Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2002 10:46 am
Joined: 14 Oct 2002
Posts: 80
How about adding the ability to import USGS DEM files, to make real terrain. The files contain all of the information needed to construct meshs of actual maps.
Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2002 10:08 am
Joined: 14 Oct 2002
Posts: 239
That wouldn't be harder than any other import... Do you know somewhere one could get hold of the file format specs and some example files?
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2002 4:55 am
Joined: 14 Oct 2002
Posts: 80
| Jamesk wrote: |
| That wouldn't be harder than any other import... Do you know somewhere one could get hold of the file format specs and some example files? |
USGS DEM data downloads and file format information:
http://edc.usgs.gov/glis/hyper/guide/1_dgr_demfig/states.html
http://rockyweb.cr.usgs.gov/nmpstds/demstds.html
Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2002 10:09 am
Joined: 14 Oct 2002
Posts: 239
Looks OK. Could be pretty cool having support for that. I'm in the middle of another project right now, but I'll definately look into it later on.
Edit: The only problem might be the 64K vertex limit for Blender objects. I have a feeling that stuff like this may end up incredibly huge if you want some decent precision... We'll see what happens.
Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2002 10:41 pm
Joined: 14 Oct 2002
Posts: 80
Any mesh that was generated directly from a DEM file would have to be broken into several parts, or more likely slices to work, DEM files have a lot of data.
Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2002 7:11 pm
Joined: 14 Oct 2002
Posts: 239
| VelikM wrote: |
| Any mesh - - - would have to be broken into several - - -slices to work. |
I somehow had a feeling along those lines, yes...
Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2002 3:16 am
Joined: 14 Oct 2002
Posts: 80
It may make more sense to import the data to use as a bumpmap instead of trying to make a mesh with it. That would give a different method for making custom bumpmaps.
Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2002 9:35 am
Joined: 14 Oct 2002
Posts: 239
| VelikM wrote: |
| It may make more sense to import the data to use as a bumpmap instead of trying to make a mesh with it. |
Ack! No way, José!
Making a bumpmap from that would destroy the whole idea. Until the day Blender has true displacement, it's the mesh way or no way at all. Bumpmaps are only useful for very delicate surface treatment. Things like the elevation profile of Alaska would not fit the 'delicate' category, my friend... 
Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2002 6:09 am
Joined: 14 Oct 2002
Posts: 80
| Jamesk wrote: |
| VelikM wrote: | | It may make more sense to import the data to use as a bumpmap instead of trying to make a mesh with it. |
Ack! No way, José!
Making a bumpmap from that would destroy the whole idea. Until the day Blender has true displacement, it's the mesh way or no way at all. Bumpmaps are only useful for very delicate surface treatment. Things like the elevation profile of Alaska would not fit the 'delicate' category, my friend... |
It was just an idea, a bad idea........but. 
Direct import of DEM data.