Are there some other more suitable open source programs for creating 3D
images?
Under Windows, you should try 3DEM:
http://www.simtel.net/pub/pd/6700.shtml
It can render 3D terrain scenes and MPEG flyby animations from the following
data sources:
USGS Digital Elevation Model (DEM) files
USGS Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS DEM) files
USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED) files
USGS Global 30 Arc Second Elevation Data Set (GTOPO30 DEM) files
NOAA Global Land One-km Base Elevation (GLOBE) files
GEOTIFF Digital Elevation Models
NASA Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) files
NASA Mars Digital Topographic Map (DTM) files
Any topographic data file organized by rows and columns of elevation data
And it's freeware.
Roberto Jesus Dip
GIS Manager
Aguas del Valle S.A.
Catamarca
Argentina.