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ARCHIMATIX PRO Node-based Parametric Modeling for Unity [Unity Awards Finalist]

Discussion in 'Assets and Asset Store' started by roryo, Jun 4, 2015.

  1. punk

    punk

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    @roryo been getting well stuck into the scripting - loving it, a couple times tho I've thought it would be good if you could use expression properties on a node active/on off then I could turn nodes on and off in certain conditions and being able to link expressions to things like thickness/roundness and offset would also be useful on shapes/plans. As I find bugs, did you want me to note them here or somewhere else?
     
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  2. roryo

    roryo

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    @punk, glad you're enjoying the scripting! In general tips, tricks and work-arounds that will generally help people can be posted here. For specific bugs that will get stomped on in short order, its best to post them at the slack for Archimatix. ;)
     
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  3. punk

    punk

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    is it possible to set a shape to closed or open from script atm?
     
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  4. wetcircuit

    wetcircuit

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    Screen Shot 2017-03-24 at 11.35.32 PM.png My Lotus Fog Harvester has a frame, but I'm thinking I want to make the petal fabric in Marvelous Designer…. Can someone recommend an OBJ exporter? I know there was some discussion of free github options, but I'm getting an API update warning (and I just went through an API update disaster, lol)….

    Paid is OK, I just want something easy and reliable. If it has other useful features that's a plus.

    (Sorry for off-topic, but Rory insisted. :p )
     
  5. roryo

    roryo

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    Not at the moment, but... I just added it! In the next update on the slack, you will be able to say
    Code (csharp):
    1. closed true/false
     
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  6. roryo

    roryo

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    Fantastic! Were the petals done with a RadialRepeater with Jitter?
     
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  7. wetcircuit

    wetcircuit

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    In the end I went with 4 copies of the shape and 4 copies of the radial repeater…. As I was building it I tried different things – node and span, the same 3D "arm" routed into multiple repeaters…. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted or how many rows (or if I could keep using the same arm), so it was mentally easier to just break it into four separate nodes and group the end result….

    Screen Shot 2017-03-25 at 2.04.08 PM.png
     
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  8. roryo

    roryo

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    Working on the first of the Deformer nodes: TerrainDeformer. Also, now PlanRepeater (for placement of the towers) takes a Terrain as input.
    Archimatix 2017-03-25_01-36-25_PM.jpg

    TerrainDeformer.gif
     
  9. punk

    punk

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    sweet!
     
  10. wetcircuit

    wetcircuit

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    and multiple flowers need to fit together so leaving I left it flexible….

    Screen Shot 2017-03-25 at 2.14.56 PM.png
     
  11. roryo

    roryo

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    Perhaps the GridRepeater of flowers should be given a slight Jitter? In Translation, Rotation and Scale :)
     
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  12. wetcircuit

    wetcircuit

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    GREAT WALL! GREAT WALL! Woo-HOO!
     
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  13. roryo

    roryo

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    I thought I remembered you voicing a request for the Great Wall at one point. Now we need someone who knows enough Gaia to create a northern China landscape! @Teila?
     
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  14. wetcircuit

    wetcircuit

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    You are selling the Jitter™ Feature today… :p

    I promise I will use more jitter when I get to the city. It will be more chaotic there…. ;)
     
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  15. wetcircuit

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    @roryo I'm trying some free exporters in the store, but no luck yet…. Should I stamp a prefab first? I'm thinking maybe some AX stuff is confusing the exporter.
     
  16. roryo

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    Yes, I would stamp out the model first, since that leaves a totally standard GameObject hierarchy. You might also try creating a Prefab, if the OBJ exporter depends on meshs being in Unity's AssetDatabase.
     
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  17. wetcircuit

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    Got it exported with this asset that is free...
    https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/22250

    I made a stamp, and then you have to select all the parts. Groupers and Repeaters are ignored…. This particular exporter allows the exported OBJ to be combined into one object.

    Screen Shot 2017-03-25 at 5.02.29 PM.png Screen Shot 2017-03-25 at 5.01.37 PM.png
     
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  18. Teila

    Teila

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    How do you put in the terrain as input? I want to try this!
     
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  19. roryo

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    It will be in an intermediate build posted to the slack tomorrow and available to all this coming week.
    I will include this scene in the package.;)
     
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  20. roryo

    roryo

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  21. awesomedata

    awesomedata

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    @roryo should really put this .obj exporter asset link in the main post so it will be easy to find until a proper exporter is released.
     
