Xfrog Plant Modelling Software

• standalone plant designer, developed by Bernd Lintermann of Greenworks (Germany)
• xfrog is more full-featured than all the other plant modelling software known to exist
• runs on Win32 ($360, Lite version for $200)
• file formats
  • .xfr files are an ASCII format with a hierarchical static structure description
  • .kfr files are an extension of .xfr which contain keyframe information for animation or plant growth simulation
• pros
  • provides a nice level of abstraction over L-systems which results in substantially less complexity than working with L-systems directly
  • enormous amount of user control over the modelling process.
  • general enough to produce the general shape of nearly any type of plant
  • includes light and gravity tropisms
  • provides output to Rayshade, Maya, etc. - an export path to just about every 3D modelling package
  • .xfr files can be directly read and instantiated with the VTP Terrain Library [although not currently]
• cons
  • lots of training required to produce even simple models
  • models the growth and structure of plants mathematically, not biologically
  • very little support for the vein structures of leaves, making it difficult to produce actual 3D leaves
    • the xfrog "Leaf" node is appropriate only for leaves with simple vein structure, not for radial or branching veins, nor for leaves which inflect on the veins (e.g. maple, papaya)
  • trees have inaccurate branching geometry, just intersecting cylinders instead of actual Y-junctions
• the VTP has made some free xfrog models of Hawaiian plants
• mailing list: Xfrog Yahoo Groups site
• Xfrog Public Plants ( free high quality Xfrog models for personal use )