Google maps to StreetView Grabber

mental ray and vray - Hy Friends Make 3D Site,This Article Title is mental ray and vray, check it out.

Google maps to StreetView Grabber
Google maps to StreetView Grabber

mental ray and vray

Extracting the 360 panoramic image/map from Google street view 

More often than Not, I find myself working on 3d photomontages, or Verified views with set views/images chosen and taken by different Photographers.
Needless to say that, in all accounts, I've always wished I had a panoramic image/photo of the locations extracted, to use as reflections for my 3d environment.

For tips and scripts for Verified views, please visit this new post HERE 

Also, check my New Book: 3D Photorealistic Rendering: Interiors & Exteriors with V-Ray and 3ds Max

If you ever find yourself in a similar situation and can not retake the photo/s with specialised high definition cameras such as the ones from Kolor.com; then Google maps are your best quick fix.

In conjunction with the StreetView Grabber software, you can find the location (using Google street view) where the original background image was taken from, and automatically grab/extract a 360 view of the site.

To download the StreetView Grabber software, for Free, simply go to the following website:

http://www.purebasic.fr/english/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=50248

Next, scroll down the page and click on the following link to download the software.

Once downloaded, unzip (extract) the software, and double click on its Icon to open the dialog.

How to use Google maps street view:

To start, go to Google maps and type in the address/location where the photography was taken from.

Once the address/ is found( i.e. a red pin floating above the location map) in the Google maps, simply zoom in with the mouse wheel as close as you can, followed by clicking on the Google earth map thumbnail, on the bottom left corner. 

Once the earth map appears ( photo of the location on a plan view), simply grab the yellow silhouette man from the bottom right hand corner of the Google earth map, and drop it on the desired location, to get the Google street view.

It’s worth noting that, you can only drop the yellow silhouette man on areas where there’s a black dot blinking.
These markers indicate spots where the user can take a street view from. 

Once the street view is up on the screen; you can pick from any of the available views displayed in the thumbnails below, if desired. 

Otherwise simply click on the Hide imagery, to minimize the thumbnails on the screen.

As you move the mouse on the Google street view, note the transparent planes that follow it.
They indicate the perspective of the structure/object on the screen. 

While the StreetView Grabber dialog is still open, select the URL of the Google street view and press Ctrl+C to copy it.

Select the StreetView Grabber dialog and click on the Add Pano button.

The Use clipboard dialog should automatically appear. Click Yes to add the copied URL, and close the dialog. 

Before grabbing the 360 street view, you can choose the location to save the final Output image and the file format (i.e. Output JPEG or Output PNG.

In addition, always set the Quality to maximum, by simply moving the slider to the far right.

Also,enable the Weld Tiles and the Crop Panorama option.  

Once satisfied with the settings/parameters, simply click on the Grab button, to capture the panoramic street view. 

Once the grabbing process is finished, a dialog should notify you that the process is Done; click OK to close it. 

Also, open the grabbed panoramic image in Photoshop. 

The chances are that you’ll be required to flip the grabbed panoramic view horizontally before using it as a reflection in 3ds max.

To flip the image horizontally, simply click on the Image main toolbar and choose the Rotate Canvas option, followed by clicking on the Flip Canvas Horizontally.

You can also save the new flipped image under a different name (i.e. …flipped). 

It’s worth noting that, if the Photomontage/verified view happens to be  a Night shot; depending on your personal Photoshop skills, you might be able to turn the panoramic day map into a night one (with a considerable amount of effort, one may add).

Alternatively, you can try some of the Kolorcameras, on location. 

For more information about these High definition 360 cameras, please visit:  

                        http://www.kolor.com/store/?___store=eng&___from_store=default

To apply the newly saved panoramic bitmap in 3ds max, simply do the following:

In mental ray: Please refer to this article posted earlier:

http://jamiecardoso-mentalray.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/mental-rayvaluable-tips-2.html

In Vray:

Start by opening the Render Setup dialog (F10). 

Under V-Ray tab, expand the V-Ray: Environment rollout parameters.

To plug the previously saved panoramic bitmap from Google street view, simply click on the Reflection/refraction environment override toggle.

The Material/Map browser dialog should pop up. Click on the Bitmap procedural map to locate and load the previously saved Google street view bitmap.

