Importing Scenes and Data

‘Scenes’ are the LEGION 3D equivalent of LEGION Model Builder ‘.lgm’ files and ‘data’ is the LEGION Simulator input or output files needed to introduce Entities into a 3D visualisation.

You can import as many scenes as you like within a single 3D project. This enables you to assign different people to work on different aspects of a model in separate files (the main site; other buildings; the wider environment; small objects, and so on) and then merge them all at a later stage. Or you may want to speed up a project by only modelling the basic details or areas of a venue at first, before adding richer details later.

To ensure a smooth-running visualisation, you can also set the frame-per-second rate when importing a scene.

Scene files have the extensions ‘.3ds’ (3D Studio Max files) or ‘.skp’ (SketchUp files), while the relevant data files have the extensions ‘.res’ and ‘.ora’.

Note: To be able to open an .ora file, you must have a valid licence for LEGION Simulator.

To import a ‘.3ds’ scene:

Select File > Import Scene.
- The ‘Open’ dialog is displayed.
Navigate to the appropriate scene you want to import and select it.
- The ‘Import .3DS File’ dialogue box is displayed.
Check or uncheck the Scene details you wish to import or exclude.
Leave the box labelled Use this scene for floor detection checked if you wish the software to include the scene when calculating the position of floors and ceilings. Uncheck the box if you want to exclude the scene.
Ensure the Animation frame rate matches the rate specified in the third-party 3D modelling programme. The default setting for Animation frame rate is 30.0 frames per second (NSTC) but you can change it to any other value, such as 25.0 frames per second (PAL).
Click OK.

The scene is loaded and appears in the workspace. It will display a 3D representation of a Legion model. The Object Directory will also become populated with the objects that comprise the loaded scene.

To import a ‘.skp’ scene:

Select File > Import Scene.
Navigate to the appropriate scene you want to import and select it.
- The ‘Import .SKP File’ dialogue box is displayed.
Check or uncheck the Scene details you wish to import or exclude.
Leave the box labelled Use this scene for floor detection checked if you wish the software to include the scene when calculating the position of floors and ceilings. Uncheck the box if you want to exclude the scene.
Click OK.

The scene is loaded and appears in the viewing area. It will display a 3D representation of a LEGION model. The Object Directory will also become populated with the objects that comprise the loaded scene.

Note: When importing ‘.skp’ files, ‘Scenes’ are saved by LEGION 3D as ‘Cameras’.

To import data:

To add Entities to the scene and make it ‘playable’, you now need to import a data file. Like LEGION Simulator, LEGION 3D enables you to open ‘.res’ and ‘.ora’ files. The only difference is that a ‘.res’ file contains fixed, unchanging data which remains identical each time you play it, whereas an ‘.ora’ file runs a slightly different visualisation each time.

Select File > Import Data Source.
The ‘Open’ dialog is displayed.
Navigate to the appropriate data source you want to import (‘.res’ or ‘.ora’) and select it.
Click Open.

The data is loaded and the Play icon on the playback toolbar becomes available. Entities are also added to the Object Directory.

Warning: If you load an .ora file from a model using one or more Direction Modifiers with active ‘conditions’, LEGION 3D will treat the condition as always having been met. This may lead to inaccuracies in your visualisation. See the LEGION Model Builder user guide for information on conditions.