  22. wetcircuit

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    There might be better out there…. And I don't know that it will work for everyone.
     
  23. bakanekofr

    bakanekofr

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    Is it possible to not render a node? I've made a node that I want to use as a mesh collider only, but I can't find how to make it invisible...
     
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  24. roryo

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    Hi @bakanekofr - This in not a feature at the moment, but you can accomplish this by "stamping" the model and then turning the Mesh Renderer off for that GameObject. Of course, the stamped version is a "frozen" output of the parametric model.

    Since this feature is on my to do list, I will go ahead and add it today for the next update! :)
     
  25. roryo

    roryo

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    Ok - just added the feature! When the update arrives, you will find a new MeshRenderer checkbox for a node in the Inspector.
    Archimatix 2017-03-26_08-30-16_AM.jpg

    MeshRendererOff.gif

    The node set up for this scene is pretty simple:

    Archimatix 2017-03-26_08-52-35_AM2.jpg

    The RoundedRectangle from the Shape Library is fed into an Extrude for the floor. The Same RoundedRectangle is also fed into a ShapeMerger with a Rectangle subtracted out. The DifferenceRail of the ShapeMerger is fed into an Extrude with the caps turned off and Backfaces turned on to form a thin rail. Finally, the Height of the Rectangle is Related to the Extrude Height (width) or the stairs so that, as you adjust the cutting Rectangle, the stair width remains the size of the opening of the rail. With the new Mesh Renderer checkbox, we can make the rail invisible while keeping Kyle safe from falling, since the rail's collider is still there. No matter how we adjust the original RoundedRectangle or rail opening, the collider will still be there at the perimeter.
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2017
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  26. bakanekofr

    bakanekofr

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    Awesome. Thanks for the update and clarifications!
     
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  27. longroadhwy

    longroadhwy

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    Looking forward to that update. Just started going through the PDF User Manual now. It is amazing how fast the software is too.
     
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  28. roryo

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    Welcome aboard, @longroadhwy! I am glad you are pleased with the speed, since I think your very first question on this forum thread was about which systems people were using for Archimatix.

    The speed amazes me sometimes (knowing how much stuff is going on under the hood). We have @mangax to thank for the current speed in part, since he cajoled me into some optimizations I had been putting off. In the end, they took about 20 minutes and gave 10-fold increase in speed!
     
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  29. longroadhwy

    longroadhwy

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    Thanks. Glad you were able to add that speed enhancement before the release. It really makes easy to do those what if type of experiments.

    Are you familiar with unity asset road architect? It had a really nice bridge building component which I really liked. Unfortunately it no longer supported on the unity asset store. That is basically the idea I was thinking of when working on a bridges plugin to do something like that using your tool.

    The part on bridges starts about at approximately 3:14 in the video.

     
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  30. roryo

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    I wasn't familiar with Road Architect. The video looks pretty cool. Currently Archimatix can do flat roadways with any repeating structure beneath, railings etc. Once we get 3D splines and Replicants, then we will be able to bend the roadway into a hill and have the supporting structure adapt to each y-value of the roadway. Currently, the road bed can be done with a PlanSweep. The railings and longitudinal truss members would also want to be a PlanSweep and the uprights of the railing and truss as PlanRepeated extrudes. If a FreeCurve is used for the road plan, then you should be able to shape the bride in plan in editor realtime.
     
  31. Xepherys

    Xepherys

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    Every time I peruse this thread, two things happen; 1) I become more engrossed in what AX can do, and 2) I realize that I have no idea what I'm doing with the tool.
     
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  32. roryo

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    Archimatix is a river broad and deep, but it is also fun to wade in along the shore!

    I have a similar experience happening - when I hear what people are working on, I get really excited I want to jump right in and make more nodes! Its all I can do to stop myself from making a trussing node today! *must. get. first. update. to the store. before the next wave of indulgent node production!*
     
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  33. wetcircuit

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    But you could squeeze in that truss node too if you really applied yourself…. :p
     
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  34. roryo

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    Enabler! LOL
     
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  35. smada-luap

    smada-luap

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    Yeah, but you're liking it :D

    (too much perhaps? :D lol)
     
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  36. longroadhwy

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    It is nice to have an enthusiastic group of developers who like your product. You can think of the trussing node as capstone to your first update. :)
     
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  37. roryo

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    LOL - I am sensing some substantial support for a trussing node here!
     
