Xenodream into Lightwave, abstract animation

[starbase1]

Well, I'm not claiming any greatness here, but I thought perhaps others would be interested. I took a depth map from the 3d wierd fractal program Xenodream, and turned it into a object by using this as a displacement map, then texturing.

I then made an animation, floating some lenses over it, and moving the light source in a circle, (one step ahead of a glass ball on a chessboard I guess!).

The animation is 2.2 Mb, 640x640, DivX 5, 120 frames:

http://www.starbase1.co.uk/downloads/xdlobe2.avi

I don't intend to do more work on it, but am interested in possibly using the technique again, and I'd appreciate it if anyone can suggest:

a) A way of building a 'proper' 3d object from multiple depth maps. If it can be done from flat images, surely it must be downright easy with depth maps!

b) I got in a right mess trying to cut away the base cleanly. By using a displacement map with a flat edge, you end up with a shape like something pushed into a stretchy sheet. When I tried to boolean the base away, it kept trying to make one giant polygon across the base, and I got 'too many sides' errors.

If I selected the flat edges and just delete them, I get a scruffy edge. (I was hoping to mirror and merge, for an object I could use from many angles).

:confused: :confused: :confused:

CVheers,
Nick

[liquidpope]

Cutting away the base...

Maybe I'm not following. Couldn't you use the "Knife" tool to make a nice clean cut, then delete the lower portion?
Perhaps seeing the wireframe would help.
Oh, you also could select all the points that you would want to be a flat plane, and then set the value of those selected points to a specific "Y" elevation, thus flattening the bottom.

Good luck.

Jimbo

[starbase1]

Thanks for the ideas - I tried pulling the points down as you suggest, but the edge looked a bit messy, sort of fluted in an odd way. Possibly because I had too much geonetry there...

But the knife idea sounds very good, (and very obvious!) now you mention it!

I'll give that a go.

Thanks,
Nick

[arnoldawson]

Well, however you did it you've made a very striking image.
Is a depth map the same as a displacemrnt map?

[starbase1]

Hi Arnold,
A depth map is a gray scale image that records distance from the camera - You can get at lightwave's ons in the special buffers.

BUt yes, I am using it as a displacement map on the object.

Cheers,
Nick

[richpr]

Very nice... A bit too much black shadow perhaps in the animation.. I would have made them a bit lighter...