3DNature

3D Landscape Design & Visualization Software published and supported by AlphaPixel

  • 0
    • Menu

    Scene Express 2 :: VTP

    Getting Started with Scene Express 2
    Getting Started with Scene Express 2

    Part 4. Virtual Terrain Project (VTP) Export

    The VTP format uses the Enviro viewer.
    For more information visit the Virtual Terrain Project site.

    Screen captures are from the VNS 3.
    Scene Express for WCS 6 does not include VNS-specific features.

    1. Open the Atlantis project from the WCSProjects\SX folder on your hard drive. Save the project as AtlantisVTP.

    A computer screen displaying 3D modeling software with various panels showing terrain, a theater structure, and configuration settings.

    2. Go to the Render Task Mode in the Scene-at-a-Glance and add a Scene Exporter Component.

    Screenshot of Visual Nature Studio 3.0 software displaying a dropdown menu. The menu options include adding, enabling, and editing components within the 'Cameras' category.

    3. Name it VTP and change the Output Format to VTP. Replace Exports\AtlantisVTP in the Output File target with VTP\AtlantisVTP. This will create a VTP folder in the SX project folder to hold the VTP files. Temporary files will be saved in an Exports folder.

    Screenshot of the Scene Exporter Editor software interface showing various options for exporting a file named "VTP" with output and temporary paths.

    4. VNS Only. Go to the Terrain page. Choose Geographic – WGS 84 from the Coordinate System dropdown list.

    Screenshot of the Scene Exporter Editor. The "Export Terrain" option is checked, and "Geographic - WGS 84" is chosen from the Coordinate System menu. Various settings and parameters are visible.

    5. We’re creating a VTP file for realtime use so let’s limit the size of exported terrain to speed VTP viewer response. Set Bounds in a View. VNS will remind you that the next two points clicked in any view will become the new bounds.

    Screenshot of a software interface named "Scene Exporter Editor - VTP," displaying options for exporting terrain with settings for size, bounds, coordinate system, fractal depth, and cell configuration.
    Dialog box with title "Set Geographic Bounds" instructing users to click two points to set new bounds for Scene Exporter. Options include "OK" and "Cancel," with a cursor pointing at "OK.

    6. Left-click corners in the Overhead view near these locations.

    A 3D topographical map with green, brown, and white coloring showing different elevations. A cursor and a polygon outline are visible on the map. Toolbars are displayed at the top.
    A computer-generated topographical map showing various elevations, with a cursor pointing to a particular spot. The interface features multiple tool icons along the top panel.

    7. The editor will update with new Top, Left, Right, and Bottom bounds. The VTP format is limited to a single terrain tile with a power of 2 plus 1 columns and rows. Use the Size increase widget to change it to 257. That will give us a Grid Cell Size of about 2 meters.

    A software interface displaying the "Scene Exporter Editor - VTP" with multiple tabs and options for terrain resolution, bounds, coordinate system, tile size, and fractal depth settings.

    8. The VTP format uses CLOD (Continuous Level of Detail) so most of the LOD (Level of Detail) page parameters aren’t available.

    Screenshot of the Scene Exporter Editor with LOD tab selected, showing adjustable settings for detail levels, transitions, terrain, foliage, and objects disappearing distances.

    9. Turn to the Texture page. This controls the texture draped on the terrain. The Image Format field also applies to the sky texture. Increase the Columns and Rows to 512. This will give us a terrain texture resolution of about 1 meter per image pixel.

    A screenshot of the Scene Exporter Editor window showing various texture map settings, including export options, image format, columns, rows, and shading options.

    10. The Foliage and Sky page defaults will serve us nicely so leave them alone. On the Misc page, select Create all new object files.

    Screenshot of a Scene Exporter Editor software interface showing various options under the Foliage tab, including export settings, image format, size, and labels.
    A settings window from the "Scene Exporter Editor - VTP" software, displaying options under the "Sky Features" tab, including checkboxes for exporting gradients, clouds, celestial objects, and more.
    A screenshot of the Scene Exporter Editor - VTP software, displaying settings and checkboxes for exporting 3D objects, vectors, and walls, with options for texture size and object file management.

    11. Go to the Misc2 page Cameras section and select the Theater Camera. Select the Afternoon Light and deselect Export Haze.

