import background images. There
are three kinds of background images: Stretched Picture,
3D Background and Motif (Pattern). If you open a file with
no background image and choose one of these background
image options, a dialog box will appear prompting you to
select an image file from your hard drive. The recognized
formats are PICT, TGA, BMP and JPG.
The image that you choose will simultaneously be
displayed in the Background and Preview windows.
If you click the Change button, the Open file dialog bow
will reappear so you can select another background image. If you dont want a background
image, you can choose one of the three background colors.
Stretched Picture: it adjusts to the size of the
Preview window according to its height/width ratio.
Note: To get the right background for a VR
panorama, choose an image respecting the ratio of
VR Panorama (2496 x 768).
The 3D Background
allows you to create a more
complete environment for your
scene by using an image that
will cover a 360 panorama.
Select the 3D Image Background radio button, then select a background
image file and click Open. Next, hold down the mouse button and the
CTRL key at the same time and click on your scene in the Preview
window. The 3D background image will rotate around the scene by moving along its horizon
line. The farther away you click from the center of the Preview window, even outside of it, the
faster the 3D background image will translate. You cannot move the 3D background lengthwise since it is placed horizontally, not vertically. The 3D background image will rotate 360 to
cover the entire scene along the horizon and length-wise, which is why its important to verify
the left-right continuity of the image youre using.
Note: To get a good-quality 3D background, the image should be 960 pixels in size for a
medium-size rendering and proportional to the height/width ratio (640 x 480) of the
rendering. To get the best quality 3D background, the image should have the following
dimensions: width = (Wr) * 360 / (fc) height = (Hr) * 360 / (fc), where Wr and Hr represent
the width and height of the rendering, respectively, and fc represents the focal angle of the
camera used during the rendering. For animations, if the focal angle varies, choose the
smallest value. For VR panoramas, the opening angle (fc) of the image is 87. However, if the
size of the background image is different from the optimal size, Artlantis will use a filter to
fix any undesirable pixelization effects.
Chapter VI: Environment
61
Atmosphere
Artlantis lets you create a volumetric atmosphere with
controlled turbulence. Edit Atmosphere (Path:
Windows/Edit Atmosphere) displays the Atmosphere
control window. If you want to activate the parameters
to see their effects in the Preview window, check the
box. The Atmosphere window has the
following parameters:
Visibility Distance
It is expressed in the unit of measure
you selected in Preferences and
corresponds to the distance between
the camera and the moment the blur
is first perceived in the scene. You can enter this value
explicitly in the dialog box or by clicking on an object
in your 3D scene while holding down the CTRL key.
Maximum Distance
It corresponds to the distance of the vanishing point beyond which simulated
the fog becomes opaque. You can enter this value (expressed in the unit of
measure you selected in Preferences) in the dialog box or click on an object
in the 3D scene.
Color
You can give your atmosphere a color from the Color Picker. For example, a very dark color
will create a night ambiance and white or light grey will create fog.
62
Density
The atmosphere effect of your 3D scene also depends on various density
settings. There are three levels of density: the top slider controls the
density of the blur above the camera, the middle slider controls the
density of the horizon, and the bottom slider controls the density of the
fog below on the camera.
Turbulence
The noise parameter creates a cloud effect for the entire atmosphere of
you scene and can only be controlled globally (meaning not on any
specific area of a scenes atmosphere) using the Turbulence slider.
Scale
It allows you to increase or reduce the cloud effect caused by the
Turbulence.
Visualization
65
Interface
The above icons are located on the top part of Fixed Camera, Animation, VR Panorama and
Object dialog boxes.
Display Types
Fixed Cameras, Animations, VR Panoramas and Objects can be displayed four different ways
in the Preview window:
The quality of the display in the 3D Preview changes in order to optimize the display when you
edit Fixed Cameras, Animations, VR Panoramas, Parallel Views and VR Objects.
Nevertheless, you can choose between 4 display levels:
: Bounding Boxes : each object is displayed by a box delimiting its virtual contours.
This display type is recommended when working on a complex scene because it considerably
speeds up the display. We also recommend it for finding fixed cameras.
: Wireframe Display : each object is displayed by its facets.
: Gouraud Shading : objects are displayed by a smooth or Gouraud rendering. This
effect is mostly recommended for smaller files.
: Textured Display : objects are displayed by a smooth rendering detailing all the
textures composing the shaders. Warning: this display does not take into account the
procedural part of a shader.
If a shader is 100% procedural, it is displayed exactly like Gouraud Shading. Otherwise, its
display depends on other textures used without procedural deformations. For other textures
used with shaders or the Apply Texture option, the following parameters are not taken into
account for this display type if the shader is opaque: Shininess, Roughness, Bump, and
Transparency.
Visualization : Interface
66
Rendering Parameters
: you can open the edit rendering parameters in the dialog box that appears by clicking the
Camera icon in the Fixed Cameras, Animations, VR Panoramas and VR Objects editing
windows.
