Hi,

I'm new to Vue and these forums, but this looks like the place for some help!

I've been asked to re-create this scene as accurately as possible and I'm wondering the best approach in Vue to take.

Would it be better to use individual objects and position them correctly or paint some kind of grayscale in PS and import it or some other technique. Sadly I don't have the luxury of  a DEM.

I'm not to familair with greyscale terrain painting and my early efforts result in an abrupt shoreline.

If anyone can help, thats appreciated!

Well, a procedural terrain might give good results. A perlin fractal noise, some turbulence, terrain not set to zero edges, and some fluvial erosion should do the trick. oh, and the right POV over  your terrain! I'm not familiar either with terrain painting so I can't help you on that one.

I would draw it , grayscale.   Then I would use the same maps altered to my needs to drive the vegetation and the materials.   Then bring the picture into the terrain editor.

Terrain painting would work too, but then you would not have any maps to drive the veg. & mats.

 If anything procedural terrains would make it harder. 

Or go to Google Maps and get the airel image of the area ( if you know where this is exactly) and use that to create your distribution map. The USGS may have the DEM or possibly the topographic data.

The terrain mat is a bitmap I alo used for veggie distriibution, so the greens only grow on grass.

Thanks for the suggestions. Well the area is Cape Verde, but Google earth image is pretty poor because the place is almost unheard of. Zoom in and its just a blur. Also there is no good DEM available without a dedicated survey so thats out.

So I just got go grayscale or build in Vue. I think you can export terrain map from Vue for Veg and maps, but I could be wrong..

Its a real pain. Ideally I need a zoomed in overhead view of the region to work from, but just can't find one anywhere...

Nice going bruno21!

Did you just scan round the terrain looking for a suitable looking point?

Maybe you could post up scene so I could study it?

Well, I created a proc terrain, and applied a filter to the function, to get steeper slopes on the higher parts and flatter land at the bottom for the beach, and then, yes, i scanned around for the POV. I also applied some fluvial  erosion , and then  diffusive erosion.

I can attach the scene file, but do you have Vue Infinite , the "lush bushes" and the Long grass from C3D? If not, I'll replace the plants with others. if you have Esprit, I'll clear the ecosystems.

I got Vue infinite, but not the lush bushes pack...I'll probably get them soon though!

Cheers

Here's the scene, with diferent plants.

Ok, can't attach a non image file, IM me and provide an e-mail address, so I can send you the file.

I wouldn't have used a single terrain, but (at least) seven. Approximately as in the above pic.
Most would probably be OK at 512, except to #6 (which might be better at 1024x1024) and #4 & #7 (which could probably be reduced to 256x256).

Cover the joins with shrubbery...

This approach allows you to define the textures on the bits independently...

Just my way of working. Probably a longer method.

Cheers,
Diolma

(PS: Apologies for scrawling over your pic...)

May not be easy Diolma, but it's true you have more control over materials & ecos this way. But a huge poly count with terrains alone.

Scrawling is fine by me!

Thats an approach I hadn't though of. (drawing on pic!) Its going to have animation and in someways that approach could  be the best, as I need to export  the terrain for LW intergration of buildings etc..
(Although the XStream plug sounds promising)

I could then just export the section needed for the LW part.

Will give all methods suggested so far a try and see what looks best.

"May not be easy Diolma, but it's true you have more control over materials & ecos this way. But a huge poly count with terrains alone."

Actually, compared with the normal usage of Vue, the extra terrain polys almost insignificant.

Consider:
My suggestion has:
1 terrain at   1024x1024 =  1,048,576 polys.
4 terrains at 512x512     =  262144 x 4 = 1,048,576 polys (what a coincindence..:-))
2 terrains at 256x256     =  65,536  x 2 = 131,072  polys.

Total: 2,228,224 polys.

Now look at your average bush/tree.

Each weighs in at a (very) approximate average of 100,000 polys (can vary from 300,000 to 50,000 polys, depending) So the terrains are taking up the equivalent (very roughly) of 22 bushes....

I rather suspect that you have more than 22 bushes in your pic ..:-))

In my way, much of the terrain texture would be done by "textures", not by vegetation. Vegetation would be (judicially ) placed where necessary. Much less vegetation...

Please don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to convert you (or anyone, for that matter) to my way of thinking, nor am I in any way trying to attack you. Just trying to present a different approach (that may or may not work)..

Cheers,
Diolma

{Edit]...
OOpps - Sorry stevecullum, X-Post (I spent so long trying to get my figures more-or-less right that I missed your post...

I'm not at all offended, Diolma, and one thing is sure in 3D, there are always different ways of achieving a good result, and yours is as good as mine, if not better. I suppose 7 terrains may even render faster than one single procedural terrain. Well, up to Steve to show us his results now!

Thats great folks - I'll definatley post the results when its all fixed up!

I would also use multiple terrains, but maybe only 3-4. There might be a way to draw a terrain profile from 2 axes and 'sweep' them over a Vue terrain to get close to what you want (using a mesh terrain), or maybe by shaping that Terrain Editor filter, then export them to a poly-modeling/subdivision-modeling program for detailed sculpting, then back into Vue (i've had good results using external modeling in SIlo 3D to extrude walls from a Vue terrain).

Other ideas:

1. Use Chipp Walter's AltTerrain Builder to do profiles.

2. Talk to the developer of the new GeoControl terrain generator - i'll bet he'd have some ideas:
   http://www.cajomi.de/Forum/

_jc  'Art Head Start' e-book: Learn digital art skills $19.95
'Art Head Start.com Free chapter, Vue tutorials, models, Web Tutorials Directory.

Is it just me or does Bruno's picture look nothing like the intended picture? Using multiple terrains is a good idea and will give lots of control. I think that is the best way. O O . ) < > .

That GeoControl is a killer app!

Makes amazing looking vista's. I'm experimenting with it see if I can create the views I'm after.
Thanks for posting the forum link. I couldn't access that from their main page.

But so far, I do like the control of using pieces to shape out the desired terrain.

Please post a pic when you are done. This type of challenge would make a fun contest.

Will do!

Currently I'm exploring the different methods/programs to see what comes up best.
I think for this localised area, creating the various shapes of geometry is working out best, but I guess my lack of experience of this geo modelling is showing!

The project I'm using it on is 3 -4 weeks work total, so I'll have to submit it to my client before I  post the results!

You could always create the terrain procedurally within Mojoworld & export a terrain map as .obj file format, but you would need to know who to request the help from...just ask in the Mojo Forum...Im sure someone would help :-)))

We took up a similar challenge for the US National Parks.