rec.autos.simulators

by **Tim Epstei** » Sun, 25 Aug 2002 20:55:40

This was originally a reply to Tom Pabst's thread about Bristol.

I'm sure you've probably seen good photos of real tracks that you want to
model, but how about being able to walk them all 3D? ( USA and Japan only in
detail for the moment).

If you have broadband, try dowloading the 3D earth viewer at
www.earthviewer.com You get a 30 day trial, but should be enough to get all
the pics you want of most tracks.

This product is really awesome. Its a 3D rendering of the entire earth,
based on high resolution color satellite photos (10 & 2 meter resolution),
down to 1 meter resolution in major urban areas. The really neat thing is
that the 2D photos are combined with highly accurate terrain data by your
client, which then draws everything in correct 3D relief. This will let you
zoom around in 3D - down to horizontal perspective if you wish. For
instance, I'm looking at the speedway at Altanta now, and can clearly see
the banking in 3D as I zoom in.

The map data is streamed over the Internet, then cached locally. So, as you
slowly zoom in, the image builds up and becomes higher and higher resolution
as you zoom. There is also full overlay of streets and roads if you like,
and full search by address/zip code. You can look at your own house just by
typing in the address.

Anyway - try it out - I think its a fantastic for people who want a good
look at race tracks they've never been to before.

The downside for Europeans is that the product is rather U.S. focused. It
only has high res images of a few European cities, (as well as Tokyo, Hawaii
and bits of South Africa).

Have fun,
Tim

p.s. When I first downloaded this, I found it as ***ive as some people
are finding LFS. I downloaded it at 8PM, and next thing I knew it was 4AM. I
was stuffed the next day!

by **Tom Pabs** » Mon, 26 Aug 2002 01:30:47

Thanks for the heads up on this, Tim. I will definitely give it a look.

TP

by **Mitch_** » Mon, 26 Aug 2002 01:30:10

Tim,

This is so cool. I havent been able to stop playin with it. Highly
recommend this to all.

Mitch

by **Tim Epstei** » Mon, 26 Aug 2002 01:40:36

Sorry, I completly forgot that the free version of this is for PCs with
Nvidia GF2 or higher cards only. Its restricted to Nvidia because of some
sort of co-marketing deal with earthviewer.

by **Tim Epstei** » Mon, 26 Aug 2002 01:59:36

I warned you it was ***ive!

btw - The hi-res track I was referring to before was phoenix, not Atlanta.
The Atlanta track is just outisde the hi-res area.

Imagine this type of streaming being combined with the next version of
Flight Simulator. You could fly along and see the real world beneath you!
Pity the resolution isn't quite up to using this format for the ultimate
road car simulator!

I wonder if it might be possible in the near future though.. The technology
for high speed streaming is there, or could be packed into a DVD-ROM for a
Sim encompassing a city or maybe even state. It could work if you used
aircraft (or blimps) for ultra high resolution photography, using both
stereoscopic camera (mounted at wingtips or each end of blimp) and combined
with highly accurate radar based terrain data. Your application could then
convert this into real time streaming of the scenery, with generated
textures for the actual roads, cars, and maybe close up scenery next to the
roads.

Imagine next generation GPS car navigation systems as well. You could do a
virtual tour of your route before you started. Anyway, I'm getting OT here,
so I'll stop.

> Tim,

> This is so cool. I havent been able to stop playin with it. Highly
> recommend this to all.

> Mitch

> > This was originally a reply to Tom Pabst's thread about Bristol.

> > I'm sure you've probably seen good photos of real tracks that you want
to
> > model, but how about being able to walk them all 3D? ( USA and Japan
only
> in
> > detail for the moment).

> > If you have broadband, try dowloading the 3D earth viewer at
> > www.earthviewer.com You get a 30 day trial, but should be enough to get
> all
> > the pics you want of most tracks.

