Chipboard Model and Road Insertion

[epidavros]

Hello,

I've finally began experimenting with the DTM features of VW Architect & Landmark v.10.1 (on Mac OSX10), and am particularly interested in generating conceptual models in Extruded Contours form (or "Chipboard"). I've been successful in bringing the 2D polys all the way to the 3D Extruded Contours.

However, when it's time to insert the Roads, I find that I can't quite get them to read as clean as in a real Chipboard model. What happens is that as the Roads (Road objects, from the Resource folder) are inserted, given a proper rise, length, with, etc..., and performed the Send to Surface command, I get choppy edges from the countours as they meet the Road (which should also be stepped in its contours and not continuously smooth, given that I remove the Object itself to leave the "exposed" Roads). I am trying to imitate very closely a Chipboard model and the way its Roads would with the terrain and within themselves...

Now, I would able to achieve this effect (I think), if it were not for the Fence Offset value which needs to be plugged in. A value of zero WON'T be accepted (it seems the minimum is 6"). Is there a way to make the fence value zero?

On the other hand, I've also experimented using Pads. Given that the Pads will only act as additive platforms, and not as substracting per se, it seems impossible to actually emulate a Chipboard Model with Roads running through an inclined terrain (cleanly, not choppily).

Is there away to properly achieve a Chipboard model with Roads? I would greatly appreciate any clarification and advice. Thanks in advance!

[ 05-19-2003, 11:13 PM: Message edited by: epidavros ]

[Robert Anderson]

Road design is a little more involved than simple "send to surface". A better way than creating roads and Sending to Surface is to create a polyline alignment for your road then use the "Station on Polyline" command to create a number of 3D "stake objects" that automatically touch the site model at a specified interval. You can make adjustments to the vertical alignment of the stakes as you wish, either manually or with the "Align Stakes Vertically" command. Then you use the "Create Road from Stakes" command to create road segments from the stakes that are fit to the terrain.

[epidavros]

Robert,

Typically, in Chipboard models, the roads are also stepped chipboard layers, just as in the site itself. I realize one may obtain a smooth and continuous road with the Extruded Contours Site Terrain, but: if one were to delete this object (the Road Object) from the terrain, one would still end up with an amorfous series of stepped terrain layers for the Roads. I believe this would be fixed it there was an allowable Fence Offset Value of Zero.

Could you please ellaborate on your method for achieving Stepped Roads in Stepped "Chipboard" models? Thanks.

RSoundy

[epidavros]

Robert.... Katie.... Help! Anyone?