nXt Studio Product

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

Here's an early look at a product I've been working on.  It's a version of nXt that runs outside of a host modeler such as AutoCAD.  Remember, it's early, so a lot of things aren't working yet.  I'm still very interested in opinions.  I'm not going to explain how it works-- I'm interested in people's reactions-- so ask questions if you need to.

Download the 64-bit version.

Download the 32-bit version.

The thing uses a file format called .nXtScene.  These are subsets of XML so you can examine the files in a variety of editors or browsers if you want.  Here are some sample files to download:

Material Scene 000.nXtScene -- A scene useful for creating materials.

Room.nXtScene -- Scott Davidson's interior model.

Aloha3.nXtScene-- One of our oldest models

To create your own nXtscene file from AutoCAD you need to download Build 313 (unannounced, but available now as the latest build.)  Set up your mdel and type (nXtWrite), parentheses and all, at the command line.  Start with smaller models first before you get very ambitious.

Let me know.

[akinlolu olugboji]

• Can I post this on twitter, g+, FB etc?
• How do you write/create nxtscene files from other CAD applications  like Revits, SketchUp, ArchiCAD etc?

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

No!  This is a prototype-- it's for users here to examine and give feedback.  It's not ready for wide release yet.

[akinlolu olugboji]

Ok then.

[akinlolu olugboji]

• Would like the some form of automatic saving for ongoing rendering.
• Would like to have a prompt to save/automatically save rendering as soon as a new file is open since rendering of new file commerces as soon as they are opened. 

[akinlolu olugboji]

Nxt studio I believe uses engine 4 as gathered from IE an nxt format saved from Nxt Studio. Only the decal does not render as compared to a similar scene render in AutoCad's nxt. 

[akinlolu olugboji]

• Materials tend to interpret differently too. The laminated glass on the left wall is opaque which might give rise to the reason why the decal is not rendering.
• Nxt studio tends not to be too stable too, as it freezes ans crashes often too.
• Some material spits out error in studio's ME too, while others loss their transparency when they are loaded in Nxt studio or during the conversion from autocad to nxt scene.

[akinlolu olugboji]

The Nxt Studio renders faster and better than its pluggin counterpart, but the ME in both are not compatible as materials form the plugin versions cannot be loaded directly into the standalone version like the one saved from the standalone version cannot be open both in the standalone ME and within the plugin version. 

[Esau]

Fantastic news, I'll prove it =)

[akinlolu olugboji]

It does not load RPC's too.

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

No decals in the Studio version.  No difference in render speed-- it's the same e4 as the plugin.  Haven't gotten around to RPCs yet--  although you definitely won't be able to switch views within the Studio product and have the RPCs orient correctly.

You can load legacy material files into Studio-- just select that file type when it prompts you to open a file.

The materials have been updated to bring them more into line with industry standards-- so yes, there is a different format.  If you have a material that isn't translating properly send it.

If you have something that crashes consistently let me know.

[akinlolu olugboji]

Same folder opened in both ME(right)  and Nxt Studio (left) one (Material Editor)  showed the materials while the other (nxt Studio) showed nothing. 

[akinlolu olugboji]

Those are some of the materials not translating well.The Clearest spits out an error message in Nxt Studio ME.

Will attach the Nxt Studio version of this materials here.