ES305 Virtual Tools in Engineering Design Objects & Scripts Prof. Searleman

Overview ■ Virtools ■ 3D object – mesh – material ■ Building Blocks Homework: Exercise 1 due today Exercise 2 due today Exercise 3 due: Wednesday, 11/11 (note that these are to be done individually) Getting Help: Eric Bomyea

Recap: Basic Concepts in Virtools ■Level Manager: organizes the composition ■Schematic: used to create, edit, and manage “scripts”; a script describes how an object behaves ■Building Blocks (BBs): a library of behaviors, organized by the type of behavior and/or by the type of object to which the behavior can be applied ■Data Resources (default: VirtoolsResources) project management tools – you can create a new data resource for each project ■Media objects (such as a model, sound, or image) are added to the composition by dragging it from a Data Resource into the 3D Layout or Level Manager or by importing it via data resources

Level Scripts ■Level scripts □ used to create behaviors that are not bound to a particular object, but exist in the level (e.g. background, setup) □ useful place to put a comment describing the composition

Virtools Exercises ■ add a level script at the top and insert a comment box containing your name, date & exercise# ■ schematics should be neat & easy to read ■ make sure all pIns are labelled (at least with the value) ■ print the scripts (in landscape mode) ■ turn in printouts & also copy your composition to your folder on the course drive:\\fs2\JCarroll\ES305\\fs2\JCarroll\ES305 ■ Please make a subdirectory for your VR work (a working directory would also be useful)

Object – Mesh - Material ■ 3D mesh is the “wireframe” shape for an object ■ A mesh is often shared by several different objects to save space ■ A material is wrapped around the mesh ■ materials can be shared ■ can add a texture ■ color parameters: □ ambient: multiplies the scene’s ambient color □ diffuse: default surface color, depends on lights □ specular: shiny highlights □ emmisive: self-illumination

Shared Mesh and/or Material Andy’s Mug Ken’s Mug Mug Wireframe Blue Ceramic Dependency: if you delete Ken’s mug, you will be asked about dependencies. If you select “full”, Andy’s mug no longer has a shape!

Object, Mesh & Material Andy’s MugJim’s Mug Nelson’s Mesh Ceramic Objects can share a mesh. A mesh can share a material. If you delete an object that is sharing a mesh or material, specify “no dependencies” (meaning that it will not delete the shared mesh or material). Ken’s MugMike’s Mug Ken’s Mesh Mike’s Mesh Stainless Steel

Steps in creating a composition 1.Import objects (Resources|Import) or from VirtoolsResources 2.Use the Level Manager to set up your objects ■ rename ■ double-click an object to get 3D Object Setup ■ adjust the world coordinates (0,0,0) ■ rotate and scale as desired ■ change the color (if desired) 3.Add lighting 4.Add a camera & adjust it to view the object 5.SET INITIAL CONDITIONS on your objects (but not on the scripts)

Lights There are 3 types of lights in Virtools: directional light point light spot light directional < point < spot (in terms of complexity)

Add Lighting ■ Add a spot light ■ use the level manager to rename it ■ use Setup to position it ■ Add directional lighting ■ use the level manager to rename it ■ use Setup, select Directional ■ Position it, say at (0,10,0) ■ Change its orientation to (90,0,0)

Cameras There are 2 types of cameras in Virtools: 1. Target camera - always looking at a target defined by a frame - cannot specify orientation 2. Free camera - useful since you can change the orientation the Create Camera button creates a camera

Camera

Add a Camera ■ Add the camera ■ Use the Level Manager to rename it ■ Use Setup to change its coordinates (or position it using the toolbar to the left of the 3D Layout window)