Thanks for all the help!
This forum is really great, I must say!
So many people trying to help others out with problems. I hope I can someday return the favor, but for now I'm just a newb!

BTW, My skatepark is slowely coming along. Typical problems of fustration, but I did have a few breakthroughs recently. Sometimes the skin tool works and sometimes it doesn't, for me any how. When I master this and controlling the bezier curve's axis, I will be golden!
Sometimes you draw a curve and realize that it went a different direction. I feel guides and referencing off of other objects make it easier. Also, I think if I group objects that are completed and delete guides I'm finished with, will make life easier.

Thanks to all!

@taffgoch said:

Construction of the spiral plan was easy enough. The worst part of modeling was the individual push/pull for each of the 397 steps!

Regards,
Taff

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SketchUp 6.0.515(free) / Windows XP Pro SP2 / nVIDIA Quadro FX 1500M

I am a super Newbie, but I would think that you could make an instance of one step and then after you apply your stair spiral technique(perhaps a form of control key and move tool or something), then all the stairs would raise up together.
Perhaps I thought wrong!

I was linking around some tutorials and I came across a Titannic Ship image that I clicked on, this is when Adobe Photo Album opened up the image. I then clicked the control tab below and started seeing all the images I ever saw on the internet the past few days at least, includng still frames from YouTube and other sites.

How the hell did that happen and how do you delete these images!

Haha, it's SU related because it happend on the forum!

I downloaded that awesome soap, skin and bubble plug-in, it is really cool.
In order to use it, I imagine that I have to be very careful with the number of Tiles I should use.

Even if the surface has less planes to make a curvy shape, is much of this corrected/softened when you add smoothing?

Would buying more Ram make the computer able to handle the entire park during rendering, or is it a proccessing speed delema. It seems one skating feature(mogule) seems to be alot, I need to add a couple dozen. I am thinkihng that perhaps I need to create all the geometry, then do effects like softening at the last step.

I might start with a rectangle that takes up the space of the park, put it on its own layer, then add the skins on top of that layer, also I'll have vertical lines of various hieghts just to use for referencing. Or should this mainly be done on the first layer adding the skins to a base.

Don't feel obligated to answer, but I would listen to any comments...oh yeah, I need to search for a beziere-curve plug-in.(sp?).

Thanks for any advice!

Thanks for the information Gaieus and Jeff!

Jeff,
I think I will need the Pro version if I want to use that skin and bubble tool you mentioned, right?

If I don't use a 3D printer and just use SketchUp to make a simple layout due to my degree of knowledge, I might try to make a model by using some kind of foam that I could mold and still have it light!
Any suggestions there, the old school way!(Kinda like the way they make train set scenes I am thinking!..I already made a model at the beach, like a sand castle just for ideas!).

I just finished looking at your site and I'm impressed. This is a great opportunity for me to be part of this job, something I have been looking for. Although you and your team could do all this designing and constructing with your eyes closed, perhaps the actual construction should be made by professional like yourselves. I will bring you guys up for sure when I get my designs ready!

Wow Jeff!
I guess I asked the right audience. It is for illustration purposes with the hope to attract investors. I wasn't precisely told to keep any secrets, but I would rather respect this guy's vision as it is going to be different than what you posted, especially the objective. Perhaps similar in some ways though(how different could it be, considiering you showed me golf course looking parks). THat is amazing that you responded so fast. I want to tell you more, but you understand, I should talk this over.
Personally, I'm a surfer not a skater, and this guy who's idea it is, you probably heard of. It is going to be cool nonetheless.
If all goes well, I want to output it with a 3D printer, and add trees and stuff!
The actual park may be done more "Freehand" or "spontaneous" than actually creating it exactly from what I design, just need to get the idea across and look professional!

Do I need the Pro Version?
Are my computers adaquet enough?
Do you build these parks, starting with SketchUp?

THanks for sharing!

Hello Everyone,
I have been a Graphic Designer and Illustrator since about 2000. I have just recently found out about this awesome Google SketchUp program and have watched several dozen videos(50+) on YouTube and created the first floor of my town home(fun).

I am going to create a specialized skatepark for a friend, in 3D. It seems I need to master the Sandbox tools to create surfaces that would imitate the up and down hills of a golf course, for example. This is not going to be your typical skatepark, but a special one never done before. No vertical surfaces like a pool has.
I believe I am going to run into some problems. I have two computers, one is a few years old(PC) and my Mac G4, 466 mhz, is about 8 years old. Currently I am running SketchUp on the PC which is a Intel R, 2.93 Ghz,504 MB RAM.

Is this enough to make a tiled area that I can then use the sanbox tools to bump moguls up and down like a golf courses landscape. I see myself starting out with an acre size rectangle, push pulling it up about 8-10 feet, then using the sandbox tools to go to town. It is going to have a low area snake around like a stream, let's say how the river in the Grand Canyon, splitting apart the hillsides, only these will be more like moguls instead of steep cliffs!

What problems do you see me facing with the free version of SketchUp, plus my computers abilities.

Any tips or advice would be great, thanks you in advance!

Greg