Once the bitmap is loaded; you may be required to edit some of its bitmap parameters in order to make it fit correctly in the viewport.

To do so, open the Material Editor dialog (M) and drag the bitmap from the Reflection/refraction environment override toggle, onto any available material slot.

The instance copy (Map) slot dialog should appear. Choose the “Instance” method and OK to close it.

As instances, whatever changes take place in the Bitmap parameters, will also affect the Reflection/refraction environment override toggle. 

In order to control the position of the reflection map in the 3d environment; the reflection bitmap needs to be visible in the viewport, through the Environment Map toggle.

So the next step will be to open the Environment and effects dialog (8), followed by dragging and dropping the reflection bitmap from the Material Editor, onto the Environment Map toggle. 

Choose the instance option again. 

Next, we are going to select the camera viewport and open the Viewport Background parameters (Alt+B).

In the Viewport Background Parameters, first enable the Match Rendering Output function, followed by turning on the Display Background option, and the Use Environment Background.
Click OK to close the dialog and see the reflection bitmap in the Viewport. 

Back in the Material Editor, under the, Coordinates parameters, enable the Environ function and set the Mapping type to Spherical Environment.

You may also choose to offset its U and V coordinates, if desired. 

In addition, in order to increase the amount of reflectivity seen on the glass/reflective surfaces, simply scroll down to the Output rollout coordinates and increase its RGB Level values.

Once Satisfied with the reflection settings and its coordinates, go back to the Environment and Effects dialog clear it from the Environment Map toggle. 

To do so, simply right click on the toggle and choose to Clear, from the pop up menu list.  

It’s worth noting that, clearing the Environment Map toggle will only affect the Environment display image, Not the reflections from the Reflection/Refraction environment override toggle.

At this stage you can now load back in your original background image being used for the verified view/s or Photomontage/s, in the Environment Map toggle. 

Note: In Vray, when using photographed image/s from verified views or Photomontages as back plate renders, it’s important that the background photography renders with its original colour and gamma; especially when matching lights and colours directly in 3ds max.

To ensure consistency, one might need to change the image Gamma settings to, Override 1.0. 

     

Furthermore, you’ll be required to set your V-Ray: Color mapping NOT to Affect background. 

Finally, once satisfied with the reflections, the environment map colours, the lighting and with the cameras; you may choose to save the render presets for each camera (i.e. cam 1, cam2, etc).

To save render presets, simply click on the Save Preset option. 

When the Select Preset Categories dialog pops up, I often choose all of them, because it saves the render output size, the render elements, the reflections, the environment, etc.

However, some users prefer only few specific categories. 

To save different light settings and positions, choose the Manage Scene states in addition to render presets. 

Unlike render presets, scene states are NOT saved outside 3ds Max; instead, they are only stored in the 3d scene they have originated from.

So if you choose to merge your 3d scene (with presaved scene states) into a new one Max file; the chances are, you will automatically lose all your pre-saved scene states. 

The Save button allows users to save their parts/categories.

Note: After saving a scene state, ensure that NO new objects or lights are added into the scene; otherwise you might be required to resave all the scene states again.

The Restorebutton allows users to restore their presaved scene state/s.

Note: You need to select your saved scene state first, before restoring it.

When selecting the Parts/categories of the scene to save, make sure you don’t save the environment settings again (override), if already saved from the render preset. 

Only save light related parts/categories and layers.

Some users may prefer to make things less complicated (No render presets), by opting to use the Scene states only, when saving the light properties, layers and the environment settings.

However, they should take into consideration that, when using numerous cameras and environments; different reflections will also be required. 

And currently, the Environment Part/category from the Scene States doesn't have the option save the V-Ray Environment settings.   

I hope you have found this article somehow interesting!

Ta

Please also check:    

My 3D Portfolio:

New Book: 3D Photorealistic Rendering: Interiors & Exteriors with V-Ray and 3ds Max

Post-production techniques

Essential tips & tricks for VRay & mental ray

Photorealistic Rendering

Creating Customised IES lights

Realistic materials

Creating a velvet/suede material 

FoxRenderfarm

www.arroway-textures.com 

Renderpeople

epictor.com

3d: Creating customised IES web lights for vray or mental ray

mental ray and vray - Hy Friends Make 3D Site,This Article Title is mental ray and vray, check it out.

