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Unity creates new open source tool for architects

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Re: Unity creates new open source tool for architects

#41

Post by wlesieutre »

eps wrote: post #40
galfarragem wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Architect here. I use computer hardware everyday. Does this allow me to give relevant opinions on what are the best processes to build it? Some folks are thinking about it for decades. Architectural rendering is overrated, it only exists as a way to sell the project to clumsy end users, investors and city planners. The same house but with a different sky, flying ducks, evergreen trees, people dancing and ferraris wil…

I'm not asking for embellishments. I just want to understand if I will have the sun shining in my eye on summer mornings when I'm lying in bed, how the hallway will look at night, what the view will be from the kitchen and into the living space, etc. Just trying to place _myself_ in the house and see what I should fix before it's built. You wouldn't buy a car after merely looking at its 2D projections and a sketchy l…

Revit, the big architecture software that Unity’s thing integrates with, definitely has daylight analysis tools

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-...

Re: Unity creates new open source tool for architects

#42

Post by ggcdn »

LegitShady wrote: post #7
layoutIfNeeded wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like an industry ripe for disruption.

Nope industry running on small margins and client with atypical expectations who probably doesn't want to pay for what the extra work costs

Do small margins necessarily mean there is no chance for disruption? I think structural engineering and architecture both have voids that tech can fill. Alot of the work is tedious, repetitive, and begging to be automated.

Re: Unity creates new open source tool for architects

#43

Post by mslong »

Unity is in a continual state of building out "shiny new toys"; libraries and modules and sibling software that work as intended for 1 or 2 release cycles before breaking and being discarded. I've seen this time and again with Unity and I think it will hurt their stock going forward as they try to convince more industries to use their tools.

Just in the past two years I've seen them develop, hype, and then quietly drop: their VR editor, AR preview tool, Octane Renderer, Substance integration, UNet, ML integration.

It's obvious they have an incredibly difficult time managing their tools when their platform is fundamentally shattered between multiple releases, versions, render pipelines, and now DOTS vs normal workflow. And it's basically impossible for other companies to manage Unity SDKs with a ground that moves that much.

Re: Unity creates new open source tool for architects

#44

Post by pixelpoet »

ossworkerrights wrote: post #9

Wondering how many commercial products have been jeopardised by this freeware sponsored by a corporation, and how many jobs have been put at risk?

Pretty much all commercial archviz oriented 3D rendering software (where I've spent the last 10 years) continues to feel the heat from such efforts, including Blender and all the support it gets these days from AMD and Nvidia.

Don't understand why you're getting so harshly downvoted.

Re: Unity creates new open source tool for architects

#45

Post by PeterisP »

galfarragem wrote: post #34
eps wrote: post #2

We made a foray into designing and building a brand new house and let me tell you, my fellow HNers, the state of affairs with the design part is ABYSMAL, even in a reasonably modern architect firm. Basically you first design, for look and feel, then you calculate technical details, then you build. Or rather the architect does all three, but you would normally want to "chip in" during the design phase - change the lay…

Architect here. I use computer hardware everyday. Does this allow me to give relevant opinions on what are the best processes to build it? Some folks are thinking about it for decades. Architectural rendering is overrated, it only exists as a way to sell the project to clumsy end users, investors and city planners. The same house but with a different sky, flying ducks, evergreen trees, people dancing and ferraris wil…

For a trivial example, the exact same house plan rotated by 90 degrees will have substantially different important qualities because of how the sun affects both light and temperature. There needs to be some way not only to communicate this to end users, but also take it into account during the planning and design process. Perhaps rendering is not the right tool for that and is overrated, but what methods do you suggest and use to understand and analyze these factors?

Re: Unity creates new open source tool for architects

#46

Post by jaclaz »

eps wrote: post #2

We made a foray into designing and building a brand new house and let me tell you, my fellow HNers, the state of affairs with the design part is ABYSMAL, even in a reasonably modern architect firm. Basically you first design, for look and feel, then you calculate technical details, then you build. Or rather the architect does all three, but you would normally want to "chip in" during the design phase - change the lay…

It's strange what you report, if you can set aside actual renderings a basic tool like Sketchup can do most you are asking for, it is easy to learn at least basic use (way easier than many professional cad's).

It was once a free (and standalone) program (it was for some time bought by google) though now I believe the free version is only "online" (and the other ones have become largely Saas):

https://www.sketchup.com/

https://www.sketchup.com/plans-and-pricing/sketchup-free

Though an "offline" normal program is still available:

https://www.sketchup.com/products/pro-classic

though at 695 US$ is not exactly "cheap".