    A software interface named "Scene Exporter Editor - VTP" with options to export Cameras, Lights, and Haze. Different camera settings like Theater and light settings like Afternoon are displayed.

    12. Return to the General page and Export Scene Now.

    A screenshot of the Scene Exporter Editor window in a software application. The window includes text fields for naming and setting the output parameters of a project, with options to export the scene.

    13. This will open the VNS Export Control window. Go to start exporting.

    Screenshot of the VNS Export Control window displaying export settings for VTP format, including various graphical elements and options. The "Go" button is highlighted at the bottom.

    14. VNS will ask you to confirm the creation of new directories in the SX project folder. If you’ve already done other Scene Express tutorials you won’t get the WCSProjects:SX\Exports window.

    A dialog box with the message "Path does not exist. Create a new directory?" and options "OK" and "Cancel." The mouse cursor hovers over the "OK" button.

    15. VNS Export Control will let you know when export is complete.

    Screenshot of the VNS Export Control interface with options for exports, displays of exporter details, settings, a progress bar, and control buttons at the bottom.

    16. Your WCSProjects\SX\VTP folder contains all the data files the VTP Enviro viewer needs.

    A file explorer window showing a list of folders: BuildingData, BuildingModels, Elevation, GeoSpecific, Locations, PlantData, PlantModels, Sky, Terrains, with their types and modification dates.

    17. For Enviro to find the files, they must reside in a Data folder within a folder that also contains the Enviro Apps folder. For more information, visit the Virtual Terrain Project site. Find the Data folder created by the VTP installer and copy your exported VTP files to it.

    A file explorer window displaying the contents of the "VTP" folder. Items include folders "Apps," "Data," "Docs," "gdal," "GDAL-data," "PROJ4-data," and two files: "unins000.dat" and "unins000.exe.

    18. Launch VTP Enviro. Select Terrain and chose AtlantisVTP from the dropdown list.

    Screenshot of an Enviro Startup window with options to launch Earth View or Terrain. The Terrain dropdown is selected, showing options like Generic Terrain, AtlantisVTP, Big Island of Hawaii, and Town of Honoka'a.

    19. Edit Properties.

    Screenshot of the "Enviro Startup" window showing options to launch with Earth View or Terrain. Selected is "Terrain" with "AtlantisVTP" and a button labeled "Edit Properties." Buttons for "Terrain Manager," "Global Options," "OpenGL Info," "OK," and "Cancel" are also visible.

    20. The Camera page lets us change the navigation speed, among other things. Navigation instructions that follow are for the Panoramic Flyer. A navigation speed of 5 meters/frame is a good place to start with this terrain area and level of detail.

    Screenshot of the "Terrain Creation Parameters" window for AtlantisVTP, displaying various customizable settings for navigation style, height, and speed, along with file and camera location configuration options.

    21. The original project Light is 2 PM on April 7. If you want the realtime lighting to match it, go to the Ephemeris page Time section and Set. Change the Month to 4, the Day to 7, and the hour to 14 (1400 hours=2 PM).

    Screenshot of a computer application window showing Terrain Creation Parameters with a dialogue box for setting the initial time. The date is set to Sun Mar 21 2004, and the time is 14:00.

    22. OK out of the Terrain Creation Parameters window and Enviro Startup. The scene will load and drop you in, ready to navigate.

    Screenshot of a 3D landscape modeling software displaying a forest scene with rendered trees and terrain. The software interface shows various menu options and tools at the top.

    23. Here’s how to navigate in the Panoramic Flyer mode. Viewer response will vary within the scene. Areas of high foliage density will reduce the number of frames per second (FPS). The viewer will pause the first time the 3D Object is encountered as its texture is loaded into memory.

    Move the mouse pointer left and right of center to pan left and right, respectively. The more off-center your pointer is, the faster you’ll pan. Move the pointer above and below screen center to pan up and down. Each press of the f key goes faster and s goes slower.

    Left-click and move the pointer off-center to fly in the desired direction. The more off-center your pointer is, the faster you’ll fly.

    Right-click and move the pointer up and down relative to screen center to change the camera elevation. Right-click and move the pointer left and right relative to screen center to slide the camera left and right.

    A 3D landscape rendering shows a forested area with mountains in the background and a large, circular building near the water. The software interface surrounding the image suggests it's a digital terrain model.

