VistaPro

A powerful computer is capable of creating and rendering photo-realistic landscapes and 3D objects. These require specialized applications, as well as a considerable amount of system resources. When it comes to landscaping and creating maps, VistaPro is a small, but powerful utility with the help of which you can view, edit and create 3D landscapes.

Developed some time ago when 3D rendering and landscape modeling programs were created, the application was proudly used throughout the years to create stunning environments. Since it stopped receiving updates some time ago, you might consider it slightly overrated at a first look, but it's not.

The given interface is not the most intuitive, with all tools found in individual windows which you can easily drag around to make the workspace suit your style. What's more, the top-down view of the map, as well as the 3D preview sections are displayed in disturbingly small windows with no adjustment options, making it difficult to use, especially if precision is required.

You are given a preset map to analyze and use as a template so you get acquainted with features. A small selection panel lets you pick tools you want to use, amongst which you can find terrain, water, texture, manipulation, creation, placement, path and a few more.

All changes are updated in real-time, with the possibility to hit the “Render” button for a high-quality generated image of the current camera position. Creating or manipulating the terrain is not the easiest task, with adjustment options either being represented by numerical values or sliders, which can get slightly difficult to notice in the preview section.

Since it takes a great amount of resources to render a fixed camera position, you can only move freely in a lower quality generated view. However, a neat feature gives you the possibility to create multiple custom paths by drawing a route, setting movement speed, vehicle and a few more options. When you're done, it can be exported as AVI and FLC movies or picture series of several formats.

VistaPro might be a little outdated on the design and first impression, but can still provide a great deal of help in creating stunning 3D landscapes. What's more, export options include DXF and PCX so you can further edit or work on generated maps with external applications. It's easy enough to use and you might want to give it a try before choosing more advanced options.