Archipelis

It is so easy to create 3D models!

A lot of exports and nice features!

From virtual to physical models thanks to 3D printing!





Archipelis Designer user manual

Introduction of the tool

Thank you for using Archipelis Designer 2.0.

Archipelis Designer is an innovative concept in 3D design that you will find both exciting and easy to use. You can easely create professional looking models within minutes by simply tracing a background image or by just starting with a blank view.

The model is automatically textured as well as ready for a variety of export formats. Archipelis Designer uses an intuitive approach to sketch out shapes which can then be enhanced with textures and photographs.

How to create 3D models with Archipelis Designer

Archipelis Designer takes a different approach to creating 3D models by simply drawing its shape! Just draw the contour of the various shapes of the model (for example: the head, the body, the legs) and Archipelis Designer automatically merges them and applies textures. It is also possible to use a picture or photo as a background and follow the contours on it.

Thus, very simply and in about ten minutes, it is possible to create realistic organic models and to export them in widespread 3D formats like OBJ, VRML, X3D, DirectX 3DS Max or Google SketchUp and more over Second Life.

Main features:

Principle

There are basically two areas in the graphic interface. The first area on the left is dedicated to commands. The second area on the right is a drawing area and 3D space. When you draw (right mouse button down) a contour in this drawing area, the corresponding 3D shape appears. You can move around it using the mouse (left mouse button down). You can also change the size and location for instance with the "circle command".

You can draw a second shape near the first. When you click on [Merge], the fusion of the two shapes is resulting in the unified 3D model with a parameterized quality/resolution.

It is also possible to work with pictures on the background. For that, just drag and drop an image into the drawing area. This image is used as the basis of your work to draw various shapes.

Presentation of the user interface

The graphic user interface is made of various areas:

File menu

The content of the [File] menu is:

Settings menu

Help menu

SHAPES section

Archipelis Designer works with shapes to build the final model. Each shape is identified by a number within a group. This tool allows for rapid selection of each shape. When each shape is selected you can choose through boolean operations to define how to merge the current shape with others, whether to add, substract or intersect.

Let's take an example to illustrate the operators. Here you have a pear. A strange shape has been added on the right with [Union] operator. The model is then merge and the result is:

With [Intersection] the result of the merge is:

With [Difference 1] (i.e. "pear minus strange shape") the result of the merge is:

With [Difference 2] (i.e. "strange shape minus pear") the result of the merge is:

GROUPS section

In Archipelis Designer, a group is a set of shapes that can be merged together. But, note that two groups "do not merge" together. Most of the time the groups can be used to represent two different objects in a 3D model for example.

Each group (i.e. set of shapes) is identified with a number. You can create a new group ([Add] command), destroy a group ([Remove] command) and thus all the shapes inside it. It is also possible to change the current group using the [Current group] value. Every group is identified by a number.

In this section you can choose the quality of the merge of all the groups with [Quality of merge]. [Low] setting allows you to make a Lower poly model (but less precise), as [No limit] setting makes a high resolution model (it's time consuming and generally not useful). [Medium] and [High] are intermediate settings. [Merge] starts the fusion of the shapes to create the final 3D model.

For instance, in the previous image, you have an example of a merge (on the left, the quality is low and on the right the quality is higher).

TEXTURES section

Archipelis Designer allows you to load multiple textures on each viewing plane (i.e. up to 6 textures for each face of a cube), when you trace an image the texture is automatically applied to the 3d model.

DESIGN section

After drawing a shape, it is possible to adapt it, modify it or parameterize it. One way is to use the features in DESIGN section. All these (except [modify contour] and [Scale]) do not change the contour which has been drawn. Note that some of these commands are available in the command circle.

DEFORMATIONS section

Deformation features are used for modifying the geometry of the shapes. We make the distinction between two kinds of deformation:

Command circle

For a given current shape, a circle is displayed around. Here you have access to several commands which are listed below, using the left mouse button.

Mode bar

Several modes for left and right mouse buttons are available.

Visualization bar

The visualization bar allows you to use commands to set the views and rendering style.

Shortcuts

Exports:

Archipelis designer can export to a variety of formats. Your may choose from the following export options. Before exporting you will need to save the project and name it.

Note:
If you need to export the 3D textured model, select the [Textured] style in the visualization bar before exporting. Otherwise select another style.

Using Archipelis Designer to create Second Life content

Introduction:

Archipelis Designer can export 3D models into Linden Labs' Second Life (SL) format. It is important to remember that you will need

Archipelis Designer restrictions use:

In order to import acceptable 3D models made with Archipelis Designer into Second Life, please use the following guidelines: To help you to reach this target, you can set the profile to [SL profile]. Please look within the [Settings] menu.

How to export?

Step 1 - Export to sculpty prims (also called sculpties)

Once you have created a textured model with Archipelis Designer, save it to a project file with [Save] or [Save as] (if not already done). Then click on [Export to Second Life] in [File] menu. Then, the export process starts immediately. Wait for one or two minutes and you will find in the directory of your project file a new subdirectory called "Something.ScultedPrims" (you may have to confirm the deletion of this directory if it already exists). Inside, you will find BMP images (geometry_XX.bmp and texture_XX.bmp) and two LSL scripts (ArchipelisBase.txt and ArchipelisRez.txt).

Step 2 - Connect to Second Life

Connect to Second Life and go to a place where you're able to build objects (a sandbox area for instance). As previously said, you will need some L$ to upload all the images.

Step 3 - Uploading all the images


With the menu "File > Upload Image (L$10)..." and then the button "Upload (L$10)", upload all the images "geometry_XX.bmp" and "texture_XX.bmp". Close the windows corresponding to these images. All these images will appear in "My Inventory > Textures". Click on "Inventory" to see that. Note that before all that you may clean up this directory (to avoid conflict with previous uploads).

Step 4 - The object ArchipelisBase

Go in build mode with the menu "View > Build B". Click on "Create" button. Click somewhere on the floor to create an object (whatever it is, cube, cylinder...). Here it is important to set the name "ArchipelisBase" to this object.
Drag and drop all the previously generated images that are now in "My Inventory > Textures" into the content of the current object you are editing.

Click on "Content". Click on "New Script...". Double click on the script called "New Script" that has been created. Copy the content of the file called "ArchipelisBase.txt". Replace the definition of the script by a paste action. Click on "Save" button and close the script window.

Select the object you are editing and with the right mouse button click on "Take" to put it into "My Inventory / Objects".

Step 5 - The ArchipelisRez object

Click on the "Create" button of the build window. Click somewhere on the floor to create a second object (whatever it is, cube, cylinder...). You can call this object "ArchipelisRez" but it is not mandatory.
Click on "Content". Click on "New Script...". Double click on the script called "New Script" that has been created. Copy the content of the file called "ArchipelisRez.txt". Replace the definition of the script by a paste action. Click on "Save" button and close the script window.

Drag and drop the object called ArchipelisBase you created at step 4 (it is in "My Inventory > Objects") into the content of the current object you are editing. Then, delete the object "ArchipelisBase" in "My Inventory > Objects".

Step 6 - Completing the export

Leave the build mode by closing the build window. Click on the object ArchipelisRez in front of you to rez. Your 3D model appears. Now, you can delete the ArchipelisRez because it is no longer needed.
By going back to the build mode (menu "View > Build") in "Edit" mode and by selecting all the shapes of your model, you can rotate or translate the selection.

Once all is OK, you can click on "Take" by activating the right mouse button to put this model into your inventory. It will be "My Inventory > Objects > ArchipelisBase" and you should rename it with a better name.