How do YOU create proposed terrain?

[mean_pixel]

Hello good people.

 

I am getting a terrain pipeline together and was wondering what techniques the masses use for getting accurate proposed topography into 3ds max. I have gotten some great feedback from people here before.

 

- Do you use software (say Rhino) or plug-in that simplifies the process?

- Sketch-up sandbox tool?

- Height map technique?

- Splines? (if so, how are production times?)

- Ritual sacrifice?

 

After working with TINs and the like, I quickly came to the conclusion I want to work with quads. I suppose splines would probably be the ideal, with the ability to fall off LOD from the cam. I'm looking for good, accurate, detailed, clean topo that will render well.

 

I'm not seeking trade secrets here, just some direction on how the industry handles this stuff.

 

Mad thanks,

[Mechadus]

Bah - I hate doing projects with major topology! But I wind up having to pretty often anyway

 

I have secrets for flat terrain, but I usually just wind up poly-modeling topography and either using NURMS or Meshsmooth. Would love to hear if anybody has a better way....

 

-Nick

[denham]

Im working on a terrain now, Here is the methods I have used so far:

Start with civil engineers CAD contour lines that I isolated & made into closed polylines. I then imported those into VIZ/MAX & set each contour line to the correct Z height. Then I selected the entire countour map and first applied a Normalize Spline modifier & then the terrain compound object, I then use edit poly & use the relax paint deformation brush to smooth out any kinks.

 

How does this compare to everyone else?

[Sawyer]

This is similar to how I do it

 

Start with civil engineers CAD contour lines that I isolated & made into closed polylines. I then imported those into VIZ/MAX & set each contour line to the correct Z height. Then I selected the entire countour map and first applied a Normalize Spline modifier & then the terrain compound object,

 

Then I create a plane with a lot of subs and I use the conform tool and have the plane conform to the site. This gives me a really nice mesh instead of a terrain object which I find are often unusable.

[BrianKitts]

Then I create a plane with a lot of subs and I use the conform tool and have the plane conform to the site. This gives me a really nice mesh instead of a terrain object which I find are often unusable.

 

brilliant..... that's a nice extra step for cleaning it up, I like it...

 

If a site isn't too complicated I'll draw in the major levels and then paint deform meshes to smooth between the level changes.... but sometimes I'll end up with a jacked up mesh that isn't as clean and refined as I would like..... the conform idea could really come in handy....

[mean_pixel]

Wow, there is some great stuff here. I think Sawyer is onto something with the conform tool. I did a quick test and provided you have enough subs, the accuracy is quite nice.

 

Now if I can just get a few CE types to understand the words "continuous contours" my life would be a lot easier. On a site with complex grading, the cleanup time can get ridiculous fast. (But I'm pretty slow in AutoCAD anyway:o )

 

Thanks for the input, guys.

[alias_marks]

I've usually taken the same approach as denham as far as prep work goes (closed poly lines off of civil's site survey). And man, this is a pain sometimes! Sometimes a whole day of CAD work is need to prep for the site model.

 

I'm with the consensus that the terrain objects that viz/max creates are often unusable and you cannot modify with much ease. Since Viz doesn't have the conform tool (only a max tool), it's been a little more difficult to get a quad terrain.

 

We've got FormZ here at our office too, and I find their terrain tool is much cleaner/more advanced than the one in Viz. If you've got the ability, you can create a clean quad (you determine the spacing) smooth landscape mesh in FormZ and export to Viz from there too.

 

I hope landscaping gets easier soon because it can be an extremely valuable tool to manipulate it in real time to help landscapers design more effectively As of now, it takes a couple hours to update the 3d model if any of the contours are changed in my experience.

 

mb

[mean_pixel]

Well it seems like the prep-work issue is a common one. I was hoping there was a magic set of scripts or a plugin somewhere that would eliminate the need for hours of work, but no luck.

 

I've only been working on the architectural side of the 3D industry for about 18 months now, but I would have assumed someone would have cleaned up the topo pipeline from AutoCAD to Max/Viz.

 

Besides, "The data should go right in, right? After all, both packages are made by AutoDesk. Easy communication between the two, right?"

 

I love hearing that. Thats when I strangle someone and go back to my dark lair and make a fort from chicken bones while mumbling: "same my a$$..#%$# ..discreet..#$^%#%..kintetix...^%$#$.

