Model Placement and Terrains

[scrambled2]

This is a workflow/approach question. I have a low res model of a quarry that I got from Google Earth via SketchUp and imported into Nuke.
In Nuke I layed out my camera animation relative to the model and that is all well and good. Through FBX I am able to get my camera and low res model into Terragen and that all plays well.
What I would like to do is to be able to take that low res model and then start applying all the fractal shaders and beautiful terrain doctoring that Terragen is so great at. I can't seem to figure out how to get the model to connect into the terrain shader network. Maybe it can't at all. So my next thought was to render a top down luma heightfield map of the model out of MAX and then use that as in image map shader in Terragen to create the quarry. I'm having real issues getting the displacement to match the model and it started to feel real hacky. So I'm wondering what the proper approach would be to this. My real goal is to be able to use Terragen to create detailed walls, detail..ect and base this from the low res model. I really appreciate any advice that anyone can offer.

Thanks!

Chris

[TheBadger]

Through FBX I am able to get my camera and low res model into Terragen and that all plays well.

You were able to import an FBX object?

I can't seem to figure out how to get the model to connect into the terrain shader network

You don't.
Rather you open the obj node and apply the nodes you want *inside* of the object node.

The rest of what you wrote is not necessary or good to do.
Open the object node and with the window open, insert clip files, or right click and open new nodes, then apply them in the way you want.

Be careful about applying displacement to the object. It is best that the object already be displacement in the way you want before importing. If yo are going to add displacement, then it should be micro, and the object should be high polly.

But there is no problem applying color via PFs, for coloring, I think this is most often the best way.

[Oshyan]

Badger, he's referring to FBX camera/lighting import.

You can apply displacement to an object, but you will have to disable Raytrace Objects. Your object should most importantly have proper normals, and being high poly is also helpful.

- Oshyan

[scrambled2]

Thank you for the responses guys. I'm curious what route you would take in this situation. It seems like trying to Doctor the model in Terragen with some fractals is a bit risky.
Here is a link to an image of the quarry http://i.ytimg.com/vi/gZlKSFJMTDE/maxresdefault.jpg
Maybe I can go back to the heightfield of the model and use that as a base and then use terragens fractal shaders to add detail?
What would be your approach?

Thanks!

Chris

[Oshyan]

Looks like the walls are fairly simple, you could represent it in a heightfield most likely (but avoid truly vertical areas, TG won't be able to displace them very well). Then apply a Strata shader and you should be a good part of the way there.

- Oshyan

[Dune]

I would map out the base in Photoshop and work it out in TG. Or better still, make a vector displacement map in some 3D software. If it doesn't need to be exactly this image, you can even do it with a warped simple shape.

[lat 64]

I made a super-simple quarry by plugging a Painted shader into the Mask shader option on the base colors.

. Apply displacement
.Vertical only
. Disp. amp. 6 (or so)
. Disp. offset -100 (something negative anyway)

Im sure other settings would be refined, but it's a starting place.

[Ashley]

Maybe I can go back to the heightfield of the model and use that as a base and then use terragens fractal shaders to add detail?
What would be your approach?

Is this method not working for you?