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Max-imizing Your Revit Model for Better Design Visualizations A Revit users guide to enhancing your model in Autodesk 3ds Max for use in almost any rendering software Rob Terry - Visual Communications Specialist - Stantec Alonso Rodriguez - Architect, BIM manager - Stantec Description You’re a great designer. You’re Revit-software savvy. You’ve even dabbled a bit in generating some visuals for that next design review—and they’re actually pretty good. But you’re not satisfied with just pretty good—never have been, never will be. You know that in order to bring your visualizations to the next level, impress your clients, and win more jobs, you need a way to add more detail, incorporate better entourage with more accurate materials and lighting, smooth camera paths, and maybe add a little movement to those ceiling fans. Not to mention, with all of the rendering options out there, which should you choose? Raytracing? Virtual reality? Real time? No matter your needs, 3ds Max software has you covered. Discover new techniques and some simple tools that, when added to your workflow, give you the power to make “pretty good” become “great!” This session features 3ds Max, Autodesk Stingray, and Revit Architecture. AIA Approved

Learning Objectives • Understand the strategies of preparing, linking and organizing your Autodesk

Revit models within Autodesk 3ds Max • Explore ways to enhance and add detail to your models with tools currently

unavailable in Autodesk Revit • Learn various techniques for applying textures and creating accurate materials • Explore Best Practices for preparing your model for render time while examining

various rendering software and technologies.

Your AU Expert Although growing up loving to draw, Rob traded in his pencil for a mouse the moment he first animated a bouncing ball with 3D modeling software at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. The bouncing ball soon gave way to a teapot as he honed his skills as a 3D artist and animator with 20 years of professional experience as both a production assistant and art director of many wide-ranging architecture projects in the corporate, hospitality, themed entertainment, and simulation industries. As a 3ds Max Certified Professional and visualization specialist for international design firm Stantec who uses the latest technologies to help develop customized workflows, Rob facilitates the design process while providing high-quality still renderings, animations, and real-time, interactive previsualization. His clients include Walt Disney Imagineering, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Florida Hospital, Merlin Entertainment, and United States Army Corps of Engineers. Your AU Expert Alonso is a licensed architect, LEED Accredited Professional, and a Certified Revit Professional. He has worked with Hospitality, Mixed-Use, Themed Entertainment, and Department of Defense clients including Disney, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Hilton Hotels, Florida Hospital and US Army Corps of Engineers. After graduating from Virginia Tech in 2009, Alonso joined Real Designs BIM Consulting in Northern Virginia. That opportunity led Alonso to VOA Associates who had a great reputation in the military sector. Today, he works primarily on hospitality and themed entertainment projects both large and small for domestic and international clients. VOA has recently joined the Stantec family and now works with the extended BIM team. DESIGN * ENHANCE * PRESENT

Introduction: The Innovation of Integration (We’re all pioneers of our own workflow) As designers, we’re inherently creative beings. We think, learn, make mistakes, try again, solve problems and we love to make things. We’re proud to see the final product in all its glory – whatever form that may take – but does the old adage still holds true for us? That ‘getting there is half the fun.’ It should be right? But often it is not; Deadlines, bottlenecks, miscommunication affect us all…and many of us are like Zack, constantly complaining about “Why this is taking so (censored) long?” and “There must be a better way to do this in Revit!” …Although, we all know there’s more than one way to skin a cat, we’re likely not aware of all those ways so we must research, explore, take chances and like a good chef, experiment until we find which ingredients work best for our particular recipe. The extensive and powerful toolset of 3dsMax opens the door to new ways of thinking, providing a key ingredient that helps us push our designs further, enhances our presentations and better communicates our visions with the team and our clients, all while making the journey a bit more enjoyable.

So why do we do it this way? Designing better experiences Every project presents its own unique set of challenges that create opportunities to find new, better ways of doing things. Adapting to those challenges and our flexibility enables us to exceed expectations and be successful. When we think we’ve hit the wall we keep pushing and find a way to climb over it. Our experience allows us to break the rules and empowers us to explore alternative techniques that fine-tune our workflow, make the journey more efficient and enjoyable while achieving a better end result. We use the Revit to 3dsMax workflow on almost every project we work on; from a small hotel guestroom renovation, to Hospitals and Universities and even entire theme parks.

• ‘One Team, One Dream’ - Working Together

We work in a visual industry and we need the visualizations to accurately correspond with all aspects of the entire team’s vision. Weaving the various design disciplines into the visualization workflow took time and dedication, but the culture of an office where the design and visualization department share a unified vision increases our ability to achieve our goals.

