I'm the in-house 3D guy at an Architectural firm. Most of the time I'm receiving Revit models now, but for the most part I make odds and ends specified by our interior designers, and elements that would take ages in Revit, so I looked at Rhino but had trouble getting around what seemed like very restrictive workflow (ie. you can't do this to a solid! you have to convert it to a curve first!). So I came across MoI, which seems to be sketchup on drugs (made of nurbs). I'm really liking it so far, however i'd like to check a few things first:

-A layer system, or the tag system Mr Gibson is going to implement (sounds great, I like the idea that it will get around the limitation of the layer system).

-Check that I can import dwg's, which ill convert via illustrator to .AI or .EPS or whatever MoI excepts.

-Check that I can export something useable in autocad. Often I'll resolve things in 3D that the architect hasn't in their 3D drawings, so I pass this onto them via a DXF when modelling in Max.

So over this coming weekend i'll test it out and hit the forum up with questions! So far I have to say it's looking like a no-brainer. Poly modelling just isn't natural for semi-organic forms that require precision. If Modo had nurbs i'd stick with that, but it doesn't, and the workflow isn't really suited to precision. Also the fact that I can buy a license and take it with me (most of the time i'll just have it at work but I can bring it home and do stuff too, like bringing my VRay dongle home) is a big plus.

Hey duke!, what do you mean by "you can't do this to a solid! you have to convert it to a curve first!" in case of Rhino? -Petr

Hi Duke, thanks for your interest in MoI!


> -A layer system, or the tag system Mr Gibson is going to
> implement (sounds great, I like the idea that it will get
> around the limitation of the layer system).

This is going to be a focus area for v2, it looks like I should be starting in on this area after SIGGRAPH is over.


> -Check that I can import dwg's, which ill convert via illustrator
> to .AI or .EPS or whatever MoI excepts.

MoI v1 can import Ai/PDF, 3DM files, or IGES files.

AutoCAD used to have an igesout command, but I guess they removed it at some point. But still your best bet may be to find some kind of IGES export for AutoCAD.

AI format is for 2D curves only, you won't be able to transfer 3D data that way.

Another option is to use Rhino, which can open up DWG files and then export the result as a 3DM which can be read into MoI.

I do want to work on adding in DWG/DXF format support into MoI in the future. It is a fairly in-depth format to support so I'm not quite sure yet when that will happen.


The current MoI v2 beta also adds STEP and SAT format input, and I think that AutoCAD does support SAT format export as well, try the satout command.


> -Check that I can export something useable in autocad. Often
> I'll resolve things in 3D that the architect hasn't in their 3D
> drawings, so I pass this onto them via a DXF when modelling
> in Max.

For export, MoI v1 supports NURBS data to 3DM, IGES, 2D curve data to AI format, and can also export polygon mesh data to OBJ, STL, 3DS, and LWO formats.

The current v2 beta also adds STEP and SAT format export as well, I think probably SAT would allow you to get NURBS data into AutoCAD.

Typically for export to Max you would export to OBJ format from MoI.


> Also the fact that I can buy a license and take it with me (most
> of the time i'll just have it at work but I can bring it home and
> do stuff too, like bringing my VRay dongle home) is a big plus.

You can take your copy of MoI along with you on a USB key if you want, but it's also fine to just install your same license both at work and at home.

The USB thing would be more for like when you are going to be visiting somewhere and don't want to just run the software without actually doing an install on someone else's machine.


- Michael