Google Earth

[Scotty T]

I am looking into designing a residential development in the mountains. My first choice of environment is using Google earth plus(?).

 

Where do I start at with a project of this scope?

 

I have the exterior experience with creating landscaping in a still render but I would like to try my hand at a larger scale using a real landscaping as a animation.

 

And how much does Google Earth Plus cost bye the way?

 

If I seem to be starting off on the wrong foot just tell me.

[RyanSpaulding]

To my knowledge, it would be near impossible to model using GE. You could use sketchup, but personally, I'd look into some sort of Cad program and Vue (if you want good mountains).

[Scotty T]

I was afraid of that.

 

I may have to resort back to creating the landscaping around the residents and applying a background.

 

Just growing tired of doing that and was looking for something in a larger scope.

[sterealkey]

You could use Gugila.

 

I personally never used, but I have been reading up about it because its the kind of thing I can use in future.

 

Doing archviz jobs in Africa requires quite a bit of landscape modelling sometimes.

 

Here is a nice tutorial where they explain how to take the terrain data and generate a 3D terrain from it.

 

http://www.gugila.com/gw_tutorial4.html

 

It seems real easy to use, and its quite cool for creating dirt roads etc.

[ricah.lacno]

I have not used it personally but i would be quite interested to know what source you find about it

[Sketchrender]

You could use sketchup and down load the terrain once you have the two open together but the level of tollerence is pretty bad to be honest and you get down a black and white version of the image too.

Just remember google earthier if your screen grabbing it and cropping it in photoshop that google earth curves the image .

Google maps does not.

Stich a map together from. Google maps an photoshop and map it on the terrain model for distant shots it works very well.

But adjust your options in google maps to best quality.

Phil