INTERIOR DESIGN GALLERY FOR MACINTOSH (VERSION 1.1)
October 6, 1994
Before you install the Virtus Interior Design Gallery, please read this file for important installation and usage tips. You may even want to print the file before you begin working with your new Gallery, to use as a handy reference.
1. WHERE ON MY HARD DRIVE DO I INSTALL THE INTERIOR DESIGN GALLERY?
If you have installed the Virtus VR application, we recommend that you locate the Virtus VR folder file name, then choose “Install” when the Gallery installation dialog box appears. You may install the Gallery anywhere, but the advantage of installing it in the Virtus VR folder is that the new Gallery will be merged with existing folders. For more details, please refer to the Installation card in the Gallery box.
VIRTUS WALKTHROUGH PRO USERS: Your new Gallery is compatible with Virtus WalkThrough Pro 2.0. This means that you are not required to have the Virtus VR application installed in order to install your Gallery, and you may install the Gallery anywhere on your hard drive. Also, you may use Virtus WalkThrough Pro 2.0 to access Virtus VR 2-D and 3-D galleries.
2. WHAT FOLDERS AND FILES WILL THE INTERIOR DESIGN GALLERY INSTALL ON MY HARD DRIVE?
If you have already installed Virtus VR and choose to install to that folder, the Interior Design 3-D Galleries, 2-D Galleries and Textures folders will be placed in the original 2-D Galleries, 3-D Galleries, Textures and Bonus Textures folders within the Virtus VR folder. The Gallery installer will place an Interior Design Scenes folder and an Interior Design Models folder into the Virtus VR folder on your hard drive.
VIRTUS VR USERS: All of these folders contain files that Virtus VR needs to operate, so please don’t move or rename the folders or their contents.
3. WHAT ARE THE SAMPLE SCENES AND MODELS INCLUDED WITH THE INTERIOR DESIGN GALLERY?
We have included 11 Interior Design sample scenes with this VR Gallery:
Berlin House; Mies van der Rohe
Cape Cod
Colonial
Fallingwater (Third Floor), Frank Lloyd Wright
Glass House, Philip Johnson
Shaker Dwelling Room
Southern Living Room
Southwestern
Theater Lobby (the Interior Design Gallery can be used for commercial and residential design)
Traditional Japanese
Unite’d’habitation, Corbusier
In addition, we have included 11 Interior Design models with this VR Gallery:
Rooms 1 - 11: These scenes and models are provided for you to explore and enjoy. If you choose the full installation (as opposed to the “custom” installation), the scenes will be installed into a Interior Design Scenes folder and the models to a Interior Design Models folder. All of the scenes, models and galleries in the Interior Design Gallery were created for Virtus by Graphic Media Systems, 2501 Ten-Ten Road, P.O. Box 756, Apex, NC 27502.
4. WHAT 3-D AND 2-D GALLERIES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS GALLERY?
The 3-D Galleries are:
ID Chairs 1 - 4
ID Miscellanea
ID Storage
ID Tables
The 2-D Galleries are:
ID Windows 1 - 4
ID Doors 1 - 4
These Galleries will be installed in the appropriate galleries folders within your Virtus VR folder when you click on “Install.”
5. WHAT TEXTURE PALETTES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS GALLERY?
IDMisc
IDMisc Shaded
IDstone
IDstone Shaded
Cabinets
Ceiling Panels
Cloth Shaded
Dressers
Material
Wallpaper
Wallpaper Shaded
Only the IDMisc Shaded and IDstone Shaded texture palettes will be installed directly to the Textures folder within the Virtus VR folder. All other palettes will be installed into the Bonus Textures folder within the Virtus VR folder. If you need to free up memory, move some of the palettes from the Textures folder into another folder (such as the Bonus Textures folder), then restart Virtus VR. Keep in mind that the Texture Palettes are available for use only when these are in the Textures folder.
The textures in the IDMisc and IDstone palettes (and their shaded versions) are from the first and second volumes of Form and Function’s Wraptures Library of seamless, a collection of textures on CD-ROM that may be tiled seamlessly. The Wraptures Library contains photographic textures in PICT format for use as 3-D texture maps, presentation backgrounds and graphic source material. You may purchase the Wraptures CD-ROMs through EDUCORP, Form and Function’s distributor. That company’s toll-free number is 800/843-9497; you may also call ECUCORP at 619/536-9999.
The textures in the Cabinets, Ceiling Panels, Dressers, Cloth and Wallpaper palettes were created for Virtus by Heath Scofield. Textures, Copyright (C)1993 by Heath Scofield, 920 Mills St., Raleigh, NC 27608.
6. HOW CAN I BEST USE THIS GALLERY?
The best approach in modeling is to design single rooms or suites of rooms in an individual Virtus VR file, rather than attempting to model an entire house within a single file. Since your speed of interactivity within a model is dependent on its complexity, it is best to divide a complicated project into several files. For instance, instead of trying to model an entire two-story home in a single file, divide the house into suites of rooms. Perhaps the kitchen and dining room would be in one file, the upstairs bedrooms in another, and the garage and living room in a third. You may even want to have an individual file for each room.
The Interior Design models can be a good place to start a project. If you find a living room or kitchen among those that are close to designs that you have in mind, just add to them using Virtus VR’s Basic and Advanced Shapes or apply new windows, doors or textures to turn these into your ideal design. Another approach would be to start a room from scratch: Drag and drop a Basic Shape into a new file, stretch the shape to fit the dimensions of your choice, then customize it by using textures from the 3-D and 2-D galleries.
Also, when you’re in the Walk View of a room, you may find things a bit claustrophobic. To get a more panoramic view, select the Wide Angle option from the Walk Menu. This will create some distortion, but will provide a wider view of your closest surroundings. In fact, some of the Interior Design models were saved with this option to give you a better view of their content.
7. HOW CAN I CONTACT VIRTUS CUSTOMER SUPPORT?
If you have questions, please contact our Customer Support Department. Here’s how:
1) Online Services
America Online: VirtusTech
AppleLink: VIRTUS
eWorld: Virtus Corp.
CompuServe: 75300,3251
Internet: virtustech@aol.com
Also, be sure to visit our support areas on America Online and CompuServe. You can leave us messages, talk with other Virtus software users, get tips on using our programs, download new models and much more:
America Online:
Select Keyword under the Go To menu and then enter “VIRTUS” (Command-K, type “VIRTUS”)
CompuServe:
Enter “GO VIRTUS” at any prompt (Command-G, type “VIRTUS”)
2) Telephone Support
If you wish to call Virtus Customer Support, we recommend that you first check your Virtus VR or WalkThrough Pro documentation. If you still can’t find the answer to your question, we can help you best if you call us while sitting at your computer with Virtus VR or WalkThrough Pro running. Also, please have your serial number ready to give to us. You’ll find it in the Message Bar at the bottom of the screen when you select About Virtus VR... from the Apple menu.
Note: Currently, Virtus Technical Support is unable to return telephone calls or answer faxes from outside the U.S., with the exception of Canada.
8. HOW CAN I SUBMIT FEEDBACK AND IDEAS?
We’d love to know what you think of the Virtus VR Galleries. We’d also like to know what suggestions you have for future VR Gallery topics. Please send us electronic mail at any of the addresses above, fax us at the number above or write to us at:
