No, Im not looking to employ anyone ;-)! I would like to ask for some advice. Im currently working on an interior and I could use some tips on how to model realistic features (like door frames, niches...). I know I can use boolean objects for that, but they require a lot of memory, while still looking rather simple and edgy (thats probably due to my inexperience...). Does anyone have a tip on how to make features realistic without keeping them awefully simple, nor making them hugely complicated? Thanx Remco

Within Vue? Lots of trial and error, as the prog is not really suited to modelling, only having the primitive/boolean option. Your best bet would be to use a dedicated 3D modelling prog like Wings3D or Blender.

I made a number of objects for the reconstruction of a complete house (inside and outside)to be used in 3D Home Architect (alows 3ds import)recently. I did it in "Anima8or" (has 3ds export); versatile program and easy to learn; it's free also. The objects made in "Anima8or" can easily be textured in Vue.

A few quick tips about how real buildings are as opposed to the 3d versions people make: 1. In the real world of consturction there are lots of 90 degree angles on plans but none in (most) real buildings. Very few straight lines really are straight. 2. Corners are rarely sharp they have a slight rounding. 3. Surfaces are rarely a single uniform colour. There are usually slight variations which while not easy to pick out do affect how the brain perceives an image. 4. Luminaires (as my lighting lecturer insisted we called them) in the real world do not give off the same amount of light in all directions. 5. The light shining in through a window is rarely uniform. Other buildings, trees and the landscape break it up. (You can model this with a gell on the light without having to model the entire world outside the window) 5. Doors and windows have frames. Skirting boards run along the bottom of the walls in most buildings to protect the wall. As the other posts have suggested using a modelling package and importing your models will often give better results than trying to work with booleans in Vue. Cheers Mark

Thanks for your tips. They surely are helpful.

I concur with all that is mentioned above. What program do you use for modelling? Maybe that is where we could start on the modelling advice thing

So far I dont use any program for modelling. I have downloaded the silo learning version, but cant save anything with that. I downloaded anima8or as well, but its complicated to use. Is there anything you would recommend which is both easy to use and very versatile?

Silo rules! I loooooove modelling in Silo. You could also try Wings3d, which is free, and it seems, works more or less like Silo. Or Shade, in e-frontier. Or Hexagon, in eovia. ...

actually if you look around you can find all kinds of "trim" models.. i think there are even some here. Baseboard, Casings, chair rails... Use Obj models and add textures on your own.

I am in the same field. As far as a simple modeling program for architects and architectural purposes and as much as I love Wings3d, I would highly recommand "SketchUp 3D". It is easy to learn just like Wings3d, and much better suited for architectural modeling. I have used a number of architectural and/or modeling/rendering/animation applications and if you are just concerened about the modeling aspect, by far SketchUp3D would be the easiest and funnest approach. Their website is: www.sketchup Best of luck, Nick H. Noakhtar

I do most of my modelling using an old version of Cinema 4D that came on 3d world mag a while ago. Before that I used Anim8tor which is free ( http://www.anim8or.com/ ) The current issue of 3d World has a modeller on the cover (can't remember which one) Cheers Mark