This is going to be a very basic tutorial to get you started on some functions. I chose this function as I feel if you master this; it will give you a lot of confidence with the other and easier functions in this program. And, it’s fun. This tutorial assumes you have at least played with a modeling program of some kind, but should still be easy for a beginner to follow, I hope.
First, a little background. For those of us that have been creating and/or building in VRML for a number of years, there was a great program called Spazz 3D. It was one of the few pure VRML modeling and creating programs out there (Along with Internet Space Builder, Platinum VR Creator & Cosmo Worlds). Other programs would save or export to VRML but it wasn’t their primary file type. Spazz evolved into VizX Studio, and then into Flux Studio (the names might be sounding more familiar as we go). Spazz and VizX Studio cost 2 or 3 hundred dollars at the time. With the Release of Flux Studio it became free, much to the chagrin of those who had bought the prior versions. The final evolution of this program is now Vivaty Studio. While no longer merely a pure VRML modeler, it still and as of now, one of a tiny handful of programs focused on VRML/X3D. It is still free and still works as well as its previous versions.
To follow along, you will have to go and download Vivaty for free at: http://developer.vivaty.com/getstarted.php
Let’s get started. Once you have downloaded it and launched it you will see an interface that looks like this. I recommend that you fool around and learn the basic functions first, like zooming, changing and rotating the views, etc.
Looks pretty much like other 3D modeling programs, doesn’t it? You have four windows that are (from top left clockwise), Top, ISO, Front & Right views. Clicking a view window and then moving the mouse wheel will allow you to zoom in and out. On your left side you have tools, such as shape selectors, lights, cameras, etc. On the right you have a “tree view”, top, and parameters for translation (moving), textures, etc. in the lower right box. Don’t worry if you don’t see anything, nothing shows until it’s needed.
We are going to make a little grass hut with an opening in the front as this will utilize the pre-loaded basic shapes that come with the program. NOTE: don’t let the term Boolean Extraction throw you. It is one of those terms you hear or see knocked around in 3D Software circles. What it basically means is that we are going to make holes in things. The steps we will go through here are pretty much the same for most 3D programs. So if you have AC3D (see previous tutorial), or other programs that will perform this function, and not all will, the procedure will be similar.
Once the program is launched, go to the upper right tools and select the cylinder. Your cursor will turn into a small cylinder. Click in the front view window and one will appear. Hmmmmm, it’s kind of puny.
OK, now we get to play with the tools. Look in the upper right, above the ISO view, and you will see four icons that look like this
They are, from left to right, translation (moving), rotating, scaling (sizing), and pivoting. Select the scaling tool (3rd from left). When you click on the cylinder you created you will see tabs appear in the lower right corner.
The second tab from the left has a cross symbol right the translation tool you just saw above. Click on it; go ahead, it won’t bite! You will now see a repeat of the icons you saw above. Where is says “scale” make sure the box that says “uniform” is checked.
This allows you to increase the size of your object uniformly. Now take your cursor and click, and then drag on your object. In the front view dragging to the right will make it bigger, to the left will make it smaller. Once you have it a decent workable size, go back to the lower right and un-check the “uniform” box. Now go back to the front view and drag down slowly. This will flatten the object a little. At this point, your cylinder should be listed in the upper right window as “cylinder 1”.
Now go back to your shapes and select cylinder again and place it in the right view window. Go to the lower right window and to the far left of the “rotate” icon, click the 90 button. This will rotate the new object 90 degrees. Now go to the scale tool and increase the size both uniformly and non-uniformly so it looks somewhat like the illustration.
Now go to your translation (moving) tool and, using your top view, move the new cylinder so it falls inside the first one but NOT all the way through to the other side. You will probably have to move it around but try to end up with something like the next illustration.
In the upper right you should now see both “cylinder 1” and cylinder 2” listed. This is important, but we will get back to it later.
Now, click on the second cylinder you created, then go to the tools menu at the top, go to “Boolean Operations”, and then “Extraction”.
A window will pop up that looks like this
Don’t worry about all the terms you see. Basically it goes like this; the second cylinder you created is cylinder 2. The operation type section has “Node 1 cuts Node 2”. Huh? Note to the right of that it explains that “Node 1” is Cylinder 2, and “Node 2” is Cylinder 1. This is because you selected the second cylinder first. What you see is how you want it for this instance, so click OK. You should see something that looks like the next illustration.
Hmmmm, looks like part of the cylinder was left behind. Remember I said we would get back to the tree view? Select “Index Face Set: Cylinder 2”, and delete. YOU should now have a nice, neat, hole in the wall.
Before we go any further, it may look like the back parts are missing on your model. There is a reason for this. Polygons or index face sets have two faces. When both are visible it takes more resources and size to show them, especially on-line. So, the default setting is to not show (or “cull”, as it is called in some programs) the back faces. In order to see the complete model, go to the far right tab in the lower right window. There you will see a checked box with a phrase to the side that says “Solid (Don’t Draw Back Faces). Un-check it, like in the illustration, and you will see everything. You can always turn it back on later if need be.
From here I have gone a little further and created and resized a cone for the roof and added some textures. I will go into texturing in another installment.
Once you have completed your model, first save it out as a Vivaty Studio file. This will allow to you open it again immediately as needed for changes. Then go to “File”, “Export X3D or VRML”
and when the next window pops up, name it and click save. I recommend that you check the “Uncompressed” button in the compression option section, and the “All Content” button in the Scene section. Saving compressed should only be done if you are ready to upload your model.
I am including a zipped copy of the hut with this article. Play with it and practice. I think you will find that it is easy and fun to do.
Happy modeling
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