3d: Creating customised IES web lights for vray or mental ray
3d: Creating customised IES web lights for vray or mental ray

mental ray and vray

The following tutorial assumes that the user has a basic knowledge of creating and using “VRayIES” and “Photometric” lights parameters.

Also, check my New Book: 3D Photorealistic Rendering: Interiors & Exteriors with V-Ray and 3ds Max

While “Photometric” and “VRayIES” lights are used to load the IES web files, the following tutorial will focus mainly in customising IES web files through the use of “Creator IES” software, as opposed to general photometric light functionalities.

This ingenious piece of software was created by Karba, and can easily be found and downloaded by simply googling the following: ies creator download

I personally couldn't find more details about the creator/Author, therefore resorting to google in order to download the software.

The WinRar Zip file shouldn’t be any bigger than 202 kb in size.
Once unzipped and installed, simply place its icon on the desktop, and double click it to open its dialog box.

Professionals frequently choose this software to create unique IES light patterns that differ from the commonly seen/used by most artists/visualisers.

Please note that, in real projects, users are strongly advised to ask for permission from the designated lighting designer before using this artistic approach!

The “Creator IES” dialog provides users with the unsurpassed ability to create IES web files “from scratch”, or by simply editing a loaded one.

Its dialog box consists of two representations of the light pattern:
Curve editor graph, and picture thumbnail.

The Curve editor depicts a graph of the IES light pattern (i.e. red line). The entire length of the curve represents different parts of the light pattern, which can be easily edited by simply clicking and dragging (upwards or downwards) on any part of the curve.

The adjacent picture thumbnail depicts the resulting image from the curve editor shape, in real time.

The “before and after” images below highlight how the “Creator IES” software can easily and intuitively create an IES web file “from scratch”.

Below are some of its core parameters:

Area of editing- This function sets the type of editing by simply dragging its target slider either to the left, or to the right.

The default value is 1.0. Values below 1.0 yield sharp light patterns when the curve graph is edited.

Values above 1.0 yield softer light patterns when the curve graph is edited.

Brightness- This function sets the intensity of the IES light pattern by simply dragging its target slider to the left, or to the right.

The default value is 1.0. It’s worth noting that, this function’s values are for previewing purposes only; therefore will have no impact on the shape or intensity of the relevant light being used in the 3D scene.


In order to physically increase or decrease the brightness/intensity of the IES web file, users are required to do it directly in the 3D scene.

Away from wall- This function depicts the light pattern shape against a surface/wall depending how close/tight the IES light is away from it, by simply dragging its target slider.

Values above 1.0 increase the gap between the IES light patterns while dimming it.

Values below 1.0 yield opposite effects, with brighter results. It’s worth noting that, this function’s values are for previewing purposes only; therefore will have no impact on the shape or intensity of the relevant IES light being used in the 3D scene.

Save- This toggle allows users to save the edited IES file, by simply clicking on its icon.

Load- This toggle allows users to load an IES file from a location, by simply clicking on its icon.

Reset- This button enables users to reset the edited/ loaded IES file, by simply clicking on its icon.

After creating and saving the IES web file, go to the 3D scene and load it in its respective toggle and render the results.
It’s worth mentioning that the IES light object may change its shape depending on the IES light parameters.

Please note that, every time a change is made and the IES file is re-saved, users are required to re-load the file in the 3D scene in order for changes to take effect in the render.

The first 3D render below depicts a space lit with a standard/common IES web file used by most artists.

The second and third 3D render depict a customised IES web file.

P.S: To download specific IES light data for a client, please visit the following websites:


ERCO

Philips 

I hope you have found this article somehow useful!

My 3D Portfolio:

New Book: 3D Photorealistic Rendering: Interiors & Exteriors with V-Ray and 3ds Max


More tips and Tricks:

Post-production techniques

Tips & tricks for architectural Visualisation: Part 1

Essential tips & tricks for VRay & mental ray

Photorealistic Rendering

Realistic materials

Creating a velvet/suede material 

FoxRenderfarm

www.arroway-textures.com 

Renderpeople

epictor.com




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