Creating 3D terrain surface question....

My office is using 3D Studio Max and they are trying to create site plan designs for clients. One thing they are trying to do is use 3DSM to create the new terrain surface model for the the new site. Should they be using a different package like Carlson Survey to make the terrain surface in and then import it into 3DSM or should they just use 3DSM to create it. The way they are doing it is very crude, this could be because they are just learning the program.

Any ideas?

Please let me know.........

Thank you

I generally start with contours that I receive from a surveyor and then Import those into Max and generate my terrain surface. Is that what they are doing or are they trying to create the contours in Max?

And that makes 5,000 posts

They are taking the proposed contours from the site plan and trying to make there own terrain surface instead of having the engineer make a tin w/ the proposed contours.

If your company is doing site plan design's, why aren't they using Civil 3D or Carlson? It would be much easier and obviously much more accurate.

Depending on how precise you need it, you might be better off having the surveyor prepare the file. Especially if your guys are not experienced with Max.

Thanks Cad64, that is what I thought they should be doing but since I am new to Max I didn't want to try to re-invent the wheel if they knew how to do something.....