Making virtual worlds with sketchup Intro to Shaders

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1

This is the first in a series of tutorials I am writing, detailing the workflow of creating geometry and lightmapping all from within sketchup.

http://tinyurl.com/mkao6p

Edit: I’ve just finished writing up an introduction to shaders. You can find it at the following url:

http://tinyurl.com/mbl33v

2

Thanks alot. Maybe in the future even video tutorials?

3

I think that’s a good idea. I just started writing without realising how much it would end up being. I just kept going, but definitely, videos are the way forward.

4

Some tips: use Camtasio Studio (not free;30day free trial) and use big fonts for the Unity scripts (if any). Change font size preferences in your code editor.

5

Nice tutorial. I am a sketchup user as well, trying to get up the the pro level so I can export fbx files. With respect to the lighting, have you ever heard of a program called cheetah 3d. I am looking into that as a way to animate and render sketch up models.

6

Thanks :]

Yes, I’ve heard of it but, admittedly, not looked into it. My main concern is real-time 3D and coming up with quick work flows. I’m thinking about writing up a fast way to deal with lightmapping in 3d studio max, but with the plan to have an integrated max pipeline inside unity, it might end up being redundant.

It looks like the next one might end up being a shader tutorial.

7

I really like your tutorial! But am I correct that you state that I only have to buy lightup to export my scenes to unity and save myself the big bucks that a SU pro versions costs?

8

This would seem to be the case. If you want to hear it from Adam’s mouth (the creator of light-up), you can post on his forums at www.light-up.co.uk

I use sketchup pro, amongst other things. I haven’t tried only with the free version of sketchup though I hear it works.

9

I’ve been using SketchUp/LightUp to export to Unity and it works fine. The .fbx exporter in LightUp is way better than the one that comes with SketchUp. You can also use LightUp as a stand alone renderer in SketchUp and it does reflections and things.

Download the demo and have a go.

10

nice intro shader tutorial. videos are nice but written tutorials are great too.