Swapper Northern Lights

[Thomo]

Does anyone know if I can use the Swapper plugin with the proxy plugin?

That is to say I have a lot of models already attached to the proxy plugin and stamped around.

 

I now want to swap out a lower resolution model for the current one.

Can I do this without setting up the proxy again.

 

I don't have the swapper plugin as yet but want to purchase it if it will do this.

 

I have contacted Northern Lights and they are not sure what proxy is and if it will do it or not.

 

I know they have placer deposit but I am halfway through a project already with proxy.

 

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

[Tomas Egger]

Hey Greg,

 

Please, explain me the workflow you want :)

 

Thanks

 

Tom

[Thomo]

Hi Tomas,

I want to setup a scene with high res. tree models. Some of these will be repeated around the scene by using proxy. This would be my still shot setup.

I then want to be able to swap these high res models with low res models for animation.

 

BUT: I have instanced a lot of the trees using proxy already. Can I just use swapper to swap the models and not have to setup again (ie: export / import) the low res. models with proxy.

SO: I could then, turn off swapper for still shots and turn on swapper for the animation.

 

I am able to reduce the polygons of my trees (X-frog) a lot using Meshlab. This allows me to keep the UV's for clip maps.

So I will have two models of the same tree. Hi-res and low-res.

Hi-res = still shots.

Low-res = animation.

 

LODeStone will not keep the UV's so I cannot use it.

 

Thanks for any help

[Tomas Egger]

Hey Greg!

Please, send me a proj with only a Hi and a low tree version, let me try.

Thanks

Tom

[Tomas Egger]

Ola Greg,

 

Only a doubt, why you dont exchange the parented Hi-res Tree with a Low res in the Proxy plug-in? it will replace all at render time.

You can have a Proxy version with Hi and one with Low.

 

Thanks

 

Tom

[Thomo]

Heh heh.

Yep I just realised that myself.

I wasn't sure how proxy "handled" the original model.

So I can set up all my tree models, proxy them, stamp them around and then actually just change the original model (Hi res) for another (low res).

 

I've done that today and it works fine. Pretty easy really.

 

I just assumed it relied on the original model somehow.

 

Apologies for any confusion but it seemed like there was a better "automated" solution. The fact that LODeStone doesn't keep the UV's on any poly reduction started me asking about a new workflow. Without really thinking about it first. Sorry.

Anyway all good, I can work through that.

 

Another related question. Excuse once again any misunderstanding. If I was to use "placer deposit" instead of proxy and also use the paint function for mapping variations, how would (does) this compare for rendering time?

Ok "proxy" speeds things up a lot at rendering time (instead of just duplicating the same model). Does "Placer deposit" do the same. Or does it have to be combined with "swapper" / "LODeStone" to speed up rendering?

I've read the manual and I think it does. But how does it compare with proxy. Rendering speed wise/

 

Both proxy and placer have their benefits in terms of render speed and workflow as far as I can see.

If I could paint, place, rotate, scale and swap variations of planting (for me, Arch Vis) AND keep UV's of textures/ clip maps while reducing polys when needed that would be the go. All within EIAS of course.

Not much to ask!! ;-)

 

Seriously though thanks for getting back to me and confirming that I am slow on the up take!

 

Best

[Tomas Egger]

Ola Greg!

 

Here, a Placer_64 bits test with Camera 9.1 - 64 bits, using “weight map” for placement, random sizes and rotations.

This house have 173k polys, final scene with almost 5 millions, 1280 x 1024, Old Mac Pro with 8 threads, 7GB ram.

Render time, 1min 46secs (GI Skylight + Parallel light + bounced light)

 

Placer Deposit doesnt have individual manual placement, scale and rotation.

 

Thanks

 

Tom

 

[Northern Lights]

Placer Deposit doesnt have individual manual placement, scale and rotation.

 

Not exactly.  PD is very good at populating environments with stuff and each instance can be randomized in scale, orientation and position (i.e. jitter).

If you want to cover a hillside with tons of trees, PD is the tool for you.

[Tomas Egger]

Ola Blair,

 

I agree with you, I mean, the only thing not possible is move a unique instance in the viewport.

But I always use Placer a lot!

 

Thanks

 

Tom

[bwcc]

Ola Greg!

 

Here, a Placer_64 bits test with Camera 9.1 - 64 bits, using “weight map†for placement, random sizes and rotations.

This house have 173k polys, final scene with almost 5 millions, 1280 x 1024, Old Mac Pro with 8 threads, 7GB ram.

Render time, 1min 46secs (GI Skylight + Parallel light + bounced light)

 

Placer Deposit doesnt have individual manual placement, scale and rotation.

 

Thanks

 

Tom

 

Proxy_64_Placer.jpg

 

 

64 Bit Placer?  - how do I get one of those?

 

brian