[anthony cortez]

For my current project, I'm downloading DEM files from the USGS website, stitching them together and using them as displacement maps in Max. I find it matches right on with the photos that has been taken from a number of vantage points. To zoom into specific areas or proposed terrains, I would reference a topological map drawing and edge loop model the detail. Lots of pushing and pulling vertices, unwrapping for texturing...painting diffuse maps for streets and grass & distribution maps for trees...lots of work but the scene's coming along nicely.

[THINKTANK]

Hi guys,

 

I work as a 3D Visualiser for a big company in the UK, and the other month I was looking for ways to create quick and easy and ACCURATE terrain, this I guess could also be applied to "Proposed terrain".

 

Now it looks like a long process but actually it takes around 5-10 minutes once you know what your doing, this will give you accurate height'd terrain.

 

It obviously depends what sort of information you have been given, we usually get OS's with lots of points with numeric height values attached to it, or just points scattered along the Z axis's.

 

You'll need to download the following plugin's (there either free or have a trial attached).

 

"text2elev"

"points export" (SYCODE)

"3D FIELD PRO"

 

I'll briefly tell you my plan, but I'd advise you to read the read me's briefly for each plug-in as I won't go in to detail on how to activate the plugin's.

 

 

STEP 1. install all the plugin's

 

STEP 2. First off in ADT, delete everything that isn't a contour height point (delete the points too just leaving the numeric values) (No blocks or polylines etc...) also make sure you have a copy of the drawing before you delete everything :-)

 

STEP 3. Now use this plug-in, the Plug-in called TEXT2ELEVATION Will read the numeric values of each text set and shift it to the correct Z axis height, giving you straight away a " number contour of your OS"

 

STEP 4. Now we want to convert this values into points, we do this by using "PointsExportAC" (Make sure you check the box named "Create point objects").

 

STEP 5. Save as a .DXF and close ADT.

 

STEP 6. Open up "3D Field Pro" and bring your info into the program.

STEP 7. Right click on contours and click insert choose your settings.

STEP 8. Right click again on contours and clock on "Copy contours to drawing".

 

STEP 9. Right click on Drawings and click "Save to file".

 

STEP 10. Save as a .DXF

STEP 11. Open the .DXF file up again in ADT and just save it as a DWG.

 

FINAL STEP. You can now import the file in to MAX and apply a terrain modifier to the Contoured splines!

 

 

 

 

Hope that helps, let me know how you guys get on :-)

[Claudio Branch]

 

...After working with TINs and the like, I quickly came to the conclusion I want to work with quads.

 

...I'm looking for good, accurate, detailed, clean topo that will render well.

 

...I'm not seeking trade secrets here, just some direction on how the industry handles this stuff.

 

 

Working with quads only? That's crazy talk!

 

I have enclosed an image depicting good accurate, detailed, clean topo that will render well.

 

And here is a trade secret:

 

EasySite

[Antisthenes]

Rhino Terrain of course becuase its blazing fast and it just got a new 3dprint command today

 

 

http://www.rhinoterrain.com/page402-392-rhinoterrain-for-rhino-4.html

 

http://news2.mcneel.com/scripts/dnewsweb.exe?cmd=article&group=rhino&item=294124&utag=

[Claudio Branch]

 

Rhino Terrain of course because its blazing fast...

 

 

Cool.

 

How do you go about modeling features (roads, curbs, intersections, etc.)?

[RyanSpaulding]

So with this 'conform' tactic, how are you separating the curb/concrete/grass? Wouldn't this tactic just make one mesh that doesn't have individual parts and no set element lines to create nice textures from?

[Antisthenes]

Cool.

 

How do you go about modeling features (roads, curbs, intersections, etc.)?

 

 

well the land development department uses InLand i believe i am messing with one of their meshes now to make a flyover on a new road dam project with bongo. i wish i had the 64 bit PC i have at home now.....

[Claudio Branch]

Great...perhaps you could post up an image?

[Antisthenes]

either google map is warped or the tech is being creative with the road path but i am still trying align the mapping gizmo, before i make the animation

 

of course testsetaalevel is set to high and i did a -viewportcapturetofile to get this, i didn't make it 8000+ pixels like i would for a high dpi print.

Edited August 19, 2008 by Antisthenes

[Claudio Branch]

Got Mesh?