Modeling a City from Photos!

[ShaunDon]

Hey guys!

 

We've got a couple aerial renderings that are going to require a fairly sizable chunk of the city to be modeled around the proposed building. I know that Microsoft uses modeling algorithms to produce city models based off aerial survey photos for it's Bing 3D map, but is there any software available that would do something similar, without too much human intervention?

 

I'm aware of PhotoModeler as one such software that lets a user generate a model from a photo, but I'm hoping to find something that can handle a more massive scale where accuracy isn't quite as important. Any thoughts?

 

Thanks!

Shaun

[Chad Warner]

How about this:

 

http://www.cgarchitect.com/news/newsfeed.asp?nid=4490

[quizzy]

shaun, what city is it?

CityEngine is not for modelling from photographs like imagemodeler or photomodeler. I also dont think its very suitable to QUICKLY model excisting buildings unless you have a lot of information of every single building. It is a very nice and quick way to model cities that dont exsist. (please correct if I'm wrong)

I hope GE ha your city in 3D.. then you can easily rip it..

[ShaunDon]

Thanks Chad, I remember looking at that program. I had dismissed because the demos looked like it only did generic cities from maps like Michiel said -- but if there isn't anything out there to do exactly what we need, that may be a better solution. The other reason we want a photo modeler is so the aerial photos get applied the surface of the buildings so they're at least roughly textured.

 

We need to model about a square mile or so of downtown New Orleans. I'm really surprised that there isn't a development model available -- we do a lot of work in Boston, and they've had a 3D mass model available for planning purposes for years. With all the rebuilding work that's happening in New Orleans I would have thought they'd have one by now. The model in Google Earth is pretty sketchy -- only a dozen or so buildings completed with photo modeling, and the rest of the massing is pretty basic. We also don't want to run afoul of copyrights by ripping data from GE -- I've heard it's technically possible, but still outside the terms of use.

 

My boss found this concept product that's being developed and looks very promising, but it's not been released yet. The same company makes this program that I came across yesterday -- not nearly as useful for what we're trying to do unfortunately.

 

Thanks guys! We'll keep searching for a solution.

Shaun

 

ps... CityEngine is really amazing, but costs as much as a license of 3ds max... I don't think that's going to be our solution!

Edited June 12, 2009 by ShaunDon

[vizwhiz]

have you checked out?

 

Precision Lightworks' Nverse Photo

 

http://www.precisionlightworks.com/

 

gallery of Images at

 

http://plwmodelworks.com/

 

other PLW links

 

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS323&q=Precision+Lightworks%E2%80%99++Nverse+Photo+&btnG=Search&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

Edited June 12, 2009 by vizwhiz

[Ernest Burden III]

The model in Google Earth is pretty sketchy -- only a dozen or so buildings completed with photo modeling, and the rest of the massing is pretty basic. We also don't want to run afoul of copyrights by ripping data from GE -- I've heard it's technically possible, but still outside the terms of use.

 

MIcrosoft's VirtualEarth has great coverage, see attached screenies. The models are pretty accurate, though far from perfect, and the textures are OK but sometimes downright scary up-close. The model is rip-able. I would agree that using it is probably outside of the EULA. But what about using it as a base for creating your own model? I don't know, but maybe that's possible. use a 3D RIP as a guide and model all new geometry over it. Get your aerial photos and create a texture map for each building and then UV map it onto the mass you've built. Are we not supposed to save a GoogleEarth or VirtualEarth aerial map and use it as a texture? What are our limits with this on-line data?

[Ernest Burden III]

Of course, you can get a head-start with free models from:

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?mid=b188e099965285e0953e21a8b94b51ad

 

a few more if you search for 'new orleans' in models.

[Ernest Burden III]

Or, you could simply BUY a textured model of NOLA that bears a striking resemblance to the VirtualEarth one:

http://www.3dcadbrowser.com/preview.aspx?ModelCode=25334

 

Gee, I wonder where that came from. Don't ask. Just buy it, let them answer any questions about ripping from VE.

[Chad Warner]

I tried in vain to get a model off of VE for some project awhile back, but was never successful.

[Inxa]

Ernest - Those models won't be very helpful you if one needs closer shots. Isn't it.

 

Ofcourse according to the need I don't suppose very detailed buildings are needed.

 

Great links and helpful information, thanks.

[quizzy]

Shaun,

 

Ripping from VE and GE is indeed out of terms of use, but most of the models used in GE you can find in the sketchup warehouse and are free to use..

 

btw: this is how we modelled a large part of a city: http://www.3idee.nl/google

[Nic H]

MIcrosoft's VirtualEarth has great coverage, see attached screenies. The models are pretty accurate, though far from perfect, and the textures are OK but sometimes downright scary up-close. The model is rip-able. I would agree that using it is probably outside of the EULA. But what about using it as a base for creating your own model? I don't know, but maybe that's possible. use a 3D RIP as a guide and model all new geometry over it. Get your aerial photos and create a texture map for each building and then UV map it onto the mass you've built. Are we not supposed to save a GoogleEarth or VirtualEarth aerial map and use it as a texture? What are our limits with this on-line data?

 

if it is available use it, dont worry about the eula (imo)