ES305 Virtual Tools in Engineering Design Cameras & Paths in Virtools

1. ES305Virtual Tools in Engineering DesignCameras & Paths in Virtools 11-18-2009 Prof. Searleman jets@clarkson.edu

2. Overview Virtools Third-person Cam Curves (Path) Homework: Virtools Exercise 5, due Monday, 11/23 Quiz on VR: Monday 11/23/09 VR component of the course project – due 12/02 Brief 5 minute presentation – 12/02

3. VR Component of ES305 • 50% Homework: Exercises • 25% Quiz – Monday, 11/23/09 • Brief closed book part on Virtual Environments & Virtual Product Development • Open book – Basics of Virtools • 25% Virtual Environment for your product

4. Virtual Environment for Water Bottle • Virtual World – effective setup of product, environment, lighting, cameras, etc. • Immersion – how does your virtual environment foster a sense of immersion? • Sensory Feedback – how does a potential customer experience the project? Is there effective use of visual images, sound, … • Interaction – how does a potential customer interact with the product? What are the input devices? How does the virtual environment tie in with the needs & requirements you identified for customers?

5. Data Resources • Creating a data resource: • Resources | Create New Data Resource • Navigate to your course directory • Type in a name: e.g. VRresource & click save • Copy your models, textures, sounds, etc. into the new data resource

6. Recap: Types of cameras • Surveillance cams • First-Person cams • Third-Person cams • ... can you think of others? We will take a brief look at Third-Person cams in virtools • FollowCam • add a script using the Follow BB and LookAtBB

7. Interactive Paths • Paths can “tell a story” • Curves in Virtools • Example: teapot on a curve • time vs. frame dependencies: right click on “play” icon • Curve Follow BB • Position on Curve BB

8. Curves • A Curve is a 3D Entity which is a collection of segments attached by Curve Points to make a single curved line. Curves can: • be open or closed • have segments are lines (linear) or curved (spline) • be visible in player mode or not • have a referential parallel to the grid plane (Guide) or to the view plane (View plane) • note: there is an excellent tutorial on curves in • C:\Program Files\3DVIA\Virtools 5.0\Documentation\Tutorials \TutorialAvis\Curves.avi (plays in Windows Media Player)

9. Curve Follow BB Note that this is a Loop In/Loop Out BB. pIns include Curve & Duration pOuts are Progression & Value

10. Position on Curve BB