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ArchiCAD - Side project 'Treehouse'

ArchiCAD was the computer aided design program suggested by our tutor, Judy, to build our own treehouse. All in all, I found it to be very newbie-friendly.

Above picture shows the previously saved work from our lab session.

Also, we were to either put in a swing or a toy or some sort in it, and piano was my toy of choice.

There you can see the final plan view of my treehouse ready to be viewed in 3D!

I really liked how the 2D plan could be instantly viewed in multiple 3D views as axonometric and perspective and walked around in first-person. How come I didn't feel this kind of appreciation for Second Life?

Axonometric                                          Perspective

Day 6 Final?

Today was, unlike the day before, rather focused on further developing our library's then current design to approaching our inspired conception and construction, with the selected tendency in retrospect.

The back walls of our library were first taken out. From there, frame structures were made that would extrude out in a similar manner of Microflat's exterior shell by Richard Connor and Stuart Piercy.

With Textures in line, windows were added with access to mini-balcony.

The model was then repeated across its level, while we began slanting our roof structure.

The furnitures were then rearranged for more fitting and spacious layout.

Pergola was also added on the backside so to relieve some differences between the front design and the back. 

It was also aesthetically pleasing.

Back views of the completed slants and extrusions.

Another roof slant on the other side.

Thinking our previous bookshelf texture to be cheap and dull, we decided to make and repeat the made  books on a fresh bookshelf design.

View 1 of current first floor.

View 2 of current first floor.

Having thought that this would of a painful time-consuming process, we found it rather easy and less time-consuming.

Upgrade complete!

Looking down from above.

(if you look closely, you can see Rob tripping over by the stairs)

From this view, the library is an old brick house with a modern convert on the roof.

While from here, the structure is a modern overcoat utilizing the existing structure and space.

Three useful things

One of the most interesting website that gave me an insight to the virtual world was called "ARCH Virtual." The site focuses primarily on architecture and design in virtual environments and their relationship that is constantly being updated. It talks of how building in virtual reality can be exercised, with impressive examples, and also the advantages of the virtual reality itself.

Currently headlined post.

Check out the website for yourself!

After seeing that other groups could download objects pre-scripted like light switches from Second Life Marketplace and that this was unavailable to us in NZVWG, I found this wiki site to be very helpful and the disadvantage to be. not much of an issue. The site is basically Wikipedia but its entire information is about Second Life!

Its wikipage like this is a fine example of what the site consists of.

wiki.secondlife.com

And last but not least, this self-explanatory Youtube video.

Second Life Tips and Tricks - Creating a Alpha and Blended Alpha 

Texture in Photoshop by SmokeyMcPiEcE

Day 5

A lot was done in day 5, not in terms of structure, but with the little things that mattered. Many necessities, decorations, textures, and other things were readily incorporated into our library. Overview is as shown in no particular order of which was built first, however still, in a sensibly fragmented fashion:

There you can see photos of us on a billboard located next to the entrance, identifying the three founders of this library.

Up on second floor, the three different patterns made using the offset filter in Photoshop were put on display which were then soon integrated them into our building.

As we can see, Aaron's pattern became the entrancing feature for the entrance, and what appears to be my...

With heavy repetition of Robert's pattern, the counter surface became a thing of stimulation.

My pattern was added on to the table surface with desaturation as to create a metallic appearance. Then it was repeated and stretched around the elevation creating an illusion of it seeming wiggly.

Our patterns were well-provided in the second floor's ceiling and wallpaper, both used without colour with cool metallic looks that complimented the wooden floor.

Second floor's furnitures were given a new modern look.

And its walls became occupied with information,

narrations,

creations,

good times.

First floor on the other hand, became populated with scripts.

The pic on the left, shows a book that if clicked, would move to and fro. And on right, is a book that forever rotates, suspended in space.

On the centre table is a book cleverly titled, Teleporter. Which coincidently teleports you to second floor balcony when clicked.

Strikingly enough, the second edition of Teleporter, The Escape, can be found on the balcony.

Back down on first.
 The sides of our bookshelves were postered with inspirations and interests.

I should mention, one of the few pros of using NZVWG is that image uploading is free whereas SL isn't.

Media textures were then applied to our computer screens, one each linking to our blogs. And two linking to University of Auckland's library search.

Finally, the particle system of pink glowing lights falling and fading was added near the entrance area above the flowerbed.