Heightmap Surface [plug-in] (updated: 2014/Jun/30)

oort · (This post was last modified: 02-13-2013, 05:54 AM by oort.)

Micheus,
WOW! that looks very very VERY impressive. I will download soon to get a closer look... Smile

It will be interesting to see how my poor old PC handles it... Smile

Edit: Tested and even on my PC it updates the mesh fairly fast even in auto preview mode. Larger images do cause big delays. The only thing I can think of that you might possibly want to add would be the ability to choose a different image without having to cancel and start over. Even without that it is awesome... Smile

oort

Fonte Boa · 02-14-2013, 10:14 PM

It seems terrific, Micheus!! I'll try it this weekend!!

Couldnt you provide me an snapshot of that mountain, viewed from an interesting camera angle, with the wire visible, so that i can highlight it in facebook wings3dchannel profile?? Thanks in advance, Micheus!

Congratulations for the work!! With the new preview tools, it seems more interative to deal! Smile

micheus · 02-15-2013, 04:47 PM

(02-13-2013, 01:39 AM)oort Wrote: Tested and even on my PC it updates the mesh fairly fast even in auto preview mode.

That's because I rework the code trying to find the best way preserve the Auto preview enabled with good speed. Even on my fast PC the time spend from the image selection to preview it was cut in a half when compared to the previous version. Smile

Unfortunately, larger images will always cause some delay - mainly when you click on OK button and wait for Wings3d code to generate the final object.

Quote:The only thing I can think of that you might possibly want to add would be the ability to choose a different image without having to cancel and start over.

I didn't forget you already suggested this before. After this rework I did in the code, I believe that it is now possible. I still don't consider it finished - there is some small adds to do now.

Wegg · 02-15-2013, 08:51 PM

Does this plugin support image files with higher bit depths to avoid the stair stepping that I am seeing in your test renders?

micheus · (This post was last modified: 02-16-2013, 06:45 AM by micheus.)

(02-15-2013, 08:51 PM)Wegg Wrote: Does this plugin support image files with higher bit depths to avoid the stair stepping that I am seeing in your test renders?

That "step" came from the fact of the color gradient be applied to each vertex when the Wings3d object is created at the end.

You should noticed that in preview mode you don't see this "problem" because I'm not using a Wings object as any other primitive preview - I draw it by my self (it's an other reason why it is relativity fast).

When I finish it, we probably will be capable to generate an UV map using the original source image - this should result in better real render (that one is only a shader view of Wings3d)

[edit] Explaning better about what you asked...

For the gray-scale it doesn't matter:
"Even with true color, monochromatic images, which are restricted to 256 levels, owing to their single channel, can sometimes still reveal visible banding artifacts." (ref. Wikedia - 2.4 True color (24-bit))

But, the plugin is prepared to work with Rainbow color schema (HUE) used by some GIS software (e.g. Micro DEM).
Look at this image:

You can see the Height was set to a huge value in order we get the 3d aspect that our eyes seem to get from the image - looks like we could get better result by using this kind of image, but it's not usual.

There were some aspects about it already discussed in the original thread at the old forum - here the link just in case it interest you.

This plugin is far to be a perfect terrain builder, mainly if someone is looking for realism. But, it brought me a lot of knowledge about how some things works inside Wings - it's a laboratory. Smile

micheus · 02-17-2013, 09:44 AM

(02-13-2013, 01:39 AM)oort Wrote: The only thing I can think of that you might possibly want to add would be the ability to choose a different image without having to cancel and start over.

oort, "your wish was granted".
I think that it was already the 3rd. Wink

Not released yet.

micheus · (This post was last modified: 04-12-2018, 04:14 PM by micheus.)

Weeg, here is a comparison between that texture extracted from vertex color and the original image colored:

No steps, as you have noticed before. Smile

I also added an option for save/load the color ramp presets.
It's almost ready to be released.

oort · 02-28-2013, 05:05 AM

Quote:oort, "your wish was granted".
I think that it was already the 3rd. Wink

Micheus,
I am hoping you are a genie who grants many more than 3 wishes... Smile

I can't wait to play with the next release.

oort

micheus · (This post was last modified: 03-18-2013, 08:28 AM by micheus.)

Hello people. I just upload the final release of the plugin.

Since 21/Jan/2011, starting from a simple dialog:

until today:

It was a long time of learning and ideas starting from it (alpha brush for Sculpt - implemented).

I have to thank oort, Fonte Boa, ggaliens, BlackHarmo, Ran13, deerwood (for our long technical discussion), Dimitri and tkbd for all comments and ideas; a special thanks goes to optigon that make it possible by making "... a custom dialog with a custom event handler to have the model update before exiting the dialog."
Thank you guys!

The last tutorial (not commented yet):

On github: heightmap_surface (lots of rework)

Fonte Boa · 03-06-2013, 10:18 PM

Bravo, Micheus!
WE have to thank you. Congratulations for this really terrific plugin! Smile