3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby Batgirl » Feb 5, 2011 7:11 pm

I went and saw it last night with about 15 other cavers. Despite the fact that this was definitely an over the top Hollywood film, we all really enjoyed it! Of course there are many things throughout the film that we as cavers would never do, it's still worth seeing in 3D and on the IMAX. The visuals are just spectacular!

I also found it interesting that they were using Duo's and with Halogen lamps no less. Too low budget for LED's? :big grin: Lots of great lines too. Too bad they killed of the two girls, cuz there are plenty of TAG women that could cave circles around those girls. Have to say though, they deserved to die. The first girl let her ego make her decisions and the second girl was just plain stupid. Next time someone tells you to wear the wetsuit of a dead girl or you'll die.....shut up and put it on. :rofl: Just another reason why surface people have no business underground! :laughing:
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby Squirrel Girl » Feb 5, 2011 11:44 pm

Batgirl wrote: Too bad they killed of the two girls, cuz there are plenty of TAG women that could cave circles around those girls. Have to say though, they deserved to die. The first girl let her ego make her decisions and the second girl was just plain stupid. Next time someone tells you to wear the wetsuit of a dead girl or you'll die.....shut up and put it on. :rofl: Just another reason why surface people have no business underground! :laughing:


Well, they killed off everybody, so everyone died, except the one guy. And since it was a father-son drama, everyone did stupid things and died except them.

But I'd dispute the way they portrayed the first gal, Judes. Instead of her ego making her stupid, it was the writer who just wanted to kill her off. I'd say determination is a damn good thing and sees you through. But then her words seem patterned after me in Beyond the Deep, so I guess I'm biased!

Not to mention that I dived Ian's rebreather after he died on it, and Ron Simmons' tanks after he died on 'em. Not everybody is creeped out by stuff like that.
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby chaz » Feb 6, 2011 10:36 am

Question for those who have seen this movie; Why is it rated R? I have two boys begging for me to take them, so I am wondering if it is just language or violence or if there is nudity or what? Would you take your 11 and 14 year old boys?
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby WVCaver2011 » Feb 6, 2011 10:38 am

chaz wrote:Question for those who have seen this movie; Why is it rated R? I have two boys begging for me to take them, so I am wondering if it is just language or violence or if there is nudity or what? Would you take your 11 and 14 year old boys?


Simply due to vulgar language and visually seeing people drown. Not a pleasant site... No nudity except for a classical "moon"....If you know what I mean.
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby WVCaver2011 » Feb 6, 2011 10:43 am

Toward the beginning of the movie they show the cave on some sort of 3D software program. Anyone know how they did this? That would be sooo cool to have!
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby NWSurveyor » Feb 6, 2011 11:13 am

WVCaver2011 wrote:Toward the beginning of the movie they show the cave on some sort of 3D software program. Anyone know how they did this? That would be sooo cool to have!
Probably some 3D CAD software like Autodesk makes. Did you see the Wizard?
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby WVCaver2011 » Feb 6, 2011 11:19 am

NWSurveyor wrote:
WVCaver2011 wrote:Toward the beginning of the movie they show the cave on some sort of 3D software program. Anyone know how they did this? That would be sooo cool to have!
Probably some 3D CAD software like Autodesk makes. Did you see the Wizard?


Ouch, at over 5000 bucks, they can keep it....I like it but I dont like it that much. Maybe they may have a large student discount like ArcGIS. I got ArcGIS for free becasue I was a student at WVU. I wonder if AutoCAD will do the same?

Edit: Just found that they have 30 different types for free for students via download. mmmm....Which one of these do I use? http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/it ... d=14185424
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby wyandottecaver » Feb 6, 2011 3:34 pm

blech.

typical cave movie..... hot chicks with some skin + Good guys + Bad Guys = kill em all off till most everyone dies. I expected technical errors. I was hoping the guy who did Avatar could do better than that for a plot.

The one *bright* spot is that I bet a lot of newbies start listening more when old timers start talking about "flat rocking" :yikes:
Last edited by wyandottecaver on Feb 6, 2011 3:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby rlboyce » Feb 6, 2011 3:36 pm

Beware, if you do not have experience with CAD software you will be in for quite some serious learning before you can make a nice 3D model of a cave with Autodesk software. I would estimate at least 2-3 weeks of learning WITH GUIDANCE if you catch on quickly. I think some of the common surveying software have a 3D feature, and you may be better off learning how to use one of these instead. Looks like Compass can do it. If you're hard headed like I am and still want to give this Autodesk software a try, I would start with the basic AutoCAD first. You can make 3D cave models with this, but again, I'm telling you it's going to be easier using a program like Compass. Once you master AutoCAD, you can move on to something like Maya or 3ds and make a very detailed 3D model.
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby wyandottecaver » Feb 6, 2011 3:37 pm

rboyce....