• It’s Not JUST About the Pretty Picture - How We Get There By integrating BIM models from the architecture, landscape, and interior designer teams into the visualization workflow from the project’s inception, we can keep the design model and presentation model aligned from concept to delivery. We begin working on the project context while seamlessly integrating design changes, generating accurate, up-to-date snapshots of the evolving design that helps us make more informed decisions and explore various design options.

• The Right Tool for the Job - Design Tool vs. Presentation Tool

Detailed chandelier or a soft pillow in Revit model? Contextual detail (CRAZY DETAIL) retail store items, theming elements Lighting, cameras, animation

REVIT GEOMETRY SUITABLE FOR DDS ENHANCED IN 3DS MAX FOR FINAL CONCEPT

Don’t Be Like Zack This class was inspired in part by Zack, a co-worker and fellow Revit user. I think there is a little bit of Zack in all of us. He’s creative, witty and intelligent, sometimes late for work but certainly dedicated; and like many of us; he is frustrated by the burdens of pressing deadlines, outdated methods and lack of free time. He knows there’s a better way and one day he’s going to find it. He promises he’s going to learn 3ds Max but is admittedly intimidated by it. Don’t Be like Zack. Certainly, 3ds Max is a robust tool used in many industries and as you might imagine, there could be and likely is an entire class dedicated to just one aspect of any one of these topics right down the hall. This class is more of a broad brush exposure to 3ds Max, highlighting some simple tools and techniques intended to remove that intimidation factor as well as to inform, excite and inspire you with the possibilities that 3dsMax adds to your current workflow. DESIGN – Revit Masters, Do Your Thing! Revit Prep: Doing it right from the beginning, Best Practices • Assign relevant material definitions to all elements of the model (the key to proper

linking) – avoid the dreaded generic materials (script that highlights generic materials) • Model Federation: strategic separation of model elements examples: buildings/areas, hardscape, roof tiles, shell & core, interiors. • Export .FBX files instead of just linking the whole Revit model into Max. - Setting up 3d views of all separate exports allows for additional customization.

- Having multiple .FBX files will save time on reload. THINGS WILL CHANGE, don’t reload the whole project just because the (window) locations have changed • Exclude unnecessary model data. i.e. If you’re only working on exterior, no need to

include furniture sets or plumbing.

Max Prep: • Project path – Organization is crucial. • Units setup. Make sure it matches your project. • Link .FBX file (combine) by materials – Each import comes in its own layer.

Once you have linked your files, they each have their own unique layer in Max and you can begin adding context to your model, but remember: THINGS WILL CHANGE, so…

• Prepare to reload…a lot. – One of the most valuable benefits to this workflow is how we

can add detail to the presentation model without breaking the link to the actual design model. Designs change right up to the end, so as we’re adding necessary detail, setting up the lights and environment or experimenting with texture settings, we can allow the design to evolve naturally. When modifications happen to one of the exported models from Revit, you will see a red flag next to the linked file indicating there is an update.

ENHANCE – It’s Good…How Can We Make it Better? Modeling - Entourage - Animation - Materials

Modeling Don’t over-inflate your Revit model with detail you don’t need. The level of detail you need for your design documents is often less than what you need when generating client review shots or

marketing materials so we employ many techniques that keep the Revit file size down while being able to show off the details. • Themed Stone Archway Example - (polygon or box modeling) Modeling OVER less detailed element of Revit model is a common practice. In this example, we used the geometry of the Revit model as a “framework” to model more

detailed stonework on top of it. By starting with a basic primitive object, we manipulate it either by moving actual faces or vertices and/or by the use of modifiers until it starts the take the form we need and then duplicate it to make subtle variations and re-create a more detailed version better suited to help tell the story. -Object creation: box primitive parameters: segments, size, etc. -Adding Modifiers: modifiers give us additional flexibility by providing unique ways to manipulate the geometry until we reach the desired result. Each modifier added to the stack affects the object and modifiers below it. Modifiers can be moved up and down the stack, turned off and on to achieve various results in a non-destructive way. - Understanding The Stack: Fundamental concept of modeling in 3dsMax -parametric -additive -non-destructive - transforms: move, rotate, scale.

MODIFIERS AFFECTING BASE

OBJECT IN THE STACK

USING MODIFIERS, WE ADD DETAIL TO A SIMPLE FORM TO MAKE IT MORE BELIEVABLE.

• The Chandelier example (spline based modeling) Spline based modeling is another technique used for many objects and is extremely versatile. Finely detailed models can come from very simple shapes. We can loft a simple curved shape around a circle to make a vase or a bowl or using certain spline based modifiers, we can add significantly more detail. Since the modifiers act upon the original spline in a non-destructive way, we can manipulate the shape of the original spline on a sub-object level, i.e. move the position of a vertex and those changes propagate through the stack and affect the end result.

