Purchasing Sketchup

[Randall Smith]

I have been messing with the online and downloadable versions of Sketchup for the past couple of weeks and am getting the hang of it.

I know the Pro edition has more features and capibiltys but at $695 I cannot justify it for what I want to use it for.

Are there any discount coupons/student prices available?

Or is Blender a better options for creating airport buildings?

Thanks

Randall

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Randy:

What features of Sketchup Pro do you anticipate needing to create 3D scenery objects for FS ?

The info linked in this recent thread on Sketchup version-8 (32-Bit) may have helped you get started with Sketchup:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/downloadable-free-sketchup.442402/

IMHO, there is no need to use the licensed "Pro" version of Sketchup for anything other than producing 3D models intended for commercial (payware) projects.

And, IMHO, there is no need to use another 3D modeling application aside from Sketchup for anything other than producing 3D models intended to be animated.

3D scenery objects for FS are intended to be less complex in order to not have an adverse impact on FS run time performance, so keeping the learning curve and work-flow required to produce such objects less complex may be a primary goal in FS scenery development.

Nearly every default feature in the payware version of Sketchup is available in the free versions of Sketchup, and many even more enhanced feature capabilities can also be added to any version of Sketchup ...via the use of various free plugin Ruby scripts that are freely-downloadable from several websites.

Hope this info helps a bit more with exploring your options for 3D modeling.

GaryGB

 

[Randall Smith]

Great information Thanks.

To design airport buildings/terminal do you use simple template or architectural

 

[Juan Andrade]

Hey, Randall. Blender has many advantages over SketchUp, and the list below is just a few personal insights.

1. It's free and open source.
2. It has a great community.
3. Allows you to add ambient occlusion / Possibility of UVMap.
4. It allows you to create ground polys easily.

Blender has a higher learning curve than SketchUp, however, it allows you to create more complex things than S.U.

 

[=rk=]

Hey, Randall. Blender has many advantages over SketchUp, and the list below is just a few personal insights.

1. It's free and open source.
2. It has a great community.
3. Allows you to add ambient occlusion / Possibility of UVMap.
4. It allows you to create ground polys easily.

Blender has a higher learning curve than SketchUp, however, it allows you to create more complex things than S.U.

This entire statemet is a matter of opinion.
1. Sketchup is free and open source.
2. Sketchup community numbers in the millions.
3. Sketchup uses Ruby scripting for extensions and plugins that not only perform ambient occlusion, UV wrap/map, FBX/OBJ/etc. import, the ACES toolset can be directly integrated.
4. Sketchup ground poly tutorial.

 

[Juan Andrade]

This entire statemet is a matter of opinion.
1. Sketchup is free and open source.
2. Sketchup community numbers in the millions.
3. Sketchup uses Ruby scripting for extensions and plugins that not only perform ambient occlusion, UV wrap/map, FBX/OBJ/etc. import, the ACES toolset can be directly integrated.
4. Sketchup ground poly tutorial.

Only SketchUp Make is free and has limited options, it has a community of millions of users because it is a famous architectural program. Blender does not require plug-ins to perform UVMap or export/import in formats such as FBX/OBJ/etc. Blender plugins is coded in Python, demontrated as one of the best programming languages to learn due to its versatility and in SketchUp i don't know how to make the taxiway centerline, in Blender and GMAX yes.

In the end, it's Randall's decision. In my personal opinion, I wouldn't spend money on SketchUp when I can do the same and much more on Blender.

 

[=rk=]

Because you don't know how to make a taxi line in Sketchup, Blender is better. You obviously didn't read the tutorial, or that question would be answered:

All this has been done with Sketchup and not a lick of it with Blender. Opinions are meaningless without context.

Oh ya, I almost forgot, thanks for reminding me. Sketchup is indeed superlative for architectural work as well. Below is a site plan I did for an employer when work was slow a few winters ago. So Sketchup can do that too. The intended impression is that one can accomplish just about every possible thing one would need to simulate using Sketchup, so the choice is indeed personal.

