RPC or anything else???

[tica]

Hi,

For the last 5 or 6 years I've been regularly addressing ArchVision and Newtek for RPC plug-in development and integration in LW.
Both parties could't care less.
So as a last resort, I'd like to ask other LW users if they have found another solution that might resemble RPC?
I've bought the CD from Marlin, but it sometimes just doesn't cover all of our needs.
Any ideas? I'd be very grateful.

Tica

[silverlw]

A RolePlayingCharacter plug?;)
Please tell me a bit more of what it is.

[tica]

silverlw,

A RolePlayingCharacter plug?

I wish! :D

RPC means "Rich Photorealistic Content".
You can check it out at http://www.archvision.com/
I do mainly architectual visualization work, and I think that humanization is crucial to both animated sequences and stills.
RPC's are cool, but because AutoDesk would rather commit hara-kiri than offer a product to LW users, its plug-in is not available for LW.
So I've searched for days, and every now and again I search again. But the only alternative I've found was a CD launched by Marlin Studios over a year ago. And I need MORE moving people, more choice, more everything.

Any ideas?

[silverlw]

Ive looked at it and i think it looks like clipmaps that you can move around with some autoupdate functions but not sexier than that. I have no alternative solution to offer you than clipmaps but i have always thinked it looks "wrong" mixing a previsualized building with photos of humans. I prefer watching just the clean building without humans but maybe your customers really want it that way.

[lunarcamel]

The RPC plugin is wonderful and I wish they had it for LW myself. Its much more then just clip mapped planes - you can populate entire scenes in a matter of minutes.

Hey it's another thing I like about MAX!

1. Vray render
2. RPC plugin

The list is getting bigger

[tica]

silverlw,

People (whether real or 3D) are important in order to give a sense of scale to a building. But that's just my opinion. You're also right: my clients prefer it that way. I always ask them whether they want humanization or not. It's their choice.
And: LW is photorealistic enough to allow for mixing real people into animated sequences. You have to do it right, though: perspective is crucial to a perfect integration, and that's what feels wrong in many renderings you've probably seen.

lunarcamel,

I am sure there are plenty of LW users out there that would love to have the RPC plug-in integrated in LW. But that's a really (politically) difficult issue. Why on earth is Archvision the only company offering that stuff? And it's not inexpensive, and it MUST be good business, just check out how many CDs they have launched now... Is there no one out there who developed a similar tool for LW?

[lunarcamel]

I've actually talked to a few companies about this type of thing and I just don't think the demand is out there.

It's a growing market and the cost of making these people collections is quite expensive. As for Archvision - the products they offer are targeting the most used app for viz work - MAX.

Personally I hate the look of all the 2D moving people collections and RPC people - they will always look fake and there's no way around it. On the other hand - they do help with sense of scale and the clients want people in the scenes. That perfect solution just isn't out there - yet. I think as more people use LW for viz work we'll see companies targeting the LW platform.

The funny thing is - not matter what app you use - there's always some tool or plugin the competition has that we want.

If I use LW: I wish I had Vray
If I use Maya: I wish I had LW's modeler
If I use MAX: I wish I didn't have to use MAX ;)

Now Im just ranting

[Hervé]

I just cant stand RPC stuff.... always look out of place for me... very goofy...:rolleyes:

[tica]

ok, so nobody really likes rpcs. but the fact is, clients want "life" added to their images. if u don't like rpcs, what do you like?
this is the kind of suggestion I was actually looking for...

[Muad'dib]

As far as I know other than those 2 you've mentioned there's not much else on offer atm. Last resort would be to model & texture your own simple folk with the motions that you want - or use Poser perhaps for more out of box solution perhaps.

Yeah RPC have that generic look - but if your client wants it and likes it what do you do ? Another option is better than none afaic.

On a plus side - all this talk of opening up the SDK might finally lead to something like RPC being developed. There was another thread on this topic with someone mentioning they were working on a similar plug.

http://vbulletin.newtek.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20440&highlight=rpc

[tica]

Muad'dib,

I've already photographed about everybody in my family, plus all of my friends, whom I often use for still images ;)
I used to populate my scenes with 3d modeled people, which I prefer anyway, but many customers wanted "real" people and kept showing me images from competitors who used RPCs and similar, and these clients simply wanted that look, which they call "more realistic".
I've received an e-mail from Marlin Studios. Apparently, more CDs will be available sometime this summer.
Until then, I'll photograph everybody again in swimsuits, for my "summer collection"...

[Muad'dib]

Same here tica - I use Marlin and stills for LW & all those + RPC for MAX. The news on more Marlin CD's being available is good - lets just hope we get RPC or something similar coming to LW soon ;)

[sheidi]

Hmm I just found this thread. Well, like everyone else, I hate RPC. Most of the time I'm just facing problems with them, but there's not much I can do, I have to use them. I would really like to see something similar in LW. Haven't ever noticed Marlin Studios, that sample video looked quite nice. But if someone planning to develop something similar is reading this, yeah, there's a demand for it :D

[tica]

sheidi,

i suppose you use rpcs in another package, not in LW?
and they don't even satisfy you?

at this point of the discussion, i guess what most of us really want (or have to use, for our client's demands) is an alternative to rpc. the ideal solution would be someone to develop a new plug-in?

muad'dib,

i checked out that former thread, but after visiting that company's website i guess they dropped their intent. going to email them to check out if anything is being done...

yeah, the marlin studio's animated people are not bad. but i'm a bit tired of using the same people in my scenes over and over again.

let's not give up hope :(

[Intuition]

is RPC a type of image format?

I use a program called 3D Exploration by Right-hemisphere.

It converts most stuff from anything to anything.

I mainly use it to convert 3ds max or Maya models into LW.

I wonder if it can convert RPC?

[tica]

intuition,

rpc is a plug-in that can be used with several 3d software packages (except LW, for instance). you can check it out at the site i mentioned earlier in this thread.

therefore, it's not convertible (i also use 3d exploration, so i know).

[Intuition]

oh, my bad. I was making a guess.

Well Good Luck on your quest for a more compatible future :D

[tica]

thanks :cool:

[Hervé]

You may be interested...

My associate and I are working on a reliable solution making RPC looking like geeky images for kids...;)

I cannot tell you more for now...

We're investing a lot of $ into this.....

So.... Soon.... how soon ?? I Can't tell you... sorry...:cool:

[Muad'dib]

Heya Herve - "RPC looking like geeky images for kids" ? - you mean you have something like RPC in the pipeworks ? That's all we need to know as your message is a little deceiving with the geeks & kids in there :) If it's true then great because some of us ( as bad and generic as RPC / MARLIN look ) need these types of tools.

tica - we'll just have to keep on trying with workarounds for the time being ... but at least now there's hope :)

[Jure]

Hey Herve, now that you got us all so excited it would be very unpolite to not tell us more ;).

[tica]

Hervé,

Great news! If you should need a beta-tester or any other kind of critical (and constructive) advice, please let me know!

Thanks for your effort, and I sincerely wish you the best of luck... FAST!!!! ;)

[Hervé]

Well, I should not say anything about RPC, they have their users and it does not look so bad, just a bit out of sync when it comes to 3D.

The product we are working on is nowhere near RPC technology.

It uses a complex multi High Def digital camera shooting in a large studio, and some hardcore 3D modeling... but the result will be very good and also photographic .... this is all I can say, sorry... I hope to be polite.... he he:D ;)