E-on Software's Vue 6 Revealed Book

Introduction     xiii
Foreword     xiv
Over Vue     3
Explore the Vue Workspace     7
Using the Main Environment     8
Steps: Launch Vue and Work with the Viewports     12
Explore the Window Controls     14
Learning the Interactive Controls     15
Steps: Interactively Select, Move, Rotate, and Scale Elements in a Viewport     15
Using the Vue 6 Infinite Gizmos     16
Steps: Select and Move Elements in Vue 6 Infinite     16
Explore the Control Panel     19
Explore the Object Panel     23
Learning the Object Buttons     24
Explore the World Panels     27
Exploring the Aspect/Numerics/Animation Panel     28
Steps: Learn the Objects Area     28
Exploring the Main Camera Panel     29
Steps: Learn the Materials Area     29
Learn the Library Area     29
Exploring the Objects/Materials/Library/Links Panel     30
Steps: Learn the Links Window     30
Set Preferences in Vue     31
Understanding the Preferences/Options Panel     32
Steps: The General Preferences Window     32
Understanding the Display OptionsWindow     37
Understanding the Operations Window     42
What You Have Learned     43
Key Terms from This Chapter     43
Creating a Basic Scene in Vue     45
Select Atmospheric Conditions     48
Steps: Change the Atmosphere     49
Performing a Quick Render of the Atmosphere     51
Steps: Perform a Quick Render     51
Add Infinite Planes to the Scene     52
Selecting and Renaming Elements     53
Steps: Rename an Object     53
Deleting an Object from the Scene     54
Steps: Delete an Object     54
Saving Your File     54
Steps: Save Your Scene     55
Build a Basic Scene     56
Opening a Saved Document     57
Steps: Open a Saved Scene     58
Creating a Space Scene     59
Steps: Save a Space Scene     59
Add Elements to Your Scene     60
Populate the Scene     60
Steps: Populate a Scene     61
Scale Your Objects     66
Begin to Organize     67
Assign Basic Materials     69
Fix the Shadows     71
What You Have Learned      73
Key Terms from This Chapter     73
Manipulating Terrains     75
Select and Place Terrains     78
Steps: Place a Terrain     79
Design Your Terrain     82
Using Terrain Styles and Saving an Original Terrain     88
Steps: Save a New Terrain     88
Opening and Placing a Saved Terrain     90
Steps: Place a Terrain in a Scene     90
Modify Terrains Interactively     91
Using Paint to Create a Unique Terrain     91
Steps: Paint a Terrain     92
Make Global Effects and Changes to Your Terrain     95
Adding Global Effects     95
Steps: Experiment with Global Changes     96
Use Image Maps to Create Terrains     97
Blending Image Files and Terrains     98
Steps: Blend a Terrain and an Image File     98
Learn the Terrain Options     100
Designing a Terrain Using Options     101
Steps: Use the Terrain Options     101
What You Have Learned     103
Key Terms from This Chapter     103
Discovering Booleans and Metablobs     105
Set the Scene for Booleans     108
Selecting and Adding Primitive Objects      110
Steps: Manipulate Primitive Objects     110
Exploring Nondestructive Technology     114
Steps: Use Nondescructive Technology     114
Explore the Vue Workspace     115
Assigning Materials to Individual Booleaned Objects     116
Steps: Add Materials to Objects     116
Combine Multiple Booleans on a Single Object     119
Mixing and Matching Boolean Operations-Creating a Coffee Cup     120
Steps: Make a Coffee Cup from Booleans     120
Opening and Placing a Saved Terrain     120
Save the Cup     124
Use Metablobs-Funny Name, Cool Results     125
Convert to Metablobs     127
Create Objects Using Metablobs     128
Add Materials to Metablobs     134
What You Have Learned     136
Key Terms from This Chapter     136
Adding Vegetation and Solid Growth Technology     139
Add, Select, and Position Plants in a Scene Using Solid Growth Technology     142
Creating a Basic Beach Scene     143
Steps: Experiment with Solid Growth     143
Use the Drop and Smart Drop Commands     147
Steps: Use Smart Drop     149
Finesse Your Scene      152
Making the Beach Look More Realistic     152