Transferring Coordinates
: allows you to transfer the current view coordinates to another visualization mode. For
example, you can transfer a VR Panorama coordinates to multiple camera view points. In most
cases, only the selected view is transferred, unless view points are transferred to an animation:
in this case, all active view points will be sent to the animation. If one view point is transferred
to the animation, a circle will be created whose center will be the target point. If two view
points are transferred, a line will be traced between these two points. If three or more view
points are transferred, they will form a curve along joining all points in the Projected View
Window.
Active Fixed Cameras, Animations, VR Panoramas and Objects are preceded by a cross or a
bullet. To disable them, simply click on the cross or bullet.
Visualization: Interface
67
Chapter Seven
Fixed Image
Fixed Cameras
By activating the Edit Fixed Cameras option (Path: Windows/Edit Fixed Cameras) the Fixed
Camera dialog box will appear.
Interface
Fixed Cameras Dialog Box
It is graphically composed of three graphic parts: see p.
65 for an explanation of the first part, which contains
all the icons common to all Artlantis visualization
modes.
In the second part you will find a list of all fixed
cameras: the active fixed cameras are preceded by
black bullets () or crosses (x). To disable the fixed
cameras, simply remove the crosses or bullets by
clicking on them. To enable them, click in the left-hand
column and the cross or bullet will reappear. Only the
active fixed cameras can be added to animation
sequences and calculated during final renderings. The
set of parameters in the dialog box apply to the fixed
camera currently selected in the list. An open file
contains at least one fixed camera in the list by default;
click Create to add a new one. To rearrange the fixed cameras list before adding them to
animation sequences , select one from the list (there should be at least two) and, while holding
down the mouse button, move it anywhere you want in the list, then release the mouse button.
To delete a fixed camera from the list, select it and click Delete.
The third part of the dialog box allows you to activate and set the depth of field
parameters, as well as to modify the coordinates, target points, focal angles and tilt angles
(pitch) of fixed cameras.
3D Preview Window
In this window you will be able to see the effects of all the changes you made to the fixed
cameras in the Fixed Camera dialog box or in the Projected View window. You can also
interactively modify the perspective view in this window.
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69
down the ALT key and move either the fixed camera or the target point. To go backwards, also
hold down the SHIFT key.
Depth of Field
Editing Depth of Field
When you take a picture of an object with a reflex camera
equipped with a standard lens (50mm), you focus on the
object until it appears clearly in the lens. The other objects
will be more diffuse depending on their position, as well
as on the focal angle, the type of diaphragm used, and the
distance between the camera and the object.
The depth of field is determined by the size of the focal
angle and diaphragm; the shorter the focal angle, the
narrower the diaphragm, and the sharper the zone. Artlantis lets you to control the sharpness
level of a scene at specific distances. Thus, depth of field is an efficient way to focus on certain
elements in your scene.
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71
Site Insertion
This function allows you to accurately position a camera connecting your model to an imported
background image (see p.60). Before using this function, it is recommended to first create a
new camera (cf. p. 67). Next click the
and the following dialog box will appear:
Interface
Site Insertion Dialog Box
It is graphically divided into three
parts:
In the first part you will choose
the axis (X, Y or Z) that will
determine the proportions of the 3D
model relatively to the photo.
The second part allows you to,
using corresponding check boxes to,
control the display in the preview
window of the two planes used to
determine the focal angle, the
reference axes and the 3D model.
In the third part, there are three buttons: the Focal button calculates the focal angle
according to the position of the two planes in the Preview window (therefore available only
when the focal angle box is checked). The Reset button reverts to the initial settings. The
Calibrate button allows you to start the insertion simulation once all the parameters have been
set. Once activated, the Calibrate button turns into a Validate button so you can stop the
calibration. Note, however, you can continue to adjust the insertion parameters at any time
during the calibration process.
3D Preview Window
In this window you can interactively set the focal angle
and position and calibrate your 3D model according to
the background image. It is in this window that will be
displayed in real time insertion of your 3D model after
the parameters have been set. You can at any time
control in this window the camera focal angle,
orientation and position.
72
box.
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74
You have manually determined your focal angle by entering its value in the corresponding
field in the Fixed Cameras window: place the origin of the reference axes on the desired point,
then individually adjust each axis respecting the system constraints (Y should be pointing
towards the background, Z should be pointing upwards, and X, if its the reference axis, should
be used to size the model).
Warning: Make sure the positioning of the reference axes in each window is not selfcontradicting.
Warning: In most cases, the parameters described above are enough to create a site insertion.
However, if the calibration starts to loop, all you have to do is slightly stretch or move one or
more axes in the Preview window until you get the right insertion.
If you want to start from scratch (re-parameterizing the focal angle and re-positioning the
axes), click the Reset button in the Insertion window.
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Size : in this menu, you can select a predefined size for the image
or series of images to be rendered. Image size corresponds to the
resolution of the rendered image in pixels. The larger the size, the
longer the rendering time and the more memory required.
Note: You can also enter directly the desired height and width of an image for its final
rendering in the corresponding edit boxes. In this case, if the size entered does not correspond
to any predefined values, the Special item will automatically be selected in the menu.
by clicking this icon you can keep the height-width ratio of the image to be rendered.
You can either multiply or divide the size of the image by two using the + and - buttons.
