SceneScapes X1 - Roofing Expansion.

Welcome to SceneScapes. This is a modular construction set for building custom architecture for outdoor scenes. This is an ongoing and evolving range that we will be adding more to yet, amongst all the other content we make.

To install, copy the Runtime folder from the zip archive and copy it to your Poser folder that already contains a Runtime folder. Once you have unpacked SceneScapes, your new props will be located here:
Runtime:Libraries:Props:MortemVetus:SceneScapes:Roofing:

Please note, if you bought any of the SceneScapes packs up to and including X5 - Paved In Stone, the props will be in different folders, for which we apologise, but SceneScapes came into being before we became Mortem Vetus and indeed before we even got together. X6 - Castle Creatot does have the correct library structure. With this re-packing for Renderosity, we've taken the time to update all the libraries to properly place them where all further packs will go.

Ok, so let's get started. The very first thing we need to do is set our Poser units to 'Meters'.Please refer to Chapter 1 to recap on doing this. We will be continuing with the scene from the last chapter and we'll be using that scene all the way through this guide up to X5. Again, we'll be using PoserPro2014.

Once our units are set, we can start bringing some props in. These are in a SceneScapes sub-folder titled 'Roofing'. The props in this set are divided into two groups - 'Roof' amd 'Wall Extensions'. We'll start in Roof and we're going to start from the left, so we're loading '3n L Gable 3m Span-A', and again we can see our props all have suffixes, but in this case they are A to D. Type A has a chimney pot and a soil stack, Type B has just a soil stack, Type C has just a chimney pot, and Type D has neither.  They also have two dimensions. The first refers to how wide the piece is, either 3 metres or 1 metre, and the second refers to the span, or how deep it goes, again either 3 metres or 1 metre.


Image 2.1: Loading props

As we can see in image 1 above, it opens at zero on x and z, but it's already 3 metres up. So now we need to get it up and over and back so that it lines up nicely on that left hand corner. To get it there, we need to raise it 3 metres on the yTran to get it to the right height. In chapter one, we moved the walls back 2 metres to be at the edge of the centre flagstones prop. The roof section needs to go back by the same amount, -2 on zTran, and because we have the corner piece there, it also needs -1 on the xTran.


Image 2.2: Positioning the roof section.

Now we could add more roof sections and fill it in to the end, which we'll do in a minute, but first, let's build up the rest of this gable wall. The same as in the first set props have a suffix, either A,B, or C. Pieces with A have footstones and ar intended for use at ground level. Pieces with B have fascia stones and are intended for use above ground level. Pieces with C have no surface decoration and are intended for use at any level.

In chapter one, we used type B pieces for the upper floor, so we'll pick and appropriate type B from the 'Wall Extensions' folder. 'L Gable ext3 -b' is perfect. It has the soil stack to continue down, and it has no rainwater downpipe as that's connected to the roof section above. It also matches the corner stones we used to begin with.


Image 2.3: Adding a wall extension.

In image 3 above, we can see where this extension piece opens. Because it's intended to be used at 90 degrees , it's already orientated that way, so in this instance, we only have translations to worry about. Before we move it around though, we should delete the corner it's replacing, and we might as well delete them both, as we will need to add another gable extension at ground level.In order to get it into position, we're going to move it left, so -1 on the xTran. We need to move it -2 on the zTran so it aligns with the front edges of the other pieces. And lastly we need to raise it up one level, so we need 3 on the yTran. In image 2.4 below, we can see our gable extension in place and the hole where the ground level corner was.


Image 2.4 positioning the wall extension.

In the image below, we've filled out the roof sections and and filled in the far corner. As covered in chapter one, we're going to add these to our parent prop so the whole thing will act as one. Because the parent prop no has lots attched to it, if you collapse it, you can then just drop the new props on the flahstones without having to scroll.

Also in image 2.5, we've highlighted a preview issue. Some of the pieces are displaying ugly black marks in preview. Normally, we'd say these sorts of artifacts are deficient geometry related, and re-model to affected area to correct it. However, geometry related issues are still visible when rendered, and these aren't. Looking back at the original screenshots for the old user guide, which were done in Poser6, there is no sign of this artifacting, and needless to say, RuntimeDNA testers would have flagged up something so obvious straight away. As it renders correctly still, we'd consider it a non-issue, but we also feel that anyone considering these packs today (2018) should be aware of these things.


Image 2.5: Adding new pieces to parent, and preview issue.

To finish off, we've used some of the 1mx1m small pieces , tucked away in the corner, at the back edge of the original flagstones section. These have also been added to the base prop and added to the library.


Image 2.6: Corner positioned.

We're going to leave this scene as it is, and use it for the next chapters of the User Guide. We'd suggest using just a few pieces to begin with, to get used to how it all slots together.
We hope you enjoy using this pack and as always, we look forward to seeing what you render with it.

Best wishes and happy rendering,
Andrew and Tracey
(MortemVetus)