Topographic Relief Carving

[roto5]

I have found a method to load topographic relief files into CarveWright software. The methods have been fully worked out (it's a bit of a steeplechase), but the method shows promise (see attached files).

First download the DEM(s) (digital elevation model) for the geographic area of interest.

http://data.geocomm.com/catalog/US/index.html

Unzip the file using WIPZIP, then upload the DEM file into MICRODEM to convert it into a grayscale bitmap.

http://www.usna.edu/Users/oceano/pguth/website/microdem.htm

The BMP file may be directly loaded into CarveWright software as a pattern. However, it may desirable to crop the image first in Photoshop or other photo editing software. This elimates legends & scales. Examples of Mt. Rainier are shown in the attached files.

This method is still under development, and I welcome input on simpler or more effective methods. Specifically:

How can these images be carved? The depth limitation (1") of the machine limits the extend of relief that can be carved.

Can the model be sliced horizontally to carve portions of the model so that they can be laminated together?

Thanks in Advance,
Roto5

[Greybeard]

Hi roto5.

The links you posted look interesting, but I'll leave the work of trying it out to you. :D

Meanwhile, I'm working on a method to slice your map up into layers.
Hope to get it finished this evening(mine), and will post it as a general method.
Regards
John

[Jon Jantz]

I'm interested in this and going to check where you downloaded the topo maps... I've played around with topos in the past in Designer, but didn't get good results because their legend didn't go from light to dark or the opposite. They had many colors thrown in up and down the scale with varying brightness, when you changed it to a gray-scale, you had a lot of variation of depth among the different level changes.

That sample looks great, you should be able to slice it into pieces in an external graphics program, carve it and then laminate it together... however, if you have a bunch of mountain peaks sticking up into your second carving, it would be a pain to get it sliced and then put back together correctly.

[BobHill]

Roto

It would appear that you've opened up a whole new world to the CarveWright..... war gamers, anyone? <g> Think of sections and the fields of Gettysburg, etc. And molds.

Bob

[HandTurnedMaple]

Actually I may use that for my model railroad. There is a section of hills near Pendleton, Oregon that I would love to use, and this may be an excellent way of giving me a 3D model to build from. Thanx.

[Greybeard]

Re new slicing method....
Spent a while writing out the method, then tried it out.
Ooops, I fell at the last fence, and have got a headache. :(

I think a little something is called for, to get the grey cells going again.

John

[liquidguitars]

looks like desinger traslated the hight of maps spot on.,,
nice link!

for the slice http://carvewright.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1531

[roto5]

Thanks for the responses so far!

Here's some details on how to manipulate DEMs in MICRODEM

To merge maps together:
1. Click the IN <-> OUT tab, then pick MERGE on the menu and PICK SINGLE
2. Pick the files to merge. The NNNNCATD.DDF file seems to work (N is a number)
3. Save the merged file in *.DEM format

To convert the image to gray scale:
1. Open the file created above. If not, open the NNNNCEL0.DDF file.
2. Right click on image and pick ELEVATION COLORS
3. Pick GRAY SCALE

To save the file in *.BMP format:
1. Go to FILE in the drop-down menu and pick SAVE IMAGE

The file may be imported into CarveWright software or futher manipulated in Photoshop.


Good luck!
Roto5

[liquidguitars]

They had many colors thrown in up and down the scale with varying brightness, when you changed it to a gray-scale, you had a lot of variation of depth among the different level changes.

yes, if you change a bitmap to grayscales so to speak, but the Dem is a 3D mesh and it's output is rendered as a true grayscale map, based sea level=0 , hence a true 3d mountan + or - one meter...

[eepers]

I'm a game designer, believe me, the uses for board elements have not escaped me, hahah :)

Now if I can just get my hands on a unit for sale somewhere!

[liquidguitars]

I'm a game designer, believe me, the uses for board elements have not escaped me

Hi Lee,

A unit will show up on the Sears website fom time to time. I ordered mine off the web on the Jan 24, and it was sent via UPS lastweek nice and neat.
Regarding designing game are you 3D or board? I worked R&D in the early days of 3d.

[HandTurnedMaple]

Hey a Fallout guy!!!

Eepers if you go to sears.com/carve you can request an email when the machines are in stock. Then either order online or run to a store (literally run, if you try to drive you may drop your keys and cost yourself valuable time).

[FdxGuy]

I'm a game designer, believe me, the uses for board elements have not escaped me, hahah :)

Now if I can just get my hands on a unit for sale somewhere!


There is one on Ebay :mrgreen:

[Charles M]

I'm a game designer, believe me, the uses for board elements have not escaped me, hahah :)

Now if I can just get my hands on a unit for sale somewhere!


There is one on Ebay :mrgreen:

I ordered mine through the local Sears store and picked it up there 5 days later. YMMV.

[eepers]

Haven't had any luck with Sears and am on their waiting list hoping one comes through. The ones on Ebay always seem to turn up with some bizarre circumstances like missing the flex shaft or something random, but I'm still on the hunt!

My job is video games, I was the Lead Level Designer on Gears of War for Xbox 360 and I'm the Gameplay Designer for the next project... but my hobbies are boardgaming and woodworking. Building modular wargame terrain with the CW seems like SUCH an incredible option for fabrication. I was thinking of working up modular city block pavement type structures, with blown out building facades since they could easily work within the 1" depth limitation of the machine. For handling small detail I was thinking it might be best to attempt working with plastic to avoid grain tearout issues when trying to push the machine's resolution to the max... but not having one yet it's hard to know hom much to worry about that :-/

[eepers]

Actually, looks like there's about 4 up on Ebay right now, but not ending for a while... woot!

[lanceWynn]

I won one, and just got it today! It's new in box, and I am jonsing to get done with work so I can get started playing. I need to go to home depo, and buy some wood for it now.

I have a program called Bryce 3d, and it is used to create topographic files. I haven't tried it with the carvewright software, but it can output to greyscale, so I bet it would work.



PS. I love Gears of War! I play it on my 140" Home theater screen, and it is incredible! Great Job on the levels! Super fun.

[eepers]

Thanks man, glad you dug it!

Bryce should be idea for creating terrain heightmaps... even 8 year old versions of the software will do what we need for creating heightmaps. Plus it's got all the great functions like erosion and weathering.

It would probably be worth bringing some existing heightmaps of things that aren't terrain into Bryce and seeing how those functions can be used to affect heightmaps. You might be able to easily get some rustic type effects on otherwise clean sign designs.

[shawj]

Strange coincidence that eepers works for Epic Games. Here's another source and pipeline that I've been using for years to put real topo into the Unreal Engine.
All data and software is free, I can run anyone through a more detailed process if needed but here's the quickie.

Data source download here,

http://seamless.usgs.gov/

Download NED file as GeoTiff's and process with two apps to get a 8bit greyscale image that Designer can import.
3dem converts GeoTiff to Terragen format(.ter)
Terragen with For export Only plugin goes to bmp, dxf, or obj


http://www.visualizationsoftware.com/3dem.html
http://www.planetside.co.uk/terragen/

[dominulus]

A rapid way to download DEM data in tiff format:
Go to http://srtm.csi.cgiar.org/SELECTION/inputCoord.asp pick a tile and download it as a tiff, which can easily be manipulated in Photoshop.

It will be in 16-bit mode, but before you turn it into 8 bits, open levels (in Photoshop) and adjust the black and white sliders so that the elevation data is neatly snugged in between them on the histogram.

Select the water and fill it with 100% black.

Then convert to 8 bits.