Adding voice over to your design in 3D

Modelo’s 3D comment feature has been one of the most popular functions since its inception.

People use it to create 3D presentations, drop 3D annotations, embed 3D experience on their homepage and curate spatial fly-through. It links with rendering settings, section cut, walk-through, and assets. In a way, you could say the 3D comment feature is at the center of all.

Today, we are very excited to announce a few updates to it. With the new 3D comment feature release, you could do the following things:

1.You could use an image attachment as a cover page for your presentation.

2.You could add promotional videos and play it with just a touch of the “SPACE” button.

3.Panorama is also supported as an attachment.

4.Last but not the least, you could add phone recorded voice-over to the 3D comment and now your clients could experience your design in 3D and listen to your explanations about the space at the same time.

Watch the entire video of this update here:

Using Layers in Modelo to Prepare Alternate Design Options

Every design project begins with the foundation of an idea, and slowly builds up to a final product. That build up process requires the creativity, dedication, and unique skill set of each design member. At Modelo, we dedicate our time to perfecting our backend technology, so that you get to enjoy the beautiful and intuitive results on the front end. With our background being rooted in design, and our customer success team being focused on obtaining feedback and improving the product, we’ve been able to create an incredible (and ever-adapting) product that makes working in design fun and elegant.

One of the key features we’ve integrated into Modelo is the ‘Layers’ feature. This allows you to easily turn layers on and off within your model, to make sure you’re seeing exactly and only what you need to. This is how easy it is to toggle layers in Modelo on and off and how to use that view to move your design discussion forward in the right direction.

Open your model in Modelo, then scroll over the ‘Settings’ icon in your menu bar. Click on the ‘Layers’ option.
Here, you’ll find all of your model’s layers, which automatically integrate with Modelo when you upload. (Pro tip: in your CAD software, organize your layers the way you want them to appear in Modelo. How you set them in your software, is how they’ll appear in Modelo)
Turn the layers off and on, to tailor your model to its specific needs. Do this by clicking the circles ‘on’ or ‘off’.
After you’ve made your desired changes, you have two options. Click ‘Update’ to make your new settings the default, or click ‘Save As’ to make it a new design option. This allows you to switch between the original design option, and the new one, by clicking the dropdown (next to ‘Update’ and ‘Save As’) and selecting your desired option.

Modelo aims to provide the best possible design asset management tool for designers, and the ‘layers’ function is just one of many powerful features that we offer for you and your team. To learn about these other features, check out our other product related blog posts.

Attaching 2D Images to 3D Views in Modelo

In Modelo, 2D attachments can be connected to 3D views as a way to enhance presentations. This feature allows for high quality renderings, 360º panorama images, drawings, floor plans, images and more to be included with your model as part of a 3D slideshow. This is done by attaching items from your Assets to the Comment Cards you’ve created for the model. The best part is, it’s super easy to do, here’s how:

First, when in your Project Page, click on the “Assets” tab. From there, you can create folders to categorize the different 2D assets you are uploading. Once a folder has been created, you will be able to start uploading your 2D assets. And once the items are in your assets folder, they can be attached to your 3D Comment Cards.

For an overview of how to create Comment Card in Modelo, check out this video.

You will notice at the bottom of each Comment Card, there is a paperclip icon used to make attachments. Click on that and you will be prompted to upload your file from your assets. Once the attachment is made, you are able to click on the comment card and pull up the image.

When viewing in Present mode, you will be able to cycle through the comment cards on full screen and the attachments to each comment card will be previewed on the bottom right of the screen, where you will be able to pull them up during your presentation. In this way, Modelo allows you to integrate 2D assets into your 3D presentation.

Here is a complete overview of how to create interactive presentations in Modelo:

Next up, learn how to integrate 360º panorama images into interactive presentations for an overall more immersive experience for project stakeholders. Start creating all-inclusive, amazing presentations today with Modelo for FREE.

