Kerbin STL or OBJ?

[Geonovast]

I know there's the plugin for Blender that lets you convert the part models to STL for printing.  I've used it and it seems to work fine, but:

My daughter got a globe for Christmas, and it got me thinking how cool it would be to have a small, baseball sized Kerbin globe for my desk.  I've scrounged the internet, but can't seem to find a freely available STL of Kerbin.  Does anyone know where one is?  Is it possible to create one from the game? (Legally! - if Squad has an issue with this, I'll drop it.)

TIA.

[ZooNamedGames]

Like this?

https://imgur.com/a/l79Q2

[Geonovast]

1 minute ago, ZooNamedGames said:

Like this?

https://imgur.com/a/l79Q2

Exactly what I'd like to do, but I need the model to be able to print it.

[ZooNamedGames]

3 minutes ago, Geonovast said:

Exactly what I'd like to do, but I need the model to be able to print it.

There used to be a company that did them. Either they went out of business or they T2 merger broke any existing agreements. 

[Geonovast]

3 minutes ago, ZooNamedGames said:

There used to be a company that did them. Either they went out of business or they T2 merger broke any existing agreements. 

Was it Shapeways?  I know the did Kerbal stuff for awhile.  There's a thread about it around here somewhere, I think they're in talks with T2 to start again.

I came across some people who had models, but they were trying to charge for them (IIRC I saw one over $50). 

I wouldn't mind floating Squad a few bucks if they had one available though.

[ZooNamedGames]

57 minutes ago, Geonovast said:

Was it Shapeways?  I know the did Kerbal stuff for awhile.  There's a thread about it around here somewhere, I think they're in talks with T2 to start again.

I came across some people who had models, but they were trying to charge for them (IIRC I saw one over $50). 

I wouldn't mind floating Squad a few bucks if they had one available though.

That might be them.

I'd say your money and either make one or wait for Shapeways to return to making them.

Squad might not have many, or any for sale sadly; Shapeways is the answer.

[0something0]

I thought it was Euclid.

[klesh]

On 12/27/2017 at 8:29 AM, Geonovast said:

Was it Shapeways?  I know the did Kerbal stuff for awhile.  There's a thread about it around here somewhere, I think they're in talks with T2 to start again.

I came across some people who had models, but they were trying to charge for them (IIRC I saw one over $50). 

I wouldn't mind floating Squad a few bucks if they had one available though.

Yes.  They're waiting on Take Two Interactive. Apparently talks went well and there may indeed be a return of these items. @RudyLime is your man.

 

 

53 minutes ago, 0something0 said:

I thought it was Euclid.

I think they did the player-built ships.  They've closed their doors permanently.  https://eucl3d.com/

Edited December 28, 2017 by klesh

[Gargamel]

I know a lot of people have done 3d relief maps from various data sets.  Check out thingiverse for some of them and see if they have details on how they did it.

You could probably take some of the ScanSat data sets and convert it to a GIS style relief map, and then into a printable STL. 

If you're skilled enough, you could get it to change printing color for the various terrains, but if you're going through a commercial service, I'd just print in a whitish color and use sharpies to 'paint' the terrain/water.   For the cost of printing one of these though, you might be ahead to buy your own and learn to use it. 

[Geonovast]

10 hours ago, Gargamel said:

If you're skilled enough, you could get it to change printing color for the various terrains

With single extruder machines, this really only works with a color change at a specific layer, which I do all the time.  To do this on something like a globe, you'd be looking at several changes per layer, and hundreds or thousands of changes for the print.  I'd have to sit next to the printer for days consecutively and throw away so, so much material.  A two or three extruder machine would be perfect.

10 hours ago, Gargamel said:

I'd just print in a whitish color and use sharpies to 'paint' the terrain/water

I was actually going to print the entire thing in a dark translucent blue, then paint the terrain with some acrylic paints.  I've had good luck with basic acrylic model paint sticking to PLA.

10 hours ago, Gargamel said:

I know a lot of people have done 3d relief maps from various data sets.  Check out thingiverse for some of them and see if they have details on how they did it.

Thingiverse doesn't have much in the way of KSP stuff.  I've checked the other repositories, but the only models of Kerbin I've found were either undownloadable or not free.

10 hours ago, Gargamel said:

You could probably take some of the ScanSat data sets and convert it to a GIS style relief map, and then into a printable STL.

I have a vague idea of what this means, no idea how to do it, but it's certainly an option I can look into!

10 hours ago, Gargamel said:

For the cost of printing one of these though, you might be ahead to buy your own and learn to use it. 

Already got 4

Edited December 29, 2017 by Geonovast

[Gargamel]

On 12/29/2017 at 9:23 AM, Geonovast said:

Thingiverse doesn't have much in the way of KSP stuff.  I've checked the other repositories, but the only models of Kerbin I've found were either undownloadable or not free.

I meant using the relief maps of Earth as a guide as how to do 3d relief maps of any data set.   Then you could take the Scansat data, convert it to a map, and print it.   In theory.  That's as far as I can help you there.  

[tomf]

There is only a 1% difference between the highest and lowest elevations on Kerbin which is going to be pretty hard to notice on a small ball.

You are going to have to either do something to exaggerate the relief or you might as well just get a blue sphere and paint the continents on.