> > This product is really awesome. Its a 3D rendering of the entire earth,
> > based on high resolution color satellite photos (10 & 2 meter
resolution),
> > down to 1 meter resolution in major urban areas. The really neat thing
is
> > that the 2D photos are combined with highly accurate terrain data by
your
> > client, which then draws everything in correct 3D relief. This will let
> you
> > zoom around in 3D - down to horizontal perspective if you wish. For
> > instance, I'm looking at the speedway at Altanta now, and can clearly
see
> > the banking in 3D as I zoom in.

> > The map data is streamed over the Internet, then cached locally. So, as
> you
> > slowly zoom in, the image builds up and becomes higher and higher
> resolution
> > as you zoom. There is also full overlay of streets and roads if you
like,
> > and full search by address/zip code. You can look at your own house just
> by
> > typing in the address.

> > Anyway - try it out - I think its a fantastic for people who want a good
> > look at race tracks they've never been to before.

> > The downside for Europeans is that the product is rather U.S. focused.
It
> > only has high res images of a few European cities, (as well as Tokyo,
> Hawaii
> > and bits of South Africa).

> > Have fun,
> > Tim

> > p.s. When I first downloaded this, I found it as ***ive as some
people
> > are finding LFS. I downloaded it at 8PM, and next thing I knew it was
4AM.
> I
> > was stuffed the next day!

by DB » Mon, 26 Aug 2002 02:48:17

Only works with Nvidia cards, Seems like a bad standard
to set IMO :)

> I warned you it was ***ive!

> btw - The hi-res track I was referring to before was phoenix, not Atlanta.
> The Atlanta track is just outisde the hi-res area.

> Imagine this type of streaming being combined with the next version of
> Flight Simulator. You could fly along and see the real world beneath you!
> Pity the resolution isn't quite up to using this format for the ultimate
> road car simulator!

> I wonder if it might be possible in the near future though.. The
technology
> for high speed streaming is there, or could be packed into a DVD-ROM for a
> Sim encompassing a city or maybe even state. It could work if you used
> aircraft (or blimps) for ultra high resolution photography, using both
> stereoscopic camera (mounted at wingtips or each end of blimp) and
combined
> with highly accurate radar based terrain data. Your application could then
> convert this into real time streaming of the scenery, with generated
> textures for the actual roads, cars, and maybe close up scenery next to
the
> roads.

> Imagine next generation GPS car navigation systems as well. You could do a
> virtual tour of your route before you started. Anyway, I'm getting OT
here,
> so I'll stop.

> > Tim,

> > This is so cool. I havent been able to stop playin with it. Highly
> > recommend this to all.

> > Mitch

> > > This was originally a reply to Tom Pabst's thread about Bristol.

> > > I'm sure you've probably seen good photos of real tracks that you want
> to
> > > model, but how about being able to walk them all 3D? ( USA and Japan
> only
> > in
> > > detail for the moment).

> > > If you have broadband, try dowloading the 3D earth viewer at
> > > www.earthviewer.com You get a 30 day trial, but should be enough to
get
> > all
> > > the pics you want of most tracks.

> > > This product is really awesome. Its a 3D rendering of the entire
earth,
> > > based on high resolution color satellite photos (10 & 2 meter
> resolution),
> > > down to 1 meter resolution in major urban areas. The really neat thing
> is
> > > that the 2D photos are combined with highly accurate terrain data by
> your
> > > client, which then draws everything in correct 3D relief. This will
let
> > you
> > > zoom around in 3D - down to horizontal perspective if you wish. For
> > > instance, I'm looking at the speedway at Altanta now, and can clearly
> see
> > > the banking in 3D as I zoom in.

> > > The map data is streamed over the Internet, then cached locally. So,
as
> > you
> > > slowly zoom in, the image builds up and becomes higher and higher
> > resolution
> > > as you zoom. There is also full overlay of streets and roads if you
> like,
> > > and full search by address/zip code. You can look at your own house
just
> > by
> > > typing in the address.

> > > Anyway - try it out - I think its a fantastic for people who want a
good
> > > look at race tracks they've never been to before.

> > > The downside for Europeans is that the product is rather U.S. focused.
> It
> > > only has high res images of a few European cities, (as well as Tokyo,
> > Hawaii
> > > and bits of South Africa).

