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TestimonialsSome users of SimuTerra have shared their thoughts about the program. New comments November 15, 2005 "If you have to deal with complex contours, civil drawings of questionable quality, very big sites, etc. -- do not delay in taking advantage of SimuTerra. I have had the trial version for ages, but never got around to using it (too many other things to do, did not want to learn another application...). I could not even make time at the 3DBaseCamp to get with Erez and purchase. Big mistake! I purchased yesterday and already have saved lots of time and headaches. The video tutorials make it very easy to learn (and it's not hard anyway). There is a special deal on now that will save you money before upcoming price [November 2005] increase with new version and release of some SU plug-ins." "SimuTerra revealed characteristics of property I have lived on for 50 years. I am currently developing residential estates on this property and using SimuTerra to facilitate conceptual planning. Of the many streams located on my property (which I thought I knew well), SimuTerra showed me something I never realized before. While creating polys to show stream locations, I was surprised to see that the intermittent waterway runs west to east and not east to west, as I assumed. In a way, SimuTerra showed my backyard for the first time; your creation will be an essential perspective for all my future projects. Thank you Erez." "Based on the trial version use, I have been really impressed with the ease of creating a 3D site plan with Simuterra. I bought a program called EasySite to do this before, and it definitely wasn't 'easy'." New comments October 2005 "We would like to thank you for SimuTerra, such a fabulous piece of software. SimuTerra has helped us tremendously with creating much more accurate 3-D terrain models for our clients. Ever since our purchase of SimuTerra we seem to be creating a digital terrain model of all our projects that have topography. Since SimuTerra can create such a nice, accurate, and fast digital terrain model we are then able to get a better understanding of the site, that means a better design for us. SimuTerra has been easy to learn and that is very important these days, time seems to be a big factor in everything we do." "I've been a civil and land development designer for about 12 years, and have recently begun working with 3-dimensional site models for clients. I've been learning SketchUp, and the site I needed to develop into a 3D model is approximately 1100 acres of mountainous terrain, with 1100' of elevation change. It was impossible to bring the surface into SketchUp. I didn't want the company to invest in a more powerful workstation (which probably wouldn't solve the problem anyway), and I knew there had to be a better way than slicing the site into pieces. I looked around and found mention of the SimuTerra software in the SketchUp forums. I went to the website and downloaded the trial software. The next day, I got a call from Erez Anzel, who was happy to walk me through the process of preparing and exporting the surface and successfully importing it into SketchUp. (Being willing to do this with someone who is working with just the trial version is unheard of, at least with any other software company I've done business with.) After seeing how amazingly easy it was to do the impossible (I couldn't believe how fast it was, either), I purchased a copy of the software, and plan on using it for other large sites. I'm also looking forward to using the other program features - they're really going to make my job easier. Oh yes, and the software is easy to learn and use, especially with the online tutorials. This software is exactly what I need as an intermediate step between AutoCAD and SketchUp." "SimuTerra imported a [large] DXF file and created the DTM in a few minutes. I'm not sure I could have achieved such a result without SimuTerra!" "Simuterra has proven to be our savior for tackling files which bring other 3D applications to their knees. For our purposes, speed is everything, so to have a tool which reduces complexity and file size as well, is very valuable. I highly recommend it, especially for large scale projects." "We found SimuTerra quick to learn, accurate and efficient for terrain modeling, and compatible with other software, at a very reasonable price. We would recommend SimuTerra to other landscape architects as we have benefited from using it in our office." "Erez Anzel's software SimuTerra is a top-flight 3d terrain modeling program. After doing a little "Googling" I found compuneering.com and tested out their software, and found that doing terrain modeling can be an absolutely amazing process. SimuTerra imported a [large] DXF file and created the DTM in a few minutes. I'm not sure I could have achieved such a result without SimuTerra. This is an important and exciting piece of terrain modeling software. One couldn't ask for a better piece of software and their tech support is superb. My only regret is not buying SimuTerra sooner." "I recently tried working on an earthworks project (a landfill site) using SketchUp version 5 Sandbox and SimuTerra for the first time. It soon became clear that whilst Sandbox is great for giving a visual impression of terrain in SketchUp, it has limitations in dealing with real-world base data and producing real-world proposals. I couldn't control the height of the Smoove Tool, and it doesn't practically allow the creation of ridge lines (other than as a series of bumps) or allow a specific target height to be set (e.g., I want a top elevation of 5m in this area). Using the modifiers in SimuTerra proved to be more effective for these tasks, and, as I modified the terrain, there was a readout of the landfill volume (proposed less existing) provided in realtime. As the exercise was to obtain a certain volume of fill across the site, this was invaluable. What also worked well, was to export the SimuTerra Existing and Proposed meshes into SketchUp, then use SketchUp's real-time cross sections to visually check the relationship between the two meshes. Don't misunderstand me - Sandbox tools are great, and I can see how they are ideal for, for example, architects wishing to place their buildings in a visually interesting terrain setting. But the SketchUp capabilities and Sandbox tools complement, rather than compete with, SimuTerra's accuracy. After all, SketchUp is a sketch-based concept modeller, not a terrain modelling package. Each to their own strengths." "If you want to use something that works fast, and works very well, Get SimuTerra. I bought SimuTerra and could not believe how fast and accurate it created a TIN for a huge island canyon contour, so nice." "This is an amazing tool. I can honestly tell you that this software will change the way I model terrain." "Our project developed simply enough using Sketchup. Contour lines and Sandbox got us the DTM foundation. Subsequently, modifications were made by the landscape architect until complex road paths and level changes in the terrain had to be more than just a conceptual representation.