Create Quick CAD Presentations with Your Phone

As designers, we always want to share our ideas with the people we work with, take in valuable feedback, and inspire others so we can work as a team and make contributions to the project.

By using Modelo, you can simply present your ideas instantly using only your phone. By using Airplay, your phone and a TV screen to display, you can give easily a presentation to everyone in the room.

Modelo is an online platform that allows you to upload your 3D/CAD models and access your model in the cloud, across different devices. Beyond that, people can collaborate with you on the same 3D model you’ve uploaded, by only using the web browser they have on their device.

That means, your clients (or virtually any project stakeholder), with or without the professional knowledge of CAD modeling, are able to access to the model and navigate through them on their own. It’s easy to navigate the Modelo platform and it’s an intuitive place for anyone to participate in 3D/CAD design.

Further, you or anyone on your team, can access to the CAD model anytime and anywhere. Simply open your 3D model and mirror it on a bigger screen to share your thoughts and collaborate instantly throughout the entire design process. With Modelo’s advanced technology, you can not only give the presentation, but also impress everyone with this revolutionary method!

Comment cards

Present comment cards on the spot that you want to talk about and whenever you tap on that comment card, the system will bring you back to that exact location you have set. You can share those comment cards with everyone on your team. The best part is that you get to decide which comment cards you want to share and with whom by using the “client-ready” option.

Walkthrough

Modelo automatically generates a floor plan of the 3D model, prompting you to drop waypoints on the floor plan. Modelo then connects the dots to create a path that allows you to tour the design instantly, at your desired speed and you can stop or restart whenever you want. This is the simplest and best walkthrough tool you can get on the market. Coupled with the great instant rendering style, your walkthrough can look like a v-ray animation and you don’t even need to render it. Simply DROP dots and instantly PLAY the animation.

3. Panorama

It’s now possible for you to upload and view a 360° Panorama image and access it across all devices, as well as view it in VR mode with one click using Modelo. It’s an all-inclusive platform for panorama and VR. By using Google Cardboards and Modelo, you can hand-deliver a great panorama VR experience for your teammates or clients. It’s convenient, fast and overall a more immersive way to learn more about the design you are working on.

You can watch the full video here. Try Modelo today to start presenting CAD files instantly and collaborating in 3D with your team.

5 ways Modelo Can Help You To Improve Client Communication

Modelo is a multifunctional platform used to collaborate on 3D models and 2D assets with your clients by inviting them into your project, or by sharing any part of your model with a simple and unique URL. No downloads required! Below, we’ll outline the 5 ways that Modelo can improve client communication.

Invite clients into your project
By sharing a quick and unique URL link, you can automatically invite clients to load any part your 3D model on their mobile device, tablet or laptop. Modelo eliminates any downloading or logging in from the client-side. It only includes a simple click of a link and clients are immediately immersed in your 3D design, free to view whichever scenes or attachments you specify.
Quick Screen Captures
Eliminate the long loading times and system lag that’s commonly experienced in CAD software with our screen capture tool. Capture a view from anywhere in your model in seconds. Like anything else in Modelo it can be saved, downloaded and shared with clients.
Client Engagement
Your client has the ability to comment on your specific scenes to voice which areas they like or which areas may need adjustments. Hearing this feedback directly and early on in the design process eliminates rework later on. Clients can now visualize the 3D design in an easy way on any mobile device.
Share Design Assets
A client no longer needs to download anything or login to view assets including, drawings, floor plans, site layouts, model photos, quick renderings or essentially any document you need to communicate to the client. Modelo uploads all of your assets into one single folder associated with a project and also generates a unique URL for each to be shared to the client or attached to a view, perfect for presentations.
Walkthrough Feature
Modelo is the fastest and easiest way to create a walkthrough animation in the industry. Simply by dropping a few waypoints on your floor plan, setting the camera angle and hitting play you can create a smooth walkthrough that recognizes the average height of a human from the ground. You can even climb stairs! This walkthrough can be shared with a unique URL to your client again, in order to gain immediate feedback in a quick and easy way for the client to understand the space in the earlier design stages.

