From: salnick@dejavu.spk.wa.us (Bob Salnick) Subject: Re: Landscapes Database software for VR Date: 16 Nov 91 03:05:30 GMT In article salnick@dejavu.spk.wa.us (Bob Salnick) writes: >In article <1991Nov12.222725.13469@milton.u.washington.edu> >PR2JBC@UK.AC.SHEFFIELD.PRIMEA writes: > >In the Amiga software world, take a look at Scenery Animator (from Natural >Graphics), or look at the July 1991 issue of Amiga World where 5 landscape >generators were reviewed. My copy of this issue is at work - I will re-post >tomorrow night with the names of the software packages reviewed. If my >memory serves, more than one of them were capable of working with >Government supplied data files for contours (one example was contours of the >Martian surface, which had been "filled" with water to the author's liking - >Martian seas) The packages reviewed were: Fantasy Generators: Scene Generator ($49, from Natural Graphics) - accepts no external data files - creates fractal landscapes. Terrain ($99, from Impulse) - designed to generate scenic objects for import into Impulse's TurboSilver ray tracing program. Supposedly does a nice job of making scenes in its own right. It does not accept external data files. Reality Generators: Digital Landscape ($125, from digiscape Software) - will read custom data files - not well received by the reviewer - he thought it was old-style and needed a complete overhaul Vista ($99.95) and Vista-Pro ($149.95 - both from Virtual Reality) - both read USGS DEM data, and include a number of such files with the package. Both can also generate fantasy fractal landscapes. Vista uses 30 meter data (and results therefore in a smaller "world") while VIsta Pro uses 900 meter data. Apparently both have a similar dataspace, which in the case of Vista, gives a hi-res view of a smaller piece of the universe. Vista PRO produces animated scenes which "are eye candy" according to the reviewer. It gives you control over sea level, shadows, starry skies, turbulent water and dithering. Gouraud shading is available as a rendering option. Vista Pro can create animations direct to disk, and more importantly, can play them back direct from disk - this minimizes memory limitation problems. Both Vista and Vista Pro can save TurboSilver format files. Scenery Animator ($99.95, Natural Graphics- do not confuse with Scene generator from the same company, above) - A full review of this software appears in the current (dec 91) issue of Amiga World. My appraisal of the review is that this package is equally as capable as Vista Pro, but is newer. It also has the ability to generate realistic clouds, and lighting effects which range from glary high- noon lighting to moody, deeply shadowed sunset. By VR standards, none of these packages is exactly expensive. They might be well worth exploring for VR purposes... Disclaimer: I don't work for any of these companies or Amiga World. I do not own copies of any of the software, but I do subscribe to Amiga World. bob -- Bob Salnick, Spokane,WA | USENET: oliveb!isc-br!tau-ceti!DejaVu!salnick Amiga 1000, WB 1.3 | INTERNET: salnick@DejaVu.spk.wa.us WA9BVE | (FireStorm '91 survivor)