Objects

• Open point map
• Open OIX Shapefile
• Read model position from KML
• Open KMZ and read model position from KML
• Drop collada model here
• Reference models by collada models
• Load water surfaces from collada models

3D models can be added on different ways. Supported formats are Flora3D, Collada Obj, KML and KMZ. KML animations and collada skeleton animations are supported to some degree. A small tutorial on creating simple animations can be read here [Animating 3D models].

Model specific layer options are:

• add (only height) to terrain: large models like small hills can be included into the terrain, with color and height or just the height of the model
• altitude offset: add a meter offset to place the model higher or lower
• map color to height: move parts of the geometry up or down by setting a material color and alpha value, geometry vertices that match this settings is moved to a target height
• animation length: set the length for the animation of all model instances that this layer contains in seconds
• animation seed: with a value of zero, the animation starts at the same time for all model instances of this layer, with other values, the animations start at different times for a more natural look, change the value to generate other random start times
• show white diffuse color: if unchecked, geometry with a material that has no texture set and uses a pure white diffuse color is ignored, because it may belong to inner, invisible geometry that may cause render artifacts
• orient models to camera: if enabled, all model instances of this layer are oriented to always face the camera. If the models aren't oriented to the negative y-axis and face the camera at an angle, use the orientation offset to compensate.

Open point map

A point shapefile that references model files with the following attributes:

• needed attributes:
  • model – relative or absolute path to the model file
• optional attributes:
  • scale – the scale of the model, for multi point sets a range can be given, e.g. 0.8-1.2
  • rotation – the rotation of the model in degree, for multi point sets a range can be given, e.g. 0-360
  • elevation – the absolute altitude at which the model should be placed
  • zOffset – the relative altitude of the ground
  • MastSeq – to connect model instances with cables, an order has to be given
  • CableSag – defines a sag for the cable connection of this model instance to the next one

To make cables work, Biosphere has to know the start- and endpoints of a model. These points are provides via custom kml attributes. They can be added to an existing kml file or another model can be referenced in a simple kml file like the following sample:
https://sourceforge.net/p/biosphere3d/wiki/Objects/attachment/SimpleExample.kml
Note that Biosphere uses the kml location as relative position in meter to the actual position given by the point shape.

Like can be seen in the sample, a single cable section has a start and endpoint, given by a x, y and z coordinate in meter relative to the model origin. Multiple such sections can be added for more cable connections between models.

<Cable>
    <StartX>-4.5</StartX>
    <StartY>0.7</StartY>
    <StartZ>25.5</StartZ>
    <EndX>-4.5</EndX>
    <EndY>-0.7</EndY>
    <EndZ>25.5</EndZ>
</Cable>

Open OIX Shapefile

A polygon shapefile that references OIX records, that are distributed in the polygons. Two attributes are needed:

• oixfile - the absolute or relative path to an OIX file
• oixrec - a record in that OIX file

Read model position from KML

With this menu entry, Biosphere reads the KML location as expected as an absolute position on earth with longitude and latitude in degree.

Open KMZ and read model position from KML

KMZ files are compressed KML files. Biosphere simple extracts the content and opens the KML file with its absolute location on earth.

Drop collada model here

Models can be placed right under the camera with this menu entry. A simple kml file is created that references the model. That kml file is than opened.

Reference models by collada models

For an exact placement of small models on very large collada models, Biosphere can place referenced models on geometry, that uses special material attributes. In the following snipped of a phong material definition comes after the first common attribute the two ways of referencing models. A single model can be placed in the center of the geometry with the B3D_SinglePlant section, which takes a model file, a scale and rotation. An OIX distribution for the plane of the geometry can be referenced with B3D_OIXPolygon, which takes a file and a record.

<phong>
    <diffuse><color>1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0</color></diffuse>

    <B3D_SinglePlant>
        <model>Abies_alba_500.flora3d</model>
        <scale>1</scale>
        <rotation>30.0</rotation>
    </B3D_SinglePlant>

    <B3D_OIXPolygon>
        <file>randomPlants.oix</file>
        <record>RandomTreesRecord2</record>
    </B3D_OIXPolygon>

</phong>

Load water surfaces from collada models

For materials with a reflectivity value, biosphere specific attributes can be used to create waves on surfaces that use this material. The two attributes waveLength and waveHeight take the same values as the other water surfaces or the global water surface.

<phong>
    <reflectivity><float>0.9</float></reflectivity>

    <B3D_WaterPolygon>
        <waveLength>0.1</waveLength>
        <waveHeight>0.005</waveHeight>
    </B3D_WaterPolygon>

</phong>