Material Editor: Feeling left behind

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  • Hey guys, not been around for a while, been busy. Was hoping to use Enscape for a new project (another TV show) but see we still do not have the ability to make photo textures emissive (think TV screens) I also see Rhino has joined the party and they already surpass Sketchup with a material editor, feeling left behind.


    When will Sketchup get those toys?

  • Solo Textured materials with the emissive keyword are working since some time in SketchUp. Have you tried the latest preview version? Still missing is the ability to control the emissive intensity and here we are at the material editor topic.


    It has been only seven month since the first version for SketchUp and since then you got artificial lights, sound sources and proxies (including Skatter support), just to name the biggest improvements that were specific to SketchUp. But next to these CAD specific features we are always trying to improve Enscape for all users. I can't promise you any date for a material editor, but you can be sure that we have it on our radar.


    Regarding Rhino: There is no Enscape material editor for Rhino, but like Revit the materials can have a bump texture and a glossiness slider to adjust the gloss/roughness - which we do simply read. Beside that, there are Rhino users too, who wish for an Enscape material editor, because they want to have full control.

  • Simon Weinberger ...Enscape already has a material system for Sketchup which you guys developed (Tags/keywords within material names)


    Several people have taken their time on this forum to suggest ways to leverage that functionality for more advanced material editing in Sketchup, but apparently these are not being developed.


    Here's another idea for how to do keywords..... Multiple keywords with a percent attached at the end.


    MaterialName Tran55 Refl75 Emis19


    An expanded tag based method would have the added benefit of being usable regardless of the host program and could be used in conjunction with a UI based method. This would allow you to deploy a basically functional plugin to new host programs quicker, and eventually make it seamless with their material system.


    So many simple solutions are possible, but I think the only path that is being considered for Sketchup is the Full Material System that keeps being mentioned... which obviously takes significant time. Hearing that such basic functionality for Sketchup is "on the radar" when coding time is being devoted to other plugin's material systems is not reassuring.


    Solo ... be careful with the emissive materials in animation... they seem to experience random "pops" in intensity during movement, so just make sure you test before going that route if that type of error is unacceptable. I attempted to use for faking storefront illumination and it did not go well

  • Simon Weinberger, the emissive material issue is still persists in the current preview version: 2.0.2.971-g6627c41


    EDIT: I'm an idiot, I didn't realize I had white mode activated. Disregard my emissive bug report...SMH


    renderwiz It definitely looks like the team is working hard on a Material editor, and i'm sure it will be incredibly easy to use, as are all the tools they've provided so far have been.

    Several people have taken their time on this forum to suggest ways to leverage that functionality for more advanced material editing in Sketchup, but apparently these are not being developed.

    Give them time, I'm sure they are making great progress!

  • I am sure they are making great progress as well, and have done a great job on the plugin overall. I am only point out that they are obviously not interested in implementing a simple material solution for Sketchup. To anyone who is currently holding their breath waiting for a usable material system for Sketchup, don't expect it to be done anytime soon.

  • Based on the speed at-which the Enscape team is developing at, I would have to disagree with you renderwiz.


    Having dealt with project management and software development in the past, I can say, with out a doubt, the Enscape team is developing at a blistering rate getting user requests to market. I imagine a simple to use material editor is not far behind. Take a look at the trello page: https://trello.com/c/gOsXKsRP Its not top of the list, but its also most likely not the priority, since the number of users requesting it is limited. Remember, you and I and the rest of the users in this forum probably make up 1/1000 of the overall market for the product. While I'm sure our voices carry weight within the viz community, we may not necessarily be the primary focus of the development team.


    Enscape does, what most designers and architects have wanted for a long time, an easy to use, visualization tool, inside their host application! And it does it extremely well.

  • I must apologize, I obviously did not have the most current version, TV's indeed can be achieved, unfortunately control over brightness is missing.


    Here is a fast rough render of the scope of work I do for certain TV shows, I can use Enscape for exterior day shows but unfortunately most take place in studios or at night where tons of lights are needed as well as TV monitors. I do hope in future animated textures will be possible.


    *Edit, media removed due to it being concept of a future TV release

  • Okay, I just completed an entire project in less than half the time estimated, thank you Enscape. The results rivaled and in a few instances exceeded the output I was achieving with Thea render, The producers will be happy.


    I hope to showcase it once the show airs (next year).


    I am about to start a new show for Netflix, I am hoping to again use Enscape, exciting times.

  • As a product i think Enscape has done great strives in it short time it has implemented sketchup and rhino. It still feels slightly behind revit, and hopefully the material editor comes quickly enough. Being able to adjust material and light parameters is often the difference between a "good render" and a "final render". Also its good to know the work pipeline shows they are working on some form to export different outputs such as Material ID, etc..


    Once all these features are implemented along with its price point it will really be a good overall program. Currently we use it for schematic phase where we need to show some progress and get the client to visualize the space.


    For final production renders we still switching into Corona, Photoshop, and 3dsmax.

  • I agree with Renderwiz, If the easiest way for now is to just implement keywords for bump, reflection glossiness, and emissive power, that would be an awesome addition until a full editor can be written. We just started using Enscape with an Oculus and clients are already blow away.

  • I can understand not wanting to build a temporary solution or some material editor functionality if they are just going to scrap it and release a final version. What's the point? What they've done with proxies and with lights is more than I expected so I imagine the team will do the same with the material editor.

    If there was say a basic framework constructed which will be the (complete) future material editor and there was a partial release with just normal map support first and then other mapping types down the road.....I wouldn't mind that. Hopefully we will see something soon.

  • Thanks for all the feedback. The material editor is on our agenda and I'm sure we will find a good solution.