Feature Request- scaling and placement

[TheBadger]

Hello,

I am really wishing for a 2d figure to use in test renders. I am not sure what you would call it but it is a feature found in google's 3d program. I have an image below. I Mainly want it so that I can see very clearly the scale of my renders, and just get a better feel for what Im making. I also think it would help for temporary blocking when the render is intended for a composite.

I would say make it about 6 feet tall.

Hope Im understood. Thanks

[Oshyan]

We're unlikely to add a human figure model, but you could use a built-in sphere instead. I like using a 1m sphere. It definitely helps with eyeballing scale.

- Oshyan

[Henry Blewer]

I use the landmark object. It can be set to any size and placed anywhere.

[Dune]

Or an upright plane object...

[jamfull]

or Mr Lamppost's stick figure?

http://www.mrlamppost.com/tg2/downloads/stick_figure.htm

[TheBadger]

Hi everyone.

I thought I could use objects with known size as you all have put forth, but I don't see in real life any of those things on a daily basis if at all. The reason I thought a human figure is best is because we all see other people every day and would have no problem reconciling a terragen render to the scale of the figure.
Anyway, it was just a hope, something to make working easy. But I will continue like all of you.

Thanks.

[Henry Blewer]

It would be nice if everything was scaled to my size. I'm tall, 6'5", most things are just too small.

[jaf]

A while back I made a scale "thingy" in Lightwave to use in a scene for object setup.  It was 100m exactly in all three axis.  Lightwave is a great modeler for TG2 because 100m in LW is 100m in TG2.  I built it at the zero point in the Y axis and imported as a population.  Then I un-checked "sit on terrain" so I could visually see the terrain height that was less than 100m.

Also, I set the units (100m) in a multiple of 10, so if I wanted 10,000m "thingy", I could scale it easy in LW or TG2.

Here's a quick look at my rather simple scaler:

[Henry Blewer]

I wish Blender would figure that one out. I really miss Lightwave. I have not had it since 3.5 on my Amiga.

[jaf]

I would imagine it wouldn't be too hard to set up a scale ratio chart for different modeling programs -- might be a good "pinned" thread.

So it would look something like this....

                    Units          ratio
TG2               1m             1
LW                1m             1
My Modeler     xx             .37
......              "                "

Then use the ratio (scale) in TG2 for the object scale.

[TheBadger]

Hi,
Seems Im not alone. Anyone know how to build a simple figure like in the OP? Would love to download it and use it as an object. Perhaps if everyone likes the figure idea, we can nudge planetside into making it (DO IT, OR THE CAT DIES). Seriously though, how hard could it be to make a 2d figure? I really don't know.

[Kadri]

I had time today and made these objects. Feel free to use or change anything you want guys.
(A more attractive picture for example  )

Just one question... I made the last right one just as a basic plane at first .
It was the same as the others without the square and circle.
Only the micropoly render could render it but without it's shadow.
I changed it to a thick object and the problem was gone.
Do anyone know what this could be ?

[dandelO]

Cool, Kadri. But I really don't see any problem with making a scaled reference object directly in TG2.

Henry stated above, "I use the landmark object. It can be set to any size and placed anywhere.". Which is exactly right, and it won't appear in your render like a sphere/rock/disc/etc, as it is simply a preview-window reference point.

There are 8 different shapes to choose from for the preview display of a landmark object, I'm quite sure that a 2m(approx' 6ft) 'flag' or 'arrow' shape could be imagined as the simulacrum of a human being. Think ye not?
Maybe another 'figure' shape could be added to the list of landmark preview display options, I don't see any problem with using a default 'flag' landmark as a visual scaler, maybe I'm missing something here...

[Kadri]

As a matter of fact i think i will not use my objects too , DandelO
But everybody has it own approach sometimes. I prefer to use an 10 x 10 Highfield .

[dandelO]

I do this as well. My default project starts with a 100m2 heightfield bounding box and a 30mY POV. This makes real world scaling much easier for objects, stones, etc.

The Vitruvian Man object is great, though. It would be very cool if TG used the transform handles, like you have in the preview image, Kadri, for editable parameters. The existing translate arrows are handy for small edits but would be even better with some rotation and scale handles too.