Jar Contents: Tools

Heightfields

This tool allows the user to create triangle mesh landscapes in AoI from input images, or algorithmically via a fractal technique. The tool is far from being a full-blown landscape generator, but can be useful for generating terrain-like surfaces that can then be enhanced to construct landscapes.

Image Mode
In image mode, the color of each pixel of an input image is regarded as an elevation value. By using a standard paint program, users can describe the 3D landscape they want. Free and commercial heightfield editors also exist.

I'd recommend working in shades of gray, or converting the image to gray for review before running it through this tool. The displacement of the vertex associated with each pixel in the image is determined by summing the RGB values for that pixel. This can lead to surprising results if the input image is not gray.

In image mode, this tool is very similar to the DEM importer, except that the input file is a bitmapped image. In fact, the DEM file format is really just a special type of raster image file.

To use the tool in image mode, select Heightfield from the TOOLS menu, then select Image. Choose an input image, and select a sampling rate. See the NOTE about importing DEM files for more information about sampling.

Fractal Mode
In fractal mode, the heightfield tool uses the "Diamond-Square" algorithm to generate realistic terrain models. The size of the output mesh is determined by the "Level Of Detail" value. The severity of elevation changes is determined by the "roughness" value.

To use the tool in fractal mode, select Heightfield from the TOOLS menu, then select Fractal. The resulting mesh is appended to the current scene.

Mirror Mesh

This is a simple tool for creating "mirror image" copies of triangle mesh objects. To use it, select the mesh to be mirrored, choose Mirror Mesh from the TOOLS menu, and choose the coordinate plane to be used as the mirror. A new mesh object is added to the scene.

This tool should not be confused with Julian MacDonald's meshmirror script. Julian's script adds a missing capability to the mesh editor, allowing the user to model symmetrical objects more easily. Julian's tool adds to the geometry of an existing object, while this one creates a new object. For example, one might create a model of a left foot, then use the Mirror Mesh tool to create the right foot. On the other hand, one might model the left side of a character's face, and use the meshmirror script to generate the right side of the face.

I apologize for the confusion in the naming of this tool. If anyone has a good suggestion for a less confusing name, please email me. "ReflectOla"? "DeepDarkTruthfulMirrorTool"? "Narcissor"?

Really, this tool doesn't add any new functionality to AoI. AoI's scaling function (via EDIT -> TRANSFORM OBJECT) for triangle meshes can be used to mirror a mesh object by setting the scaling factor to -1 in one dimension. But in my experience, many users tend to think of scaling in terms of resizing an object, and in that context, a factor of -1 is counterintuitive. Indeed, the other 3D and vector drawing programs I've used have always provided both tools. So I think this tool may improve AoI's ease of use for some users.