RPC Creator
RPC Creator
RPC technology uses high quality image data combined with minimal polygonal geometry to create the illusion of 3D. By synthesizing image data as the camera moves through the scene, images effectively reproduce the appearance of a 3-Dimensional object without relying on complex polygonal geometry. A remarkably simple user interface makes the placement of RPC content a simple click-to-place operation. An icon is first used to orient RPC content within the geometry of your scene, and at render time, the RPC plug-in calculates the viewing angle of the RPC object relative to the virtual camera. The appropriate corresponding images are then synthesized, creating the illusion that a complete 3D object exists in the scene.
The latest RPC content offerings include ArchVision's Smart Content™ user interface that allows users to interact with content through simple controls right in the interface, delivering unprecedented control within your scenes. For example, when placing a car from RPC Automobiles Volume 1, users can steer the tires by dragging the steering slider control in either direction, or use the built-in spline tool to draw a path for the RPC car to follow at a user-defined speed. The Populous™ 3.5D libraries include people who are viewable from anywhere on the Z-axis at every point in their motion cycles, making them completely camera independent. 2D & 2.5D RPC content libraries recently introduced by ArchVision allow the same click-and-place simplicity of the 3D content libraries, but are not viewable from 360 degrees.
To run the RPC Creator Pro installer, please double click on the installation file, which can be obtained on the RPC Creator Pro CD or via electronic download. The Install Wizard will guide you through the setup process. This application requires that an ArchVision Content Manager (ACM) is installed in order to obtain a license. During the installation, you may be prompted to install an ACM or you may be prompted to upgrade your existing ACM.
To activate RPC Creator Pro, you will need to import a license via the ArchVision Content Manager (ACM). Without a license, RPC Creator Pro will not function. Once a license for this product has been assigned to your ACM you can import it via the License tab on the ACM. Please visit ACM Central (acm.archvision.com) for more information about use of the ACM.
Once you have successfully imported a license, you will need to connect RPC Creator Pro to your ACM. While this is normally done by the installation program, you can manually connect to an ACM by clicking the Configure ACM button. If your ACM is located on your machine, select Local and browse to C:\ProgramFiles\ArchVision\ArchVision Content Manager and select rpcACMapp.exe. If the ACM is located on another computer select Network and key in the UNC name of the location, an IP address or select Scan for the RPC Creator to automatically detect available ACMs on the network.
RPC Creator Pro requires a user license, which is accessed via the ArchVision Content Manager (ACM). When a license is purchased from ArchVision, the license is stored in the purchaser's account until he/she assigns it to an available ACM. The license can be assigned to an available user's ACM in the purchaser's Order History at www.archvision.com. Once assigned, the RPC Creator Pro license will be retrieved when the user performs an import. Available licenses are displayed in the Current Licenses window.
The RPC Creator can be installed onto multiple workstations, but will only function if a license is present and available. The ACM distributes licenses until all available license seats have been used. Once a user exits the RPC Creator the license is then available to other users connected to the ACM.
Note: ArchVision Content Managers are managed through ACM Central (acm.archvision.com). When an ACM is registered, it is registered to ACM Central and not Archvision.com. Before assigning anything to an ACM it must be imported into ArchVision.com (www.archvision.com). This step can be performed by selecting Preferences, when logged into www.archvision.com and then selecting Import from ACM Central.
The RPC Creator Pro must be configured to contact to the ArchVision Content Manager (ACM) to obtain a license. This must be performed on each RPC Creator Pro installed on the network. A path to the ACM is configured by clicking on the Configure ACM button at the bottom of RPC Creator Pro as shown below.
Clicking on Configure ACM will open the RPC Content Configuration dialog shown below. Here you can specify the location of the ACM where the RPC Creator Pro license resides.
If the ACM is running somewhere other than on the local machine, select Network. You can then specify the (UNC) machine name, the IP address or select Scan to detect and list ACMs detected on the network.
If the ACM is running locally you will need to select Local Path. Next browse to C:\Program Files\ArchVision\ArchVision Content Manager, where you will find the file rpcacmapp.exe Select Open to use this file location as the path.
Finally select Update to commit the path change. If new RPCs have been added or you need to rescan the paths select Force the ACM to rescan its paths and then select Update.
Start Tab: The first screen that appears when the RPC Creator Pro opens provides an option to Import. This option provides users with the ability to edit their existing RPCs. This option will not work for RPC Content created by ArchVision. If you are creating a new RPC, select the Name tab to begin the RPC Creation process.
Name Tab: There are three naming fields for RPC content. Content Category allows you to select the grouping for your RPC. You are welcome to use one of the types already created by ArchVision such as People [Casual] or create your own.
Content Name refers to the name of the RPC itself. We suggest keeping the Content Name and the Object Name identical for continuity and ease of finding the RPC in the scene.
Height Tab: Default Height is the height of the RPC object in inches. Keep in mind that the Height refers to the overall image height and not just the subject. To make your height value more accurate, limit the amount of dead space at the top and bottom of your images. Random Height Min and Random Height Max allow you to set recommended ranges for Randomize Height settings in RPC Mass Edit.
Self Illum Tab: The self-illumination setting of the RPCs refers to the default brightness of the object. We suggest that you use a setting of 55 for Indoor objects and a setting of 75 for Outdoor objects.
Images Tab: Begin by selecting the type of RPC Content to be created in the RPC Type box. Next, open your RGB image file(s) by clicking the Add button and then selecting the image(s). Once the file has been selected, a preview of the first image will be displayed. Next load the Alpha image file(s) in the same manner.
