Rendering with TurboCAD

[Jack Zimmer]

In the past the problem with bringing a TurboFloorplan model to TurboCAD for rendering is that you had to reassign all the materials.  That could be both hard for beginners and time consuming.

Now you can export TFPlan to the free version of Sketchup (set scale to mm) and then save that Sketchup file as a skp file. When the skp file is imported to TCAD materials are retained and all you have to do is explode the whole model once to select individual 'parts'. One material that does need adjusting would be any transparent ones like Window Glass. If you select the 'glass' and explode it a second time, it will then be possilbe to change to a glass that TCAD understands.

You now have the ability to use Lightworks rendering engine in TCAD and experiment with a whole new lighting system and material system. As with all stand alone rendering engines it is not necessarily an easy task.

Jack

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Jack,

Thanks for pointing out these possibilities.  I must admit I preferred the control ability of Lightworks in V11 and previous (although I liked Lightscape in V4 also).

By doing this in TurboCAD, does it mean reinserting all the lights also? I presume they do not carry through SKP and into TCAD.

Are there any other advantages apart from being able to control the lights so much better?

Allan

[Doug.S]

1. seems like a slightly unfair comparison since the image content (driveway) and background (ocean, beach) not the same and influences the viewers conclusions, even if subconsciously

2. since free version of SU does not render, then highly unlikely that lights carry thru (objects OK but not lighting per se)

3. Since I have rendered TFP export in other renderer, Yes there are other advantages...for example:
- can do animated sunrise thru sunset easily to track shadows...just set start and end frames and let animator do it
- other lighting/shadow/gels/HDRI/caustics/output to photoshop .psd file/alpha channel output/etc available in other renders
- some renderers may be faster or slower
- some renderers can use render farms (multiple PCs) to speedup rendering
- other s/w has much more flexible texture/materials capabilities such as changing with time
- definitely more if I thought about it
- but few are as inexpensive as TFP; bang for the buck is excellent...except look at "blender"; free but cost is learning curve even if you already know 3D.

[Jack Zimmer]

By doing this in TurboCAD, does it mean reinserting all the lights also? I presume they do not carry through SKP and into TCAD.
Are there any other advantages apart from being able to control the lights so much better?
Allan

Hi Allan, Lights in TFPlan are completely different and cannot be used. There are a ton of additional benifits. Besides lighting you can use TCAD materials, so something like 'real water' appearance can be achieved. But the greatest additional benifit is that you also have all of TCAD 3D modeling abilities, which allow for endless custom achitectural features. It is a completely different ball game.

seems like a slightly unfair comparison since the image content (driveway) and background (ocean, beach) not the same and influences the viewers conclusions, even if subconsciously Doug

Maybe I didn't make things clear Doug. Both Renders are done in TCAD, the bare bones one has only the glass changed from TFPlan original. The first one has the drive / walk and background added to begin to show what can be done with that same model once in TCAD.

I must add that TCAD is much more 'powerful' and can handle more complicated scenes , if done correctly.

Jack

tfplan render attached, notice the lack of soft shadows for one thing, each has it's benifits.

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Jack,

Interesting to see the TFP render also.  Actually it looks like a typical harsh Australian summer to me - we rarely even see clouds (even now, in mid winter!) so we are very used to seeing it look exactly like that in reality (unfortunately!!)

I noticed that the underside of the roof overhang appears to be black in the TCAD images. Is that a material issue?  I have seen it before in TFP sometimes also.

Has the Lightworks rendering engine been developed further from FP V11 days?  Logically it would have been - any new things especially worthy of mention?
I must admit I miss the directionability of the lights and being able to change the 'width' of the beam and of course the individualy light wattage.

Allan

[Jack Zimmer]

Hi Allan,

Lightworks is always evolving, just as tcad /tfp is. As a company IMSI can purchase various 'aspects' of the program. A while back they added HDRI lighting (image based). They have added options that give a variety of 'looks' similar to lets say Oil Painting or Relief that is common in many photo editing programs. But within the program there are just so many options for lighting and materials.

The darkness you see is cause by a low ambient / diffuse setting in the material. While the material itself imports a decsion as to what category it falls in and what settings are assigned has to be made 'by default'. Increasing ambient / diffuse/ specular etc (in the material settings not light settings) changes the look of a material.

Attached is one example from way back when I was learning TCAD, of combined potential. I was asked to design a lightweight Awning with many restrictions. I ended up with this render that used the old FloorPlan program to create the base house model. Then I added TCAD design of the awning, the concrete 'deck' details and background image.

You would find it extremely useful in your projects but simple things, like inserting an image on a wall or in a frame, are much more involved in TCAD.

Jack