Since most of the parameters in the modifiers we use to shape the model are animate-able, it is a helpful tool for shape and form exploration.

ADDING MODIFIERS TO A SIMPLE SPLINE OBJECT CAN YIELD SOPHISTICATED RESULTS

• Softening things up – Example 1: Tablecloth In this example, you’re highlighting an area of your restaurant design and the table needs to be “set” for a series of image for the client to review. The ‘cloth’ modifier is an excellent step into the simulation abilities found in 3ds Max. Using a simple plane object as the cloth and the table top as the “collision” object, you add a level of realism to the scene. This process can also be used for draping blankets over couches or comforters over beds.

THE CLOTH MODIFIER DRAPES A PLANE OVER A TABLE.

• Softening things up – Example 2: Pillow The cloth modifier is also helpful to when you need to model custom furniture that actually needs to look comfortable. For example, couch cushions or a soft pillow.

Entourage – additional site context Sometimes, the building is the easy part. The design in context is what really sells it. From landscaping elements to a crowd of people to the multitude of items on a retail stores shelves, these extra elements are necessary yet tedious to place in your scene. These tools and techniques can make things more manageable. • Populate tool

The presence of people in a scene helps define the story and purpose of a space; they add scale, texture, and motion. Found on the ribbon, the populate tool makes it easy to add dynamically animated groups of people walking or milling about. Once you define the areas, you can control density, appearance, gender, etc.

POPULATE ALLOWS YOU TO QUICKLY ADD THE HUMAN ELEMENT TO YOUR SCENE

THE ‘PRESSURE’ SETTING IN THE CLOTH MODIFIER EXPANDS THE PILLOW

• Object Paint

Trees, shrubs, rocks…hundreds of books on a shelf. No need for plugins or 3rd party software packages that handle the task of mass object placement. Object Paint, also found on the ribbon, makes placing multiple items in your scene easy, while providing options for both precise and broad placement control.

PAINT WITH ONE OR MULTIPLE OBJECTS ON ANY GEOMETRY IN YOUR SCENE

• Staging items – the simple glass bowl of fruit, an open book on the coffee table or a fancy telescope by the balcony window. These are just some of the things that may be needed in your scene to help tell the story. Often we can find these objects from various resources on the internet or your favorite 3d model store. we’ve found that in many cases, it takes less time to model the object than it does to find the specific item we need. Even complex items typically start with a simple object.

-modeling a bowl – an exercise of options Here we break down several ways to model the same object, each with it’s own set of benefits that will help familiarize you with some additional modeling concepts.

• Additional resources and plug-ins (RPC, Forest Pack Pro, etc.) Autodesk Creative Market www.turbosquid.com www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/plugins

Animation (objects AND/OR camera) From a dynamic camera path to a daylight study to complex ride vehicle dynamics, the element of animation adds another dimension to any visualization. Even in a still image, the perception of motion is compelling. In 3ds Max, you can add animation to almost EVERY parameter of an object.

• Intro to the timeline and track editor

THE TIMELINE SHOWS THE KEYFRAMES OF AN ANIMATED OBJECT

THE TRACK VIEW ALLOWS FOR ADDITIONAL CONTROL OF YOUR ANIMATED OBJECTS

• Turning on the ceiling fan. (for sequences or motion blur for stills) -linking/rigging -use helper objects -motion tab -keyframe vs. expression controller

-out of range types (applying theory to more complex objects) show variable? • Flag in the wind- or maybe curtains – revisiting the cloth modifier • Animating along a path -car/plane/bird, etc. -spline based path for camera (walkthroughs, etc.)

Materials, Textures & Shaders Good materials with properly applied textures can hide many flaws in objects that are poorly modeled just as easily as a bad material can ruin a great model. So when we need to create that perfect brick texture for our building, to ensure it will render with all those brick-like qualities we’ve come to expect, we need to wrap it up in the best shader or material for the job. Some common choices are the mental ray Arch&Design material used with the mental ray and iRay renderer or at an additional cost of the plug-in, Vray is a fine alternative. Autodesk’s new material, the Physical Material is perfect for design

SLATE - THE NODE BASED MATERIAL EDITOR

visualization, and was developed in conjunction with the new physically based ray tracing engine aptly named ART or Autodesk Raytracer.

Assigning or Re-assigning materials As mentioned earlier, we will typically re-assign the imported materials of the Revit models with one that allows a bit more control over certain attributes and typically yields a more refined result.

• manual conversion • Autodesk Scene Converter • additional scripts (AMC)

Physical Material - Quick look at settings

CHANGING THE MATERIAL MANUALLY AUTODESK SCENE CONVERTER AUTOMATES THE PROCESS

Fixing bad UV’s (wait, what are UV’s?) Nothing ruins a great model faster than improperly aligned textures. The grain of the wood or the direction on the brick pattern and how that pattern might take a corner play a big role in the believability of any texture. • UVW map for simple objects

-planar, spherical, box, etc.