For me, the specific difference is the learning curve. In that regard, Sketchup is nothing less than intuitive. Additionally, it is cutting edge. People like ThomThom, Eneroth and the Sketchup team are constantly cranking out extensions and I regularly stumble across something written specifically for flight sim or train sim. To me it's exciting - and I like the open source/dev nature of Blender, it seems like they are trying to continually improve, which I really endorse. Ultimately I have a short attention span, so Sketchup got me going while I was still thinking about it.

As far as pro vs free, there is nothing about the pro version that attracts me. Any additional capabilities it offers can be surpassed (for free) with resourcefulness. Ultimately, the pro version is a conduit for legitimacy. If you make money doing 3d work, it is extremely unlikely that you developed the platform to present your work. You have to pay for the simulator, you have to pay for the computer and while you are learning Sketchup is free. If you start making money off of all that development, it is only fair you share. The same would be the case with Blender and you are fooling yourself if you think otherwise.

 

[Juan Andrade]

I read the Ground Polys tutorial a long time ago because I used SketchUp but it didn't satisfy me.

I don't deny that SketchUp is a good program for 3D building development. However, I think Blender is better on the points already made. I also forgot to mention that in SketchUp it is impossible to make aircraft useful for the FSX, it is possible to make them static, but not flyable. I am not the only one who says it, arno also specifies it in the first part of this post of 2010.

According to blender: "Blender is a freeware. You can use the software for commercial or educational purposes, and distribute it free of charge. However, its software provider
Blender Foundation a non-profit corporation, offers enterprise pricing services and subscriptions for artist and small teams who want to access its open production platform such as Blender Cloud. In addition, subscriptions for Blender Cloud can be renewed manually or automatically on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis".

This warship was created by Ripcord and posted in this thread.

A render from Bill Womack / iBlueYonder

Up to this point I think Randall has arguments to make a choice and therefore I don't want to keep debating because I don't consider it necessary to have a debate that would never end (hahaha). But remember dear friend:

so the choice is indeed personal.

I want to finish by apologizing for my English, it is a combination of self-taught knowledge and a translator.

 

[GaryGB]

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/purchasing-sketchup.442446/post-795419

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/purchasing-sketchup.442446/post-795419

Great information Thanks.

To design airport buildings/terminal do you use simple template or architectural

Hi Randy:

Any default Sketchup template will work, but I find it helpful to use Simple - Feet and Inches to:

* Provide a color theme that allows quickly discerning view orientation relative to the "ground" versus the sky 'above'

* Set the default units to Feet and Inches for the current drawing operation and inference engine


The internal "inference" engine will also still cache the most recently used units for ex: the Line and Tape Measure tools.

And, one can type into the Value Control Box (aka "VCB") and press < Enter > to assign units of objects that use units.


BTW: one can also 'toggle' units while within a template 'units theme' ...from a toolbar button via a plugin Ruby script:


Toggle Units v3.001 by Matt666:

https://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=Matt_Toggle_Units

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=81391#p81391


FYI: Installing Ruby Plugins (Extensions)

https://help.sketchup.com/en/article/38583


NOTE: One can make a copy of the default Sketchup template "Simple - Feet and Inches", and configure it as a 'custom' template to eliminate auto-load of a "Sketchup person object", or to set other parameters that are loaded in place of the default template at startup:

https://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000141


GaryGB

 

[gfxpilot]

The biggest issue with free SU is the inability to measure accurately without jumping to the measurement textbox bottom right screen. I've more or less completed my own Lowi airport, all done as a learning curve, but its as good as I've seen for freeware on some sites. Still learning and slightly quicker than blender. Unless you are really going down the vehicle architecture building route then stay with SU free, MCX art proggy and ADE and keep life as simple as you can so you have time to sim if that's what you are in to.