Use the Plant Editor to Create Vegetation     155
Making a Real-World Tree     156
Steps: Make a Tree     156
Creating an Alien Plant Species     163
Steps: Create an Alien Plant     163
What You Have Learned     165
Key Terms from This Chapter     165
The Atmosphere Editor-Part 1     167
Explore the Atmosphere Editor Controls     171
Modify and Save a Standard Atmosphere     174
Creating Your Own Atmosphere from an Existing One     175
Steps: Modify an Existing Atmosphere     176
Editing Color Maps     182
Steps: Modify the Sun Color Set     182
Change and Add Clouds to the Scene     184
Adding and Modifying Cloud Layers     185
Steps: Add a Cloud Layer     185
Adding Terrains to Flesh Out the Scene     190
Steps: Add Terrains     190
Add Fog and Haze     192
Creating Fog and Haze     193
Steps: Add Realism with Fog and Haze     193
Saving Your Atmosphere     196
Steps: Save Your Atmosphere     196
Create Volumetric Atmospheres      197
Modifying Your Existing Atmosphere with Volumetrics     198
Steps: Create a Volumetric Atmosphere     198
Use the Environment Mapping Style     200
Tweaking Your Atmosphere with Environment Mapping     201
Steps: Use Envirnoment Mapping     201
What You Have Learned     205
Key Terms from This Chapter     205
Texturing with the Basic Material Editor     207
Work with the Basic Material Editor     211
Modifying a Material's Color Settings     212
Steps: Modify Color Settings     212
Use Pre-Set Mixed Materials and Mix Your Own Materials     216
Designing Your Own Material     217
Steps: Design a Material     217
Combine Pre-Set Materials and Image Maps     222
Adding Graffiti to a Brick Wall     223
Steps: Add an Image Map to an Object     223
Tweaking Your Graffiti Using UV Mapping     224
Steps: Use UV Mapping     224
Create Material Layers     227
Adding Layers for Your Materials     228
Steps: Add a Layer     228
What You Have Learned     230
Key Terms from This Chapter     230
Building Textures Using the Advanced Texture Editor     233
Advance Your Material Editing     237
Recreating a Cube with Displacement Mapping     238
Steps: Use Displacement Mapping     238
Use Filters to Change Texture and Bump Appearances     242
Using a Filter to Modify a Material     243
Steps: Use Filters in a New Way     243
Affecting Bumps and Displacements with Filters     246
Steps: Use Filters to Affect Bumps and Displacements     246
Create and Save Your Own Filters     249
Creating an Original Filter from an Existing Filter     250
Steps: Create Your Own Filter     250
Harness the Power of Hypertextures     254
Using Hypertextures to Create a Shrub     255
Steps: Work with Hypertextures     255
Change Materials on Objects     258
Modifying an Object with Numerous Sections     259
Steps: Modify Numerous Sections     259
Use Highlights and Reflectivity     263
Adding Sheen to a Marble     264
Steps: Work with Highlights and Reflectivity     264
Employ Subsurface Scattering     267
Adding Gloss to Your Statue with Subsurface Scattering     268
Steps: Learn to Use Subsurface Scattering      268
Employ Dispersion     270
Using Dispersion to Emulate Light Passing Through an Object     271
Steps: Experiment with Dispersion     271
What You Have Learned     275
Key Terms from This Chapter     275
Ecosystems     277
Turn Materials into Ecosystems     280
Assigning an Ecosystem     284
Steps: Create Your First Ecosystem     284
Assigning Multiple Items to an Ecosystem     287
Steps: Assign Items to Your Ecosystem     287
Changing Density     289
Steps: Adjust the Density of Your Ecosystem     289
Changing Color     290
Steps: Adjust the Colors of Your Ecosystem     290
Define Ecosystems by Altitude and Material Placement     291
Assigning an Ecosystem Based on Height     292
Steps: Assign an Ecosystem Based on Height     292
Using Materials for Placement     294
Steps: Use Material Assignment     294
Using Bitmaps to Assign Ecosystems     296
Steps: Use Bitmaps to Assign Materials to Your Scene     296
Create Ecosystems that Interact with Foreign Objects     301
Controlling the Placement of Ecosystem Instances      302
