ZSurf is pretty cool, especially since its free.

ZSurf tends to work better with simpler, more graphic shapes. I've tried giving it a more detailed images and the fine details can get melted away. Its also difficult to get consistently flat areas, like a background, or flat tops on raised areas.

Rhino has a command that is similar, using a greyscale image to displace a nurbs surface.

Many poly modeling apps give you the ability to apply a displacement image, or displacement sculpting. Its possible to convert a model with millions of polys to nurbs through Geomagic or similar if you need it to do cnc machining.

T-Splines is a plugin for Rhino that allows the use of a poly model to deform a nurbs surface. While it does produce a nurbs model from a poly model, its usefulness as a converter is limited by the number of polys it can handle. Then there is PowerSubdNurbs (plugin for Modo, SolidWorks, 3dsMax), which is in some ways similar to T-Splines, and also limited by the number of polys it can handle.

I may be able to use the Mould Tool in Xara to deform the displacement map to another shape before turning it into an igs file in Zsurf. Illustrator and Coreldraw probably have similar features. At the end of the day with peripheral embellishments, I could change the shape of a small number of displacement maps into a myriad of totally new displacement maps to fit different shape objects or to create different shape relief igs files in Zsurf.

Example of Xara Mould tool, also using preset envelope to distort one shape or object to another shape.

http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/workbook43/page_3.htm

Thanks for the feedback Chris, I have the 90 day trial of Rhino, which I installed a couple of weeks ago but as yet have not had time to explore it's toolset.

I am a long time Turbocad User, and many years ago an Autocad user also. I find the combination of Turbocad and Moi just perfect for my needs, and some of the more fluid and organic stuff that Michael Gibson has developed really brings big smiles to my face, I can't think of a program that has grabbed my imagination so much in years apart from Turbocad.

I believe that Michael has the perfect mindset as to where 3d Cad and organic modelling should be going and would love to see a large injection of funds and resources come his way for further development of his "Moment Of Inspiration".

Just imagine having the resources to port Moi to 64Bit, it already handles files that other 32 bit programs would not even look at.

Like many others on this forum, I am hooked!.

Thanks for the kind words Michael, I'm glad that you're enjoying MoI! :)

- Michael