I'm learning blender and as Gary states it a " vertical learning curve" and can take over. Think only aboutbwill you get 600£ out of it in reality

Just my humble opinion only

 

[=rk=]

Up to this point I think Randall has arguments to make a choice and therefore I don't want to keep debating because I don't consider it necessary to have a debate that would never end (hahaha). But remember dear friend:



I want to finish by apologizing for my English, it is a combination of self-taught knowledge and a translator.

I dont know what your trip is, sir. Randall did not request a debate. Now that you have defined Sketchup as inadequate, I have proved it otherwise and you have proven that Blender does stuff too, no immense surprise there.
There was no debate and I have finished demonstrating that Sketchup, as a 3d design program, is just as valid as any 3d design program, more so than many and less so than few. My suggestion is that you learn by experience more and from hearsay less. Your understanding of the simulator, the MSFS engine and the ACES toolset betrays you. I have made several flyable user aircraft using Sketchup as my principal 3d software. What Arno said is that Sketchup cannot record keyframe animations. For that I export my Sketchup components to FSDesign Studio and perform my animations there.
This was the original post by the OP:

I have been messing with the online and downloadable versions of Sketchup for the past couple of weeks and am getting the hang of it.

I know the Pro edition has more features and capibiltys but at $695 I cannot justify it for what I want to use it for.

Are there any discount coupons/student prices available?

Or is Blender a better options for creating airport buildings?

Thanks

Randall

The question, the thread, was created to explore the validity of Sketchup, Blender was used to compare and I'm pretty sure Randall got your enthusiasm about his chosen alternative. The biggest issue, imo, was to defer his interest in the pro version.

Hi Randy:

GaryGB

FYI, Gary, that the orange header that displays the identity of the quoted poster (in this case it is "Randall Smith said:") is actually a hyperlink to the original quoted post, presumably so anyone who wants can check the statement was properly quoted. The hyperlink that you copy/pasted is redundant as it does the exact same thing less eloquently.

 

[GaryGB]

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/purchasing-sketchup.442446/post-795497



FYI, Gary, that the orange header that displays the identity of the quoted poster (in this case it is "Randall Smith said:") is actually a hyperlink to the original quoted post, presumably so anyone who wants can check the statement was properly quoted. The hyperlink that you copy/pasted is redundant as it does the exact same thing less eloquently.

I am aware of the options available here when posting via the currently configured build of Xenforo software.


While truncation of URLs is a default feature along with non-display of locally-attached uploaded images, some forum participants may opt to utilize immediately recognizable and 'clickable" explicit hyperlinks to URLs that include a non-truncated thread subject title as well as a post ID number.

In some cases hyperlinks already are explicit hyperlinks to URLs that include a fully-visible, non-truncated thread subject title as well as a post ID number; in other cases such hyperlinks are truncated.

I shall exercise my own discretion as I utilize the options available here when posting via the currently configured build of Xenforo software, and I do not require either your explanation or editorial commentary.

One might wonder whether you were also already aware of the options available here when posting via the currently configured build of Xenforo software when you structured your own posted content above, so that readers of this thread are "forced" to view yet another thread-expanding sequence of your images that display ...in spite of the otherwise currently-applicable FSDeveloper forum default to NOT display images until their 'links' are manually 'clicked' by the reader.

I'm thinking that right about now would be an opportune time for moderators to reassess how well the new Xenforo configuration is actually working to "intercept" image display and "force" all such attached / linked images to comply with the apparently 'intended' mode of NOT being displayed until they are manually 'clicked' by the reader, to save on resource use and bandwidth expense required by FSDeveloper and forum participants ...in threads where you have posted with long sequences of images.

Explicit "links" which include visible and non-truncated thread topic info allow the forum participant their right to decide what they view and at what time; working around the IIUC, "intended" forum default that does not even allow images to be displayed until their "links" are manually 'clicked' by the reader ...may perhaps be a more valid (sub)-topic of concern to forum participants to be discussed in the thread Arno started in, IIRC, the 'General Chat' sub-forum. ;-)

GaryGB