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  38. Steve-Tack

    Steve-Tack

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    Hi, just bought this a few days ago and got a chance to start going through the user guide PDF (looking forward to going through the videos after that). I'm on page 55 and ran into some weirdness on the repeater tutorial.

    Not sure what I did, but somehow I managed to get two extra "shadow" towers that weren't selectable in the scene view and didn't have nodes in the graph:


    One had an extra GridRepeater_21 at the top level of the scene hierarchy and another had "TowerWithOnionDome" at the top level. I could select them from the hierarchy and delete the GameObjects to get rid of them. Not a huge deal, just FYI.

    So far I'm having fun. The speed of the geometry generation is downright surreal. It's far faster than I'd expect on a 3 1/2 year old laptop. Moving control points around in real time and seeing the magic happen is a trip.
     
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  39. roryo

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    Hi @Steve-Tack - welcome aboard! I'd love to take a look at the scene. I'll PM you about joining the slack for Archimatix where it is easier to upload scene files.

    Glad you are enjoying the speed - its one of the things that slows development down because I can't stop just moving handles to watch everything change in realtime!
     
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  40. longroadhwy

    longroadhwy

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    @Teila

    Have you tried out the Rome Pack (https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/67790) and Archimatix together yet? Since I know you have both assets I was just curious if you have tried them out together. The Rome Pack is on sale and I was thinking about picking it up as a nice addition to Archimatix.
     
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  41. roryo

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    The Rome pack is outstanding. Would be fun taking some of the modules, feeding them into a PrefabInstancer in Archimatix and see if Rome can be built in a day!
     
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  42. roryo

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    A new feature in the worksthat would allow custom doors (with behaviors) to automatically cut the Plan Shapes:

    DoorCutter.gif
     
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  43. Teila

    Teila

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    No, have not tried them out but they should work well together. I have been busy with terrain and server stuff so have to resist playing too much with anything else or nothing will get done. :)

    If you haven't bought the package and you want higher quality stuff, Rome Pack is great. I am looking forward to the second one too. Of course, I tear things apart and put them back together again so I get a lot of use out of the pack.
     
  44. jonlundy

    jonlundy

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    Yes to the doors modification! I love the tool so far but the workflow for a door is a little painful sometimes since you have to cut the room shape, extrude the cut shape, the extrude the base room shape at a location above the door.
     
  45. roryo

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    And the same feature will allow a cutter to be attached to a stair to cut openings in floors. Both of these can be done currently if you Relate the the Trans_X of a cutting rectangle to the Trans_X of the door Grouper, and the Trans_Y of the cutter to the Trans_Z of the door group. But the new feature will make this more seamless. :)

    For now, a best practice is to:
    1. Make a shape merger of for the outline of the level and add Shapes.
    2. Make a ShapeMerger for the rooms and add Shapes.
    3. Combine these into a new ShapeMerger for the level.
    4. Make a ShapeMerger for the door openings and add shapes.
    5. Merge with the level shape.
    6. Add door objects
    In this graph, the lower center group is all the door openings.

    Archimatix 2017-03-29_12-43-58_PM.jpg

    It is fun at this point to manipulate the openings. For example, I rotated one opening and elongated to cut the left hand room in an interesting way.

    Archimatix 2017-03-29_12-41-44_PM.jpg

    DoorOpenings2.gif
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2017
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  46. longroadhwy

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    That would be a good contest to see how much could be built in day.

    I have the feeling that with a trussing node Rome could be built in half a day. :)

    Thanks I will get the package based on your recommendation.
     
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  47. longroadhwy

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    That door feature is very useful. It almost seems you could also use this feature for making railroad tunnel. Will this be in the first update or a later release?
     
  48. roryo

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    Not in the first update, but hopefully soon. Speaking of the first update, I just submitted it to the Asset Store yesterday. ;)

    Mostly bug fixes, but also two new nodes: PhysicsJoiner and TerrainDeformer.
     
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  49. roryo

    roryo

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    Archimatix 2017-03-31_02-52-59_PM.jpg

    Always trying to improve the ability of a single image to communicate the Archimatix experience. ;)
     
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  50. bakanekofr

    bakanekofr

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    @roryo: I've been using Archimatix in my next game and I love it!

    Here's a screenshot. Used AX for the center building, the ladder on the left, and the yellow platform on the left with automatic fences!

     
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