Help with CAD and 3DsMAX

[Richard Westlund]

I have a client who is a cartographer. We need to get some CAD Topographic files /w Textures into max to get everything into max (GRACEFULLY) to make a video of the area. I am having some problems and hope you good folks can help me.

 

1.) There are 30 .DWG filies. There are also 30 satalite photos all 250 MB (11,000 pixels x 11,000 pixels)

 

2.) I can put all of the CAD drawings together in a fresh DWG by copying and pasting "with original co-ordinance). It works fine.

 

3.) I can also import the HUGE tif files into CAD MAP in the correct co-ordinaqnces (My client showed me at his office) because of the .tfw files that came with the .tif files. (perfect)

 

OBS01: Importing the DWG files into max is possible and I attempted to use the CREATE->COMPOUND->TERRAINE command, it works, but not very well (alot of bad polys etc.

 

OBS02: If I create 1 huge DWG of the area that I need that means that I will have to create 1 huge texture to cover the area therefore losing the image quality and I need to get close detail.

 

OBS03: Will a file created with CADMAP3D import into max with all of the TIF co-ordinances and everything intact? (obviously I will have to mess with the image sizes.

 

QUESTION01: Has anyone done something with other software that works? My client has also used ArcGIS, but the problem is that the video quality is terrible and I really need to be working in MAX.

 

Sorry for the long post, I am only trying to be clear.

 

RW

[Kris B.]

Hi Richard,

Have a look at Visual Nature Studio http://www.3dnature.com this software is designed to do exactly what you want. I use this software to create terrain models from Autocad contour data, drape aerial photography, plant trees, 3d models of houses, create new roads and then produce stills and animations. The software will also export out to 3ds format if you want to do further work in Max. If you are doing a lot of this type of work, then it would be worthwhile considering this software. Added bonus is that the tech support is brilliant.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Kris