Setting my SkIndigo preview studio scene

[Pibuz]

Ok, cp: it all works for me!
We have to warn people that the background.jpg has to be put in the SkIndigo folder (i had it in my own folder and indigo crashed..). probably with the last release i'll make a new .rar with the new instructions

I tested the new scene with one of the free-downloadable Arroway textures, which i often use in my renders, but in the preview it still rendered a little too stretched.. Is it possible to shrink again a little the uvmapping of the sphere, let's say half the actual size?

Second thing: i see a detail that puzzles me: the sphere isn't just in the center of the scene, and one of the consequences is that the last column of squares on the background checkered texture is cut in a thin shape. This thing is really annoying, to me....

I ask you if it would be a problem if i adjusted the camera angle, re-exported the scene and then re-send it to you so you can adjust the sphere etc etc?
I didn't mean to be unprecise, but when i posted the .rar i was sure it was ok, and only now i see... sorry!!!!

I post the example for you to see..

[cpfresh]

Hey Pibuz, you're right, I forgot to mention that I moved the StudioBackground.jpg file to the SkIndigo folder as well.

As for the UV mapping on the sphere, we may need to ask Ono, or Whaat for some clues on this. I don't know of anyway to assign the uvs to the Indigo Sphere! :/

Heres another preview!!

[cpfresh]

Hey Pibuz, I don't seem to follow what you mean about the layout of the scene, but it is certainly no problem to re-edit a new file. Send it on over!! Just be sure everything is right on the axis so it is easier to line up when I edit the scene. Thanks!

We almost have a terrific Material Preview Scene!!! Stay tuned crojack!

*edit*
There appears to be something wrong with the SkIndigo export_sphere function. Whaat, any input on that? Here's the Ruby Console info:

Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method `attribute_dictionaries' for nil:NilClass>
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SkIndigo_1_0_8.rb:1743:in `initialize'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SkIndigo_1_0_8.rb:4715:in `new'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SkIndigo_1_0_8.rb:4715:in `export_sphere'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SkIndigo_1_0_8.rb:475:in `export'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SkIndigo_1_0_8.rb:475:in `each'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SkIndigo_1_0_8.rb:475:in `export'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SkIndigo_1_0_8.rb:5958
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/SkIndigo_1_0_8.rb:5958:in `call'

BTW, this is the result of trying to export the "IndigoSphere" component supplied many many versions ago ... perhaps that's why it is not working. Thanks for your input!!

[crojack]

Here is a try:

material is out of sketchup-
"Tile_Ceramic_Multi"

hope this helps.

I also tried making the mat smaller in skp, but it didn't make a difference. but I don't know if it should...

[Pibuz]

@ Cpfresh
Uhm...I try to make myself a little clearer..

In the image i post down here, i've underlined the problem: the last column of squares is cut. Probably that's because the sphere isn't well centered in the scene, that's all.

I've now exported a new scene, with a better centered ball (it's a simple sphere, not an indigo one). I attach it, so you can go on working on it.

Now i have to go home: i'll try to re-log tonight and see if you've worked well

@crojack
You're experiencing the "stretched uvmap issue" i was referring some posts ago .
The question is: how do we tell indigo to map the sphere with a smaller uvMapping (3/8 of the actual size for me would fit best)?

[crojack]

I thought the problem was with the textures getting mapped wrong onto the sphere.

[Pibuz]

crojack

initially it was, but cp managed to solve the problem!

Now, the only thing is the uv size, the rest works wonderfully!

[cpfresh]

well, that's part of the problem crojack, some textures come larger than others ... let's see the new attached scene.

[crojack]

ok, mapped, meant UVmapped. but I was thinking by using the standard skp tile material that it could be a test "base" because it is the same size in everyone's skp. as long as they don't change it:)

[cpfresh]

ok ok. everything seems to be working perfectly right now Diffuse, nk, Textured, Specular, etc (with the exception of being able to change the size of the texture mapping on the sphere.)

but otherwise -- AWESOME!!

Thanks to Pibuz for doing all the hard scene setup!!

Please find attached below the new IGS file for use with your SkIndigo Material Editor "Custom" preview scene. Enjoy!

**Please back-up your original IMPcustom.igs file somewhere!**

Overwrite IMPcustom.igs in your \plugins\SkIndigo\ folder and add StudioBackground.jpg image found in post above. All set!

[crojack]

works great!


Thank you both, Pibuz and Cpfresh!!

here's a little material i'm working on for a scene.


Should we keep these coming in here, maybe turn this into a skp material thread to share materials?

not to go too far off -topic but I haven't had success in using other programs, blender, etc. materials with skindgo.

[Pibuz]

WONDERFUL

We finally got it! So, i'll make the definitive .rar file tomorrow, including all files and the 2 instructions to "install" and use the scene", for all to download.

The only thing I'm still not satisfied with, is the too large UVmapping (..do I sound repetitive?....).

..I really care about this little "project" , guys - though i understand it can be a very silly one for the pros - because i think a good mat preview can help so much in the making of a more real material..

So, i'd very very like if whaat, Ono or anyone who plays around with Indigo and SkIndigo could explain us how to adjust the mapping. PLEASE!

Any attempt to keep this project alive is really worth a try, for me: so, i think that Crojack's idea is a good one. About posting the images there is no problem, but what about the way of directly sharing Skindigo materials?
I could post a simple Skp scene, containing some simple geometry, say three locked planes: one for the diffuse texture, one for the specular and one for the bump. Once imported into another skp file, all the skindigo mat parameters should be conserved.
What do you say?

I'll think about tha tomorrow (or friday perhaps: here in Italy we have a work-free day on April,25th: it's our National Rescue Day )

[cpfresh]

...sounds like a really cool idea to me! the material repository may not have worked very well anywhere else, but maybe it has a chance to live here in the SketchUp Forum!! WOOP WOOP!!

Go Team Sketchy!

[rchapman]

good work everybody.

i still need to play around with things on indigo and find out what uv mapping and bump mapping is (the tutorial didn't offer much help), but, are you guys gonna compile a "library" so to speak of already rendered materials? so we know what it will look like without having to render the entire scene just to find out it didn't look good with a certain material?

[crojack]

good work everybody.

i still need to play around with things on indigo and find out what uv mapping and bump mapping is (the tutorial didn't offer much help), but, are you guys gonna compile a "library" so to speak of already rendered materials? so we know what it will look like without having to render the entire scene just to find out it didn't look good with a certain material?

ideally you would be able to download a material, say a nice wood floor, and load it into your model. once there it should have all the settings already set, including bump maps, etc.

key word here is ideally , that's how it works in other render programs.

a bump map is usually a greyscale image. you apply it to a material and what it does, very simply, is fake 3-d. the darker parts of the image appear "deeper" that the lighter, and it all depends on your bump setting.

a bump for tile would be all white with a black grid on it, the black would be the grout. I don't think I explained that very well

or a greyscale "noise" material could give texture to a stucco wall, things like that.

but, you can also just set the exact same material you are using, say a brick, as the bump also. it works ok.