see the ground profile

martinvk

since 10 Aug 2002
One of the things that has always been difficult is judging the vertical displacement of the terrain, especially when created by tools such as TransDEM since they tend to be very smooth displacements. In contrast, horizontal displacements are easy to see and adjust, just look down vertically and move the object. There are even many guides that will attract an object, making horizontal alignments a snap.

So I made another detour to GMax (I know it's old but for these kinds of objects, it's enough) and created a spline object, a vertical plane that extends from -50m to +50 m, plenty for most of the terrain I'm working with. At a distance, I see horizontal guide lines every 10m vertical. When I get closer, 1m bars appear every 100 meters horizontally. I just have to set the spline joints at 0 m elevation so the spline doesn't follow the ground elevation. The whole thing is semi-transparent so I can see what is behind it.

In this example, the grid lines make the ground obvious but when painted with a random ground texture, it is not so obvious any more.

At a distance
profile1.JPG


close up
profile0.JPG


It is still a work-in-progress subject to modifications as I use it and find improvements that need to be made. Once I'm satisfied, it will probably join the rest of my guides on the DLS.

This little detour has shown me once again why I like Trainz so much and why my projects always take so long to make. I can create all the routes I could never do if I was still back in the physical model world of my father. And every time I need something else, instead of going down to the model store and buying another thing, I just have to make it.
 
That is awesome, and I think it will be very handy! I am working on a route now with uneven ground, so I have to keep adjusting the spline heights for the ballast to show. Should use smooth spline, but I need to test that more first.
 
Hi Martin,
many thanks for another superb litttle tool in the making.
I fully agree with your observations and this one will be very handy indeed.
Looking forward to test it and keep you than postted of my findings and ehjoyment.

regards,

Roy
 
Thanks all for the encouragement and yes, the fine scale is an LOD effect. At closer than 200m, LOD0 shows and it has the fine scale built-in. Further than 200m, and LOD1 shows and it doesn't have the fine scale since at those distances, it would not really be legible.

An example how I'm using it. The DEM generated ground along 18L-36R looks more like a roller-coaster than the runway of a major airport. I'm guessing that there were airplanes on the ground and that they skewed the local elevation data otherwise I would have to doubt all the elevations.
shiphol-runway.JPG

On a related note: is it really airplanes? What else could cause the elevation fluctuations? Since there are no trees near the runaway, just how far away do other things have to be to not influence the DEM elevation?
 
A ground profile tool !!!, well that looks like an excellent tool to have!

You make some fine assets and please keep on going with your ideas. :Y:

Cheers,

Graham
 
Great useful tool again Martin, good job !
a "detour" to gmax? I still use gmax everyday cause I'm 10x as fast as when I use Blender lol
besides that all I export simply works and have full control afterwards also.
 
I have built several airports in the past for Flight Simulator using Shuttle, and later Lidar DEM. Runways did not need attention except the sloping runway in Monument Valley. The base data should be good since airports get close attention from the Space Agency. There is also data on land use from the Agency. Gives you obvious areas of farms, industry and dwellings.
 
I wonder if this is the satellite picking up objects and transforming them into ground anomalies. I've seen this in my own area where bridges disappeared and a hill-rail grade-slope plus factories on one side became one mushy blob.

That is a neat too, indeed!
 
I can understand transient objects like airplanes on the runway but several in a row - a really busy day? And a bit risky if one of them hesitates and then there is wake turbulence which might not be a problem in a train sim. LOL. But craters in the runway? A strange negative object on the ground. :confused:

Another thought, are elevation data also cumulative over time? Could multiple ground transients from multiple passes be added together to create a more complete picture?
 
Hi, I found it very interesting and it will be very useful for those who make Trainz routes. Too bad I couldn't see the images...I don't know if they were removed or there is some problem that prevents me from seeing them. If possible, show them again.
Thank you very much and greetings from this "Trainzfan" from Brazil.
João Sergio
 
Hi, I found it very interesting and it will be very useful for those who make Trainz routes. Too bad I couldn't see the images...I don't know if they were removed or there is some problem that prevents me from seeing them. If possible, show them again.
Thank you very much and greetings from this "Trainzfan" from Brazil.
João Sergio

You're not the only one that's been having that issue, but not everyone. I wonder if it's browser or platform related? Mac instead of PC, Firefox instead of Edge or Chrome, etc.
 
Okay John, thanks for the feedback and information.
I tried in other browsers and also couldn't access the images... too bad! I will have to be content with that...
João Sergio
 
Just checked by scrolling up and the images are still showing for me. Are images also missing in other posts in this forum? Perhaps your ISP is blocking the image server
 
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