Table 1 Table showing the results and outputs of the tested methods
Method | Processing time | Full 3D model | Open source /free | Ease of using process | Output | Temporary or textures producible | Highest model level method worked with |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blender Viewport | Minutes | Yes | Yes | Simple, blender handles large models very efficiently | Carvings highly visible, but only a temporary lighting effect | Temporary | 22 million |
Blender Pointiness | Quick depending on hardware | Yes | Yes | Some effort required to set up nodes and adjust values. Requires powerful hardware depending on model size | Carvings highly visible, but user interface is complicated and node production is not the most intuitive to adjust | Textures maps producible | 22 million |
Substance Painter | 30 min, mostly loading/baking time | Yes | No | Several easy steps, | Carvings highly visible, easy to adjust variables. Some learning curve to run process, but possible to make a “one click" smart material | Textures producible | 88 million |
Mari | 30 min | Yes | No | Several steps, not the most intuitive to set up | Carvings are visible, but there is a lot of noise which makes them harder to see. High possibility to adjust variables | Textures producible | 88 million |
Xshade | Several hours | No | Yes | Easy once you understand the instructions. requires some knowledge of handling/splitting models | Poorly visible carvings due to necessity of low resolution of the mesh | Temporary | 6 million |
MRM | Under an hour | Yes | Yes | No known parameters make it difficult to get a good result | Carvings highly visible, but histogram in Meshlab is rather unintuitive to change variables. Larger curves are highlighted more strongly, which can have a negative effect on small carvings | Temporary, but saveable | 88 million |
LRM | Quick | No | Yes if using QGIS | Requires some GIS software knowledge, and handling/separation of 3D models | Carvings visible, but heavily affected by large undulations. Only works on one plane | Only a 2D surface produced | N/A |
APSS | Several hours | Yes | Yes | Lots of trial and error, histogram produced is potentially unusable | Carvings are highly visible, but method takes a long time to process, especially on higher resolution models. Histogram in Meshlab not the most intuitive to work with when changing variables | Temporary, but saveable | 22 million |
Radiance scaling | Quick, most time spent loading model, and moving into place | Yes | Yes | Easy, with a high-polygon mesh navigating round the model and moving lights etc. is a slow process | Carvings highly visible, but diminished by the low maximum level of enhancement | Temporary | 88 million |
Agisoft displacement | Relatively quick | Yes | No | Complicated as instructions limited | Has potential, but also requires a large amount of trial and error. Carvings visible but not very clear | Yes | 22 million/50 k |