Start improving your client communication today for FREE with Modelo. Plus, learn how Modelo can make your organization more money.

Present 3D Models Confidently with Offline Mode at Modelo

Present 3D Models Confidently with Offline Mode

Creating beautiful and engaging presentations on 3D CAD models is one of our specialties here at Modelo, so naturally we have spoken to many firms throughout the AEC industry about their presentation processes. From the conversations we have had, there is a clear theme that executing successful presentations, especially in 3D environments, is one of the most challenging aspects of design.

At Modelo, we created and are constantly evolving our presentation features based on an understanding of the common challenges associated with presenting 3D CAD designs (Top 5 things architects can do to improve client presentations). One issue that thwarted many of our clients presentations before joining Modelo was simply unreliable Internet connection.

The design community would agree that there is nothing more frustrating than spending hours compiling a 3D presentation only to be embarrassed by the inability to connect. It can also be debilitating for designers to not be able to present their 3D models on the fly from any device at any time. We created our unique Offline Mode with these specific challenges in mind.

Offline Mode allows users to give full presentations on 3D models offline. Presentations no longer have to be scary events that take days of preparation, are susceptible to technical error, and ultimately fail to communicate the vision of the designers. With our Offline Mode, your 3D models will be ready to view at a rendering speed 45 times than that of your CAD software with the ability to incorporate walkthroughs, views, and attachments. This can all happen from any device at any time, regardless of an Internet connection.

Modelo’s Offline Mode is a perfect way to ensure that your presentation will roll out as planned. It is also ideal for collaboration and presentation between designers and clients who are regularly on the move and need a versatile way collaborate on designs. Welcome to the future of presenting 3D models. This is a paid feature for Business Plan customers. To learn more, contact us at hi@modelo.io.

How to Create an Interactive 3D Architectural Presentation

3D interactive presentations in the browser with Modelo — Upload large CAD and BIM files and view with ease in Modelo.

If you’ve ever wondered how to create an interactive 3D architectural presentation in only minutes, look no further. Presenting architectural designs is a necessity for both internal and external stakeholders. But, the process of creating 3D architectural presentations before Modelo was time-consuming and frankly outdated. Up until this point, architects have been relying on screenshots, PowerPoint, GoToMeeting and Dropbox to present complex designs to clients or colleagues. It’s arguable that engagement gets lost in this static design process.

Naturally, 3D models are a huge part of successfully communicating your vision to others since you are able to immerse people in a realistic view, thus making 2D screenshots not as effective. So the question is, how do you create a 3D architectural presentation and truly engage your audience in a simple way?

Enter Modelo, a presentation platform that seamlessly allows you to create interactive 3D CAD and BIM presentations, while storing your 2D assets and saving invaluable design time. Creating presentations with Modelo is easy since the platform is geared toward AEC professionals and compatible with the file formats you already use like Revit, Rhino, 3ds Max, SketchUp and Vectorworks.

Here is a breakdown of the 5 steps:

Create a Modelo account
Upload your 3D design
Update the settings (such as lighting or material color, to show different design options to clients)
Add 3D comments (these will guide the presentation)
Press the present button

Pro tip: learn more about getting started and rendering your 3D design in Modelo here.

Why waste time presenting clunky BIM files? With Modelo, you can drag and drop BIM files and instantly view any part of your model. These large CAD and BIM files become weightless in the web, allowing you to move around quickly and effortlessly explore any area of the model.

The goal is to not only communicate your ideas clearly, but to truly immerse others in your vision and make it a reality with interactive 3D architectural presentations. You can even take this a step further by presenting CAD and BIM designs in VR with just one click. For example, bringing your model from SketchUp to VR takes seconds in Modelo. All you need is a Google cardboard, an Internet connection and a mobile device.