For 2.5D content, the first image needs to be time 0 of the action sequence. For 3D content, the first image should be the back of the object. For 3.5D content, the first image should be the back of the object at time 0. The order in which images are named should reflect a counter-clockwise rotation around the RPC if creating 3D or 3.5D content.
If the RPC was Imported into Creator Pro, an option to Use Imported will be available in the RGB Filename and Alpha Filename dialog boxes. It is also possible to add new images and their corresponding alpha images to the imported images by clicking the Add button.
For 3.5D content, it is required that your content be named in the following format:
<base><view><separator><time>.jpg
In this naming construction, Base can be any alphabetic naming structure as long as it does not end in a number. View should be a number that increments as you move clockwise around the object. The Separator is simply to divide the View and the Time numbers into distinctive portions of the file name. The separator must be a dash, a period or an underscore. Time is the order in which the frames should be played. The frame rate for the time sequence should be 30 frames per second (fps).
Example names are:
image0000-0000.jpg
image0000-0001.jpg
image0000-0002.jpg
Description Tab: This step allows you to enter in information about the RPC as a Meta tag. These descriptions should be separated by a comma. You have the option of leaving the field blank.
This tab also contains an entry box for Gait, which is only available when creating 3.5D objects. The Gait value defines how quickly a 3.5D object moves along its spline. Gait is expressed as inches per 1/30th of a second.
Pivot Tab: Pivot Offset allows you to adjust the center of the RPC. This allows you to compensate for the fact that often times the center of the image is not the center of the subject. This figure can be found by opening the file in Adobe Photoshop or a similar program and determining what percentage of shift in pixel is needed to the right of left of center to find the center of the subject. Normally this figure does not need to be adjusted for trees.
Preview Tab: As discussed in RPC Creation Tips: The Basics, a Preview File is used to represent the RPC in the RPC Interface. Locate it on your machine by clicking the Browse button and then selecting the appropriate bitmap file or use the default image. If you choose to create your own, make sure that it is 124 x 98 pixels and saved as an RGB (24-bit) .bmp file.
Icon Tab: Next, select to use either the default Icon, which appears as crossed planes in your 3D application, or to use a Custom Icon. Custom Icons can be created from DXF, OBJ, or MSH file formats. MSH is the file format generated by the RPC Icon Exporter.
RPC Icon Exporter for Max and Viz can be downloaded from http://www.archvision.com/RPCIcons
Contact Tab: The fields provided on this screen allow you to enter in specific information about the creator of the RPC content.
Create Tab: Set the RPC filename by clicking on the Browse button and locating the directory where you would like to save your file. Then type the RPC name into the File Name field and select to Save. Next click the Create button to complete the file saving process. We recommend not saving over an existing RPC.
Once you click the Create button, a status bar will appear to show the file creation progress. The time required for assembly will vary based on the type of content being created and the number of images used. A dialog will appear confirming that the content was completed and offer you the option of previewing the RPC object. Selecting Yes will open the RPC ActiveX Viewer™ and display your content.
If you would like you may also choose to Import a previously created RPC to make edits. Just be sure that when you save the new version of your RPC that you give it a new name or else you will receive an error. This is because the file that you are trying to save is currently open and not able to be edited.
For additional assistance using RPC Technology, please visit www.archvision.com or call 859.252.3118 extension 103, to contact our live Support Team Monday-Friday 9am-6pm ET.
Before using RPC Creator Pro it is important to understand how the RPC Creator works and what is needed to create the type of RPC you wish to create. Currently, RPC Content comes in five different flavors. Each type has certain advantages and qualities. Achieving the full potential offered by RPC requires an understanding of each type's characteristics, limitations and benefits. This program will allow you to create 2D, 2.5D, 3D and 3.5D RPC content.
2D RPCs are used primarily for rendering still images. These RPCs consist of a single image that continually faces the active scene camera. They render quickly and can provide a great deal of complexity and richness in a scene. For animation purposes, they work well in the background or if the camera dollies towards or away from the RPC.
To create a 2D RPC one RGB image and one alpha image are needed.
2.5D Content can add a considerable amount of life and motion to a scene. These files are similar to the 2D content, except that they consist of an animated sequence that plays during an animation. These files contain only one angle of recorded motion, and will constantly face the camera. 2.5D content works best with locked down cameras and/or dolly shots.
2.5D content creation involves an RGB sequence of a moving object, and the corresponding Alpha images for those images. For each frame in an animated scene, a new image is rendered. Regardless of the camera view, the RPCs will always face the camera.
3D Content is the most common RPC type. These files are viewable from any angle about the z-axis, but they do not move. They work very well in scenes where the camera turns through the scene, orbiting the RPC.
3D RPCs consist of images from different views around the object, thus it is necessary to have RGB images from evenly spaced positions around the z-axis as well as matching Alphas. Each view corresponds to a view of the object from a different angle. When rendered, the image corresponding to the view will be loaded based on the position of the camera.
3.5D Content contains character walking cycles and are viewable from any angle around the z-axis. These content files also generate a spline when the RPC is placed in the scene. The 3.5D RPC then follows the spline during an animation sequence. These RPCs work well as secondary or background characters to add additional realism and life to your scene.
3.5D RPCs contain images representing both viewing directions and time. Thus, it is necessary to have images from views around the object, and each of those views must have images representing time. This means that many images are required for creating 3.5D content. For a 3.5D object that has 90 views (a view every 4 degrees), and 1 second of motion (30 frames) it is necessary to generate 5400 images (2700 RGB and 2700 Alpha).