3D SW /game format convertion/copywrite of virtual images

[kevin]

hi there,
i posted this message on another part of the forum by mistake but i believe it should have been here, sorry.
i have just started using cad. lots and lots of different progs out there. some friends and i want to create a 3d model of some historic buildings here in scotland. castles etc. this will include some terrain modelling since the terrain is an intregral part of some castles. could you give me some pointers as to which programs i will need.
i know that i will at least need a "vanilla" cad system in which i can install 3rd party software. i currentley use win xp and have a copy of autocad2002 xp edition. it said in one of your tutorials that, Key Terra Firma wasnt the best and that 3D studio was better for this type of work.
any other info would be appreciated.
also, how difficult is it to export file formats from cad into some other viewing format. eg, half life for gaming environments such as counterstrike?
last question, honest, do you know anything about copywrite for such buildings? or indeed copywrite concerning 3D virtual images at all?. it could be that this concept isnt covered by the current law in scotland/uk (very possible) or that i just havent been able to find anything on the net about this. i know this may not be your field but even a hyperlink to some site outlining at least some of the problems would be helpful

thanks for your help, i thought your tutorials were the clearest id found on the web.
kev

[Mr T]

I teach 3D Autocad in scotland (grangemouth high).

The likes of Linlithgow palace and Stirling Castle I would model in Acad and the terrain I Iwould model with ACAD as well. Although the rocky bits would be tricky.

I think www.3dmodelsharing.com and www.3dcafe.com have a few castle examples. Also DWG 'acad' files are pretty universal.

Nick

[CADTutor]

Key TERRA-FIRMA is a technical terrain modelling add-on and is excellent for cut/fill calculations, sections etc. but if you're heading for a games environment where visualisation is more important than technical accuracy, then 3D Studio is probably a better option. Mr T is right about sticking with AutoCAD for the castle models. If you build your castle in AutoCAD and add contours (2D Polylines) for the terrain, you can import the lot to 3DS and then create a terrain object from the contours (make sure they're on their own layer).

I'm not aware of any copyright issues affecting the building of 3D models of buildings - that doesn't mean there aren't any but I'd be surprised.

Thanks for the kind words on the tutorials - much apreciated.

[kevin]

hi there
firstly, id like to thank you guys for taking the time to reply to my questions. the contour and layering construction of ACAD i had already figured out for myself, the bigger problem was acually aquiring the data in the first place. however, what i did find out was that the ordinance survey can supply 1:500 scale maps of the whole of britian. they are 49 layered maps ie, one layer for contours, another for vegetation etc which are supplied in cad format. i thought this might interest Mr T (is that the Aonach Eagach in ure picture?)
once again guys thanks
kev reilly

[CADTutor]

Not sure how much height data you'll get from the 1:500 (are you sure?) plans. As far as I am aware, the most accurate contour data available is the OS LandForm Profile data. This gives 5m contours plus spot heights and is based upon the 1:10,000 sheet series. The contours in this data set are supplied on two different layers - one for 5m contours and one for "index" contours (25m intervals). This is the data I mostly work with for terrain modelling and analysis.

If you have more information on the data you were describing, I'd like to hear about it.

[kevin]

hi there
yes, it does say on the ordinance survey web site that the land line profile 1:10000 map is the most detailed map they have. however it says this about 3 other maps on there site as well. the site plan map, the land-line and the Land-line plus maps are quoted at a variety of scales (and prices) from 1:500 up to 1:2500. some maps are quoted as having hieght data and others dont mention whether they do or not. but it is difficult to imagine what else one would put on a 1:500 scale map of the top of ben nevis. The biggest problem im having at the mo is not just an unfamiliarity with the ACAD technical terms used on the ordinance survey web site but also their site is one of the most confusing and badly designed sites ive ever seen. i cant paste any URL's from the site as only the home page url appears in the address bar of my browser. however, i did get a reply from the OrdSurv enquiry desks with some addresses of people who can answer me definitively. i'll keep you apprised of my findings.
thanks again
kev

ps yes Mr T, rending rock faces in ACAD could be difficult but probably not as difficult as climbing the one in your photo real time :)