Rendering Parameters
To activate these parameters, check their respective
boxes. Once youve activated these parameters,
additional ones will appear for Anti-aliasing, Ray
Tracing and Transparency.
Anti-aliasing allows you to attenuate the crenellation effect at the edge of different color
zones. For final renderings, there are three levels of anti-aliasing quality - Good, Excellent and
Special:
- Good mode gives satisfying results in most cases.
- Excellent mode is used when textured elements or strong contrasts do not come out
well in the Good option.
- Special mode is the best type of anti-aliasing, but it takes longer to computer, so
use it selectively. For example, you can use it on final images where polygons are
reduced to a size smaller than a pixel because perspective, or for images where
textures are on or near their capacity limits.
Ray Tracing and Transparency: if these options are activated, you can set the number of
Ray Tracing reflections, which varies from 1 to 6 rebounds, and the number of Transparency
refractions which varies from 1 to 16 rebounds (see p. 27).
Note: A high number of reflections and/or refractions can significantly increase the
computation time.
Alpha Channel : If this option is checked, the background of the rendered image will be
considered as a mask. You can then easily modify this mask using image retouching software.
This option is not available for JPG and BMP formats.
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Render Now : Clicking this button will immediately launch the rendering of an image or
series of images, taking into account the last modifications you made in this window.
Render Later: You can defer image rendering by clicking this option. Artlantis will then
display a dialog box named by default after the file in use, but you can change the name of the
deferred rendering. All differed renderings are saved as scripts in the Scripts folder of the
Artlantis parent folder.
Note: Deferred Rendering is not available for Epix and TIFF formats. If several scripts are
created for one file, Artlantis will process the last saved parameters found in all these scripts
during Batch Rendering.
Render all Fixed Cameras: to activate this option, check the corresponding box. Once
youve enabled it and clicked the Render button, Artlantis will render all the images
corresponding to the number of active fixed cameras (preceded by a bullet or cross in the list of
the Fixed Cameras window). If you leave this box unchecked, Artlantis will only calculate the
image corresponding to the currently active fixed camera.
Render: this option allows you to launch the rendering of an active fixed camera. By
default, the image is rendered in TGA format and saved in the same folder as the opened file.
If the rendering was interrupted, it will be called "Interrupted" in the Batch Rendering window.
A rendering window will appear and the rendering will be calculated according to its last
modified parameters and type (Fixed Cameras, Animations, VR Panoramas, VR Objects,
Parallel Views).
To stop a rendering in progress, close the Rendering Control window. The rendering will stop
after a few seconds and the window will close. Then you can launch the last interrupted
rendering by selecting Batch Rendering from the menu.
Batch Rendering: this option lets you execute deferred
renderings. Each deferred rendering has a script name in
the Batch Rendering list. The active scripts are preceded
by bullets () or crosses (x); remove them to deactivate the
scripts. Only active scripts can be rendered. To delete a
script, select it and click the trash can. The scripts are
named either after how you named them or by the default
name "Interrupted" given to them by the Artlantis during
the last interrupted rendering. The right-hand column
displays the type of script: animation, VR panorama or
object, etc.
To launch your rendering, click Render in the Batch
Rendering window. Artlantis will then prompt you to
save your file. Click Save, Cancel or Close. If you choose Save, the rendering will begin but
you can stop it at any time by closing the dialog box. You can then re-launch the deferred
renderings from the point where they were last interrupted.
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Chapter Eight
Parallel Views
Select Edit Parallel Views (Path: Windows/Edit Parallel Views) to display the Parallel Views
dialog box.
Interface
Parallel Views Window
The Parallel View window is graphically divided into three
parts, see p. 65 for an explanation of the icons on the top
part of the window, which can be found in all Artlantis
visualization modes.
In the second part is the list of parallel views: the
active ones are preceded by a bullet () or cross (x);
clicking on either symbol will remove it and deactivate a
parallel view; to reactivate a parallel view, click back in the
left-hand column and either symbol will reappear. . Only
active parallel views will be added to the list and calculated
during final renderings. All the parameters you define
apply to the parallel view you have selected in the list. By default, each new file contains at
least one Parallel View: click Create to create a new one (Artlantis allows up to 256). To
rearrange the list, select a parallel view and, while holding down the mouse button, move it
anywhere in the list as long as its between two other parallel views, and release. Click Delete
to delete a parallel view.
In the third part of the window you can choose the type of parallel view, modify the
coordinates of the parallel views and target points, and determine the position of your camera
as well as the width of your parallel view.
3D Preview Window
In this window you can instantly observe all the modifications you make to the parallel views
in the Parallel Views dialog box or in the Projected View window. You can also interactively
move your parallel view in this window.
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Warning: Artlantis will process the cast shadows of the entire 3D model and not only of the
clipped sections.
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Views),
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Chapter Nine
VR Panoramas
With Artlantis, you can create panoramic scenes using QuickTime VR (QuickTime Virtual
Reality) technology and RealSpace.
You can define a scene or series of scenes using cameras or "panoramas" that create a 360
cylindrical image around a fixed point in QuickTime VR or Real Space, which you can then
view and in QuickTime VR Player by Apple or Real Space Viewer. You can also enlarge the
view and move it up or down.
