Just click a tab to go to its respective
description.
FEATURES
All of GeoFrac2000's features come from "plugins". All plugins are categorized into 2 types, major and minor. A major plugin is one that takes part in GeoFrac's user interface tabs and rollup menus. The minor plugins are ones that are only available within GeoFrac's dropdown menuing system. All of the major plugins are grouped into 6 categories, each of which are segmented into their own tab within the user interface, and each tab manages its own respective plugins. Currently, the only minor plugins supported are "Exporting" plugins. All export plugins can be found under the File->Export menu option. In addition, minor plugins are also allowed to place a push-button icon on GeoFrac's toolbar for quicker access. All plugin categories are described below in more detail.
Major Plugins
| Heightfield Generators |
Just click a tab to go to its respective
description.
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Minor Plugins
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The heightfield generator
component houses and manages all of the heightfield creation plugins. Each plugin is
represented by a button within the "Types of Heightfields" rollup box. Clicking
on one of these buttons will load the respective plugin and display the plugin's user
interface rollups and capabilities. Once you have made the desired settings and
adjustments for a given plugin, you either "Update" or "Create" the
heightfield. A heightfield plugin has access to Geofrac's terrain/heightfield buffer. It can modify it, replace it, and/or create a new one.
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The mesh generator
component houses and manages all of the mesh object creation plugins. Each plugin is
represented by a button within the "Types of Meshers" rollup box. Clicking on
one of these buttons will load the respective plugin and display the plugin's user
interface rollups and capabilities. Mesh generators are just that, they create polygon mesh objects. Now, the idea is to somehow generate meshes based on heightfields. For example, the "Planar" mesh plugin creates terrain by offseting 'Z' coordinates in a plane by some factor computed using the heightfield's values. The "Asteroid" mesh plugin does a similar thing, only it uses a spherical mesh, which yields rocks and asteroid formations. However, I've also come to realize, now that I have a 3D polygon rendering engine, I can create any type of mesh. Why would I want too? Take "Hedra" for example...This plugin can basically generate any type of polyhedra in seconds, which can then be exported immediately into Rhino. Generation of a "buckey" ball can now be done in seconds instead of minutes. Likewise for Geodesic domes and/or spheres. Every lunar space port scene I've come across, always has some kind of geodesic dome or pod. Since you're probably going to use GeoFrac2000 to create terrestrial or extra-terrestrial scenes, why not throw in some geodesic shapes. And, since GeoFrac2000 has a fully "plug-able" interface, I and/or you can create a plugin to generate virtually any type of mesh. I highly recommend using Rhino's "MeshToNurb" command on these types of meshes, but DO NOT use this command on meshes with high vertex counts (ex. Planar, Asteroid), you WILL tax out your system. For more details and examples on all of the current mesh plugins, please go to the Plugins page.
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The sculpting tools
component houses and manages all of the sculpting plugins. Each plugin is
represented by a button within the "Types of Tools" rollup box. Clicking on one
of these buttons will load the respective plugin and display the plugin's user interface
rollups and capabilities.
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The terrain filters
component houses and manages all of the heightfield filtering plugins. Each plugin
is represented by a button within the "Types of Filters" rollup box. Clicking on
one of these buttons will load the respective plugin and display the plugin's user
interface rollups and capabilities.
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The colors &
materials component houses and manages all of the coloring, texture mapping and material
creation plugins. Each plugin is represented by a button within the "Colors
& Materials" rollup box. Clicking on one of these buttons will load the
respective plugin and display the plugin's user interface rollups and capabilities.
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The renderers component
houses and manages all of the rendering plugins. Each plugin is represented by a
button within the "Types of Renderers" rollup box. Clicking on one of these
buttons will load the respective plugin and display the plugin's user interface rollups
and capabilities.
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