e-on Vue 8 Infinite PLE - Introduction

The last few days I downloaded the digital environment generator Vue 8 Infinite PLE developed by the american firm e-on software. When I began to have some interest for 3D technology (around 10 years ago, at this time it was brand named ‘Vue de l’Esprit‘), this software already appeared as a reference in its domain. It’s still the case today. And all technology I discovered at the same period are still here know like PlanetSide Terragen | Terragen 2 and Bionatics plugins like natFX, EASYnat or REALnat Premium. Nevertheless I recently discover Nemetschek Vectorworks Landmark.
e-on develops also another plugin, Ozone. With Ozone, digital designer may create and render hyper-realistic skies and atmospheres in 3ds Max, Maya, Softimage, Lightwave and Cinema4D.

As usual you will find more links about these softwares in the ‘Digital Environment Generators‘ section of this blog. You have certainly noticed that these last few days, I tried to organize in a more structured manner the ‘2D & 3D technologies‘ section.

But know let’s install Vue 8 Infinite PLE and discover it!

Installation

Process

After downloading the PLE executable, you will follow this following installation process :

	Step 1 :: Installation option You have to choose between the XStream and the Infinite version of the personal learning edition. The Infinite version is a standalone application whereas the XStream is a plugin that you add to a specific 3D modeler software among 3ds Max, Maya, LightWave, Cinema 4D or Softimage
	Step 2 :: Software license agreement Juridical part of the installation. Not so important if like me you install the limited edition for personal use. Otherwise it’s always useful to be aware of what you can do or not.
	Step 3 :: Checking required dependencies Vue 8 PLE requires some specific libraries to be installed. Depending on your operating system, the software may require the Windows Installer version 2.o.
	Step 4 :: User information Insert your name and your company’s brand name. Necessary for network management (licensing, account management…) certainly otherwise…
	Step 5 :: Installation type Just the time to think about a coffee break…
	Step 6 :: Installing in progress
	Step 7 :: Installation complete And now enjoy fully generating digital environment!

Directory installation description

Once the installation is done, you may open the installation diectory (by default in ‘C:\Program Files\e-on software\Vue 8 Infinite PLE‘) :

	Application	Contains the files necessary to make run Vue.
	Documentation	Contains the Vue Infinite and XStream reference manual in PDF format.
	Environment	Contains files for the integration of Vue XStream in 3DS Max, Maya, Softimage XSI, LightWave and Cinema 4D
	Plug-ins	Plug-ins used by Vue. By default for Poser project import.
	Python	Contains 3 sub-directories : - Documentation files : Documentation about Python language - Pythonlib : Embedded Python libraries used by Vue - Scripts : Embedded python scripts. Specific scripts used for animation, eco-system, filters, materials, vegetation are already available + Quadric shaders and volumetric shaders. You may also save your own custom scripts.
	Shaders	Contains shaders. No… really?

UI overview

Think business

The first contact with e-on Vue software is a very professional one. This approach is here logical because we are evaluating the software. It’s obvious that e-on suggests us to buy its software. But it’s not always the case for the limited editions I’ve already installed and tested. Very professional approach. Good point!

Workspace overview

The Vue workspace is almost classic for a 3D content generator software. Toolbar at the top and on the left side, 4 perpective views (top, left, right, camera), and docked panels on the right side.

What I like in this workspace :
- New graphical guideline based on black color even if I think it’s better to use dark grey instead of black. Because of the black color, the user may be tired working with such contrast.
- Almost empty interface

What I dislike in this workspace :
- Too small buttons. 2 problems with that. Firstly you may lose time only trying to click correctly on a button. Smaller is the button, the more difficult it is to click on it. Secondly, think finger no more mouse…
- Toolbar with only icons. This kind of workspace may be useful for intermediate or experienced user but not for beginners. I’m an adept of ribbon UI component (see my post about Autodesk Moldflow Communicator or about Autodesk Inventor Fusion Technology). Ribbon is a good UI component because it force software editor to group features / functionalities under a category. And this approach – based on Gestalt theory – allows simplification and better understanding of what you can do with your application.
- Inversed L approach for toolbars. This approach is based on the paradigm that people read from left to right and from top to bottom. That’s false. Firstly many written languages don’t assume this paradigm. Secondly surface computing is emerging. So you don’t have to base your reflexion only on the intellectual skills of the user by on its physiological capacities (left/right, brain / hand manipulation conexion, new paradidms that new devices bring – like mobile phones, notebooks, book readers, etc.).
- The feeling that the guideline is not yet totally accomplished.

But my opinion is not so important. I just want to extract with you some interaction design paradigms from what I see in order to apply or use them to develop any kind of applications. Don’t hesitate to share your experience and your comments!

UI component overview

Nevertheless I was very surprised by the panels. Action buttons are located at the bottom right side of the panel. Original approach isn’t it? On the below screenshot, I highlighted this characteristic for the Atmosphere editor panel but you will find this for all similar panels. I’m a fervent defensor of this approach as you noticed previously.

The best would have been to customize the size this Dialog bar should have been displayed. The objective is to reduce the distance that the mouse (the hand with the mouse) must move to run a specific action.

Another comment.
I’m convinced that we have to visualize concepts in graphical way as often as possible. For example, in the above panel I would have illustrated the ‘Sun size’ with 2 suns, one very small and another one with a higher format. Idem with the corona size. Do you know what the corona is? How this property may change the scene? A good draw is always better than a long description… and reduce the need of the test and see method!

Python scripting

As for Blender you may extend Vue features by scripting with Python. Either you write code directly in the Python console :

or you download python scripts, text files that contain a list of Python statements and function calls. hese files usually carry the extension *.py.
That’s a new motivation to learn Python!

Go further

Cornupia3D – e-on 3D content store

Cornupia is an online store where you can purchase additional content for use inside your Vue scenes. But the most interesting side of this feature is that the Cornucopia3D technology places “ghost” items into your collections. These items don’t “physically” exist on your hard disk and are continually  up to date. Cornucopia3D items are identified by a little pictogram in the Vue workspace.
You will find the same offer with Google 3D Warehouse for Google SketchUp, or Dassault 3DVia Store for 3DVia softwares – 3DVIA Composer, 3DVIa Shape, 3DVia MP and 3DVIA Virtools. Obviously the available 3D objects stores list is not limited to these 3 firms!

Business is business!

Reference manual

The offical ‘Reference Manual‘ installed with the software is a very complete and detailled document to discover and masterize Vue. I begin to read the… 668 pages!
My objective is to be able to post tutorials during this year.

Video tutorials

I have already watched the video tutorials on the e-on web site. In one hour you understand how huge are the functionnalities of the software, especially the Multi Object Ecosystem or the integration with Smith Micro Poser and the e-on plugin Mover.

I clearly recommend Vue. Vu!

http://www.3ds.com/products/3dvia/3dvia-virtools/

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