Panoramas are created and edited in the Edit Panoramas interface (Path: Windows/Edit
Panoramas), which has three control windows.
Before we look at the different ways of creating and editing panoramas, here is an overview of
the Edit Panoramas interface.
Interface
Panoramas Window
This window is divided into three parts. For the first
part, see p. 65 for an explanation of the icons of in the
top part of the window, which are found in all
Artlantis visualization modes.
In the second part of the window is the panoramas
list: active panoramas are preceded by a black bullet
() or a cross (x). You can remove them by clicking on
them once, thereby deactivating the panorama. To
reactivate them, click once in the left-hand column and
the cross or bullet will reappear. Only active panoramas are calculated during the final
rendering. You can create a new panorama (Artlantis can create up to 150) by clicking the
Create button. By default, the new panorama will adopt the same characteristics as the
selected panorama, and will be superposed to the currently selected panorama in the Projected
View window. Click Delete to delete a panorama.
In the third part of the Edit Panoramas interface, you can modify the coordinates and view
the focal angle of the calculated panorama.
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3D Preview Window
In this window you can modify the fixed camera view direction around the position of the
panorama by clicking anywhere in your scene, then holding down the mouse button and
moving your cursor horizontally. However, you cannot move the view direction of the fixed
camera up or down, nor zoom in or out.
Editing a Panorama
To select a panorama, click the yellow square in the Projected View window, or select its name
from the panorama list in the Edit Panoramas interface.
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zone will appear in the 3D Preview window. Click inside the window and interactively move
the sensitive zone to the desired position. The point representing the node will move
simultaneously in the Projected View window.
Once youve determined the sensitive zone, you can adapt the
rectangle to fit objects in your 3D scene by clicking on its
handles and dragging them.
Note: If you select RealSpace as an output format, the rectangle
bounding the four points is used to the defined sensitive zone.
Links can be deleted by selecting their nodes and clicking on the
trash can.
Rendering panoramas
Launching the Rendering
By activating this function (Path: Render/Render
Panoramas) the window displayed on the left will
appear. It contains the following parameters:
Name: you can enter a name for the panorama or
image files in this field.
For QuickTime VR renderings, the .mov extension
will be added to the filename.
For Real Space renderings, the .ivr extension will be
added to the filename.
For TGA Compressed, TGA, PICT, PICT
Compressed, JPEG or BMP renderings:
For a panorama with only one node, the extension
corresponding to each format will be added to the
filename.
For a panorama with multiple nodes, each node in the
group is indexed (01, 02, 03,) and the index is added to
the name, followed by the extension of the chosen
format.
In fact, with the image output there are as many images as there are nodes. In QuickTime VR
format, there will be as many .mov files as groups. In Real Space format, to each group will
correspond an .ivr file and a folder containing the .jpg images.
Format : In this menu you can define an output format for your panorama or images files
to be rendered in. The available formats are PICT Compressed (Mac only), PICT (Mac only),
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TGA Compressed, TGA, BMP, JPEG, QuickTime VR 2.0 Compressed, QuickTime VR 2.0
and RealSpace 2.0.
QuickTime format rendering is available for both Mac OS and Windows. The QuickTime
formats will be grayed out if the QuickTime plug-in is deactivated or not installed. A rendered
panorama produces a QuickTime movie, compressed or not, or a RealSpace movie.
For panoramas rendered in PICT Compressed, PICT, TGA Compressed, TGA, BMP or JPEG,
a folder will be created containing all the indexed images.
PICT and QuickTime Compressed formats produce smaller movie or image files. If you select
these formats, a dialog box will appear in which you can choose a compression mode.
Size: In this menu, you can choose a pre-defined size for the
panorama to be rendered in. This size is used only for the QuicTime VR
format, and corresponds to the size of the QuickTime VR Player window
in which you will visualize your rendered panorama.
In the RealSpace format, the size of the rendered image is in JPEG format
and depends on the resolution selected. The size of the window in which
you will view your rendered panorama corresponds to that of RealSpace Viewer and can be
enlarged or reduced.
For the other formats - PICT Compressed, PICT, TGA Compressed, TGA, BMP, TIFF and
JPEG, the size of the image being rendered corresponds to the resolution selected in the Render
Panoramas window.
Rendering Parameters
Certain parameters are identical to those of Rendered Fixed Cameras on 76.
Resolution: There are three resolution levels low (1248 x 384 pixels); standard (2496 x
768 pixels), and high (4992 x 1536 pixels).
The panoramic image used to create a VR panorama must be in high definition. We advise to
use low resolution (1248x384) to test VR panoramas.
Render Now and Render Later function exactly the same way as for Render Fixed
Cameras. See p. 77).
Note: If several scripts are created for the same file, Artlantis will render the last saved
parameters (lights, shaders) shared by all scripts of the same file.
Render All Panoramas : if this box is checked, all active panorama groups listed in the
VR Panoramas window will be rendered and Artlantis will create a VR multi-node file per
panorama group. If this box is not checked, Artlantis will create a single-node QuickTime VR
or RealSpace file, which will correspond to the last selected panorama.