To learn more, watch the tutorial video below and create an account to start creating your 3D interactive presentation today.

The Ultimate Guide to Creating a 3D Animation Walkthrough

There is no denying the value that rendered, animated 3D architectural walkthroughs offer to architects and industrial designers. Replacing static, linear, (and yes, often boring) slideshow design presentations that employ tools like PowerPoint with a visually engaging and interactive 3D or VR virtual walkthrough of your design has proven to be a much more effective method of communicating the value of your designs and all of the hard work you have put into it. During design reviews, colleagues can focus on how the design works and flows together, while clients have the opportunity to engage with and experience your design through an architect’s eyes. Put simply, creating walkthrough renderings in VR and 3D allows you to truly communicate your vision.

But, how easy is it to create an architectural walkthrough animation of your design? With Modelo, very easy and it only takes a couple of minutes.

Dropping your waypoints
If you haven’t already, upload your model to Modelo (If you don’t have an account, you can create a free one here) and click ‘View 3D’ (if you need a refresher on how to see your design in 3D, read this short blog post). Then select the ‘walkthrough’ icon from the taskbar at the bottom of your screen and on the left side of the screen you will see a panel appear.

To create a new walkthrough, click the orange ‘+’ symbol or drop down the menu to edit an existing walkthrough.

In that same pane on the left of the page, a mini-map of your design will appear. To create an animated walkthrough, simply drop your waypoints along your intended path on that mini-map. As you drop each waypoint, you will need to determine the camera’s direction. To do so, simply move your mouse around to achieve your desired direction and then click to set the camera’s angle. Everything you do on the mini-map will be replicated in the main window pane. You can then repeat the process until you have completed building your walkthrough.

Perhaps the best feature of creating walkthroughs in Modelo is the ease with which you can create a new one or amend an existing one. Simply add, remove, or adjust waypoints on-the-fly so you can show clients and colleagues different perspectives. Never again will you be unprepared for the question “Can we see what it looks like from this angle?”

Going upstairs and increasing elevations
With Modelo, you can increase a walkthrough’s elevation and design your walkthrough to go up stairs. When you are ready to move up stairs or otherwise increase the elevation, drop a waypoint at the elevation that you want to start at. Before dropping your next waypoint, select the ‘elevation’ icon and adjust the sliding scale to your desired height. You are then ready to drop your next waypoint and Modelo will automatically recognize the increase in elevation. Once at your desired height, you do not need to continue adjusting the elevation. Modelo will keep the elevation at the same level as the previous waypoint, until you adjust it otherwise.

By default, the elevation of your walkthrough is set to be the equivalent of eye-level for an average person (around 5.5 feet or 170 cm).

You’ve created your (awesome!) walkthrough – now what?

Share it
For starters, share it! Modelo makes it easy to share your walkthrough with your clients and colleagues. Click the ‘Share’ icon and send your walkthrough to a client for their review or send it to your colleagues ahead of any design review meetings.

Virtual reality (VR) walkthrough
Create a virtual reality experience of your walkthrough. Download the Modelo app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and click the VR button in the app to VR walkthrough experience. Your clients and colleagues can do the same thing.

You will need to use a Google Cardboard or similar product to see your designs in VR. If you don’t have a Google Cardboard, call us on +1-617-945-8692 and we will send you one.

Embed a walkthrough
Finally, you can embed walkthroughs on your website or partner websites. Simply download the embed code by clicking the ‘Share’ icon and drop the code onto your website. It is a great way to showcase your designs and to market your company.

Armed with the knowledge above, you are all set to build a walkthrough, present to clients in a more streamlined and interactive manner, and furthermore, your design reviews can now be much more productive. If you haven’t already, try building your own walkthrough now. If you have any questions, please email success@modelo.io, call +1-617-945-8692, or click the ‘Help’ icon in the bottom left of your screen when you are logged into your Modelo account.