CompuServe Messages

Pat, Basically, GIFDXF converts GIF images into a DXF file consisting of triangles that 3D Studio can understand. It does this by subdividing the image into a grid and then placing trianlges along this grid based on the colour or luminosity of the image. For example, you could create a 256 colour, 320×200 plasma fractal gif using Fractint. You then process this image using GIFDXF and set up a grid of 40×40 (1600 triangles). GIFDXF looks at these grid positions one at a time, left to right, top to bottom and checks the colour or luminosity (you choose which). It then creates triangles which are "elevated" according to either the position of the colour of the current grid position in the palette or the luminosity of the current grid position. Whew! Did that make sense? <g> Actually, this process is pretty flexible. You can create DXF files consisting of up to 64000 triangles from a given GIF file. (3D Studio only allows a maximum of 64000 faces per object so there's no sense making more.) The effect is really enhanced if you process the gif in a paint program and add landmarks like roads and rivers before using GIFDXF. You must choose your colours carefully in order to get the right effect so practice is in order here. Anyhow, GIFDXF should be available here in the forum or in the GRAPHDEV forum. Let me know if you would like more info about creating terrains this way, or if you would like some sample files. Regards, Danny…