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Chapter TEN
Animation
For many years, creating still computer-generated images were the only way of communicating
3D projects within reasonable deadlines. Today, faster computers and software that can adapt
to these speeds like Artlantis have made camera animation a common feature.
In Artlantis, an animation is composed of one or more sequences, each sequence
corresponding to a series of images calculated according to parameters you have defined. The
animation sequence traces the camera path. You can choose a camera type and parameterize its
behavior as well as the path along which it will travel in the Edit Animations (Path:
Windows/Edit Animations) window. By default, each file has an animation sequence represented
by a camera and a path in the Projected View window. You can create and parameterize
animation sequences in the Animation, Projected View and 3D Preview windows.
However, before creating and editing animation sequences, lets take a look at the Edit
Animations interface first.
Interface
Edit Animations Window
This window is divided into three parts: for an
explanation of the first part, which contains all the
icons found in all Artlantis visualization modes, see p.
65.
In the second part is the list of animation
sequences: the active animation sequences are preceded
by a black bullet () or a cross (x). To deactivate an
animation sequence, remove the bullet or cross next to
it by clicking on it once. To reactivate an animation
sequence, click once in the left-hand column next to it
and the cross or bullet will reappear. Only active
sequences are calculated during the rendering. You can
create a new sequence and add it to the list by clicking
the Create button. The path of the new sequence is
indicated by a circle whose center corresponds to the
center of the Projected View window, and its diameter
to 1/3 the width of the Projected View window. This circle is positioned on a plan parallel to
the X, Y or Z axis depending on the projected view (top, bottom or side views) and the position
of the camera. To delete an animation sequence, select it and click the Delete button. The
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second part of the Edit Animation interface also features the animation control buttons and
sequence duration parameters
The third part of the Edit Animations interface is where you can edit an animation
sequence, modify the pitch and focal angle and define camera behaviors and related
parameters.
Note: If you want to create an animation sequence with a path that will pass through precisely
positioned points, it is better to create it rather in the coordinates section of the Edit Fixed
Cameras window by entering the numerical values of the editable points, then adding your
newly created path to Animations (see. p. 65).
You can play with the animation using the control buttons before rendering it.
: opens and closes a sequence path between its first and last editable points.
: changes the direction of the camera along the path.
: stops the animation from playing in the 3D Preview window.
: plays the animation in the 3D Preview window.
: rewinds by frame.
: advances by frame.
The stop-play option, only available for open paths, allows you to
specify a null speed at the beginning and end of a sequence.
Sequence Duration : in these fields, you can specify the exact duration
of a sequence in minutes, seconds and images. You can also give an image a
precise path: for example, you can choose to see image number 101 from the
300 images that make up the sequence, and the corresponding viewpoint will
instantly appear in the 3D Preview window while the fixed camera will move
in the Projected View window. Finally in this field, you can parameterize the
number of images per second, which will then be common to all sequences.
Because an animation is the succession of sequences, its
total duration corresponds to the cumulated duration of
each animation sequence. The total duration is displayed above the control panel.
Chapter X: Animation
93
3D Preview Window
In the following cases, you can, by holding down
your cursor and moving it around your scene,
modify the cameras target point: when the path
consists of a sole target behavior regardless of its
position, or when the path has multiple types of
behaviors. In the latter case, the cameras position
on the path must coincide with that of one of its
behaviors.
: switch between path editing mode(when the icon is grayed-out) and camera behavior
editing modes with time frame control. A different toolbar is displayed for either mode (see
toolbars A and B above).
: create a new editable point on the path at the current cameras position.
: create a time frame control at the current cameras position.
: create a new behavior at the current cameras position.
Chapter X: Animation
94
Camera Path
According to the type of animation you wish to create, you can act on the following three
parameters: path, camera behavior and time frame.
Note: If you press the ALT key while clicking on the path in Edit Path Mode, you will
automatically create an editable point. However, you cannot create two superimposed editable
points.
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95
On the tangents: select the tangent to be modified by clicking on its end. Holding down the
mouse button, move the end of the tangent to change its direction: the second tangent will then
adopt the same direction as the first. By holding down the ALT key, you can work with the
direction of only one of the tangents, which will break the curve.
To delete an editable point, select it and click the trash can.
To move the entire sequence, select an editable point, hold down the CTRL key, and move the
sequence anywhere in the Projected View window.
Camera Behavior
A sequence is materialized by the movement of a camera according different behaviors. The
camera is defined by the direction of its target vector in the scene along the path. There are four
types of camera behaviors corresponding to four radio buttons at the lower left of the
Animations window.
Edit Camera Behavior Mode. The time frame and behavior buttons will appear:
.
Each behavior is represented by a brown circle (or yellow if it is selected) containing the
behavior symbol, as well as by its target vector.
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96
Adding a Behavior
Click anywhere on the path you want to insert a
behavior; the camera will be positioned there. Click on
the behavior
icon: a new behavior will be created
where the camera is positioned and will adopt the same
behavior as the last one on the path. You can then
modify its characteristics. To delete a behavior, select it
and click the trash can.
