I work for a company specialized in interior architecture and event design, where we primarily use SketchUp and AutoCAD for the technical side of our projects. After using both software for a long time, I found Rhino to be more practical. It allowed me to avoid constantly switching between the two tools and eliminated the need to redraw the same thing in 2D and then in 3D, or vice versa.
Following this discovery, the company decided that all employees would also switch to Rhino. A training program was put in place, but in the end, few people actually use Rhino. This is because it’s not as intuitive as SketchUp, especially when it comes to navigating in 3D.
I noticed that this causes difficulties, particularly for commercial profiles who mostly need to extract information from the 3D models. They have trouble navigating in 3D space and taking measurements.
I believe a solution would be to add easier navigation. For example, a camera target point that follows the mouse cursor and automatically positions itself on the projected surface. If this feature were highlighted, along with the “push-pull” function, it could really attract new clients.
May I suggest trying out the SpaceMouse by 3DConnexion. It’s so intuitive that you have learned it in literally 5 minutes and then it just becomes muscle memory. We all use it in our office and could not use Rhino without it.
Rhino has its own built-in driver, which is excellent, so you don’t need to install their 3DxWare driver, which can get really annoying.
It of course also works in other programs, but I think it actually works best in Rhino.
You don’t need to bother with the larger Pro and Enterprise models, just get the cheapest one, which is the SpaceMouse Wireless or the newer Compact.
You can set options for it in Rhino by typing “SpaceMouse” and then its easiest to just click on the first option (Popup_Menu). We have found using Object Mode with Lock Horizon to be the most “natural”.
No amount of clever mouse tricks and modes to navigate the camera will be as natural, direct and fast as using a SpaceMouse and more importantly you can get one now.
Not really. Using a SpaceMouse is superior in almost all ways I can think, because you have 6 degrees of freedom instantly, which the mouse can never give you. Also you can navigate and still use the mouse at the same time.
So in my opinion its just an extension of the toolkit. $169 is not a lot for something that will improve the way you navigate the software and be intuitive enough for people not familiar with the navigation.
I mean, what are the alternatives:
switch back to another software: that is definitely going to cost more than $169 per seat
wait for McNeel to implement a new way to navigate, again not really a solution
force people to just get used to the way it is in Rhino currently, also not that great
So if OP wants a possible solution, then the SpaceMouse is one of them.
I think there is a good reason that McNeel actually still mentions the SpaceMouse an “optional requirement” (which kind of doesn’t make sense, but okay). It just makes so much sense to use one and by the looks of it McNeel tends to agree..
