Hi Garry,
If this were my project here is what I'd do.
NOTE (If you want to strip your TCAD model of everything except the house and email me the TCW file , I can test some things on this end for you which may make the TFPlan step unnecessary).
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1) I would save a bmp screen shot of the TCAD house plan view (2D) showing exterior walls / windows. Two seperate screen shots if 2 stories are involved.
I would use TurboFloorPlans File>Import>Trace Image option and import the bmp image, click it and select 'resize' / click two points and enter a dimension to getthe 2d plan scaled properly.
Then I would recreate just the exterior of the model in TFPlan along with windows / doors / roofs and materials of choice (siding / stone etc) by tracing over your plan using TFPlan tools.
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2) I would use TCAD to create those custom objects you need. Like the 'hoops' or the dinno eggs.
3) This is the part you will not like but I've found neccessary. All the above / the 3DS House model, 3DS hoops, dinno eggs, any custom objects get imported to
Real Time Landscape. Even a terrain can be imported but the program would be better at creating the terrain as it would then interact with the other surfaces you need, like sand, water, gravel paths etc.
I believe the Pro version would work for you.
http://www.ideaspectrum.com/comparison.php Tutorials
http://www.ideaspectrum.com/pro2012_tutorials.php If you redo the building shell in TurboFloorplan , when you export as 3DS file for import to Real Time Landscape all materials you have assigned will automatically transfer to Real Time, no need to assign new.
Real Time does have simple tools to make a house , but I haven't used them, I always import my model.
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It is one thing to produce stunning representations of such a project and quite another to get the point across to the customer and start building. If I want to 'sell' an idea to a customer and that project is a multi million dollar income producer for a large firm, then I want stunning results.
But I haven't had that demand yet. Everthing has been cost driven along with proper representation so I've needed methods that allow me to produce , get the point across and move to the construction phase.
Here are 3 results / tests I've done using some of what I've described above in Real Time.
Play the top two videos (one walk thru testing interior use with Real Time (4yrs old), the other testing Golf "Hole' layout 2yrs old.
http://www.zimmerdesign.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93&Itemid=55 and you may have seen this flyover test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4vk3BE_QMg&feature=plcp =================================================================
Combining programs is the only way that I've found to be productive and cover a variety of architectural solutions.
Real Time image quality sample attached. Model imported from TFPlan. All others from Real Time including terrian / plants / water / gazebo (deck / stairs / pool / patio from TFPlan)
Jack