Note: In Edit Camera Behavior Mode, you can create a behavior by pressing the ALT key and
clicking on the path. If you have trouble selecting a behavior because several objects
(behaviors, time frames, etc.) are superimposed on each other, use the SHIFT key to move
from one behavior selection to another.
Transition Crosses
Two symbols are attached to each behavior: a circle with an
arrow representing the selected behavior type, as well as a
cross. The cross, associated to a behavior, represents the
moment when the camera leaves the current behavior to
assume the next one. Depending on the desired effect, you
can place the cross on any point on the path between these
two behaviors. You can also choose not to place the cross; in
this case the interpolation between the two behaviors will start from the beginning. The cross,
unlike the behavior type, is invisible at first. A cross can move only between two behaviors and
a behavior can move only between two crosses (the behavior will butt out the cross). The first
behavior of a sequence cannot be moved because it indicates the start of the sequence;
however, you can modify its type.
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97
To display and move the transition crosses: hold down the ALT key. Click on the
behavior; the cross will be selected. Then hold down the mouse button and move the cross
anywhere between two behaviors from the start of the interpolation of the first one to the next.
Passage Time
A sequence can have different passage times
corresponding to a point on the path associated with a
forced time of passage. Depending on the position of the
time lapse in relation to the length of the sequence, the
animation will either be sped up or slowed down. For
example, placing a three-second passage time in the
middle of a six-second sequence will have no effect.
However, if you place the three-second passage time at a
quarter length of the sequence, the animation will move
slowly at first, then speed up. Thus, placing passage
times is equivalent to modifying the camera speed
balance along the path: you will define acceleration and
deceleration phases of animation sequences.
To place passage time, click the Edit Camera Behavior Mode icon at the bottom of the
Projected View window and the stopwatch icon will appear next to it. Click anywhere on the
path and the camera will move there. Click the stopwatch icon: a chronometer will be created
on this spot. Then, in the appropriate numerical fields, enter the forced passage time expressed
in minutes, seconds and number of images (instead of second fractions : at 12 images per
second, one image = 1/12th of a second).
The graph in the Edit Animation interface represents a
kinetic curve: the X axis corresponds to the time, and
the Y axis corresponds to the distance of the curve in
space.
Chapter X: Animation
98
Rendering Animations
Launching the Rendering
When you select this function (Path: Render/Render
Animations), the dialog box on the left will appear. It
contains the following parameters:
Animation name : you can rename your animation
in this field and select the folder in which it will be saved
by clicking on the
icon
Format: in this menu, you can define an output
format for a rendered image. The available formats are
PICT Compressed (Macintosh only), PICT (Macintosh
only), TGA Compressed, TGA, BMP, JPEG, QuickTime
Compressed, QuickTime, and AVI (Windows only).
The QuickTime formats will be grayed-out if the
QuickTime plug-in is deactivated or not installed on your
computer. A rendered image generates the following:
On Mac OS: a QuickTime movie (compressed or not).
On Windows: a QuickTime movie (compressed or not) or an AVI movie.
These animations can then be viewed in QuickTime Player on Mac OS or with Windows
Media Player on Windows.
For animations rendered in PICT Compressed, PICT, TGA Compressed, TGA, BMP, or JPEG
formats, a folder will be created containing all the numbered images. You can then use a video
editing software to reconstitute the sequence.
If you choose PICT Compressed or QuickTime Compressed formats, you will get smaller
movie or image files.
When you select either of these two formats, a compression parameterization dialog box will
appear in which you can choose a compressor: Apple Animation and Cinepack codecs are
recommended.
Size: in this menu you can choose a pre-defined size for
your animation to be rendered in. Otherwise, you can customize
the height and width of your animation by selecting Special.
Rendering Parameters
Some parameters are the same as those in the Render Fixed
Cameras Dialog box on page 76.
Images/second : This parameter defines the number of images per second to be calculated
in the final rendering of an animation. You can also set this parameter in the Edit Animations
interface.
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99
Rendering All Images: if this option is checked, Artlantis will create the movie using all
the images of the sequence.
Chapter X: Animation
100
Chapter X: Animation
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Chapter Eleven
VR Objects
To completly understand the shape and volume of an object, it is necessary to look at it from
all angles. With Artlantis VR Object technology and QuickTime by Apple, you can virtually
move around an object and study it from all angles. By placing an object in the center of a
sphere and photographing it from a number of points on the surface of this sphere, it is possible
to simulate its manipulation. Whether its a simple object or a complex 3D scene, the
QuickTime VR files you create offer a new way to communicate the project. VR objects
created in Artlantis can be played using QuickTime Player by Apple or an Internet browser
equipped with the QuickTime VR plug-in.
Interface
Creating and editing VR objects is done in the Edit
VR Objects interface of the Windows Menu (Path:
Windows/Edit VR Objects), which has three control
windows.
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these icons allow you to move the fixed camera along the bounding
sphere.
3D Preview Window
In this window, you can interactively turn around the object in any direction, holding down the
mouse button and moving your cursor around the Preview window.
You can also enlarge and reduce the view. To enlarge the view (zoom in), hold down the
CTRL key and click in the 3D Preview window. To reduce the view (zoom out), hold down the
CTRL and SHIFT keys and click in the 3D Preview window.
