For Vue 4 and higher, the Distance Simulation Unit (DSU) is a prop and freebie .PDF tutorial designed to enable Vue Artists to use their own photographs within Vue.

Unlike alpha planes which only provides a background image, the DSU allows you to use your photographs for both background and the ground.

This assumes no prior knowledge of Vue, is fun, quick, simple to use, doesn't overwhelm your system and helps you produce some great life-like pictures.

http://www.sparkyworld.co.uk/3d10own.htm
 

Pinky - you left the lens cap of your mind on again.

The samples here show what is possible with the DSU, a few photographs, a few tweaks and a little practice.

The Spitfire image used a single photograph taken at the 2008 Shoreham Airshow during the Scramble display - [hence the explosion] for the background and ground and was lit using IBL sunlight - the 'sunlight' being taken from the original image.
 

Pinky - you left the lens cap of your mind on again.

The Fairy image used a volumetric light set with some haze added to give distance and 2 medium spotlights added to light the fairy and

Pinky - you left the lens cap of your mind on again.

The image with the white robot and girl simulated DOF by using a blurred photograph. Light was the default Vue 5 GI with only a slight rotate on the sunlight. Quick simple but effective

Pinky - you left the lens cap of your mind on again.

Attached Link: http://www.sparkyworld.co.uk/3d8own.htm

Finally we have your NITWAS style image, on this one a commercial background was cropped down and all the lighting used for the sky was set to a light red. Then 3 spotlights set to yellow where used to illuminate the girl and dragon.  

Plus theres also a Poser Version as well ..link above.

Pinky - you left the lens cap of your mind on again.

Just getting back into Vue - this should be very useful. Permit me to be the first to say thank you. :) 

...and the first to complain. :-D I can't find the Poser version. I got the Vue version ok, but the link for the Poser version takes me to Vanishing Point, where only the Vue version is listed, which in turn takes me back to ShareCG... Still, I have the OBJ and so forth so probably don't need a specific Poser version anyway. I can figure it out for myself - but I thought I'd let you know before anybody else does. 

Thanks for the terrific gift. You put a lot of thought and effort into creating this and it shows. Looking forward to the Poser link.
cheerio  lululee

Thank you Mr Sparky - looks like a great idea - will try it out asap

The important thing is not to stop questioning.
- Albert Einstein

Indoda

Thank you!  This looks very helpful.

LVS - Where Learning is Fun!  
http://www.lvsonline.com/index.html

Downloaded - can't wait for my long render to finish so I can give it a try.

Thank you

Gill

       

Attached Link: http://www.sparkyworld.co.uk/3d8own.htm

*...and the first to complain. :-D 

*Freebies are delicate little things, sometimes a bit over sensitive, so if you scare them by complaining they tend to scamper off and hide in their burrows. :) LOL

Just kidding - for the poser one use the link above.  

Pinky - you left the lens cap of your mind on again.

many MANY thanks, MrSparky!!!!  (and thanks to peggy for pointing out this link in the Vue forum)

Rarer than a hairy egg and madder than a box of frogs....

< o > < o >    You've been VUED!    < o > < o >
         >                                                     >
         O                                                    O

Very cool.  Many thanks.

What's the difference between your DSU and using an environment map in Vue? Sounds pretty much the same to me, except that the photo shouldn't be used for lighting the scene, since it isn't HDR, it has a very limited dynamic range, and it isn't panoramic, so it can't be mapped on a skydome ...

Found the Vue version ok but cannot find the Poser Version.Cheers

Custom built computer 128 gigs RAM,4 Terabyte hard drive, NVIDIA RTX 4060 TI 16 GIG Gig,12 TH Generation Intel i9, Dual LG Screens, 0/S Windows 11, networked to a Special 12th Generation intel I9, RTX 3060 12 Gig, Windows 11,64 gigs RAM, Dual Phillips Screens, 2 Terabyte SSD Hard Drive plus 1 Terabyte Hard Drive,3rd Computer intel i7,128 gigs ram, Graphics Card NVIDIA RTX 3060 Gig,1 Terabyte Hard Drive, OS Windows 11 64 Bit Dual Samsung Syncmaster 226bw Screens.Plus INFINITY Laptop 64 Bit,64 gigs RAM.Intel i9 chip.Windows 11 Pro and Ultimate. 4 x 2 Terrabyte Hard Drives and 2 x 2 Terrabyte external USB Hard drives. All Posers from 4 to Poser 2010 and 2012, 2014. Poser 11 and 12, 13, Hexagon 2.5 64 Bit, Carrara 8.5 Pro 64 bit, Adobe Photoshop CS4 Creative Production Suite. Adobe Photoshop CC 2024, Vue 10 and 10.5 Infinite Vue 11 14.5 Infinite plus Vue 15 and 16 Infinite, Vue 2023 and 2024, Plant Catologue, DAZ Studio 4.23, iClone 7 with 3DXchange and Character Creator 3, Nikon D3 Camera with several lenses.  Nikon Z 6 ii and Z5. 180-600mm lens, 24-70 mm lens with adapter.Just added 2x 2 Terrabyte portable hard drives.

