Modelling terrain from contours

[tricky]

I have a bunch of contours as splines and I want to create a nice mesh over the top for my terrain. Is the best, and only way in Max to use the terrain modifier? Seems a bit prehistoric to me.

[glorybound]

I usually create the terrain and conform a nice mesh over it.

[tricky]

I usually create the terrain and conform a nice mesh over it.

Interesting. So, for example, import the contours from your cad package, generate a terrain using the standard terrain object in Max and then draw a plane object over it and conform it to the terrain object? Would that create a nice, regular grid object instead of all the nasty triangles from the terrain object?

[dlparisi]

Interesting. So, for example, import the contours from your cad package, generate a terrain using the standard terrain object in Max and then draw a plane object over it and conform it to the terrain object? Would that create a nice, regular grid object instead of all the nasty triangles from the terrain object?

Yes, this is the way I usually do it as well.

[tricky]

These images show what I am trying to do. I have a large sloped terrain that I am generating from contour lines. I than need to add detailed embankments to the terrain. The only way I have found to do this so far is to subdivide the terrain into 250mm triangles (this in itself creates lots of geometry) and than use shapemerge to imprint an outline of each of the slopes onto this high resolution mesh. I then soft-select those faces created by the shapemerge process and move them 1m in the vertical axis. As you can see, this creates some pretty awful looking geometry.

Much of this will be textured and have plants on it, but I'd like the underlying geometry to be cleaner and more regular.

Is there a way of draping over a regular mesh (perhaps with the resolution increasing where the mounds are)?

[Neilg]

I just polymodel terrain now. Edge extrusion, meshsmooth.

Takes a little longer, but if you're doing a lot of work on it and it's the base for an animation then it's well worth it in the long run. Especially if you're planning to modify it. (like adding embankments)
Makes a huge difference when you can turn meshsmooth off in the viewports too. You only need to turn it on to use an object dropper script for plants. Cutting into it to detach roads/paths is so much easier and quicker too.

[PIXELBOX_SRO]

yep, do as the Cubiclegangster says, i do it the same way, makin nice poly object made entirely from quads so it can be smoother well

[Da_elf]

i do the same as cubicle gangster

[dellis]

I've done most of these techniques as well....but depending on the size of the scene i mostly connect the splines and use the surface modifier...then an edit poly or whatever other mod on top if i need to edit. You could also create the terrain and then instead of using shapemerge, try using the section spline object. Basically you array the section object across the terrain....then select them all and convert them to splines....weld them....then you can add a normalize spline mod and then you could do a cross section mod....then a surface mod to get a clean mesh....well...a cleaner mesh. You could also try painting using the graphite tools....large polies for the open areas and then make them smaller for the detail areas...then you would have to do some welding...

[mikeh]

If you are working from an engineered design, ask for the earthwork model from the engineer. Everything is already prepared for you. You just have to import it into Max. It is how i work.
mh

[tricky]

If you are working from an engineered design, ask for the earthwork model from the engineer. Everything is already prepared for you. You just have to import it into Max. It is how i work.
mh

If only it were som simple.

[Da_elf]

getting good land survey data down here in barbados is almost impossible. nearly impossible and bordering on impossible

[pixelplume]

on a side note: DEM files

I just went through the torture of importing a DEM file to get my landscape base. It imported into max fine, but then was an unusable mesh. If I tried to select a polygon it would select the whole element etc. If I tried to convert it to an editable poly it became unusable. Long story short after many hours and some hair pulling I found a solution of sorts. I wound up exporting it as an obj file and then re-importing. Within the import dialog box for obj there was an option to convert it to an poly instead of mesh. I was then able to hack though and clean up the geometry to a usable state.

[dcullipher]

For retoping try wrapit great tool for remodeling on a surface quickly and make pretty little quads. http://www.matt-clark.co.uk/wrapit/