Editing a VR Object
You can define the bounding sphere of a VR object, which is the distance of the camera to the
target point and as well as the extents of the VR object.
Positioning a VR Object
Moving the Sphere is done either numerically in the Edit VR Objects dialog box by
modifying the XYZ coordinates of the center of the sphere or by moving the sphere
interactively in the Projected View window: Click on the cross representing the target point of
the VR object (center of the sphere), then hold down the mouse button and move the VR object
anywhere in the Projected View window. The values will be modified simultaneously in the
coordinates section of the Projected View window.
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Modifying the Spheres Ray allows you to define the distance between the target point
and the VR object. You will be able to apply zoom effects when the VRF Object will be played
in a viewer. To modify the ray, click on camera corresponding to the initial view (yellow
holed-square) to select it, then hold down the mouse button and enlarge or reduce the spheres
perimeter by dragging it outwards or inwards.
Limits
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Rendering VR Objects
Launching the Rendering
By selecting the Render VR Objects function (Path:
Render/Render VR Objects) , the window on the left will
appear. It contains the following parameters:
Name: you can rename the VR Object or image files
you want to render in this field.
Format: In this menu you can define an output format
for your rendered VR Object or image files. The available
formats are PICT Compressed (Mac OS), PICT (Mac OS),
TGA Compressed, TGA, BMP, JPEG, QuickTime VR 2.0
Compressed, and QuickTime VR 2.0.
QuickTime format is available both for Mac OS and
Windows.
Both QuickTime formats will be grayed-out if the
QuickTime plug-in is deactivated or not installed on your
computer. In the second case, you will find the plug-in in the Utilities folder of your Artlantis
CD.
Chapter XI: VR Objects
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107
Index
A
Alpha Channel...................................................76
Animation..........................................................91
activate an animation sequence...................91
adding a behavior ........................................96
control mode ................................................92
deactivate a plan ..........................................91
global target behavior..................................95
interface .......................................................91
local traveling behavior...............................95
modifying camera behavior ........................96
modifying the focal angle ...........................96
modifying the path ......................................94
path behavior ...............................................95
rendering ......................................................98
rendering parameters...................................98
sequence duration ........................................92
target behavior .............................................95
time lapses ...................................................97
transition crosses .........................................96
Anti-aliasing......................................................76
Atmosphere .......................................................61
color .............................................................61
density..........................................................62
maximum distance.......................................61
scale..............................................................62
turbulence ....................................................62
visibility distance.........................................61
B
Background .......................................................59
color backgrounds .......................................59
graduated ................................................59
graduated line.........................................59
uniform ...................................................59
images ..........................................................60
3D background.......................................60
motif .......................................................61
stretched picture.....................................60
Batch Rendering................................................77
Billboards ..........................................................45
duplicating ...................................................46
editing ..........................................................46
flats...............................................................45
inserting........................................................45
mono-facetted ..............................................45
moving .........................................................45
multi-facetted...............................................45
C
Cast shadows............................................... 27,51
Closing...............................................................19
Colors
Artlantis picker...........................................35
CMY picker .................................................35
color table ....................................................36
nuancer.........................................................35
picker HSV ..................................................36
picker RGB ..................................................36
Compass ............................................................68
Copy...................................................................21
Copy preview ....................................................21
Cut......................................................................20
D
Depth of Field ...................................................69
activating......................................................69
focal point ....................................................69
sharpness zone .............................................70
Display
family ...........................................................33
materials list.................................................29
projected view window ...............................65
status Bar......................................................12
Display levels ....................................................65
bounding boxes............................................65
gouraud shading...........................................65
textured ........................................................65
wireframe .....................................................65
108
E
Edit
animations ................................................... 91
atmosphere .................................................. 61
background .................................................. 59
fixed cameras............................................... 67
lights ............................................................ 47
panoramas.................................................... 85
parallel views............................................... 79
shaders ......................................................... 32
VR objects .................................................101
Edit (menu)
cancel........................................................... 20
copy ............................................................. 21
copy preview ............................................... 21
cut 20
paste ............................................................. 21
Expert Mode ..................................................... 51
ambient light................................................ 51
lighting limits .............................................. 52
opening ........................................................ 52
sharpness ..................................................... 52
soft shadows ................................................ 52
F
Family
change a shader of family ........................... 34
change the name.......................................... 34
create............................................................ 34
delete............................................................ 34
display.......................................................... 33
display all library families .......................... 34
File (menu)
closing.......................................................... 19
Import Materials.......................................... 30
open ............................................................. 15
opening
a 3D Studio document ........................... 18
a AutoCAD DXF or DWG Document . 16
a RIB document..................................... 17
a VRML document................................ 18
an Artlantis Document ......................... 15
an ElectricImage Document.................. 17
an IGES document................................. 17
merging .................................................. 18
Index
H
H & V Repeat ...................................................43
Heliodon............................................................54
choose a city ................................................54
choose an interval between two images .....58
date and time ...............................................54
one-day sun studie.......................................57
orientation....................................................55
render now...................................................57
rendering......................................................56
set the animation length ..............................58
sky types ......................................................55
study between two dates .............................58
study for a longer period.............................57
study for a specific time of the day ............57
I
Import Materials ...............................................30
Installation
installing Artlantis .....................................11
system Requirements ..................................11
109
L
Language ...........................................................12
Library ...............................................................33
Lighting limits...................................................52
Lights.................................................................47
cast shadows ................................................51
create............................................................47
delete............................................................47
direct lighting...............................................50
direction .......................................................49
