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Topographic Fly-Thru Software
Hey guys,
I’m looking for any information on software used in creating 3D topographical maps. I’ve included a link to an example below. I know that the example was created in 3ds max. Is there another alternative? If not, how difficult is it use map data to create the fly-thru in 3ds max?Any help would be greatly appreciated!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRko7aW1DJI
Joe McKinney
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5 Replies
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An alternative to 3ds max? Maya, Cinema 4D, Blender 3D. The last one is free. I’ve recently migrated to blender from cinema4d. The latest version is doing pretty well. You just need a good renderer with Blender, same as 3ds. However note that no 3D software is trivial to use. Prepare to spend a lot of time learning.
Cory
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Cory Petkovsek
Corporate Video -
[Cory Petkovsek] “I’ve recently migrated to blender from cinema4d. The latest version is doing pretty well.”
Cory, I’m a C4D user who keeps an eye on Blender myself. I’d be really curious to hear your perspective on how the toolsets and workflows compare, if you don’t mind sharing.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
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Hi Joe –
You definitely want to check out Terragen – it’s made to do just what you’re talking about, and will take DEMs (digital elevation maps) if you want your flyover to be “real” places, or you can create some wild topographies from your imagination. There’s a free version or you can purchase Terragen 2 for pretty cheap. I think the freebie is limited as to the size of output, but the feature set is close to the same.
You can’t do better for real looking sky and atmosphere effects, and it’s pretty quick considering what it’s doing pushing those pixels around. Check out the gallery:
https://www.planetside.co.uk/gallery/f/tg2/
Joe Bourke
Owner/Creative Director
Bourke Media
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