very large master plan issues

[cliff collins]

Anyone have any ideas how to show large amounts of tree masses
in a very large (600 plus acres) master / site plan?

RPC trees seem out of the question due to large quantity--performance issues,etc.

The tree masses are mostly existing conifers--in very dense forest areas.
They need to look realistic--so I can't really "fake" them...

There will be golf courses, lakes, roadways, parking, campus of bldgs., etc. as well.
The revit site tools are very problematic--esp. using large subregions/split surfaces, etc.

The model will be used for presentation/renderings, and eventually
brought into 3dMax for animations,etc. However, we would prefer to model everything
in revit, and import fbx into max.

Anyone suggestions from anyone who has done this type of large site before most appreciated.

Thanks...

[Scott Womack]

[quote=The model will be used for presentation/renderings, and eventually
brought into 3dMax for animations,etc. However, we would prefer to model everything
in revit, and import fbx into max..[/quote]

The best advise is to do one of two things. Best solution would be to place the trees once you are in 3DS Max. Second would be to place the trees in another file, link it into the main model. That way, you'll be able to "unload" the tree model when you do not need it, to speed up responce time.

[aaronrumple]

Building Revit.
Site 3DS Max

Revit just deosn't do a good job on complex site 3D master planning. It works OK for 2D.

[cliff collins]

Thanks--agreed. Splitting into separate files is an absolute requirement--
at a minimum the entire site as a link, buildings a link, etc.

However, the real issue is WHAT KIND of trees to use--RPC, Marlin Studios, etc.
or some other low-poly type of tree for mass / dense foliage on a very large site.

In 3dsMax, we can use Mental Ray "proxies" of RPC trees, but there are some apparent issues/problems w/ texture mapping, shadow plug-ins, etc.

Any tips, anyone?

Cheers.....