Hello all. Is there a piece of software wherein I could design a building, say, and have it create blueprints for all the pieces I'd need to cut from chipboard or foamboard, along with measurements? I can't think how to condense that description into a Google search. Thanks El
As far as i've seen, no, there isn't one, but what i've seen some people use (when they bother to do any kind of similar thing, this is a rare case) is to take a level builder for any FPS game and plan things there.
Basically you need some CAD software. Depending on how you will to physically build it you'll choose a different software or a different way to use it: - old fashion way by cutting and assembling pieces with tools - laser cut plexy/mdf - 3D print You can start looking here
Would the paper craft software pepakura work? You can print out templates with that software. https://tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/
That softwarewas designed to make objects to be unfolded and made out of paper, i don't think it's the best choice for buildings and structures and maps, but should be interesting for individual objects
By the way, I've missed the mention of chipboard and foamboard in the original post. There's some awesome people here that made thread showing their creation amazing creations, asking them directly may be quite relevant here.
You can prototype your 3D designs using SketchUp or Autodesk Fusion 360, both of which are free for non-commercial use. They both support exporting to STL format if you’re planning on 3D printing. SketchUp is super easy to use and perfect for prototyping / designing terrain but Fusion 360 is more flexible/powerful. If you’re new to 3D CAD software, I’d suggest trying SketchUp first. If you want to laser cut acrylic or HDF, you can model in the programs above first, then transfer them to a 2D line art program like Inkscape (free) or Adobe Illustrator (subscription based).