duplicate.......................................................47
global illumination ......................................50
indirect lighting ...........................................50
intensity...................................................50,51
parallel light.................................................48
point light.....................................................48
position.........................................................49
quality ..........................................................51
Limits (of Parallel Views) ..............................103
M
Materials
change the name ..........................................31
create new materials ....................................31
delete............................................................31
display materials list....................................29
import...........................................................30
level of smoothness .....................................29
reapply .........................................................31
shadows........................................................30
visibility .......................................................29
Memory .............................................................19
Merging .............................................................18
O
Opacity ..............................................................37
Opening a document
opening with reference................................18
Options (menu)
cast shadows ................................................27
ray tracing ....................................................26
recalculate ....................................................28
revert to original size...................................28
transparency.................................................27
zoom.............................................................27
zoom from original size...............................28
P
Panoramas
create ............................................................85
deactivate .....................................................85
focal angle....................................................87
interface........................................................85
linking two panoramas ................................88
position.........................................................86
render all panoramas ...................................90
rendering ......................................................89
rendering parameters ...................................90
sensitive zone...............................................88
starting panorama .................................. 86,88
starting view.................................................88
target direction.............................................87
tilt angle .......................................................87
Parallel Views ...................................................79
activate .........................................................79
deactivate .....................................................79
defining the visualization zone ...................81
delete ............................................................79
interface........................................................79
making a cutting ..........................................82
modifying the Position ................................80
perspective ...................................................81
positioning the camera ................................80
render ...........................................................83
render all parallel views ..............................83
rendering parameters ...................................83
Paste...................................................................21
Preferences
choose a working unit .................................12
language .......................................................12
size of the preview window ........................25
tessellation quality.......................................12
using another shaders folder .......................32
Preview window................................................25
copy..............................................................21
level of reflections .......................................25
level of refractions.......................................26
quality ..........................................................25
size ...............................................................25
Printing ..............................................................20
110
Q
QuickTime ........................................................ 11
Quitting ............................................................. 20
R
Ray tracing...................................................26,76
Recalculate........................................................ 28
Refraction.......................................................... 37
Render ............................................................... 77
Render (menu)
batch rendering............................................ 77
render........................................................... 75
render animations........................................ 98
render fixed cameras ................................... 75
render hliodon............................................ 56
render panoramas ........................................ 89
render parallel views ................................... 83
render VR objects......................................104
Render later....................................................... 77
Render now ....................................................... 77
Revert to original size....................................... 28
Roughness......................................................... 37
S
Save as............................................................... 19
Saving................................................................ 19
a family (of shaders) ................................... 39
shader........................................................... 39
Shaders .............................................................. 32
apply to materials ........................................ 33
change a shader of family ........................... 34
library .......................................................... 33
saving a family ............................................ 39
saving a new shader .................................... 39
selecting a folder ......................................... 32
sizes and patterns ........................................ 37
bump....................................................... 38
compass.................................................. 38
flip button............................................... 38
proportion............................................... 38
scale........................................................ 37
Index
turbulence...............................................38
using another folder ....................................32
Shadows ............................................................30
cast shadows ................................................27
Sharpness Zone.................................................70
Shininess ...........................................................37
Site Insertion
calculating the focal angle ..........................72
determine the Fixed Point...........................73
interface .......................................................71
positioning the 3D Model ...........................73
validate.........................................................74
Soft Shadows ...............................................51,52
Status Bar ..........................................................12
System Requirements .......................................11
T
Tesselation ........................................................12
quality ..........................................................12
Textures.............................................................40
add................................................................40
adjusting ......................................................41
bump ............................................................44
delete............................................................41
dimensions...................................................41
flip................................................................43
Masking .......................................................43
moving .........................................................41
projection types ...........................................42
repeating ......................................................43
scale .............................................................44
space ............................................................41
Transferring Coordinates..................................66
Transparency................................................27,76
V
VR Objects
adjusting the fluidity of VR Objects.........104
global sphere..............................................102
icons...........................................................102
interface .....................................................101
limits ..........................................................103
modifying the focal angle .........................103
modifying the spheres Ray ......................103
moving the sphere .....................................102
111
rendering ....................................................104
starting view ..............................................104
W
Windows (menu)
display materials list....................................29
display status bar .........................................12
edit
animations ..............................................91
edit atmosphere............................................61
edit background ...........................................59
edit fixed cameras........................................67
edit lights......................................................47
edit panoramas.............................................85
edit parallel views........................................79
edit shaders ..................................................32
edit VR objects ......................................... 101
library...........................................................33
reapply materials .........................................31
Working Unit ....................................................12
Z
Zoom..................................................................27
Zoom from original size ...................................28
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