• Spline based unwrap (brick or cobblestone pathway)

BRICK EDGE PATTERN FOLLOWS CONTOUR BASED ON SPLINE • UnWrap UV for added detail and control of texture position

USING UV UNWRAP TO PROPERLY POSITION GEOMETRY OVER IMAGE

EXAMPLE OF IMPROPERLY ALIGNED TEXTURES

• for rendering UVW templates (seams and peel)

UNWRAPPED GEOMETRY RENDERED AS TEMPLATE TO ADD DETAIL IN PAINT PROGRAM

PRESENT – Time to Show Off! So your model is looking good, your materials are all setup and you’re ready to roll…This is where things start to get even more interesting! This is an exciting time in our industry, as the confluence of emerging technologies with new hardware and software platforms offer a multitude of rendering solutions, it’s hard to keep track of them all-- Cloud rendering, Ray tracing, real-time, VR, etc. Whether an early concept design review or time for final output, Max has a solution for you...and it’s easier than you think. As much as I believe good materials can make or break a good model, l believe that lighting is equally, if not more important to creating a good image. Enter the ART renderer. The ART renderer is a physically accurate renderer that’s fast and very simple to use. Its support of IES, photometric and daylighting from Revit and use of image based lighting make it ideal for model studies, design reviews or final production renders.

Setting up the Camera(s)

• New physical camera Settings -Target vs free -exposure -DOF/Motion Blur

• Composition tips -Rule of thirds -Verticals -Framing -Leading lines/angles

Adding Environment and lights (photometric) • Sun Positioner -physical settings -material settings • Image based lighting- HDRI • Target/Free lights • Exposure Control

Active Shade -When used in conjunction with ART, the Active Shade Rendering preview window gives you near instant feedback of your final rendering and updates as you work and edit your model or material settings.

Final Render The ART Render is physically based so photorealistic results can be achieved quite easily. The quality refines progressively depending on the dB or ‘noise’ settings. You can set a quality level or a specific amount of time and your image will continue to refine until it hits that limit. A noise filtering option helps reduce noise at a slight cost to detail.

EXPOSURE CONTROL SETTING FOR THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF LIGHT IN YOUR SCENE

ART RENDER DIALOG

Prepping files for use in external rendering platforms 3rd Party rendering applications and game engines are being used more and more in our industry and allow for real-time interaction with our designs. Some of these applications may not recognize all of the attributes of either the geometry or material settings in your scene and we may have situations where we need to distribute the model to different rendering packages that require different material settings. Instead of saving multiple versions of the same scene, we often utilize a convenient tool called “Manage Scene States” where we can modify certain aspects of our scene while retaining settings that make it more compatible for export to other packages. For instance, we can save a scene state that only retains preferred material assignments while we refine the model and prepare for one rendering engine, and when necessary, we can restore the scene state that has our previously saved material settings. Exporting to 3rd party renderers usually requires an added bit of organization with your max scene as well. We take advantage of ‘Selection sets’ quite extensively. Similar to Layers, Selection Sets are a convenient way to add additional control over grouping and selecting certain parts of you model. However, since the introduction of the Autodesk Stingray game engine which has a bi-directional link between it and 3ds Max, the process of migrating your scene is much simpler.

• Stingray • Lumion • Unreal Engine

Are We Done Yet? Post work – 2 minutes in Photoshop. As realistic as these rendering can look right out of the box, a couple of minutes in your favorite post processing software can often add an even greater level of realism.

• HDR toning • Adjust levels • Glare layer

SCENE STATES KEEP VERSIONS OF YOUR SCENE SAVED WITH THE PARAMETERS OF YOUR CHOICE

BI-DIRECTIONAL TRANSFER OF MODE DATA TO THE STINGRAY ENGINE RIGHT FROM THE MAX INTERFACE

Design Visualization should support exploration and validation while communicating all design disciplines and in all phases the project. Clear and accurate visual communication is fundamental to our success and we’ve established a culture of collaboration and an effective workflow that ensures we achieve success for ourselves and our communities. We hope that this class have provided some insight to our approach, inspired you to explore the boundaries of our industry and allows you to enjoy the process even more. And Remember…

Don’t Be Like Zack

Thanks for coming.

Rob Terry:

robert.terry@stantec.com

Twitter: @3dRobt

Alonso Rodriguez:

alonso.rodriguez@stantec.com

Twitter:

Resources:

Exploring the ART Renderer in 3ds Max: https://youtu.be/3Iz-hFR_FDI

Autodesk 3ds Max Learning Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/3dsMaxHowTos