Not really GE related, but...

[tspco]

I have done several terrains, that were imported as DEMs. My issue is the best color, or type of color/material, to show the best relief.
I imported a few of my SP models and while I am "driving" around, I have beed surprised more than once by an unseen elevation change, one time I even rolled the vehicle.
Something with higher contrast would be best, and something with better shade color changes.
TIA Ryan

[Gaieus]

Have you tried projecting a colour transition onto the terrain from the side? Just like in those printed elevation maps: hills are brown, plains are green etc.

[tspco]

That is a thought, I just need to figure how to pull it off, short of painting it myself. I will check into it.

[Gaieus]

Set up a vertical rectangle that is the exact height as your terrain from the lowest point to the highest (you can make it a little bigger both directions).

Paint it with a material with this transition (or you can use any striped image). Position carefully from top to bottom.

Then right click > Texture > Projected.

Now sample this projected texture from the face and apply it straight on your terrain (not a group but on the geometry inside).

[tspco]

I have the two color rectangle, but no right click option for texture>projected, now what?

[Gaieus]

Did you import as an image? If so, first right click > Explode. Then no need to project it as it is projected anyway. If not an image, there must be another reason. If a group, explode too.

[tspco]

So I need to import a material, right?, I just painted the rectangle from the stock colors. I think I can figure it out...tomorrow.

[Gaieus]

Well, if you have some good gradient from the SU materials, that will also do it.

[tspco]

I made a custom gradient in GIMP, worked great, now just some color tweaking. Thanks Gai! The blue(ish)areas are low, the tan(ish)areas are high. Now all I need is a quick way to determine the range between the highs and the lows. I just grouped the model and guestimated from the blue group bounding box.

[Gaieus]

You can also make the two far values a bit wider and play around positioning the whole rectangle up/down a bit.