2.12 3D gamma

[mburnzie]

I noticed something a little strange that happens in this version when you increase the vertical exageration (VE) (to show terrain changes in an area with gradual terrain changes, for example).  I am not sure if it happened in older versions.

The 3D image gets substantially darker as you increase the VE.  I usually run VE at 2 or 3, but in the case of the file linked below, it didn't show enough of the terrain change, so I increased it.  If you have the 3D image open, you can see the terrain change and the image simulataneously darkens up as the terrain gets more exagerated.  Just a little strange, so I thought I'd point it out.  Let me know if you need more details or explanation.

VE at 8
2.12 3D gamma dark example

VE at 0
2.12 3D gamma light example


Mark


p.s. I am sure you have heard this many times, but this is a great program.  If you search on the term topofusion in this link - Yahoo GarminF group, you will see that it has become the program of choice for most of the users in this large (and growing) Yahoo group.  I have been recommending your program to GPS users and my triathlon friends for quite some time now.  Desert Sharks forum

[Krein]

This problem has always been there, but thanks for bringing it up.  It just has to do with the way the light source is set up and the angle.  We definitely need to take a look at it since relatively flat areas as in your example shouldn't get darkened like that.

Thanks for the support on GarminF & elsewhere.  I am, at the moment, most interested in adding features for athletes--which is most of the forerunner/foretrex users.

[mburnzie]

Thanks for the response. I forgot to mention that I discovered that a simple image editing program like ACDSee can lighten up the image if needed.  Even though the elevation is pretty exagerated, this picture actually looks more like the terrain than the VE=0 picture.  In fact, the elevated area is often referred to as "the East Bench" by the local community because of the elevation gain.  The descent and climb in the park area is also quite noticeable when you run on it.  

What I learned from this is that the VE feature is more useful on a practical level (as opposed to an aesthetic level) for people that train in areas where elevation changes are less than a couple hundred feet, but steep.  As I mentioned above, I typically use a VE=2 or 3 because I do a lot of trail running in the hills around Salt Lake and those settings seem to reflect the "look" of that terrain much better.

Image fixed with ACDSee