[messire]

hi guys, got a few questions with HDRI.
- Where can i find some free ones with a few clouds?
- How do i add them in the SU interface so they render efficiently... is there a way to set the north in them so it is accurate with the render ( need a step by step for dummies as usual hehe)

thnx
Nils

[Richard]

Mate, I'm not sure how to do it in SU but know the background hdri can be positioned via scale and offset values in studio where you can view it real time in the viewport. From SU you will have to do it by export render, stop render, edit, export, render, stop render, edit, export, render, stop render, etc might take twenty or thirty goes but you may eventually get it. You will also have to repeat this for every other channel - the same has to be done for the other channels from studio as there is no way I have found to preview them.

Note also that it is REALLY hard to get these others positioned and scaled correctly. The only way I have found to get them close is to export the model with a bunch of mirror coated primaries replacing the full model, this way you can clearly see the reflection positions. Cleans pretty quick too this way so testing takes less time.

[Tim Ellis]

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=free+hdri&meta=

If you get 3D World magazine, there have been lots of free hdris bundled each month.

Tim.

[messire]

ok gotcha now my question is
- where do i put the hdr files i have found? Do i look for them in the studio?
How will then sketchup be able to use the new hdr file ( is it settable in studio prefs so next time the render is used it uses that default file?

thnx
Nils

[Tim Ellis]

As far as I know, you load the MXI into the plugin from within SU. It should be in the enviroment or it's own section on the plugin dialogue.

Alternatively you can choose the path within Studio, once you've exported your model as an mxs from SU. Just change the lighting type from Sky to MXI/HDRI, then load up your HDRI each channel.

Tim.

[Richard]

Tim

Mate do you have any tips on how to easily position the HDRI or MXI maps in correct position and scale other than starting the render about 100 times to tweak the position or is this the best method? Maybe I'll try 200 on the next rather than giving up!

Sorry I'm being smart but it gives me the S---'s!

Background is easy in studio as you can view it, but for the others - grrrr!

[Tim Ellis]

Tim

Mate do you have any tips on how to easily position the HDRI or MXI maps in correct position and scale other than starting the render about 100 times to tweak the position or is this the best method? Maybe I'll try 200 on the next rather than giving up!

Sorry I'm being smart but it gives me the S---'s!

Background is easy in studio as you can view it, but for the others - grrrr!

Richard, very sorry for my delay in replying.

With either screen mapping on or off, in the MXI background section, hold your mouse pointer over the numeric for whichever field you want to change.
Press and hold the middle mouse button and move the mouse up or down.
This will give a visual representaion in the 3D viewport.

Most of the numerical boxes in Studio work like this. In fact it's faster to move objects in this way than selcting them and using the transform tools. You don't get the delay from working in the 3D viewport.

Once you have your background set for scale, position & rotation (1=360' for rotation!), match the others to those figures. There's no other way to match the other visually, unless you do your re-render thing.

If the background image is tiled for what ever reason (usually Studio's fault), open an MXM in the editor that has an image bitmap which is tiled 1x1. Open the texture picker for the map and then close it.
If this doesn't work straight away, click the little 'eye' icon in the MXED to select the same map. This will reset the background image to 1x1 tiling. This is a known bug.

Hope this helps,

Tim.

[messire]

ok guys... am dumb! can't get this to work... would any of you be kind enough to write a step by step tutorial to tell me how to use various HDRI's in SU.... starting from the HDRI sky i've downloaded, to loading it to SU plug...
thnx much
Nils