Using Cube for Home Design

by richardtallent on 07/30/2002 04:12, 4 messages, last message: 09/14/2002 07:49, 1273 views, last view: 04/13/2024 20:54

I posted this in General but from the lack of response I think I was supposed to post here.

None of the home design software I've used will even attempt to use hardware acceleration, which makes them useful but painfully slow.

Since I have a 1-floor house (no immediate need for room above room), I am thinking I could use Cube to get a decent model going, but have a few questions before I decide to invest the time:

- Is there a way to define how "big" a cube unit is? A larger field of view setting perhaps? The current units appear somewhere between 8 inches and a cubit, which makes walls look much too sturdy and would make creating normal-sized furniture, etc. pretty difficult. A setting that would make a cube appear to be about 3-4 inches would be ideal. This might also take the pace down to something besides all-out running, which would make my whole floorplan fly by in a blur.

- Any pointers on how to take a go at ceiling fans and other lighting fixtures? The method used for the armor and health tokens are constructed looks like a possibility on the surface (floating, more complex shapes, and the rotation would be useful for some of them).

- How big can a texture be? I'd need some pretty odd texture shapes to construct objects like an entertainment center, armoire, refrigerator, etc.

- Is it even feasible to create a roof gables and hips on the outside so I can create an all-around look? I don't have vaulted ceilings inside, but I do have two arched doorways (one entry, one inside) if that makes a difference. No gables or anything like that to worry about.

- Is there a keyboard command to go into "fly" mode *without* editing?

- I live in an older home with lots of window and door trim. I think I could get the door trim down with a texture on the cubes immediately on each side of a door, but the door lentils and windows are more troubling.

- Are there any "macro" capabilities so when I get a door frame looking right I can copy/paste to break through other walls?

- Is there a limit to the size of a map? It'd be really cool to add the basic structure and simple textures of the yard and some surrounding buildings.

- Is PNG fully supported for texures or only for special objects? I'd prefer it to JPEG since I don't plan to distribute the result and want to preserve quality. What about the PNG alpha channel?

- Can I create two sets of texture files, one hi-res and one low-res (same names) in different directories so I can choose between speed and texture quality? I presume there's no direct correlation between texture pixels and cube units and that the filenames are the only identifying information in the map files.

Hope this doesn't sound like a crazy application, but the software out there for home design now just plain sucks and I'll trade a little measurement accuracy for something I can fly around in and make quick trial changes.

TIA

   Board Index   

#1: Be better off

by Al_Capone on 08/01/2002 11:04

You be better off using Blender game engine. You can find it here http://www.elysiun.com

reply to this message

#2: ..

by daftpunk on 08/22/2002 04:54

wouldn't the id games editors be good for it. q3radiant for example. then you can actually shoot around your house!

ok, only messin

reply to this message

#3: ..

by eats only heads on 09/14/2002 05:17

I once played a quake three map which was based on the creaters house, quite fun.

reply to this message

#4: Re: ..

by pushplay on 09/14/2002 07:49, refers to #3

Yeah, gamer's home. There's also Giant's Home. And to round out my trivia knowledge I'll point out that LevelLord made the first 'rat sized' map.

reply to this message

   Board Index