Google SketchUP......

[Fister]

The only complaint I have so far with Sketchup is I cannot seem to get the stamp tool to work properly. The stamp tool allows one to place building onto interesting 3-D terrain more seamlessly by raising the proposed land to meet the building, much like a foundation. I believe this limitation has more to do with my limited computer processor speed than with the limitations of the program.

I wanted to point out two resources I found to be of use/example of what this program is capable of.

Mr. Aidan Chopra is the author of Sketchup for Dummies and has 62 tutorial videos on youtube that cover material not offered on the Goggle Sketchup tutorials.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9cNdODWm-c

TaffGoch shows how to quickly import 3-D terrain into sketchup, develop contour lines, and texture the terrain as well.
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehou...2f5d8f417f39be

Attached is imported 3-D terrain that takes only 30 seconds to create and then import for us in Sketchup.

[thebax2k]

Fister,

Glad my post could be of some help. Its wonderful to see a mapper discover a new and useful tool. What you've posted looks really good. Should you create any more 3d displays and feel like sharing them, I certainly would like to see them. Although i'm sure there's far more work involved than in creating buildings, any dungeons you manage to flesh out would be very welcome.

I had no idea the tutorials existed, they should be quite helpful for anyone else who gets interested in using the program--thanks. By the way, have you had any luck contacting None the Wiser? It was his work that really gave me an idea of how incredible SketchUP could be in the right hands. If anyone could be considered an expert with it, he could.

[pyrandon]

WOW, Fister! That is truly inspirational!

So how long did it take you to "get your sea legs" in SketchUp? And how much time would you say it took you to do the tavern image? I want to use SketchUp too, but am afraid of taking yet one more program on...I still stink at the software I use now!!

[NeonKnight]

Yumping Yimminy! That is totally Awesome Cool!

Gonna try my hand at this fer sure!

Thanx!

[Fister]

You can learn to create a series of building with standard architecture in relatively short order. Perhaps 3-4 hours. Sketchup like most programs has multiple ways to accomplish the same task. Reviewing the tutorial particularly the video variety is a very profitable way to maximize your time and learn to be more efficient.

The Inn took me many more hours than it should have because it was too ambitious an endeavor for just learning. I would hazard to guess 12-14 hours due to my ignorance mainly.

[palehorse]

I've played with Sketchup a bit here and there. This is a work-in-progress I've been fooling around with when I'm in need of a break from Photoshop. The terrain was generated in Bryce 5.5.

I considered pouring a lot more detail into the buttresses, but I didn't figure they'd ever be seen all the closeup. Still have to come up with a window design that I like, then create some arrow slits and doors.

[pyrandon]

It's stuff like this that convices me a future application like SketchUp will revolutionize computer cartography. SketchUp itself is not that program, but one like it will be--one wherein the map and as many 3-D visualizations imaginable are created simultaneously.

For RPG players, tag that the above to the ability to move and pan around the map using a digital tabletop so players can actually see their surroundings as they walk through, say, a dungeon, and we are imagining the evolution of gaming. Very, very exciting to me.

Thanks for the inspiration, Butch!