A rounded edge option

Renders like vray and corona have an option for “rounded edges”.

This is helpful because often there is no time to round the edges of doors, millwork etc in a Revit project. And even if there was it would impact model performance and maintainability.

An option like this might help bring more realism to Enscape.

With the time you are saving in rendering with Enscape, you can afford to spend a little more time modeling it properly :wink:

(Sarcasm aside, I think it would be cool, but personally I can’t think on a time I would use it rather than spend an extra few clicks to put a bevel on things.)

I’m assuming you work in Sketchup?

With Revit, putting bevels on edges just because it renders better would be considered the opposite of “modeling it properly” :slight_smile:

Also, in Revit, it’s much more work than “just a few extra clicks”. Revit does not have a bevel tool and even if it had it, we would probably want to avoid using it in order to not tax the model with extra geometry.

For an example to show how big a difference this can make: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLL2tZzycpA

Lumion has this option with a realtime engine, my guess is Enscape could as well with a little work. I agree, modeling rounded edges in Revit is a really bad idea.

@Simon_Weinberger At Rhino we could use softened edges at mesh level, but Enscape doesn’t use the softened meshes. Is it forget to enable? What is the problem to use this meshes?

SU also has a “Soften edges” and “Smooth edges” you can assign to lines; this is normally used to turn faceted tubes into pipes, round the edges or things or blend the harsh connection of edges in a mesh surface.

I.E. the technique is used in all native applications - perhaps it could be used to smooth some edges add an extra little bit of realism to an already brilliant render?

@Micha That’s simply not yet implemented. And I have no idea yet how easy it will be because I haven’t looked at the Rhino API for this.

@Simon_Weinberger Please take a look, maybe it’s easy done. It’s a great helper at my other render plugins and it’s a pity to miss it at Enscape. (I’m sure you are working hard. I wished, each plugin could get an own developer, so that all the tiny specialties could be added.)

Hi @Micha

Is this (rounded edges) used for raising the realism of renderings?

Jorgensen

Yes, for rendering use. It smoothes the underlayed display/render and keep the NURBS model untouched. It also works for mesh objects. I helped me often, also at models where filliting fails. A really great feature of Rhino.

There some other tools based on this technology. So, the user can create smooth mesh pipes based on curves (dashed lines are good for sews on leather furniture). And the Shutlining tool allow to create gaps on surfaces based on curves on surfaces.

All this render mesh modification tools can be used if this modified meshes are sent to the render engine. Sounds quite simple, anything is there, the geometry needs be used only.

Nothing in the world has perfect 90 degree corners, introducing rounded corners tricks the brain and gives better elusion of realistic.

For revit there is no mesh pipes (or fillet tool), so for Revit it would only work on the material level (similar to how corona, vray and lumion handle it).

Revit models are not modeled to be realistic but to convey design intent. There’s a long list of reasons why we can’t bevel edges. If we had an option on Enscape’s side we would be able to create more realistic:

  • fabric wrapping (we do a lot of benches, fabric wrapped panels etc, all of those would look much better with rounded eges on)

  • furniture

  • doors (now the door panel often bleeds into the frame/wall)

  • countertops

  • casework (doors of cabinets etc)

  • window frames

  • …

Very nice. It would be great if Enscape had a feature that would round the sharp edges. That’s a dead give away that the image is cg. Sharp corners and hard edges don’t exist in the real world and having to chamfer every object is not a realistic option. Vray offers a edge texture that you place in the bump slot and renders rounded edges at render time. It’s also available in Lumion.

Bump for this. Thea Render also have this feature now…

Thanks for your feedback. It’s definitely not a forgotten topic and your upvote has already been added to the feature request as well! :slight_smile:

+1

Added, thank you!

+1

@russoo_1 , added your vote, thanks!