> > > Have fun,
> > > Tim

> > > p.s. When I first downloaded this, I found it as ***ive as some
> people
> > > are finding LFS. I downloaded it at 8PM, and next thing I knew it was
> 4AM.
> > I
> > > was stuffed the next day!

by **jason moy** » Mon, 26 Aug 2002 03:33:53

Is there software that doesn't require an Nvidia card? =)

Jason

>Only works with Nvidia cards, Seems like a bad standard
>to set IMO :)

>> I warned you it was ***ive!

>> btw - The hi-res track I was referring to before was phoenix, not Atlanta.
>> The Atlanta track is just outisde the hi-res area.

>> Imagine this type of streaming being combined with the next version of
>> Flight Simulator. You could fly along and see the real world beneath you!
>> Pity the resolution isn't quite up to using this format for the ultimate
>> road car simulator!

>> I wonder if it might be possible in the near future though.. The
>technology
>> for high speed streaming is there, or could be packed into a DVD-ROM for a
>> Sim encompassing a city or maybe even state. It could work if you used
>> aircraft (or blimps) for ultra high resolution photography, using both
>> stereoscopic camera (mounted at wingtips or each end of blimp) and
>combined
>> with highly accurate radar based terrain data. Your application could then
>> convert this into real time streaming of the scenery, with generated
>> textures for the actual roads, cars, and maybe close up scenery next to
>the
>> roads.

>> Imagine next generation GPS car navigation systems as well. You could do a
>> virtual tour of your route before you started. Anyway, I'm getting OT
>here,
>> so I'll stop.

>> > Tim,

>> > This is so cool. I havent been able to stop playin with it. Highly
>> > recommend this to all.

>> > Mitch

>> > > This was originally a reply to Tom Pabst's thread about Bristol.

>> > > I'm sure you've probably seen good photos of real tracks that you want
>> to
>> > > model, but how about being able to walk them all 3D? ( USA and Japan
>> only
>> > in
>> > > detail for the moment).

>> > > If you have broadband, try dowloading the 3D earth viewer at
>> > > www.earthviewer.com You get a 30 day trial, but should be enough to
>get
>> > all
>> > > the pics you want of most tracks.

>> > > This product is really awesome. Its a 3D rendering of the entire
>earth,
>> > > based on high resolution color satellite photos (10 & 2 meter
>> resolution),
>> > > down to 1 meter resolution in major urban areas. The really neat thing
>> is
>> > > that the 2D photos are combined with highly accurate terrain data by
>> your
>> > > client, which then draws everything in correct 3D relief. This will
>let
>> > you
>> > > zoom around in 3D - down to horizontal perspective if you wish. For
>> > > instance, I'm looking at the speedway at Altanta now, and can clearly
>> see
>> > > the banking in 3D as I zoom in.

>> > > The map data is streamed over the Internet, then cached locally. So,
>as
>> > you
>> > > slowly zoom in, the image builds up and becomes higher and higher
>> > resolution
>> > > as you zoom. There is also full overlay of streets and roads if you
>> like,
>> > > and full search by address/zip code. You can look at your own house
>just
>> > by
>> > > typing in the address.

>> > > Anyway - try it out - I think its a fantastic for people who want a
>good
>> > > look at race tracks they've never been to before.

>> > > The downside for Europeans is that the product is rather U.S. focused.
>> It
>> > > only has high res images of a few European cities, (as well as Tokyo,
>> > Hawaii
>> > > and bits of South Africa).

>> > > Have fun,
>> > > Tim

>> > > p.s. When I first downloaded this, I found it as ***ive as some
>> people
>> > > are finding LFS. I downloaded it at 8PM, and next thing I knew it was
>> 4AM.
>> > I
>> > > was stuffed the next day!

-----
GPLRank 24.50
N2002Rank -12.995

by **ymenar** » Mon, 26 Aug 2002 05:20:22

> I'm sure you've probably seen good photos of real tracks that you want to
> model, but how about being able to walk them all 3D? ( USA and Japan only
in
> detail for the moment).