    24. The theater has lost its VNS pitch and is resting on the water plane. This is a limitation of the VTP format. The 3D Object must be lowered and pitch and bank applied before import into VNS. Go to the 3D Object Task Mode and add another 3D Object Component. Load 3D Object from Disk Load3DOfromDisk.gif.

    Screenshot of a 3D Object Editor software interface showing options for naming, enabling, and loading 3D objects from disk, as well as vector placement settings with no linked vectors currently.

    25. Navigate to the WCSProjects\SX\objectsfolder and open Theater VTP.w3o.

    A dialog box titled "Select 3D Object" displays two files, "Theater VTP.w3o" and "Theater.w3o". A tooltip shows details for "Theater VTP.w3o" with a file type, date modified, and size information.

    26. Expand the Theater 3D Object Component in the Scene-at-a-Glance and move the Theater vector to the Theater VTP 3D Object.

    Screenshot of a software application with a tree menu displaying various theater items and their subcategories, including "Theater_Vec," "Theater_VTP (3D)," and folders for "Labels" and "Walls.

    27. Add the vector for Position.

    Dialog box prompting to add a Theater Vector to Theater VTP (3D Object) for position or alignment, with options 'Position,' 'Alignment,' and 'Cancel.'.

    28. The vector is already applied to the Theater object, so VNS asks us to confirm the move to Theater VTP and to disable its Geographic Instance rendering. Agree to both.

    A dialog box titled "Theater" with a message about replacing an existing component. A cursor hovers over the "Yes" button.
    Dialog box from "Theater YTP" asking "Disable Geographic Instance rendering?" with "Yes" and "No" buttons, and a cursor pointing to the "Yes" button.

    29. Go to the 3D Object Editor and turn on Detail Preview.

    Screenshot of a 3D Object Editor showing settings for an object named "Theater VTP" with options to preview, enable shadows, and view vector placement. Details include vertices, polygons, and materials.

    30. The object looks too submerged, but that’s because it’s placed relative to ground elevation (under water). The VTP version of the object will be relative to its ground level, the water plane.

    A 3D model of a grassy landscape with hilly terrain, displayed with a toolbar on top. The scene includes a highlighted yellow semi-circular structure in the foreground labeled "Theater.

    31. Go to the Render Task Mode and clone the VTP Scene Exporter.

    Screenshot of Visual Nature Studio 3.0 software interface with a user right-clicking on "Scene Exporter" to open a context menu, selecting the "Clone Component" option.

    32. Change the clone name to VTP2. Change VTP\AtlantisVTP in the Output File target to VTP2\AtlantisVTP. This will create a VTP2 folder in the SX project folder to hold the new VTP files.

    A screenshot of the Scene Exporter Editor software window, showing fields for name, output format, output file, and temp path, along with various tabs including General, Terrain, LOD, Texture, and Misc.

    33. Export Scene Now to open the Export Control window.

    Graphical user interface of a Scene Exporter Editor, showing various tabs and options for exporting scenarios. The "Export Scene Now" button is highlighted at the bottom.

    34. Disable the VTP export event and Go to start exporting.

    A software export control window with options for exporting VTP files. Displays settings like format, details, output, resolution, and includes options like burn shading and burn shadows. Buttons: Go, Pause, Stop.

    35. Confirm the creation of the new VTP2 directory in the SX project folder.

    Dialog box with the message "Path does not exist. Create a new directory?" and "OK" and "Cancel" buttons. A hand cursor points at the "OK" button.

    36. Copy the exported VTP2 files to your VTP Data folder.

    Screenshot of a file explorer window showing the contents of the "VTP" folder in "Program Files". The "Data" folder is selected, with a size of 55.4 MB. Other files and folders are listed.

    37. Launch Enviro and choose the VTP2 terrain. The theater is now tilted and submerged.

    A computer screen shows a 3D modeling software with a forested area and mountains. The foreground features a large, curved structure near the water. Various toolbars are visible at the top.

    38. Exported files from this tutorial are the VTP and VTP2 folders in the WCSProjects\SX\Tutorial Output folder on the VNS 3 DVD. The completed project file is in the WCSProjects\SX\Tutorial Projects folder on your hard drive.

    Produced by Scott Cherba for 3DNature

    Scroll to top
    Skip to content