This is where Simuterra was the project saver - it resolved all the calculations and the 3D modelling required to create roads, pads, retaining walls and gave us real world data of cut and fill volumes.
Simuterra's 'export road footprint' feature allowed for further analysis. Yet, more importantly, it was the quick DTM generation and 3D visual response that gave us the power to properly manipulate complex structures while retaining the conceptual freedom to change things in real time.
Simuterra has now become our essential Sketchup companion. We must thank COMPUneering developers for getting us out of the quicksands with their program. Their support was also excellent. We are definitely looking forward to the next releases. Many thanks folks!" Site design, SketchUp Dear Erez, Add me as a happy camper. I'm working on an 84 acre site in hilly Westchester County, New York for a nationally recognized developer. The site is highly complex, with over 100 feet of vertical rise from low end to high. In addition, there are complex topographic elements, rock outcrops, existing roads etc. With SimuTerra (as well as some timely and pleasant voice communication with the author of the program) I was able to generate a digital site model quickly and then import it into SketchUp to start adding the 3.0 million square feet of buildings and structured parking elements. Without your tool, this task would have been nearly impossible and I would have spent countless hours trying to do it in SketchUp (not an easy task given the number of contours needed) and even after importing from AutoCAD, would have been difficult. SimuTerra read the DXF file and created a square mesh model in just a few moments. It took longer for SketchUp to import the new DXF, but it worked great. Well worth the cost of the software compared to the time I saved on this model alone. I now have the program, essentially free of charge, for any other project I have. Thanks for creating one great program for me. Allen
Allen Weitzman, AIA Site modeling, SketchUp, mesh "...the software works great!!! Now on to my review... Wowee!!! Yip-yip-wahoo!!! I created a simple (yet challenging) topo in AutoCAD consisting of lines, and polylines. Imported it into SimuTerra. Clicked the Create DTM menu and then exported it back out. Now in SketchUp I imported the new mesh... and WOW it created the mesh with no problems and it looks great!!! I can really see this saving me DAYS off my models. I'm sold after just a few minutes!" "Just tried out SimuTerra and found it to be very fast and VERY accurate. It seems like it is well worth the low price." "The price vs. performance is incredible. This really will save us a good deal of time, and I'm sure we will start showing more 'real grading' on our models, as opposed to the theoretical flat plane. Thanks again for creating such an easy-to-use and powerful piece of software... and one designed to work with SketchUp!" "I want also [to] send a vote of confidence in SimuTerra. I used [it] this last week for a project that had a difficult site terrain to model. I can tell you this product saved me at least a day or more, since I was able to create a usable mesh from it and import into [SketchUp]." "I'm one of those people that is really benefiting from this program. We're using it on three sites right now... We are not trying to do civil engineering. We're trying to make good, valid Schematic and Preliminary siting decisions which will eventually be given to our engineers. The other thing that it appears this program is doing for us is allowing us to check that our civil's work matches the design intent. In my experience, this looks like it will be very valuable." Speed, triangulation, drape map in SketchUp "I had used the [free CASF] topo Ruby [script] and it took overnight to generate a model that was way too big and I could not drape a map over it. I downloaded the trial version of SimuTerra and was able to generate a topo model in seconds and the file was much smaller too." SketchUp foam core model, mesh, drape "There is need for a quick study topo and site development for sure. Check out the demo for SimuTerra as a step to get a mesh from a Sketchup "foamCore" model.... Using the "square face/polyface mesh dxf export option the program creates a separate grouped "drape" which is independent from the foamCore and overlays it exactly. This works quickly and at this point has been bulletproof." "It works fast and properly for in and out to Sketchup. The creation of the drape is non-destructive to the original foam core and is grouped as well and in this mode (basic) is a great and usable utility for SketchUp." Import, real-time feedback "The import and DTM creation goes really nice. The immediate effect in everything is a leading feature on the market. Now I understand well your tasks on SimuTerra. In the long run I see it as an outstanding software for terrain modeling combined with surveying and civil engineering. What we see now is just a dawn of morninglight on the way to a sunny day. I hope everything goes fine with your developing of the next step software where human intelligence and even humor go hand in hand." Earthwork calculations I had two text files, file A (3500 points) and file B (1600 points). My duty was to calculate the earthwork done. With SimuTerra the process took only two minutes (import and triangulation took one second) and I had an amazing 3D model of the site where the existing and proposed terrain and even the cut&fill terrain were altogether represented with beautifully rendered, natural looking contrast colours. In the meeting it was easy to show the presentation of the earthwork on my computer's screen and everybody seemed to understand what had been done out there. The orbit tool is so useful that the flying over the site became close to a film. I was asked if you had been there with a helicopter. If you are doing volumetrics and terrain modelling the solution is there. With the normal price of shipping and handling of other software packages overseas you can now purchase this next step software. Wise decisions don`t always mean loss of money."
Site design "...SimuTerra ... contains the complexity needed to create contours for difficult terrain; [to create] existing and proposed [surfaces] with input from text files; and [to create] output ranging from dynamic 3D for modeling to contour maps for construction drawings." |
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