reducing large Objects

[Uli Werner]

I downloaded a larger object file (free and legal available from a net collection).
AC3D can load the file and display it on the screen. So fine.
When I try to reduce this object zu 50% or 10% or what else AC3D begins and never ends! After two hours there is no result. As there is no progress information (only the message "Reduce...") I cannot see if the software works still or has "given up".
I have saved the file as an ac-file and uploaded it to my private server for possibly testing:

http://www.familie-werner.org/public/Medusa_total.zip

Thank you for a hint in advance
Uli

[Andy]

Thanks for posting that. I confirmed that it was very slow and had a look at the code. I was able to make some optimizations to the code and make it a lot faster.

It still took over an hour to reduce the 1.4 million triangle model down by 50% but subsequent reductions were much faster. I ran the 50% reduction a few times and the results are in this file - the smallest version I did has 87k triangles and it still looks good. Further reductions should be fine, speed wise, on the current AC3D.

http://www.inivis.com/external/test/Medusa_reduced.zip

These changes will be in the next release.

[Uli Werner]

Thank you for this great service! I succeeded in reducing the object even smaller and can now use it for my current project (Rental Barracks in Berlin, 1890).

By the way, if you should be interested in my latest "work", watch here (Youtube video below).
All the cable car related objects such as buildings, gondolas, pylones et cetera (and the old tram in the foreground at 0:30) are constructed with AC3D.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D80Vnit_Kbk

Uli Werner

[Andy]

That looks great Uli. What simulation platform is that?

[Uli Werner]

Hi Andy,
thanks for your answer. The environment is "EEP", a German railway simulation. It comes with some thousands of free models in a proprietary format which no 3D program can feed directly. But there is a slightly strange conversion software for transforming from sources like Blender or AC3D.
EEP is a commercial software. The free models are rather poor. The business idea is that EEP is not too expensive. the customer can buy additional stuff such as "my" cable car which is just being tested by the companies experts. There are some dozends of freelancers around the company, so called "constructors", most of them design their models with Blender, a few like me prefer AC3D, in spite of Blender is free.
There are some model constructors which build quite sophisticated models, e.g. the guy under the short cut "RG2". You can find his excellent steam locos and other stuff here:

https://eepshopping.de/?view=search_...ext=&x=41&y=10

To become a "constructor" one must ask for the contract after have presented himself with some models which the company evaluates as suitable for their business success. Once being a constructor one gets the professional verson the the conversion prgram and can work absolut free without further requirements, just along the quality rules, the own preferences and skills.

The Royalties which the constrctor recieves for his sold models are fortunately so low that there is no motivation for the constructor of being fast and economic efficient, rather than in love with one's models details and as a creative worker for own pleasure.
Uli