COLLADA is an XML namespace and database schema that allows you to move 3D files between 3ds Max, Maya, Revit, and Lumion. Each application is different, but in most cases, we just need to export or save our scene as a COLLADA file or an FBX file.

Let's start by launching Lumion with the following steps:

This recipe is a really straightforward task as you can see, but is one of the most important tasks once you start working with Lumion. It is at this stage that you can be sure that everything is OK with your 3D model and make sure that you don't have any missing faces or other geometry problems. This step also assists you in checking if you have worked with the correct scale, so if your model is either extremely large or very small, you need to go back to your 3D modeling package and correct the scale. With all these things in mind, we now have a good base to start working with Lumion.

Another tip; we sometimes overlook the reality that even though Lumion is a very powerful application and can handle millions of polygons, it still has limits. So, if initially you just want to organize and populate your scene without paying too much consideration to the 3D model itself, it is good to create a proxy or a simple representation of your 3D model and import that proxy, and then later with a special feature in Lumion, reimport your high-poly model.

Prior to importing an animation into Lumion, we need to check a few things first. Lumion doesn't support vertex, morph, and bone animations, and we can only bring in basic animations on the move, rotate, and scale values. The frames per second (FPS) rate needs to be set to 25, and you can export your animation as an FBX file or DAE file, although with the last option, the interpolation between key frames will be linear, so bear that in mind.

With Lumion launched, perform the following steps:

It's true that Lumion allows you to import simple animations, but most of the time, this is not the best solution. Why? First, once the animation is in Lumion, you have little control over it, and second, only basic animations with the move, rotate, and scale values are possible in Lumion. It's true that we can use a specific layer to switch the animation on and off when required or use the Objects effect to control the position of the animation, but we still have limited control.

However, there is one particular situation when we may import an animation from Maya or 3ds Max. It's when we have a walk cycle of a person that we want to use in Lumion, and in this circumstance, we import this object along with the walk cycle and use the Advance move effect or the Move effect to control it.

With Lumion launched and with a scene open, perform the following steps:

The reason why we bring up these shortcuts is that when working with the Photo and Video modes, we need a more precise and accurate way to move the camera to create the perfect composition. However, there is an additional option that will be very handy in the final stages when we want to produce a movie or a still image.

That's the option to save and load the specific camera viewpoints. Use the Ctrl + 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 to save up to 10 camera positions and the combination Shift + 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 to load the saved camera viewpoints. Then we can use these saved viewpoints in the Photo mode, as shown in the following screenshot where each thumbnail represents the camera viewpoint saved previously:

If we want to rearrange a 3D model that is imported, choose the Import menu, but if we need to move a model in the Lumion library, select the Objects menu. In both situations, we are going to use the same steps, so I will just use the expression "3D model" to refer to both the models.

With our scene opened, perform the following steps:

Another option that is more accurate is as follows:

If our 3D model is not moving and we didn't lock it, this is because we have the wrong category selected. This means, for example, that in order to move a tree we need to select the Nature category.

Here is a tip to help us improve the workflow while placing and moving the 3D models. We may know where we want the trees or other 3D models to be placed, and sometimes we have the freedom to choose this, but in most cases, we will get a landscape project with this information. While working in the 3D package (3ds Max, Maya, or SketchUp), create small cubes (100 mm x 100 mm) with different colors that correspond to different elements. They can represent a specific type of tree, bushes, hedges, flowers, and lamps, and we import these small cubes with the 3D model in Lumion.

In Lumion, create a top view with the camera (don't forget to save it using the combination Ctrl + 0, 1 to 9) and with the aid of this viewpoint, we can start composing a 3D world and place the trees and other objects where the small cubes are. Then, if necessary, assign the invisible material to these cubes to hide them. With this workflow, we can be sure that everything is in the correct place and we don't need to lose time arranging the entire scene. Oh and don't forget to use layers; we will cover some recipes later that will help you with this.

This option depends on which menu you have selected, because in some menus, such as the Weather menu, you can't find it at all.

With our scene opened, perform the following steps:

That's it? Yes, and as you can see, this undo feature is very limited. I trust that in the future versions of Lumion, we will get a little more than just one single undo. However, the rationale for introducing this easy recipe is to show you the two ways to overcome this restriction.

The first option is using the F5 key to do a quick save before importing a model or changing an object's position, but unfortunately, there is no option to do a quick load. The second option saves various versions of your work, particularly when doing a big change, such as replacing all the trees for another type, changing the environment or the landscape. By saving various versions, we can always go back to a specific point and start over.

So, this undo option is very limited, and the only time I really wish to have more flexibility is when I am modeling a terrain, but have a look at the following recipe to help you with modeling a terrain.

To get prepared, you need to select your 3D model or multiple models, and for that don't forget to use the Context menu that we can find inside the Import and Objects menu.

With the 3D model or models selected, perform the following steps:

Another way to guarantee that our 3D models are locked and we don't move them accidentally is using layers and then hiding them while we work with 3D models.

Remember that the Layer menu will only appear when we have the Import or Objects menu selected.

With our scene opened, perform the following steps:

If you want to add a 3D model to a layer, perform the following steps:

We can create up to 20 layers, which gives plenty of room to make full use of the layers feature. Don't forget that in order to use these layers, we need to select the correct layer before placing or importing a 3D model of our scene; otherwise, the 3D models will be placed in the first layer or the layer you have selected. Having our scene arranged with layers will also help us to know if our workstation is starting to struggle with the amount of 3D models we have in Lumion, and switching off a few layers will give us a little room to breathe and improve the speed.

Before we update the 3D model into Lumion, it is vital that we save or export the 3D model with the same name that we used to import into Lumion. This means that we need to overwrite the old file (we can always create a backup) so that we can update the 3D model in Lumion successfully.

With the Import menu selected, perform the following steps:

As a safety practice, we might want to save our old files in case something goes wrong. Typically, I rename the file to something like House_OLD_01-13.dae (.dae is the extension for the COLLADA files and is just for reference purposes). The OLD tag is self-explanatory, showing that this is an old file and the 01-13 tag represents the month and the year it was created. If the project is complex and there are a few modifications, just create a text file where the 3D models are stored, and in this text file write something like the following:

Why should we go this extra mile and do this? Well, the reason is that when we are working on large projects, they can take weeks and even months to be completed, and a complex project always goes forward and back with changes, which means that something you changed last month may be back after a few weeks because the client changed their mind. With this text file we don't need to open every single file to check where we did the change.

Before we begin replacing the 3D model, we may want to save another version just in case something goes wrong, and another safety measure is saving a material set as a backup.

With the Import menu selected, perform the following steps:

In most situations, this will work as long we don't modify the names of the objects inside the 3D file. What that means is, for example, we can change the size, rotation, and even the position of the wall_01 object, and when we reload the model, the material that was assigned to the wall_01 object will be the same. However, if you change the name of the object for something like Wall_01, just the fact that you used a capital letter will be enough to confuse Lumion, and the material will not be assigned.