Like mrsparky said, the DSU's got scared and were trying to hide. Here are some links, to get them out of their burrows. ;)

DSU (for Poser) at Vanishing Point.
DSU (for Poser) at Content Paradise

DSU (for Vue) at Vanishing Point.
DSU (for Vue) at Content Paradise.

DSU (for Poser): the link at msparky's site leads to the Free Stuff pages at Vanishing Point.
DSU (for Vue) at mrsparky's site, which leads to ShareCG.

VanishingPoint... Advanced 3D Modeling Solutions

What's the difference between your DSU and using an environment map in Vue?

Good question - thanks.

To get a really sharp background image in Vue you need to use a huge image for the environment map. Something like 10363 wide x4132 high.  Use anything smaller and you'll see the jaggies. You can see this very clearly in the HRDI city image included  with Vue.

Another is when you use very large environment map, is memory. If you change that map a few times you can run out of memory very quickly.  Vue is good and will warn you but really you need to restart the PC after seeing that message.    

With the DSU you don't get this. Nor do you have to spend ages creating a very large image -  any standard size photo will do as long as you crop it to 4:3.

*except that the photo shouldn't be used for lighting the scene, since it isn't HDR, it has a very limited dynamic range, and it isn't panoramic, so it can't be mapped on a skydome ...

Thats right - but thats easy enough to solve. Use HDRShop, or if you need a quick probe use the method Accadia suggested - Flaming Pear's Flexify filter. OK maybe thats not 'true' HDR for the purists but it can do the job.  

Thats another reason for the DSU and the way the tutorial is written - to make life easier for us Average Joes.

While it's nice to have the knowledge and skills to create technically accurate things, sometimes after a long day you just fancy throwing a quick NVITWAS off the wrist :) 

Pinky - you left the lens cap of your mind on again.

Forget to add...

Thanks to Mr J for the links - and to Peggy who as ever is a real sweety - thanks again. 

BTW - if you want some more background/ground images for the Vue version,  grab a copy of the Poser one - thats got a few more in it. 

1 more important thing  - HAVE FUN !

Pinky - you left the lens cap of your mind on again.

Thank You MrSparky... I think my Poser/DAZ characters will get along much better now using Vue rendered scenes in Poser instead of always getting them to look right in Vue.

Quote - Plus theres also a Poser Version as well ..link above.

That's fine and dandy for Vue but the information on the site doesn't say "Also for Poser". There is nothing to indicate that. U're shure you got it on the site there????

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OS: Windows 11 64-bit
Poser: Poser 11.3 ...... Units: inches or meters depends on mood
Bryce: Bryce Pro 7.1.074
Image Editing: Corel Paintshop Pro
Renderer: Superfly, Firefly

9/11/2001: Never forget...

Smiles are contagious... Pass it on!

Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday

 

For those folks having troubling finding things - have a look now - don't forget to refresh the page.

Pinky - you left the lens cap of your mind on again.

mrsparky, I confess I didn't see those links... But thanks for the gift. Got it from CP... Looking forward to using this in my renders.

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OS: Windows 11 64-bit
Poser: Poser 11.3 ...... Units: inches or meters depends on mood
Bryce: Bryce Pro 7.1.074
Image Editing: Corel Paintshop Pro
Renderer: Superfly, Firefly

9/11/2001: Never forget...

Smiles are contagious... Pass it on!

Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday

 

*mrsparky, I confess I didn't see those links...

• Thats because they wheren't there when you first looked :)
  Saw your post and put them up to help you find things *

Pinky - you left the lens cap of your mind on again.