Knowledge Base Structure
Introduction​
This knowledge base is not a random collection of tutorials. It is a structured curriculum designed to bridge the gap between abstract 3D concepts and concrete investigative needs. Understanding how this site is organized will help you navigate the content efficiently, whether you are building a complex simulation or simply verifying a claim.
Key Takeaways​
Site Architecture
Organized into a modular curriculum: an entry point, a Foundation course (owning 3D, Data, and Blender), topic Courses, and a Reference Material library.
Design Logic
Built on First-Principles: We focus on the "why" before the "how" to give a better idea of the context in which certain topics belong.
Dual Tracks
Tailored paths for Builders (who construct the evidence) and Analysts (who verify and review it).
Site Architecture​
The content is organized into a modular file structure, allowing you to switch between linear learning and reference lookup.
docs/
├── intro.md # Entry point: Blender for Visual Investigation
├── introduction/ # Knowledge Base Orientation
├── courses/ # Curriculum layer
│ ├── index.md # Course catalog
│ ├── foundation/ # The baseline course
│ │ ├── syllabus.md # Course front door (Course Syllabus)
│ │ ├── 02-the-3d-world/ # Module 01 — The 3D World (index = Module Syllabus)
│ │ ├── 03-data-and-methodology/ # Module 02 — Research Gate, Data Lifecycle
│ │ ├── modeling/ # Module 03 — Modeling (Modeling Fundamentals intro)
│ │ ├── 04-blender/ # Module 04 — Blender training (was blender/) + Final Project capstone
│ │ └── ... # Each module: index.md (Module Syllabus) → introduction.md → content pages
│ ├── gaussian-splatting/ # Topic course (GS for investigation)
│ └── site-reconstruction/ # Topic course (site recon)
├── tools/ # External Tool Docs
├── addons/ # Blender Add-on Catalog
├── techniques/ # Methodology Library
└── use-cases/ # Applied Knowledge and Learning
The Design Logic​
I have structured the information based on First-Principles. Where most tutorials jump straight into "click here, press that", my aim is to help you build understanding before action and give you strategies to solve specific problems rather than handing you a step-by-step solution. It is inevitable that some processes require a step wise approach, but I try to minimize this as much as possible. In the hope that when you encounter a novel problem, you can reason through it and use this knowledge base as reference.
Bottom-Up Progression​
| Module | Purpose | Why First? |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Foundation | Theoretical + tool foundation | If you want to manipulate 3D space it's good to understand its basics and what it is about. Owns the 3D World, Methodology & Data, and Blender blocks. |
| 2. Courses | Topic curricula | Curated paths compose shared modules (Measurements, Camera Matching, …) into courses like Gaussian Splatting and Site Reconstruction. |
| 3. Modeling | Modeling reference | Foundational modeling constructs used across techniques. |
| 4. Tools, Techniques & Addons | Methods Library | Reference material for "how to do X" once the foundation is set. |
| 5. Use Cases | Applied Synthesis | All of the above comes together in actual use-cases. The end-to-end geometric reconstruction playbook lives in the Techniques library. |
The Dual Learning Tracks​
We support two distinct user personas, builders & analyzers, though in practice there will be significant overlap between the knowledge and techniques applied. A good builder must know how to analyze, and a good analyst benefits from understanding how models are built. The introduction to Blender is specifically designed to create a shared base-line. The tracks diverge afterwards, where builders can focus on, for example, the polygonal modeling page in the techniques section, and analyzers can focus on either more advanced navigational or precise measurement techniques.
| Track | Goal |
|---|---|
| Builder Track | Construct the Truth. Follows the full curriculum to create evidentially admissible 3D models and spatial reconstructions. |
| Analyst Track | Verify the Truth. A focused shortcut to learn navigation, measurement, and quality control. Focuses on reviewing and using evidence rather than generating it. |
Linear/Non-Linear Approach​
While the Introduction and 3D Context modules are mostly linear in setup, the Tools, Addons & Techniques section is designed as searchable databases.
- Non-Linear Access: You do not need to go through this in order. If you need to know how strategies on how to match a camera perspective, you can jump directly to that technique.
- Categorization: Techniques are grouped by methodology (e.g., Precision Modeling vs. Direct Modeling), tool name and tags.
- Modularity: Each technique page is self-contained with its own resources, meaning you can solve specific problems without reading the entire history of the software. Basic knowledge of Blender is required however.
Teaching Philosophy: Geometry First​
You will notice that Module 1 does not start with Blender's interface. It starts with Geometry and Dimensions.
We deliberately separate the Concept from the Tool.
- Concept: A 0D point has no length, width, or height.
- Translation: In Blender, this is a Vertex.
- Concept: A 1D line connects two points.
- Translation: In Blender, this is an Edge.
By understandig geometry basics first, you learn to think visually and structurally. The idea is that when you eventually open Blender, you see how geometric understanding translates into Blenders world.
Summary​
This is a first-principles curriculum: foundations → courses → reference, with deliberate tracks for builders and analysts. You can now navigate it with intent.
Resources​
- Blender for Visual Investigation — the entry point
- The 3D World — geometry first
- Blender Basics — tool training
- Data & Methodology — the research lifecycle