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What is the potential of Python in Archviz - Looking for Ideas and Insights

gabrielnyr
polycounter lvl 6
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gabrielnyr polycounter lvl 6

Hey everyone!

I’m a 3D artist specialized in architectural visualization and I’ve been in the industry for over 5 years. Recently, I’ve been thinking about diving into Python and I’m really curious about how it could help improve my workflow, productivity and income in Archviz.

I know Python is widely used in the world, but I’m still trying to figure out how it can be applied specifically to Archviz. I’m particularly interested in how it can integrate with software I already use, like 3ds Max.

Some specific areas I’m considering are:

  • Creating/modifying scripts or helpfull standalone softwares
  • Streamlining asset management (e.g., organizing large libraries of models, textures, etc.)
  • Improving workflow on 3ds max, corona and vray

I’d love to hear from other Archviz professionals or anyone who has experience using Python in this field. What have you done with Python that has made your work easier or more efficient?

Also, if you know of any great resources or tutorials specific for archviz, feel free to share! I’m eager to learn and apply Python to make my work even better.

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • Eric Chadwick
    Moving your topic over to "Coding, Scripting & Shaders" since that's where you're more likely to get feedback from CG people here who use Python.

  • Muzzoid
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    Muzzoid interpolator
    If you want python and 3d, that's a hell of an argument to jump over to blender.

    All the scripting is python. Every blender plugin is written in python.

    I haven't touched max in years though, Looks like they finally have python support now? regardless the blender world is where you'll find a lot of inspiration for what can be acheived.
  • poopipe
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    poopipe grand marshal polycounter
    the problem with OP switching to blender is that the entire archviz space is max based - max is objectively better suited to dealing with anything precise/cad derived as well.

    I've not touched it in a while but max's python (to me) is similar in feel to pymel in maya
    It's a lot less stinky than maya.cmds but you're still obviously working through a layer.
    It wasn't all that well documented back then (3 years ago) - you had to extrapolate from the maxscript docs  for almost everything so unless that's changed I'd expect a beginner python programmer to have a pretty rough time

    I'd honestly recommend starting with maxscript to learn the systems if you want to build tools. its a perfectly good language and you'll be able to get results without having to translate your ideas through two layers of abstraction. 

     I'd take the time to learn the fundamentals of python (basic coding, good practices, packaging etc) outside of max first - you'll have a much easier time getting it going in max after that.

    listing the things I've personally used python for at work would take weeks.
    This sort of thing is driven by project needs. If something is boring or takes a long time to do.. write a script so you don't have to do it.
  • Eric Chadwick
    One common issue I've seen in archviz work at major retailers (I used to work at Wayfair, now I provide software for similar big retailers) is how difficult it is to get consistent quality assets from outsourcers. There's a strong need for validation systems. We had an extensive system in Max that checked for more than 100 issues. Non-uniform scale, bad materials, etc. All the companies I've worked with have this problem. This might be worth looking into, if you're working with outsourcers at all.
  • gnoop
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    gnoop sublime tool
     I pay $20 subscribtion for chatGPT  and it's quite capable to do whatever addon you may want  for Blender .  With current 4.5 chat version  it  even suggests ideas  that wouldn't ever cross my mind .  Almost everything Chat writes for Blender nowadays    just works . Takes  maybe  3-4 re-doing, error fixing.      Tryed to make it write me Max scripts or  python for  MAx  . Never worked .       

    ps   Today  I asked  it to make me a script that turns  UVs into geometry patches   I could edit with all 3d tools   in a temp mesh  (zbrush style)   and then with another button  brings it back to UV and removes temp mesh .  Works perfect.  
    And I know absolutely  nothing about Python . Actually started to  figure out after Chat explanations.       In a  word  I think it's already a bit late  to start learn Python . I think  AI will replace  all scripts/ basic tools  writing pretty soon.    Sooner than it would  replace artists.
  • poopipe
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    poopipe grand marshal polycounter
    My advice.. 
    Read what chatgpt did. Use it to learn to write the code yourself and apply that to any language and environment you find yourself in.

    The llms are good at JavaScript and python because 90% of the code on GitHub is JavaScript or python. 
    they fall flat pretty quick outside of that environment and fail utterly when you're trying to do something nobody has published. 

    Give it 5 years and maybe things will be different but right now you spend less effort in the long term writing the code yourself 



  • gnoop
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    gnoop sublime tool
    I needed a script  other day  that would calculate normal maps  intensity  parameter  from a target normal  map example   and match all the project normal maps to same intensity for  more unified  look .    I asked Chat to hipass normal maps,  extract high frequency details  and  measure each pixel normal deviation from vertical, find a mean value and consider it the intensity  parameter .     But then suddenly  found it uses median value  instead.   ?????       Tried to persuade it  to do mean /average    and  Chat gave  me a page wall of text how wrong I am  and  need to use median instead.      We agree on a switch  mean vs median.   And know what . Chat was right.   median is better .      That's a feeling   when you find  Ai  is clever than you  :) .     But I agree , it's probably something  someone already did  before  in some open source tool.    published on GIthub.

    Love  new research button  in Chat .   I't s limited  to a few  a month only  in $20 sub    And I mostly  waste it to   find me  best value for money when I need to buy something online.   It  recently found me my best sneakers  I ever had for less than 150.

    They added   "Monday"   a humorous  chat GPT   that started  from telling me what  little it thinks about my intellect an abilities  . ha-ha    But since   makes pretty good jokes about almost every theme I suggested .    Quite amusing actually.     Wonder where it takes those jokes ideas.    
    A progress they  did with Chat  during last year is huge.   I still can't find any useful AI  for actual game content . texture art  and Chat tells me current    image generators  is not that specific  to follow a material artist  requests,  but boy, did it  learn how to code in Python recently.     





  • gnoop
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    gnoop sublime tool
    "People (including me) have made Blender Add-ons that simulate 2D gizmos over compositor inputs!"

    it's what chat GPT  wrote me today . Looks like it consider itself   a person   already  :)
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