Ever because it began making its method into properties, 3D printing has been large for artistic nerds. Be it altruistic creations like these 3D printed accessible controller adapters (opens in new tab), or a Steam Deck (opens in new tab), this tech paves the way in which for all stripes of makers to print beforehand not possible objects with relative ease in their very own properties. Relative ease does are usually a key phrase although, as one fanatic realized when printing this spectacular map-view mannequin of their Cities: Skylines metropolis.
The thought of printing out your personal metropolis from one in every of these video games is a good thought. When you’ve performed a metropolis builder earlier than you realize that these metropolises develop out of nothing to turn out to be large sprawling issues very quickly. However these issues are yours, distinctive to you and your decisions. Dumptropolis could also be a dump, but it surely’s my dump. From its poorly deliberate industrial space, to the unlucky sewer plant proper subsequent to the leisure precinct.
Akruas is fortunately a Cities: Skylines participant with much more ability and forethought than I. Their YouTube (opens in new tab) is filled with movies detailing their spectacular digital metropolis constructing. This features a sequence behind their central European metropolis idea Altengrad, which was the topic for this difficult 3D print challenge.
Getting this sprawling view of Altengrad in printed plastic wasn’t as straightforward as simply exporting a 3D file. Sadly Cities: Skylines does not have one thing just like the nifty export function used to export and print these neat Townscaper dioramas (opens in new tab). Add it to the options we would wish to see in Cities: Skylines 2 (opens in new tab) when it launches later this yr. (opens in new tab) As an alternative Akraus explains on this Twitter thread (opens in new tab) how they needed to make use of a reasonably difficult course of to convey their digital metropolis into the actual world.
The massive hurdle right here is to someway flip the Metropolis into one thing {that a} 3D printer understands. Akraus explains they initially tried utilizing screenshots and having software program translate that to no avail. As an alternative they needed to modify town till it was appropriate, after which take a number of 5k screenshots whereas transferring a white aircraft to collect the main points.
Akraus then transformed the screenshots into vector graphics in order that they have been scalable. They warn that this step was extremely time consuming and resulted in expectedly large information. It may not be essential to do to get good outcomes, however with the ability to scale with out dropping any element could be a large boon for printing issues whereas sustaining particulars, particularly in numerous sizes.
I did somewhat experiment simply to see if it may be finished – 3D printed a part of my Cities: Skylines metropolis Altengrad. How? 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/UoqU6h8tciMarch 11, 2023
From there they used 3D Slicer (opens in new tab), an open supply program used for 3D imaging, normally used for medical functions. This took these diligently gathered pictures and turned them right into a 3D mannequin. Akraus explains this step is surprisingly easy, solely taking a number of clicks to go from image to 3D data.
From right here chances are you’ll have to tweak the design in Blender or one thing comparable, however this spits out a usable STL file. Akraus opted to dwell with the errors reasonably than superb tuning the not possible. Tremendous honest given it is a first strive, and the print nonetheless appears actually cool. Positively software program to bear in mind for future 3D printing shenanigans.
The top result’s a extremely nifty wanting miniature metropolis. Whenever you look carefully it is very clearly 3D printed from a tough mannequin, however at a distance you do not even discover the chaos. Somewhat extra tweaking and even only a fancier 3D printer may make these fashions look much more unbelievable. With how good this primary try appears, I can not wait to see what Akraus manages subsequent with town builder or with the sequel when it launches. Hopefully Cities: Skylines 2’s hailstorms and rat infestations (opens in new tab) will not be an excessive amount of of a barrier to extra cool printable cities.
