lighting design/visualisation/programming

[paulnick]

I'm a regular user of Vectorworks Spotlight and LightFactory. I'm looking for a bridge/workflow that allows me to input a rig with all of its fittings data, once, check it in 3d for physical design, program the show and visualise it. Potentially, vectorworks spotlight and lightfactory should allow me to do this. Can anybody advise how to proceed?

Many thanks

 

wildswan

[indyld]

Not sure I quite understand where you say that VW and Lightfactory should "potentially" allow you to do this? Presumably you are already inputting 3D data and modelling / rigging your show in Vectorworks? As far as I understand Lighfactory, it's a DMX controller. I don't know all the capabilities of Lightfactory but have not heard of compatibility to use these together as an all-in-one.

 

VW is not a programming / visualiser for lighting control (use ESP Vision with Vectorworks for that) and there is no common method of data exchange of all the elements. You can exchange 3D geometry in standard formats (.3ds, .dxf etc.) but the stage lighting side of this kind of software uses it's own data formats or specific XML that allows for exchange IF the other party supports it. You also have limited options when exchanging textures and shaders between different types of 3D CGI software.

 

So, perhaps you can tie them together in some ways but not all the ways you want them to as I understand your question without adding something else to the mix. Perhaps some more information as to what you currently do now and what you are hoping each software will do in the process?

[paulnick]

Thanks for your reply.

 

Here's the position: LightFactory can include a great deal of data about fittings, one can program shows and output to a visualisation package via ARTNET. But clearly the visualisation program needs 3D data about the lighting design and 'stage' to be able to produce realistic dynamic simulation. It won't get 3D data from LightFactory so will need a link to spotlight or have the set built directly in the visualisation package but it would not be as good as the 3d data coming from Spotlight.

 

So, can I build in 3D in spotlight, create lighting data for fittings in LightFactory and dynamically visualise in an ARTNET compatible program? and enjoy a seamless integration between the three applications? Is this too much to ask?

 

Many thanks

 

wildswan

 

 

 

 

Not sure I quite understand where you say that VW and Lightfactory should "potentially" allow you to do this? Presumably you are already inputting 3D data and modelling / rigging your show in Vectorworks? As far as I understand Lighfactory, it's a DMX controller. I don't know all the capabilities of Lightfactory but have not heard of compatibility to use these together as an all-in-one.

 

VW is not a programming / visualiser for lighting control (use ESP Vision with Vectorworks for that) and there is no common method of data exchange of all the elements. You can exchange 3D geometry in standard formats (.3ds, .dxf etc.) but the stage lighting side of this kind of software uses it's own data formats or specific XML that allows for exchange IF the other party supports it. You also have limited options when exchanging textures and shaders between different types of 3D CGI software.

 

So, perhaps you can tie them together in some ways but not all the ways you want them to as I understand your question without adding something else to the mix. Perhaps some more information as to what you currently do now and what you are hoping each software will do in the process?

 

 

 

[indyld]

So, can I build in 3D in spotlight, create lighting data for fittings in LightFactory and dynamically visualise in an ARTNET compatible program? and enjoy a seamless integration between the three applications? Is this too much to ask?

 

I wouldn't say seamless with those examples to be honest. VW isn't a visualiser so won't take ArtNet data or visualise in real time, but ESP Vision is and works seamlessly with Vectorworks.

 

Artnet is only a DMX over network protocol and won't deal with data transfer between, say, changes you make in Lightfactory to the patch OR changes you make in VW to the fixture data. There are systems that natively talk back and forth between the control console and the visualiser in these terms, but am not sure LF deals in any of these as I understand it to just be an ArtNet or DMX control device. The protocols for doing these data exchanges are generally proprietory, with particular console makers onboard and according to the LF website the "partners" are WYSIWYG, Capture and Light Converse (although that doesn't mean it does anything other than spit out ArtNet, to be frank.)

[Wernlund]

Artnet is only a DMX over network protocol and won't deal with data transfer between, say, changes you make in Lightfactory to the patch OR changes you make in VW to the fixture data. There are systems that natively talk back and forth between the control console and the visualiser in these terms, but am not sure LF deals in any of these as I understand it to just be an ArtNet or DMX control device. The protocols for doing these data exchanges are generally proprietory, with particular console makers onboard and according to the LF website the "partners" are WYSIWYG, Capture and Light Converse (although that doesn't mean it does anything other than spit out ArtNet, to be frank.)

 

Capture communicates bidirectionally with LightFactory - both DMX, fixture selection and patch, which is done using the open protocol CITP. Unfortunately most console manufacturers have chosen not to prioritize this sort of communication.

[paulnick]

Artnet is only a DMX over network protocol and won't deal with data transfer between, say, changes you make in Lightfactory to the patch OR changes you make in VW to the fixture data. There are systems that natively talk back and forth between the control console and the visualiser in these terms, but am not sure LF deals in any of these as I understand it to just be an ArtNet or DMX control device. The protocols for doing these data exchanges are generally proprietory, with particular console makers onboard and according to the LF website the "partners" are WYSIWYG, Capture and Light Converse (although that doesn't mean it does anything other than spit out ArtNet, to be frank.)

 

Capture communicates bidirectionally with LightFactory - both DMX, fixture selection and patch, which is done using the open protocol CITP. Unfortunately most console manufacturers have chosen not to prioritize this sort of communication.

 

Thanks for your help with this. It is the bidirectional data exchange that is important to me. As for Spotlight, it's not bad for basic visualisation including gobo effects but I'll probably stick to importing a DWG file into Capture and let it do the work.

 

Wil;d swan