BookGen is a free book-generation addon for the open-source 3D-package Blender. It allows you to fill shelfs or cupboards with books – fast and easy.
Features:
- control width, height, depth, cover thickness and more parameters of the books
- use randomization to generate a variety of different books
- subsurf-ready
- automatic uv-unwrap for texturing
Installation:
- Download the .zip from link at the top
- Open Blender, click on “File” and open the “User Preferences”
- Switch to the addons-tab and click on “install from File”
- Choose the .zip and click “install”
- Now Activate it by clicking on the checkbox next to it. Done.
Demo:
Getting started:
After you installed the Blender addon as described above you can start it by clicking on “Add”. In the “mesh”-category you will find “Add Books”. If you click on that you will see some books in the 3D-Viewport. You can now use the settings in the operator panel to change the amount and the look of your books.
Options:
At the top of the operator panel you will find settings affecting all books:
- width: changes the width of all books together. This is normally the width of your shelf.
- scale : changes the overall scale of your books. This does not effect the books proportions.
- seed: changes the random numbers. It allows you to get different layouts with the same settings.
- spacing: changes the spacing between two books. You can adjust the randomness by changing the slider next to it.
- x-y-custom: changes the axis on the which the books are distributed
The first box contains settings to change the proportions of your books:
- height: changes the height of your books. You can again adjust the randomness by changing the slider next to it.
- depth: changes the depth of your books. I think knew it: You can adjust the randomness by changing the slider next to it.
- width: changes the width of your individual books. I think you got the randomness thing now.
The second box changes the details of the generated books:
- textblock-offset: changes the offset between cover size and textblock size
- cover-thickness: changes the thickness of the books covers
- spline-curl: changes how bulgy the back of the books are.
- hinge-inset: changes the inset at the hinge
- hinge-width: changes the width of the hinge
Below those boxes there are some additional options:
- Add Subsurf-Modifier: adds a subdivision surface modifier to your books.
- shade smooth: set the shading of all books to smooth
- unwrap: auto-unwrap all books generated by the bookGen addon
Roadmap:
- stacking of books with random z-axis-rotation
- control the alignment of books (e.g. align backs)
- allow leaning of books
- autotexturing
License:
Copyright Oliver Weissbarth 2014. This addon is licensed under GPLv3.
Issues:
As this is still in Alpha state serious issues are possible. If you do find any bugs please email me at mail@oweissbarth.de or use the contact form.