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General => Terragen Discussion => Topic started by: N-drju on July 08, 2020, 03:14:22 AM

Title: Getting average slope
Post by: N-drju on July 08, 2020, 03:14:22 AM
The contest is closed, so it's time to get back to designs scheduled prior to that. ;)

This time I try to create a winter skiing area and am about to start modelling supports for the aerial tramway. And here's the problem...

Is there a way to get the average slope from point 'a' to point 'b' in the world space? I just need to know the approximate slope value by which to tilt the carriage cable.

I guess this could be done with the help of a "get" node... But still, I have trouble to determine where I should start from?
Title: Re: Getting average slope
Post by: N-drju on July 08, 2020, 03:16:46 AM
Gaahhhh... Right after I made this post, I realized that there is this "slope" readout in the measure tool. ::) ::)
Title: Re: Getting average slope
Post by: Dune on July 08, 2020, 05:03:10 AM
But I think that's a very precise tool, not suitable for a large overall angle. Maybe best to get locations/distance and heights of 2 points and do some math.

Or use a card, eyeball it hovering across the area and then look at its angle.
Title: Re: Getting average slope
Post by: N-drju on July 08, 2020, 06:30:59 AM
This was one of my thoughts as well - calculating it through maths. Should be easy enough and very accurate.

But I might just use the measure tool too. The supports will probably stand about 200 - 300 meters apart so it shouldn't be too inacurate...
Title: Re: Getting average slope
Post by: Hetzen on July 08, 2020, 07:55:47 AM
Another idea is to drop light sources along the run of your tramway on the terrain (copy coords on preview, past into light position). Then export an FBX scene to open in your 3d app. You should then have a string of lights representing all the undulations that you can model around.

Or export a low res Micro Export .obj of your terrain, to use as a guide in another app.
Title: Re: Getting average slope
Post by: Dune on July 08, 2020, 08:15:30 AM
Ah, cool idea about the light sources and fbx export. have to keep that in mind.
Title: Re: Getting average slope
Post by: WAS on July 08, 2020, 01:59:50 PM
Definitely some work implied with setting up all the lights. Would be much easier to export the terrain, or even a float heightmap to modulate in another program.
Title: Re: Getting average slope
Post by: N-drju on July 08, 2020, 02:57:27 PM
Quote from: Hetzen on July 08, 2020, 07:55:47 AMAnother idea is to drop light sources along the run of your tramway on the terrain (copy coords on preview, past into light position). Then export an FBX scene to open in your 3d app. You should then have a string of lights representing all the undulations that you can model around.

Or export a low res Micro Export .obj of your terrain, to use as a guide in another app.

These are really good suggestions indeed, but I run Creative so cannot use them. :(

Quote from: WAS on July 08, 2020, 01:59:50 PMDefinitely some work implied with setting up all the lights. Would be much easier to export the terrain, or even a float heightmap to modulate in another program.

That won't be too difficult. I actually need just four, maybe five points.