In the movie they mention the simulation took the guy like 4 years......
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby Chads93GT » Feb 6, 2011 3:38 pm

Well, we are at least now justified in drowning cavers we dont like after they scrape their finger and get "hurt."
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby WVCaver2011 » Feb 6, 2011 3:48 pm

rlboyce wrote:Beware, if you do not have experience with CAD software you will be in for quite some serious learning before you can make a nice 3D model of a cave with Autodesk software. I would estimate at least 2-3 weeks of learning WITH GUIDANCE if you catch on quickly. I think some of the common surveying software have a 3D feature, and you may be better off learning how to use one of these instead. Looks like Compass can do it. If you're hard headed like I am and still want to give this Autodesk software a try, I would start with the basic AutoCAD first. You can make 3D cave models with this, but again, I'm telling you it's going to be easier using a program like Compass. Once you master AutoCAD, you can move on to something like Maya or 3ds and make a very detailed 3D model.


Ryan, saw that haha. It would definitely take time to learn this process. I already know how to do this in compass but you dont have the option to do anything else like putting names of passageways or locations, etc. However, I really dont have the time to do this so I will more than likely just say the hell with it and not worry about it. It would be cool to do for a small cave but again it would take a while.
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby rlboyce » Feb 6, 2011 4:05 pm

Wyandotte, LOL, how large was that fictional cave, and just how detailed was that model?? Does anyone by chance have a clip or picture of this model? Surely the character was including the time it took to do all the surveying. Depending on how detailed you want your model to be dictates how long it's going to take you to construct. Perhaps you misunderstood me, but I was telling Allen that it will take at least 2-3 weeks to learn the basics of modeling with AutoCAD to generate VERY rough and edgy 3D models, and with all necessary survey data already in front of him. This does not include learning or using their more 3D oriented software for a more detailed model. Bottom line is I wouldn't consider using Autodesk software to model a cave unless I needed a very detailed model with rich textures and the whole nine yards, already knew how to use the software proficiently and had too much time on my hands. Once more, I'd just go with Compass or an alternative.

Allen, photosynth point cloud extraction and mesh modeling is the way to go if you want to make an accurate model of a small cave. Just need to spend a little time working out the bugs and forming the appropriate techniques. Using any other method is simply lofting cross sections and inaccurately adding secondary features or fine tuning afterwards. We were on the right track a few months ago with meshlab and all that, it's just that I realized I enjoyed digging for virgin passage more than creating a precise 3D model. :big grin:

How did the names appear on the movie model? Did they float as the view angle changed?
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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby Larry E. Matthews » Feb 6, 2011 5:31 pm

A large contingent of the Nashville Grotto went to see this movie on Opening Night and we had a ball !!! We must have had 25 people there.

Come on guys (and gals).............it's entertainment. All in all, they did an excellent job of getting the gear right, but sure you can nit pick the little things. For one, we don't run and jump off the edge of a 2,000 foot deep pit to start our rappel. Notice how there was no noticeable weight to all that rope? (Ooppps.....I'm nit picking !!!)

But just remember, this was NOT a documentary.

The drowning scenes are very intense and definitely NOT appropriate for young people.

I highly recommend the movie. The 3-D was pretty cool, too.

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Re: 3-D Caving Thriller by James Cameron!

Postby Squirrel Girl » Feb 6, 2011 5:36 pm

Larry E. Matthews wrote:A large contingent of the Nashville Grotto went to see this movie on Opening Night and we had a ball !!! We must have had 25 people there.

Come on guys (and gals).............it's entertainment. All in all, they did an excellent job of getting the gear right, but sure you can nit pick the little things. For one, we don't run and jump off the edge of a 2,000 foot deep pit to start our rappel. Notice how there was no noticeable weight to all that rope? (Ooppps.....I'm nit picking !!!)

But just remember, this was NOT a documentary.

The drowning scenes are very intense and definitely NOT appropriate for young people.

I highly recommend the movie. The 3-D was pretty cool, too.

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Over the Cave Divers Forum, I started a "Nit picking" thread. Just like the movie was a ton of fun, it can also be a ton of fun to pick nits, too! :waving:
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