I've been searching for a way to convert the maps I download, MicroDEM produces memory leaks, PullSDTS is no where to be found….
I'm trying to convert these maps to images to use to create terrain
Does anyone have any suggestions?

http://www.bluemarblegeo.com/products/global-mapper.php [bluemarblegeo.com]

That's what we use. Might be a bit overkill just to convert, but it works.

I have a solution now…I just can't get the detail I need for Tuolumne Falls, CA…ugh

What is the solution? this has been a very frustrating subject for quite a while in terms of software.

Also in terms of data sources and their resolution… i ended up post-processing the data to bring the detail to the necessary standard but has always been a dodgy area.

May be this is something worth considering for SideFX and make Houdini the best possible tool to manipulate DEM data.

just a thought

I had to use mapping software at work to get maps…which didn't really do any good so I went into mudbox and modeled my own based on this pic…

http://www.americansouthwest.net/california/yosemite/tuolumne-river13_l.html [americansouthwest.net]

There is also this:
http://www.hangsim.com/3dem/ [hangsim.com]

even though it's not being published anymore it looks like it's still a viable option…

Depends on what type of data your trying to convert SDTS DEM from http://www.geocomm.com/ [geocomm.com]

or 1/3rd arc second data from the USGS national map viewer.
http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ [viewer.nationalmap.gov]

One way mentioned was Gloabal mapper which will let you export out a DXF Face mesh. You can also set the “gridding” or how far aprt it places vertexes when it makes the mesh. I think the default is 10x10 meters.
keep in mind if you use the 1/3rd arc second DEM you will need to change the project type in global mapper UTM (universal transverse mercator) to export out the DXF correctly.

Terragen3 will load DEM files now from both web web sites listed above.
You can export a Micromesh OBJ file that will export only the Data in front of the camera. You can then export out the camera data as a .Chan file that can be loaded in houdini.
Someone wrote a maya Script to handle this I'm sure and easy one can be done for Houdini also.

http://planetside.co.uk/ [planetside.co.uk]


http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,16739.msg163522.html#msg163522 [planetside.co.uk]

jordibares
What is the solution? this has been a very frustrating subject for quite a while in terms of software.

Also in terms of data sources and their resolution… i ended up post-processing the data to bring the detail to the necessary standard but has always been a dodgy area.

May be this is something worth considering for SideFX and make Houdini the best possible tool to manipulate DEM data.

just a thought

It's very hard to get the resolution needed from any of the public sources of DEM files.
The highest resolution you can get is 10 meter SDTS files
http://data.geocomm.com/ [data.geocomm.com]
And that's just data for the U.S. For the UK getting data is a bit harder.

10 meter SDTS files means every data point, or “vertex” when it's a mesh, will be
10 meters apart. The files usually cover 8 square miles if I rember correctly.
I usually download the file and use global mapper or terragen to convert it to an OBJ file then bring that into Zbrush for sclupting more detials into close up areas.

An optimised approach is the key to it of course, a bit like Vue where you never see the terrain in full resolution but a base rough resolution, then at render time it kicks the next levels as displacement.

I would love to have that kind of functionality right inside Houdini and apply geological filters like erosion, accumulation of debris, etc..

Mash

jordibares
What is the solution? this has been a very frustrating subject for quite a while in terms of software.

Also in terms of data sources and their resolution… i ended up post-processing the data to bring the detail to the necessary standard but has always been a dodgy area.

May be this is something worth considering for SideFX and make Houdini the best possible tool to manipulate DEM data.

just a thought

It's very hard to get the resolution needed from any of the public sources of DEM files.
The highest resolution you can get is 10 meter SDTS files
http://data.geocomm.com/ [data.geocomm.com]
And that's just data for the U.S. For the UK getting data is a bit harder.

10 meter SDTS files means every data point, or “vertex” when it's a mesh, will be
10 meters apart. The files usually cover 8 square miles if I rember correctly.
I usually download the file and use global mapper or terragen to convert it to an OBJ file then bring that into Zbrush for sclupting more detials into close up areas.

dunno if anyone found the a solution yet, but this looks promising, and thought id share even though the thread is old: https://www.flipswitchingmonkey.com/2015/04/houdini-dealing-with-digital-elevation-model-dem-data/ [flipswitchingmonkey.com]

jordibares
An optimised approach is the key to it of course, a bit like Vue where you never see the terrain in full resolution but a base rough resolution, then at render time it kicks the next levels as displacement.

I would love to have that kind of functionality right inside Houdini and apply geological filters like erosion, accumulation of debris, etc..

Could you specify briefly how such functionality / workflow inside SOPs should look like?

Here is an erosion starter scene I found on OdForum. It maps color on to the surface. You can visualize slope, flow and trails. Animate the step_mult to cause the erosion to evolve over time.

Use the attributes generated to further deform the terrain.