Re: Unity creates new open source tool for architects

#47

Post by LegitShady »

eps wrote: post #14
LegitShady wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I wasn't expecting full VR tours of the place (though it is doable [1]), but I did expect to be able to walk through the place in 3D and see how it will look like in the winter morning and summer afternoon. Hell no. What are you smoking? Architecture is a competitive industry. If you want a 3d model you can walkthrough it's not the end of the world - even Trimble sketchup pro has a built in walkthrough tool. You can…

I asked all firms we spoke with how they work. None even had an option of making tweaks to the project with real-time 3D feedback. That is - change something and see how it looks in 3D on the second monitor, move the camera around, change time of the day, turn lights on and off, then try it differently, check again, try third, etc. Aim for dozens of "revisions" in a scope of one hour - that's not even remotely possib…

>None even had an option of making tweaks to the project with real-time 3D feedback. That is - change something and see how it looks in 3D on the second monitor, move the camera around, change time of the day, turn lights on and off, then try it differently, check again, try third, etc. Aim for dozens of "revisions" in a scope of one hour - that's not even remotely possible.

It's totally possible. 99.999% of clients aren't willing to pay for it, and architects aren't interested in having you do a dozen revisions no matter how much effort you think that is (an hour lol!).

I can tell you that simple walkthrough stuff is simple in sketchup (time of year/day built in), but most house builds don't require a detailed sketchup model with lighting real textures, rendering, etc.

You also have to remember that they are interviewing you as a client. If your expectation is 12 revisions in an hour as a reasonable, then there's very little they can do to make themselves competitive and I can understand why they wouldn't offer a likely unreasonable client an atypical contract.

You're going to them to get a proposal/quote. I can understand not being willing to offer you something you're clearly not willing to pay for. And from their perspective there's a lot of risk involved in taking you if they have someone else who isn't asking for atypical free extras knocking on their door.

Re: Unity creates new open source tool for architects

#48

Post by LegitShady »

ggcdn wrote: post #42
LegitShady wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope industry running on small margins and client with atypical expectations who probably doesn't want to pay for what the extra work costs

Do small margins necessarily mean there is no chance for disruption? I think structural engineering and architecture both have voids that tech can fill. Alot of the work is tedious, repetitive, and begging to be automated.

The Finite Element Analysis software is widely available. Constructability, judgement, client relations, dealing with budget, proposals, and rfis, etc are totally different.

I think you've picked some creative fields but haven't actually identified voids to fill. What are you offering that S-Frame or Revit isn't? What drudge work in particular do you think you can tackle that no one else has?

If you can identify some specific voids to fill, go ahead. but I think those voids you identified are likely your unfamiliarity with the industry.

But if you've got something, go for it. Just research first, because right now it sounds pretty nebulous.

Re: Unity creates new open source tool for architects

#49

Post by ossworkerrights »

reitzensteinm wrote: post #20
ossworkerrights wrote: post #9

Wondering how many commercial products have been jeopardised by this freeware sponsored by a corporation, and how many jobs have been put at risk?

Unlike others here (based on the downvotes), I don't think your concerns are entirely unfounded. Google is a classic example of a company that scorches the earth with their freeware releases - remember Kiko? But ultimately, whatever is best for the consumer needs to win out. If freeware knocks out commercial competitors then stagnates (like Internet Explorer), that's bad, and analogous to dumping which is not legal.…

Right, same goes for google. Remember folks, free software and free products means you are the product. And in the process other companies and tools are being put of business while the masses cheers for yet another free tool, forgetting these are made by monopolies that use them as marketing.

Re: Unity creates new open source tool for architects

#50

Post by nocturnial »

eps wrote: post #2

We made a foray into designing and building a brand new house and let me tell you, my fellow HNers, the state of affairs with the design part is ABYSMAL, even in a reasonably modern architect firm. Basically you first design, for look and feel, then you calculate technical details, then you build. Or rather the architect does all three, but you would normally want to "chip in" during the design phase - change the lay…

This is a blatant plug for something that's not ready and still in alpha: freecad (www.freecadweb.org)

It's an open source parametric modeler and the export to (still) renderers like appleseed, luxrender,... and import to blender is still a work in progress.

I'm hoping someone reads this and thinks "Hey, I can contribute to this" or at least file a bug/feature report.

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