Need some advice: slightly weird object generation and import

[dduane]

Hi folks!

For a render I'm getting ready to work on, I have to generate a very specific object -- a superegg of the Piet Hein type -- and import it into Terragen. (Wikipedia has a page about supereggs here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superegg.)

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what object-creating or -handling software might work well for this? Particularly because the object has to conform to a very specific mathematical formula. I don't see any indication that Terragen itself has this kind of ability (I had some initial thoughts about trying to deform or rescale a sphere object into a superegg, but this seems to be a dead end for my purposes). But maybe I've missed something.

I've managed to generate the object in Povray (or something very close to it) using the superellipsoid property, but there doesn't seem to be any way to get it out of Povray into any object format that T2 can handle; and most of the converters that have anything to do with Povray seem more about getting objects into it than out.

If anyone has any thoughts on how I could solve this problem, I'd welcome them.

Best! -- Diane

[cyphyr]

As long as your modelling package can export an obj or a file that can be converted into an obj you should be all right. I assume that you need to be EXACT (to the mathematical formula) with this model so judging it by eye will be not good enough. Try http://www.topmod3d.org/. It looks like it accepts implicit equations so you should be able to get your model accurate enough. Lots more options here.
Good luck
Richard

[airflamesred]

A kinder egg!
How acurate does it need to be? I can make you one in obj format if you are stuck.

[dduane]

Well, I'd like to get as close to the real thing as possible. If you have the time to spare, I'd be delighted to try out whatever you come up with (as getting to grips with TopMod is proving to be something of a problem)!

Here's the equation that defines the superegg:



The version I'm interested in has p=2.5, r=3 and h=4. Here's a wireframe version of what the equation produces when you plug those values in:



And here's what a real-world version of it looks like:



Best! -- Diane

[cyphyr]

What software produced the wireframe?

[cyphyr]

...
I've managed to generate the object in Povray (or something very close to it) using the superellipsoid property, but there doesn't seem to be any way to get it out of Povray into any object format that T2 can handle
...

Poseray converts (amoungst other formats) .pov to .obj.

Richard

[dduane]

What software produced the wireframe?

I'm not sure: I snagged that image off the web. Meanwhile, thanks for the hint about Poseray -- I've downloaded it: I'll see what I can manage.

My only problem with the Povray version of the superegg is that I don't seem able yet to give it the right information for it to produce the true slightly flattened ends of the classic Piet Hein / p=2.5 superegg. Experiments continue... 

Best!  D.

[airflamesred]

Ok I have one made just let me know how large you need it and I shall scale it for TG2

[dduane]

Ok I have one made just let me know how large you need it and I shall scale it for TG2

Wow, thanks, airflamesred!!

It doesn't need to be huge: in the final rendered scene it's going to be about a meter tall.

[airflamesred]

Hope this is OK but let me know if there's any problems.There's some decent Tg type scenery in Wicklow.

[domdib]

Nicely done airflamesred - I just downloaded it to take a look. With a little bit of creative distortion, it would also make a very nice smooth pebble.

[airflamesred]

You're welcome you may do as you wish with it. Its only polgons and they're free.

[dduane]

Hope this is OK but let me know if there's any problems.There's some decent Tg type scenery in Wicklow.

It looks absolutely brilliant!  Thanks so much for doing this. When I have the render done I'll post it for everyone to see.  (Though I have to master the art of filling a plain with sand dunes first...) 

Re Wicklow: yes indeed, we have some stuff down here worth rendering. I'm trying to find out where to get Irish DEM data. One more thing for the shopping list...

Thanks again! 

Best -- D.

[inkydigit]

I have never heard of the super egg/ellipse, but have dabbled with topmod...it is a bit buggy, but great fun!