[limbatus]

Hello,
I am building a site model for a house that will be set amongst some large boulders. We are trying to get a relatively accurate model so that we can see how the rocks will relate to the foundation. what is the best way to model rocks in rhino?

I tried patch surface using our site topography lines, and the result was too smooth and nurbsy. I have been lofting individual sections of topo, but it seems like it will be a lot of work.

Is there a way to generate pits, divots and irregularity to a smooth surface or will i have to do that manually? I have some knowledge of grasshopper, are there any tools that i can use in gh?

[mcphill]

NO idea if it will work for you, but MeshLab has tools to add "random" defects on to the surfaces of STL models.

[chmillman]

Attached is a model done with RhinoTerrain from your topo lines (they are kinda junky, the worst is when they have had gaps cut into them for text or areas where there are artificial vertical walls...) Best is the natural unmodified terrain map if possible. --ch

[chmillman]

As you said you know a bit of Grasshopper, you can also do the following:

1) Use ExtractPt on your topo lines to create a series of points
2) Use SelDup/Delete to eliminate the duplicate points
3) Collect those points in GH with the point parameter component
4) From the Mesh section, drag out the Delaunay component
5) Connect the point component to the Delaunay component
6) Bake.
Result attached...

Oh, and of course, since GH is relational, if you push the points around, the terrain will update, so you can remodel as needed. You do of course need to re-bake to get new "real" geometry (terrain mesh). --ch

[BurrMan]

Hello,
I am building a site model for a house that will be set amongst some large boulders. We are trying to get a relatively accurate model so that we can see how the rocks will relate to the foundation. what is the best way to model rocks in rhino?

I tried patch surface using our site topography lines, and the result was too smooth and nurbsy. I have been lofting individual sections of topo, but it seems like it will be a lot of work.

Is there a way to generate pits, divots and irregularity to a smooth surface or will i have to do that manually? I have some knowledge of grasshopper, are there any tools that i can use in gh?

This is cool. You could get a surface from a heightmap of a picture of a rock and then use a transform/bend to get surfaces to use for "rocks"..

You could use something like Google earth top get the coords of where you are and then see if there is any DEM data for the area...

[Harpye]

Import a Bryce or Terragen Mesh