Earlier Version of Google_api3_Satellite Tile Server

[kmanning]

Hi Dick,

I was just wondering if it's possible to download and install an earlier version of the Google_api3_Satellite Tile Server. I'm just wasting my time trying to fix all these problems and somehow my Baptist Montclair Sketchup model got broken severely. I get the Bug Splat message and warnings that the model has problems that cannot be fixed. When I export the model into Model Converter X, the model does not even show up after it has completed. When I export the model from Sketchup, all the textures are not exported and some of them wind up missing. It's just all kinds of problems, one after the other. The model was created in Windows 7 back in 2019 but now I have Windows 10 Pro.

The reason I need an earlier tile version is because the very model I'm working on, they are tearing it down, and much of it is gone now. Even in SbuilderX in all satellite servers, they all show about the same image. That means I'll need to find an earlier image, before the crew came in and tore down the buildings. It's possible I can use google earth pro but I have to go through all the trouble of scaling it and everything and there's no way to place the ground polys in the exact location. So, I hope I can find an earlier image for SbuilderX so that I'll have a ground image that's accurate to place in Sketchup. I have the image I created in SbuilderX but I cannot find the text file I need, and I don't want to scale it and everything because it won't be as perfect.

Ken.

 

[rhumbaflappy]

The tile server just grabs the current tile. For historical imagery, you'd need Google Earth.

 

[kmanning]

The tile server just grabs the current tile. For historical imagery, you'd need Google Earth.

It seems to me that they would keep and place historical images in an archive. I know I could probably add the image into SbuilderX but that requires already knowing the exact coordinates so that I won't have to scale and position the image. Do you know of a free satellite downloader site where I can download historical images that come with a text with the 4 coordinates? I know Earth Explorer or USGS do not provide the WGS84 projection I need. I've tried FS Earth Tile Server but they have the same image as the others. I wish there was a way an image can be used in google earth pro and be be able to insert the exact coordinates into SbuildingX, just as though you were getting the Image From Background in SbuilderX.

Ken.

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Ken:

IIUC, you refer to the 3D model at the location cited in this thread:

How Do I model Buildings that are on Sloping Terrains

Hi Gary, Below is a Sketchup project I've been working on for weeks now, and it's the Baptist Montclair Hospital which is 3 mile south of runway 36/18: There are about 6 or 7 buildings that occupy the project and sits on a hill 3 miles south of the airport. It being on a hill, and where...

www.fsdeveloper.com

If the Sketchup 3D model has changed substantially from the one you linked to on MediaFire via a PM with me on September 20, 2019, send me a link to the newest one via PM, and I'll take a look at it for you.


Regarding Google Earth historical imagery as a texture source for a terrain or 3D model Material (...that is not intended for public release):

* What date prior to that shown by default in Google Earth Desktop Edition

...and:

* What size of a surrounding area

...are you wanting to use in FS for the above cited 3D model site ?


Are you wanting to make a:

* A custom photo-real land class texture imagery BGL via SDK Resample

...or instead:

* A small local 3D model "terrain skirt" or G-Poly via Sketchup and MCX ...textured with the historical imagery?


PS: Is this for:

* FSX

...or instead for:

* a specific numeric version of P3D ?

GaryGB

 

[kmanning]

Hi Ken:

IIUC, you refer to the 3D model at the location cited in this thread:

How Do I model Buildings that are on Sloping Terrains

Hi Gary, Below is a Sketchup project I've been working on for weeks now, and it's the Baptist Montclair Hospital which is 3 mile south of runway 36/18: There are about 6 or 7 buildings that occupy the project and sits on a hill 3 miles south of the airport. It being on a hill, and where...

www.fsdeveloper.com

If the Sketchup 3D model has changed substantially from the one you linked to on MediaFire via a PM with me on September 20, 2019, send me a link to the newest one via PM, and I'll take a look at it for you.

