So where to start. I think first up will be a simple project that I used to get my head around CityEngine and its capabilities. After going through the CityEngine tutorials I thought it best to create a really simple project that would allow me to begin writing rule files of my own and expose me to the type of programming needed to procedurally create models.
Initial thoughts:
1. I had never used CityEngine before
2. I had never done any programming before
3. I didn't fully understand the capabilities of CityEngine
4. I needed to think of a project to get me on my feet.
There isn't a great deal of information around regarding the actual writing of rule files, not like other languages such as Java Script, HTML or Python for example. I didn't (and don't) think that this is entirely bad as it offers a blank book on how rule files could or should be created. Sources of information I have found to be useful so are:
I would strongly recommend visiting these sites for information regarding CityEngine and some of the uses one can make of it. The tutorials provided by Esri were useful as an introduction which allowed my to understand the type of capabilities and programming and so now I needed to think of an example project.
I work as a Geospatial Analyst for local government and planning is probably the biggest customer of our services. As a result it made sense to try and gear a project towards generating models that might be of interest to them.
The first project subsequently was one where I could:
1. Create a simple road and parcel network
2. Generate a rule file that creates building models based on a few rules that are likely to appear in a planning document such as a district plan or any other development control rulebook.
3. Create a simple visualisation in CityEngine to demonstrate its capabilities and the use of sliders.
All of this culminated in a small starter project that would create a small town that would contain residential and commercial zones. Buildings for both zones would be generated in the same rule file but along different branches. Simple planning rules such as building coverage and building height would be included and to give the buildings a little more realism some simple façade's based on modelling rather than textures would be generated.
In the next blog posting I'll begin the journey through the starter project and will show how you can do the same. If you're not into planning, I think that the project may still hold some useful information, especially on the way in which I have decided to structure a rule file as well as some calculations that could be used in a whole range of applications.
4. I needed to think of a project to get me on my feet.
There isn't a great deal of information around regarding the actual writing of rule files, not like other languages such as Java Script, HTML or Python for example. I didn't (and don't) think that this is entirely bad as it offers a blank book on how rule files could or should be created. Sources of information I have found to be useful so are:
- Esri.com
- Esri CityEngine General Discussion Forum
- Esri CityEngine CGA Shape Grammar Forum
- CityEngine Twitter Feed
- GeoPlanIT Blog
- Zergs Rumble Blog (Zorko Sostaric from Eagle Technology)
I would strongly recommend visiting these sites for information regarding CityEngine and some of the uses one can make of it. The tutorials provided by Esri were useful as an introduction which allowed my to understand the type of capabilities and programming and so now I needed to think of an example project.
I work as a Geospatial Analyst for local government and planning is probably the biggest customer of our services. As a result it made sense to try and gear a project towards generating models that might be of interest to them.
The first project subsequently was one where I could:
1. Create a simple road and parcel network
2. Generate a rule file that creates building models based on a few rules that are likely to appear in a planning document such as a district plan or any other development control rulebook.
3. Create a simple visualisation in CityEngine to demonstrate its capabilities and the use of sliders.
All of this culminated in a small starter project that would create a small town that would contain residential and commercial zones. Buildings for both zones would be generated in the same rule file but along different branches. Simple planning rules such as building coverage and building height would be included and to give the buildings a little more realism some simple façade's based on modelling rather than textures would be generated.
In the next blog posting I'll begin the journey through the starter project and will show how you can do the same. If you're not into planning, I think that the project may still hold some useful information, especially on the way in which I have decided to structure a rule file as well as some calculations that could be used in a whole range of applications.
No comments:
Post a Comment