Itoo Software Forum

Author Topic: rcOfficeGenerator WIP + Questions and challenges  (Read 443 times)

Lars Egerrup / LKE Design

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 62
    • LKE design website
rcOfficeGenerator WIP + Questions and challenges
« on: September 02, 2020, 05:01:40 PM »
Since corona has been updated, now supporting RailClone (RC) 4's Material by segment function as well as RC's new compose by group functionlity, - a whole new world has
opened to me. I can now use RC both as a construction tool and as a layout tool  - which I have been dreaming of for years!!!

I have previously shown a very complicated setup of my rcOfficeGenerator, - this has now been totally redone.
The setup has become much simpler due to the compose by group functionality that enables you to group things "on top of eachother"and let it act as one object further
down the line.

The shown setup is generated using one and only one setup.

The work seats are handled by splines with matID's telling the setup whether it's a single row left or right or a double row. This is done by having two similar L2S generators with an overlapping mat ID limit range and reverse direction as the only difference.

All work seats are based and calculated from the size of the size of the table and the gaps around it. Both the tables and the chairs are divided in a top and a bottom part,
enabling you to differ slightly in table height and seat height. The chair as also the opportunity to rotate the bottom part around Z, so the chair wheels are not having the exact same position.

All the objects standing on the table placed using a macro that lookup the size (width, depth and height) of the current table - and then place the items due to a predefined grid, dividing the table in 2x3 zones , with a set offset range. Idealy, which is not working totally yet, but I'm working on it. all items are placed in relation to the nearest table edge - apart from the two zones in the middle of the width of the table, that are set relation to the tables center and then some range on both sides of this center. In the end, when all works fine, I should be able to put in any worktable with sizes between  120 x 70 cm - 200 x 100 cm and everything on the table should automatically adapt to fit the table top. The rotation of the objects are also preset with a randomized range.

All models in the setup are proxies, giving a very lightweight rc setup, despite it's complexity.

Of course many more items can be randomized in the setup, - but I have kept it down for now, while I develop the setup.


Challanges:
The first challenge is to "program" the macro so that it is rebust enough to handle the placement of the items. It has shown to be a challenge to keep the items in the right distance from the edge, - and at the same time minimize the risk of collision with the other objects on the table - as you probably can see on some of the attached examples.

If you have any ideas how to manage this. please let me know. Maybe I have not seen a shipped macro that already do this??

Secondly I have some problems with the random selector - it's like it doesn't use the full range of what's on the list - mostly I get repitions within the same third of the list, and that sucks - as the risk for visible repetitions are too big then.

Its the same with the humans. It would be great if there would be a setting that made kind of a hybrid between random and sequence - as sequence doesn't work here because it will reset the list for every spline. But it should use all the items before it repeated an object. I have 20 different sitting people, but it looks like RC has some favorites that it keep using. I have tried to play with the seed values, but still the selected range is too small.


I have tried adding human models to the setup as well, and it is working surprisingly well. The distribution of these is part of the function that take care of the positioning and rotation of the chairs. I can set a range of how many seats will be occupied by sitting humans. I am just in  doubt if RC is geared to handle that many faces - or if some clever cooperation with Forest would be better?? 

I don't know if there are any way Forrest can grab the position and rotation data from each chair in the RC setup, - is yes, please let me know how.

I have come to mind that it would be cool to set some G-butter ID in the segment, - that would make it very easy to separate the objects in post.

if you have any suggestions, please let me know.
Lars Egerrup
LKE Design

E: Lars@LKEdesign.dk
W: www.LKEdesign.dk

Rokas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3324
Re: rcOfficeGenerator WIP + Questions and challenges
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2020, 05:28:00 PM »
Looks pretty cool. Thanks for sharing.

Regarding the questions it would be best if You could attach simplified max scene to illustrate the problem for each of the issues.
Rokas