Steps: Control Ecosystem Instances     302
Create Interactive Ecosystems with the Paint Tool     304
Painting Your Ecosystem     306
Steps: Paint Your Ecosystem     306
Understanding What the Select Ecosystem Instances Button Does     309
Steps: Explore the Select Ecosystem Instances Button     309
What You Have Learned     311
Key Terms from This Chapter     311
The Atmosphere Editor-Part 2     313
Perform Spectral Analysis and Work with Godrays     317
Changing to and Setting Up Spectral Atmospheres and Godrays     318
Steps: Add Some Godrays     319
Filtering Clouds (and Functions, Too)     324
Use Filters and Functions to Change Cloud Appearance     324
Steps: Filter Clouds     325
Completing Your Scene     330
Steps: Finish and Populate the Scene     330
Work with Metaclouds     331
Building a Scene with Metaclouds     335
Steps: Add Metaclouds to Your Scene     335
What You Have Learned     339
Key Terms from This Chapter     339
The Numerics Control Panel     341
Make Changes by the Numbers     344
Understanding 3D Numerics     345
Steps: Experiment with 3D Numerics     346
Defining the Other Numeric Controls     347
Reposition Objects in a Scene     349
Steps: Use Numerics to Reposition Objects     350
Adding Buildings     352
Steps: Use Cube Primitives for Buildings     352
Positioning as a Group     355
Steps: Copy and Paste Objects as a Group     355
What You Have Learned     357
Key Terms from This Chapter     357
Let There Be Light     359
Understand the Lighting Controls     362
Understanding the Light Control Panel     364
Steps: Work with the Light Control Panel     364
Using the Basic Lighting Controls     366
Steps: Work with Lighting Controls     366
Adding Lighting Effects     367
Steps: Use Special Lighting Effects     367
Use Lights to Enhance a Scene     370
Positioning Lights in Space     371
Steps: Position Your Lights     371
What You Have Learned     377
Key Terms from This Chapter     377
Working with Cameras     379
Learn the Main Camera Controls     382
Using the Blur and Focus Controls     384
Steps: Add Depth with the Focal and Blur Settings     384
Adding a Background Image     387
Steps: Add a Background Image     387
Change the Focal Length     391
Adding Focal Anomalies     392
Steps: Experiment with the Focal Length     392
Use the Advanced Camera Options and the Camera Manager Controls     394
Learning the Advanced Camera Options     396
Steps: Experiment with the Advanced Camera Options     396
Using the Camera Manager     399
Steps: Add a Camera to Your Scene     399
Linking a Camera to an Object     401
Steps: Link Your New Camera to an Object     401
What You Have Learned     405
Key Terms from This Chapter     405
Rendering Features     407
Use the Select Render Area Tool     410
Rendering a Select Area     411
Steps: Render a Specific Area     411
Use Special Render Settings     413
Using G-Buffer and Multi-Pass Rendering     415
Steps: Render with G-Buffer and Multi-Pass Techniques     415
Setting Size and Resolution     418
Steps: Set Size and Resolution      418
What You Have Learned     421
Key Terms from This Chapter     421
Getting Animated     423
Explore the Animation Setup Wizard     426
Animating an Object-The Animation Setup Wizard     428
Steps: Animate an Airplane     428
Animating an Object-The Timeline     435
Steps: Test Your Animation     436
Making Changes to an Animated Object     438
Steps: Change an Animated Object Interactively     438
Working on Individual Object Settings     440
Steps: Change Animation Settings     440
Work with Wind Effects     444
Controlling the Wind     445
Steps: Work with Wind Effects     445
Animating Clouds     446
Steps: Animate Clouds to Add Reality     446
Incorporate Ventilators in Your Scenes     447
Adding, Attaching, and Animating Ventilators     448
Steps: Learn to Use Ventilators     448
Link and Track Objects     452
Linking Asteroids to Each Other     453
Steps: Link Asteriods     453
What You Have Learned     455
Key Terms from This Chapter     455
Glossary     456
Index      461