Hi All here is a little somthing I've come up with by writing a script with some math(from 3D Computer graphics) a good text on the math behind most of what we do Your comments and ideas are of course welcome and once I get the script locked I will post it. Dan

Interesting but how do I use it?:( Shez

It will be a script that will allow you to make low poly lattace typemodels like bridges,hi-voltage transmition towers and craines that would otherwise be a pain to make in gmax. The above gets around someof the problems with transparent textures and the Z buffer as models created with the above are truly 3D(the "lattice") rather than doingthe old texture trick. I will post a pic showing what you can make with the above script (it's a simple bridge). Dan

Dan,I did some testing with models like this. I used some geographical data and put power pylons all over New Zealand. The result was 1-2 fps. If you are going this approach, then I really recommend that you'll put some LOD alternatives into it. That will avoid those issues. I'm actually working on this at the moment.If you can solve this this would be a very valuable tool indeed!Cheers, Christian

It does Christian. Of course it does have more poly's than just useing a textured box but the above has only 350 poly's due to theway it's built (from projected triangles) instead of building itwith "parametric" building blocks. What my script does is let oneset up a simple array of 2D triangles like these dots . . . . . and then draws edges between each vertex of each triangle makeing a 3 sided "girder" like lattice so each "latice building block" like the sides of the bridge only has 28 total poly's(five in each "girder" two on the ends plus three on each side) the above bridge has 3 of these "building blocks" on each side of both spans total of 12. The above tool is NOT intended to be used thousands to times in a scenery of course just to allow one to make some fairly "simple" girder like objects. And I am still working on the math to see if I can lower the poly count even more. Hope this helps to explain things. Dan

Bingo Dan, using your script for making models is great.No frame rate hit. It's the way to go.http://members.rogers.com/jkanold/swbridge1.jpghttp://members.rogers.com/jkanold/swbridge2.jpghttp://members.rogers.com/jkanold/jimlogo.gifhttp://members.rogers.com/eelvish/flyurl.gif

Yes, I understand.I was just thinking, maybe you can incorporate some LOD directives. For example take a few girders out when you are further away, or just have lines when you are really far a way (although I wouldn't know how to export that).Just an idea, because I'm personally interested in covering large areas with what's there in reality... As I said, I'm still experimenting with those things, so I'm not sure either what's best.Cheers, Christian

I am sure that would a good thing to do of course. What I am working on is a script for gmax it does not go in the plug-ins folder(I.Eit has nothing to do with exporting only with generating the geometryso I would guess one would still have to make a LOD call upon export. Like I said the above is really for "local" use only not for a whole country I think you would still have to use simple bit planes for that due of course to the number of objects you would need. Dan