Posted by Kevin Matthews on July 10, 2001 at 00:13:34:In Reply to: Re: Which 3D modellers and renderers are an absolute must for any architect???? Can anyone tell me?? posted by Rolando on July 09, 2001 at 10:21:34:
I want to take exception to the comment Kevin said. Direct manipulation is not as central a factor when you are transferring an established design into 3d for presentation or additional investigation.
A little friendly disagreement here is great. But you have to try a little harder! Here specifically, I'm not talking about "when you are transferring an established design into 3d for presentation or additional investigation." I'm talking about when you are figuring out the design in the first place -- i.e., designing.
Now, the next chunks of this posting seem to get away from the general point about 3D design software, getting down and dirty on some details of DesignWorkshop instead. But that's cool too...
Right now, moving an object in DesignWorkshop when you know where you want or need to move the object is a difficult or cumbersome procedure at best. You have to monitor as many as three distance boxes while click-dragging the object and release the mouse when all the axes show the correct displacement. The alternative is to enter a new location for the object and that requires calculating that new location on as many as three axes...
Hmmm. I think that's an exaggeration. Have you tried using simple Object Info window arithmetic? (For instance, just type " + 4' " into the Location x field - still no command necessary!) Also...
A "Move" command (ala Pcadd) that lets you enter the relative change in location either with xyz data or distance at horizontal and vertical angles, would greatly simplify this process.
When you need to Move an object by numbers, another easy option is using the Duplicate Linear command.
Perhaps the thing is that the philosophy at Artifice IS geared to design in 3D.
Good point.
I don't know about the rest of DW users, but the type of design I am involved with can usually be well developed in 2d. I need DW to either investigate the results in 3d, or more often to present in 3d for the client to more easily visualize.
Maybe so, Rolando. I'm not familiar with the work you do specifically, but in any case, we don't think every designer needs to do 3D design on every project.
On the other hand, rarely have I seen a building project drawn up in 2D only that couldn't be improved by 3D thinking and exploration.
For the new generation of designers, starting out in 3D is going to be a more natural way to work. It is a very powerful approach for learning and teaching design, for communicating, studying, and improving design, and ultimately, for design itself.
Best wishes,
K