3D object on Google Map

ThOnda

Well, I was thinking. And it means that there is a stupid idea in the very next sentence.

Are we (photograhpy boardies) able to create 3D objects for Google Maps? It just came up to my mind after seeing few buildings in Dublin. They are already like 3D models on those maps.

It would be nice to know, that after another photography session, there is some kind of virtual statue on the internet. There are so many castles, houses, bridges to be created and popularised...

I was thinking that we could even offer that service for pubs of our meetings. Show them how does it look (few prints from display) and ask them, if we can have a meet-up there and give them this service.

It shouldn't be complicated, but I am going to work on the process after I purchase digital camera.

Moderators, please, feel free to delete this thread, it is just an idea.

Ricky91t

Thats a cool idea could be hard though getting the roof shot etc

Shame cos id like to help with this but im too far from Dub
good luck with it anyway

Fajitas!

Ncad was constructed a while back... and lost when we tried to upload it... I don't know what happened

ThOnda

They have roofs :-) We need the side views :-) Satelites are not so good, yet. Fortunately. I hope. Jeeez!

Danbo!

these models are made in google sketchup. very easy program to use. you apply lo-res photos as textures and upload them to the Google 3D Warehouse. then after a few weeks they should appear in google earth. (ensure the 3d buildings tab is clicked)

I intended last summer to build as much of dublin as possible but never got around to getting the photos. So if anyone has a lot of elevation shots of buildings around the city id love to get copies and get building these models.

Mellor

I work on 2D and 3D plans alot, and there is a huge area people are overlooking here.
Getting elevations is the simple part. Getting a accurate dimensions will be awkward. for famous building such as liberty hall it wouldn't be a problem, as footprint and height are easy to find onloine, but an accurate custom house or fourcourts would be harder.

ThOnda

Oh, sugar, I completely forgot about dimensions...
I thought it is going to get it automatically from the photos...

I knew that it was stupid idea

Danbo!

ThOnda wrote: »

Oh, sugar, I completely forgot about dimensions...
I thought it is going to get it automatically from the photos...

I knew that it was stupid idea

you can get the dims from photos and google earth. and its very simple. in the modelling program you can grab a google earth screenshot and it will import it at the correct dims. all you have to do is have googleearth open at the view you want. then once you draw around the building, the shape is extruded upwards. stick the photo onto the building, you know the width is correct and then just adjust the model to the photo height.

having re-read that, it sounds complicated and long, but if you've got the photo (adjusted in photoshop to make it a true elevation) and its just a rectanglar building it would take maybe 2-3mins per building.

EDIT: also bear in mind these dimensions dont need to be millimetre accurate... a fair bit a estimation would be involved.

Mellor

noblestee wrote: »

you can get the dims from photos and google earth. and its very simple. in the modelling program you can grab a google earth screenshot and it will import it at the correct dims. all you have to do is have googleearth open at the view you want. then once you draw around the building, the shape is extruded upwards. stick the photo onto the building, you know the width is correct and then just adjust the model to the photo height.

having re-read that, it sounds complicated and long, but if you've got the photo (adjusted in photoshop to make it a true elevation) and its just a rectanglar building it would take maybe 2-3mins per building.

EDIT: also bear in mind these dimensions dont need to be millimetre accurate... a fair bit a estimation would be involved.

That is basicly a guess. Its not as easy as that.
Having a stab at the plan off google earth is going to be be hard for tall buildings. For example, google earth os made up up of a series of satelite photos, only the buildings directly below the satelite will be in plan, the others will have some elevation in them. Go have a look at the empire state building, or other tall building.

Then placing it has to be accurate, its often not possible to see the base of all building.

For each building on it own it doesn't have to be accurate, for placing or height, but when buildings beside vary it looks poor. Landmark buildings are often not rectangular.

I'm not saying don't do it, go for it. But theres a bit of work involved.

pete4130

You can download Google's SKETCHUP for free and you can build 3d models in sketchup and make your photos wrap around them using smart technology that allows you to put markers on your image to wrap a 2d image around a 3d image you created. It's very very good and versatile. I've used it a little bit in work (work with maps and mapping, GIS etc....). They also give you free tutorials on how to do it as well. I'm not sure if you can then upload your 3d models with your images superimposed onto googlemap?