While Earthviewer is pretty good in terms of large-scale positioning, it's
still far inaccurate for any kind of serious track modeling (F1RC or AMA
Superbike). It can still give an amazingly good representation of where the
major objects are, and how the track "feels".

I'll say that tracks now need to be at least accurate for half a meter in
terms of the track itself, and 1 meter for the objects. I'm not including
here the graphical quality of those objects.

by **Jon Van Ginneke** » Mon, 26 Aug 2002 09:51:39

Is it still the 30 day trial? I registered for this way back in the spring
(it worked with my ATi), but after 30 days it was done...which I knew where
it put all its files and registry entries. :-)

Another piece of software that is nice is Terraexplorer, not as complete for
satelite pics, but actually gives u rough elevation data is at:
www.skylinesoft.com
Like Frank says this stuff isn't really great if u r going out there to be
the perfect traqck creator, but honestly it's the best stuff we got unless
you have surveying instruments. As well as if u wanna make a street circuit
they are very nice tools when coupled with satelite photos from MSN
Homeadvisor's terraexplorer.

Jon

> Sorry, I completly forgot that the free version of this is for PCs with
> Nvidia GF2 or higher cards only. Its restricted to Nvidia because of some
> sort of co-marketing deal with earthviewer.

> > This was originally a reply to Tom Pabst's thread about Bristol.

> > I'm sure you've probably seen good photos of real tracks that you want
to
> > model, but how about being able to walk them all 3D? ( USA and Japan
only
> in
> > detail for the moment).

> > If you have broadband, try dowloading the 3D earth viewer at
> > www.earthviewer.com You get a 30 day trial, but should be enough to get
> all
> > the pics you want of most tracks.

> > This product is really awesome. Its a 3D rendering of the entire earth,
> > based on high resolution color satellite photos (10 & 2 meter
resolution),
> > down to 1 meter resolution in major urban areas. The really neat thing
is
> > that the 2D photos are combined with highly accurate terrain data by
your
> > client, which then draws everything in correct 3D relief. This will let
> you
> > zoom around in 3D - down to horizontal perspective if you wish. For
> > instance, I'm looking at the speedway at Altanta now, and can clearly
see
> > the banking in 3D as I zoom in.

> > The map data is streamed over the Internet, then cached locally. So, as
> you
> > slowly zoom in, the image builds up and becomes higher and higher
> resolution
> > as you zoom. There is also full overlay of streets and roads if you
like,
> > and full search by address/zip code. You can look at your own house just
> by
> > typing in the address.

> > Anyway - try it out - I think its a fantastic for people who want a good
> > look at race tracks they've never been to before.

> > The downside for Europeans is that the product is rather U.S. focused.
It
> > only has high res images of a few European cities, (as well as Tokyo,
> Hawaii
> > and bits of South Africa).

> > Have fun,
> > Tim

> > p.s. When I first downloaded this, I found it as ***ive as some
people
> > are finding LFS. I downloaded it at 8PM, and next thing I knew it was
4AM.
> I
> > was stuffed the next day!

by **Haqsa** » Mon, 26 Aug 2002 12:57:40

If it were possible (and I'm not sure it is) I would say that the track
surface needs to be within a few inches of the proper elevation
everywhere, or it is not going to drive correctly. Crown, little bumps
and dips, and so forth are all features of real tracks that real drivers
have to contend with. If people really want to drive the tracks like
the real drivers, then those features have to be there. It only takes a
little bit of camber to make a huge difference in how you have to drive
the track. Imagine how much different the line at the Glen would be if
the surface were flat across the middle instead of crowned.

rec.autos.simulators

Tip for track editors wanting realism/accuracy

Tip for track editors wanting realism/accuracy

Tip for track editors wanting realism/accuracy

Tip for track editors wanting realism/accuracy

Tip for track editors wanting realism/accuracy

Tip for track editors wanting realism/accuracy

Tip for track editors wanting realism/accuracy

Tip for track editors wanting realism/accuracy

Tip for track editors wanting realism/accuracy

Tip for track editors wanting realism/accuracy

Tip for track editors wanting realism/accuracy