8 replies to this topic

[Pete G]

I am building 3d models of stonehenge and avebury using vrml (Virtual Reality Modeling Lang). Our site at http://www.stonehenge-avebury.net used to have a link to the 3d model of stonhenge built by Intel for English Heritage (using Superscape SVR models)
Recently Intel has taken all of these sites off-line (Italy was the very last to do so.)
Does anyone know where I can get hold of a copy of the Enhanced site that the Italian crew built?
It was much better than the English version that was published.
Intel will not answer emails about the absence of this model and it seems they have no plans to re-release a new model.
If anyone knows of any models of stonehenge or avebury available anywhere else I would appreciate knowing about it.
Southampton Uni is building a model of Avebury but it not available to anyone outside of the university.
If anyone is interested in playing Quake I have built various levels of stonecircle sites for the Quake 1 engine (Very limited but fun.)
These are available from http://www.madasafis...tour/quake.html
Anyone else out there making 3d models?
Pete G

[Pete G]

ooops.!
Quake link should be http://www.madasafis...~gtour/gtq.html
P

[Diego]

Hello Pete,
About two years ago I completed a Stonehenge 3D model using a Macinstoh software called FormZ. It is a fairly good 3D representation of the site, but I don't like it very much, so I never put it online. I'm a perfectionist, so I was dissatisfied because all the measures of the stones were interpolated from photographs (this is not a very accurated method, as you can see) and all the "rocky" textures I tried to apply on the stones were far to be faithful to the originals.
I didn't know that the Italian Intel team actually built an enhanced 3D version of Stonehenge. I've never managed to see the model built for English Heritage.

Diego

[Pete G]

Hello Diego,
I have a copy of the Intel stonehenge model available on http://www.stoneheng.../stonehenge.zip for off-line viewing (Best with Explorer 4+) The Italain model was better.
I have not heard of FormZ Is it Mac only?
I use 3D Studio Max R3 which has brilliant modeling & great rendering. Unfortunately the VRML viewers have yet to catch up so the models are not very good when viewed on-line.
Pete G

[Diego]

Hello Pete,

Unfortunately the VRML viewers have yet to catch up so the models are not very good when viewed on-line.

Have you ever heard of a (relatively) new technology called Metastream? I have just finished writing an article about it and it seems really interesting, particularly for its speed and ease of "handling" of the 3D models.
You may have more information visiting Metastrem website

[Pete G]

Hello again Diego,
Thanks for the Metastream info, I am downloading it and will give it a try.
I notice there is an exporter for 3DsMax which I will also grab while I am the site and give it a try.
I have huge models of the Avebury landscape
(6Mb without textures). I have recently found a Panorama exporter which will export Max scenes to IVR format.
Do you know of a converter that will turn it into a QTVR file?
My Stonehenge model is still pretty basic and I understand what you say about being dissatisfied with the results but I am going to use it as a starting base and keep working on it.

Also, I am still having problems with file size on my QTVR files with the digital camera.
I use Hotmedia panedhm to stitch the pics together and VRMakePano to convert them.
I have a feeling I maybe going about this the long way. Where can I find a good tutorial for making Panoramas?
Finaly, where can I view the article you are writing on the Metastreaming technology?
Thanks for all your help, it is great to find someone who really knows the new advances in photography.
Thanks again,
Pete G

[Pete G]

Me again,
I have had a quick look at Metastream.
The 3dsMax plugin does not work with 3dsMax R3.
I tried it on a machine with 3dsMax2.5 and it works ok BUT it converts Nurbs into triangles, which is ok for the Stonehenge model, which is a relatively flat landscape, but not very good for the Avebury landscape which has a lot of hills in my model (15 SQ miles covering Winterbourne Bassett double stone circle to Merlins mound at Marlborough.)
Max R3 is not backwards compatable to Max2.5 unless you lose the R3 changes and export as 3ds file which means losing a lot of the changes that I have done in R3.
If Metastream release a plugin for R3 I think this could be really usefull to me.
Thanx,
Pete G
(Ps. to none modelers.. NURBS are None Uniform Rational B Splines, Don't ask!)
P

[Diego]

Hello Pete,

I have recently found a Panorama exporter which will export Max scenes to IVR format. Do you know of a converter that will turn it into a QTVR file?

I know for sure that it does exist a converter from QTVR to IVR (it's called QTVR to RealVR™ Converter 1.1.1 and it works on Macintosh only). To convert an IVR file, you have to use a QTVR-making software and let it use the original stitched IVR file (i.e. the panoramic image).

Where can I find a good tutorial for making Panoramas?

You can find several resources online:

Outside the lines with QTVR
QTVR: A practical guide
QTVR Authoring Tricks

There is also a very good book:
The QuickTime VR Book : Creating Immersive Imaging on Your Desktop by Susan A. Kitchens (31.96 USD through Amazon).

where can I view the article you are writing on the Metastreaming technology?

Well, unfortunately for english readers, my article will be published on the July issue of Applicando, the Italian leading Macintosh magazine.

[Pete G]

Hello Diego,
Thanks for the links, I have copied them and will study them closely.
I am find most QTVR is not very Windows friendly.
I used to use Macs at Kindred Spirit magazine and seem to remember something about Mac being able to partition a hard drive to run Windows NT, allowing Windows based software to be run.
Do you know if this is still true of the latest Macs?
If so I may consider moving back to mac.
Which Mac would you recommend for doing this?
As to the article you wrote, shame on me for not being able to read your language!
My local photo shop told me that he may be able to get a pro Panoramic camera for me to borrow.
Pete G