Development of 3ds MAX plugin tool for terrain generation

• Main Author: Song, Tao
• Other Authors: Zheng Jianmin
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering::Computing methodologies::Computer graphics
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/59191
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

3D terrain is of interest in various area of work (computer games and mixed reality), 3D terrain generation becomes a very interesting topic. Using a software tool to generate the 3D terrain model is a good way to solve the Terrain generation problem. Two versions of terrain generation plugin for 3DS Max are implemented, which use the heightmap and the control map as the user input, together with certain user control constrains, both of them can successfully construct the 3D mesh model of terrain. The first version is based on regular grid heightmap and use the basic triangulation algorithm. To improve the terrain generation performance in terms of time consuming , memory occupation and user control ability, the second version plugin is implemented, it is based on Delaunay Triangulation technique, the incremental insertion, divide and conquer algorithm, sweepline algorithm and Delaunay refine algorithm for triangle mesh generation. The user constrains can provide various control for certain area. To further modify the mesh representation, the model can be converted to editable type in 3DS Max, which the user can edit the model in more detail.