Any engineers about?

[Tuzenbach]

I'm asking regarding my wild scheme of designing alternative dice and such. Basically, what are the best computer programs out there for:

1. Seeing a 3d shape on your computer screen
2. Having the ability to create and manipulate said shape
3. Receiving immediate feedback regarding degrees of angles,
number of sides, surface area of facets, size, etc.
4. Perhaps defining the finished shape based upon currently
existing scientific labels coined for both common and
abscure geometric shapes.

I know that at least one of you is an engineer and I would have PM'd that
person had Enworld allowed it. I guess I'm unpriveledged. :-:.:.::::.:::.:::.

Anyway, either list the programs I should be using in this thread or email me directly at beloc underscore at hotmail dot com. Thanks in advance!

Sorry if this post was more off-topic than on!

 

[tarchon]

I'm asking regarding my wild scheme of designing alternative dice and such. Basically, what are the best computer programs out there for:

1. Seeing a 3d shape on your computer screen
2. Having the ability to create and manipulate said shape
3. Receiving immediate feedback regarding degrees of angles,
number of sides, surface area of facets, size, etc.
4. Perhaps defining the finished shape based upon currently
existing scientific labels coined for both common and
abscure geometric shapes.

I know that at least one of you is an engineer and I would have PM'd that
person had Enworld allowed it. I guess I'm unpriveledged. :-:.:.::::.:::.:::.

AutoCAD, IronCad, 3DStudio (may have been folded into AutoCAD now), Pro/Engineer, and Maya (more art-oriented) can all do various parts of it. I don't think you'll find anything that can classify solids like that though.

 

[reanjr]

I'm asking regarding my wild scheme of designing alternative dice and such. Basically, what are the best computer programs out there for:

1. Seeing a 3d shape on your computer screen
2. Having the ability to create and manipulate said shape
3. Receiving immediate feedback regarding degrees of angles,
number of sides, surface area of facets, size, etc.
4. Perhaps defining the finished shape based upon currently
existing scientific labels coined for both common and
abscure geometric shapes.

I know that at least one of you is an engineer and I would have PM'd that
person had Enworld allowed it. I guess I'm unpriveledged. :-:.:.::::.:::.:::.

Anyway, either list the programs I should be using in this thread or email me directly at beloc underscore at hotmail dot com. Thanks in advance!

Sorry if this post was more off-topic than on!

I assume you want one for under $3000? I can't help you...

 

[Tuzenbach]

AutoCad then? I'll have to get me one of those! Thanks!

 

[MarauderX]

Go to AutoDesk and check out AutoCAD and Architectural Desktop. It's got high-powered capacity to do anything with drawing and graphics, but it's not necessarily for beginners. AutoDesk also sells AutoCAD Lite, a cheaper version with a lot less features, but you will be able to build solids, wire-frames and hatch it all if you want.
Oh, and Bryce is an easy 3D tool to use as well.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

You might want to ask a mathematician instead of an engineer - as far as I know (I'm a physicist currently aspiring to a Ph.D.), designing regular bodies like this is more in their line of work...

What number of sides are you looking for? There aren't all that many possible dice shapes...

 

[SinisterMinister]

You might want to ask a mathematician instead of an engineer - as far as I know (I'm a physicist currently aspiring to a Ph.D.), designing regular bodies like this is more in their line of work...

What number of sides are you looking for? There aren't all that many possible dice shapes...

IIRC, he's thinking about things like d5 and d7.

Off the top of my head, my guess is the easiset way to accomplish this would be something more like a dreidel than a traditional die.

 

[Kalendraf]

You really need to specify what type of engineer you want. Many of us don't work with software to design 3d-objects. The ones that might are likely automotive, aerospace, mechanical or perhaps even some industrial engineers. Meanwhile, most electrical engineers (me), software engineers, verification engineers, computer engineers and so forth might use computers, but most are not likely to have any experience with 3d-object stuff.

Now, on the other hand, if you want an algorithm to simulate alternative dice rolls, I might be able to help you out.

 

[Tuzenbach]

You really need to specify what type of engineer you want. Many of us don't work with software to design 3d-objects. The ones that might are likely automotive, aerospace, mechanical or perhaps even some industrial engineers. Meanwhile, most electrical engineers (me), software engineers, verification engineers, computer engineers and so forth might use computers, but most are not likely to have any experience with 3d-object stuff.

Now, on the other hand, if you want an algorithm to simulate alternative dice rolls, I might be able to help you out.

Sure! I could use an algorithm or three! Feel free to email me.

 

[Umbran]

There aren't all that many possible dice shapes...

There are an infinite number of possible die shapes, if you aren't restricting yourself to regular solids. One can construct a fair die out of an irregular polyhedron, but it takes a lot of work to make it fair.