This tutorial describes how to use DEMview and U.S. Geological Survey Digital Elevation Model (DEM) files to create realistic landscapes in KPT Bryce. The tutorial has three parts: |
DEM to PICT Basics
describes how to save a Bryce-sized section of a DEM image.
Bryce DEM Terrains demonstrates accurate DEM terrain scaling in Bryce, and includes tips on exploring DEM terrains in Bryce. Merging DEM Images describes how to use multiple DEM files in a single Bryce terrain. |
What you need for this tutorialTo follow along with the examples here, you'll need: |
KPT Bryce
DEMview DEMview Sample DEMs (Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park DEM files (40105D7.dem and 40105D8.dem), from the DEMview sample files, also found on CD-ROM included with the The KPT Bryce Book in the folder 'Software:DEMView:Rocky Mountain 7.5 minute DEM: ' ) An image editing program (the examples use Adobe Photoshop 3.0), and Several megabytes of free disk space. |
I'm assuming you are reasonably familiar with Bryce, and that you have successfully run DEMview at least once to look at a DEM file. Getting familiar with Bryce is mostly a matter of time and experimentation, but the Bryce Explorer's Guide and The KPT Bryce Book by Susan Kitchens are both invaluable references. The DEMview Guide, distributed with DEMview, describes DEM files, where to get them, and how to use DEMview to translate them into Bryce terrains. If you don't have them, go back to the DEMview Introduction and grab 'em. |
The first step in rendering USGS DEM files as Bryce terrains is converting the DEM data to a gray-to-height image. DEM files are specially formatted text files containing arrays of elevation data. DEMview reads these files and creates gray scale PICT images of the data. Since the Bryce terrain editor likes certain sized gray scale images best, DEMview lets you save Bryce terrain-sized sections of DEM images.
Let's try a simple example: we'll export a 128 x 128 section of a DEM file to use in Bryce.
Choose "Save Selection As" from DEMview's File menu to save your 128x128 selection as "Fall River Pass junction". DEMview then tells you the proper scaling factor for the terrain in Bryce: