What do you guys use as a base plan maker (Sketchup, etc.).? What do you think is more convenient?

Hi, I’m new in the forums and also new in using UE4 for my Architectural Visualization.
I have been doing my plans, or more like skeletal work (like walls only and texture mapping) in sketchup then exporting it in FBX format then to UE4.
My problem is that, sometimes my texture/material sizes are Inconsistent when I plugged it into a wall from my plan in sketchup. I was wondering if there are better applications that can substitute sketchup?
I still use sketchup because it’s easy, I can scale it accurately and I used vray before.
Also, does any of you uses sketchup still to export to unreal, and what are your work-arounds to scale the texture uniformly?

Well, you can easily add a node to adjust scaling issues in UE4. I have been modeling in SU too and have found if you break up the model into, walls, floor, ceiling, mullions etc. and in SU just apply the black and white checker board pattern to each group then export and import as separate groups letting UE4 make the lightmaps on import it is working pretty good. You still need to adjust scaling with a node in UE4 but it’s no big deal.

Other than that you’ll need to import your SU models into 3DS Max, Blender or another 3D program and uv map your textures there.

Yeah, I also doing the building model mostly in SU, export it to Max, fixing the UV map, then export it to UE4 from Max.

BSPs for modelling architecture (walls, floor, ceilings) is working fine for me. Carpentrys in 3rd party and unwrapping, also furniture.

I actually do a combination of the approaches mentioned above. I prefer to physical draw the floor plan until I’ve nailed down what I need. Then I scan the image, import the image into sketchup and because I almost always draw what I need in clusters (Several buildings in a complex, or a neighborhood, etc.) I’ll outline each individual building in SketchUp, cut them, “Explode” the group with my drawing in it, and paste the outlines in place. So that they all have the images interior information on them. I export them as FBX with textures and triangulated on export.

When I import them into UE4, I fix the scaling and then I use BSP brushes to build the actual model.

Having tried each of the above individually, I find issues in one way or another.

We all know SketchUp is prime for archviz and layout planning. However, if you happen to be either working with Marketplace/Community Content, (Crazy Door Pack is awesome.) or you’re unaware of what your scaling of different objects is in relation. Or even if you just want to change something around, having to export from sketchup and reimport into ue4 every time is just miserable. And with the BSP, each wall can have it’s own material.

Just an FYI as well - The world aligned material nodes are invaluable for this type of work. Because the coordinates are based on the object’s world placement, and are completely independent of the model’s UV mapping. Makes life much easier. Also, Luo’s WorldAligned Material functions are even better.

Check this out: SketchUp to Unreal Engine TUTORIAL SERIES - YouTube