Hi Gary,

Sorry it took me long to get back to you. Let me make sure you understand. I don't want the new satellite view where constructions workers have already demolished much of the hospital, but I want to old original view. I've created and completed this entire project a few years back, and I've saved that project for future re-installations. A few weeks ago, I've tried to reinstall the project and I was having all kinds of problems with it, and I don't know what happened to it. I've created the project in Windows 7 using Sketchup 8.0. I exported it a both a kmz and a callada file, and neither one would work in MCX. It either had missing textures or the model would not even show up in MCX. I would even get the but spat screen and I had all kinds of warnings in MCX. I don't know if you read my post there discussing these problems, but here's the link to that post:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/t...model-part-when-importing.455078/#post-900781

I got tired of wasting my time trying to fix all of this that I thought I would just create a new one, this time, in Sketchup 2017. When I tried to get an image from SbuilderX, it shows the current image where constructions workers had already demolished the much of the buildings. I could get the old image from google earth but there's know way to get the coordinates so that the image wold be the correct size and be WGS84 projection as it would in SbuilderX. I've already stared my new project in Sketchup 2017, but what I had to do was get measurements of certain points of the building, in both width and height directions, and use that to scale it in Sketchup. That was the only way I could get the size to at least be close. Dick said that they only grab current versions of the maps so there's no way to get the older images and with the text coordinates.

I haven't been able to find an image, going back just a few years, for example, 2000, 2010, or anytime prior to the demolition. If it's where you can get me a satellite image that is projected correctly for SbuilderX and be able t get the text coordinates, please do that for me. Let me know if there's anything you want me to send you by PM.

Ken.

Regarding Google Earth historical imagery as a texture source for a terrain or 3D model Material (...that is not intended for public release):

* What date prior to that shown by default in Google Earth Desktop Edition

Anytime before the demolition of the hospital.

* What size of a surrounding area

The entire Medical Center area that also includes the parking deck. I can post an example.

...are you wanting to use in FS for the above cited 3D model site ?

Yes. Only for FS, for my personal use.

Are you wanting to make a:

* A custom photo-real land class texture imagery BGL via SDK Resample

...or instead:

* A small local 3D model "terrain skirt" or G-Poly via Sketchup and MCX ...textured with the historical imagery?

Probably a small local 3D model terrain skirt will be fine for now. I do have software that's called FS Earth, and it's where I can download tiles.

PS: Is this for:

* FSX

...or instead for:

* a specific numeric version of P3D ?

Well, I'm creating the model for FSX, but it seems to me it should work in P3D just fine. Are there differences in how they install?

Ken.

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Ken:

Google Earth Desktop Edition still has the imagery you may wish to use (but you may need to capture the current version ASAP).

Do NOT enable "Historical Imagery" mode (Clock Icon) on Google Earth Desktop Edition Icon Toolbar ...to visualize in default mode.

https://www.google.com/earth/versions/


After download and installation, be certain to configure Google Earth desktop addition as follows:

Google Earth Desktop Edition Menu > Tools > Options > {3D View} tab > Terrain:

* Elevation Exaggeration (also scales 3D buildings and trees) [ 1 ]

* check: Use high-quality terrain (disable for quicker resolution and faster rendering)

* check: Use 3D Imagery (disable to use legacy 3D buildings).


The general work-flow would be something such as this:

Simply capture a screenshot with all labels disabled in Google Earth Desktop Edition SideBar.


Google Earth Desktop Edition Menu > Edit > Copy Image


Paste from the Windows ClipBoard into Windows Paint (or your favorite graphics application).

Save the screenshot as a *.TIF or a standard (non-DXT) Windows *.BMP.


Alternatively, save a larger format *.JPG image:

Google Earth Desktop Edition Menu > File > Save > Save Image

Configure as desired to disable labels via [Map Options], and select 'Maximum' output size via [Resolution]; then click [Save Image]


Import the image into Sketchup as a Texture for use as a Material on a "Terrain Skirt" that can be used to make a 3D model or G-Poly.


You can grab screenshots in the new LiDAR-derived 3D model mode within Google Earth to use as textures on your existing 3D model.

You can measure using the Ruler {3D Path} tab in Google Earth, so that you know how to size / scale your Sketchup model (if needed).


Remember: In Sketchup, if you export a 3D model as a Google Earth *.KMZ, it can be loaded / displayed in Google Earth in 3D view.


If you extend the base depth of buildings in this 3D model, you can simply sink the 3D model into default FS terrain when you place it.


FYI: Technically, there is a way to import 3D buildings from Google Earth into Blender, but that's a story in itself (...I have not tried it).


BTW: your existing Sketchup 3D model cited above is likely to import / export via MCX if you are inclined to use it instead of rebuilding.

You may merely need to update the 'texture path' so MCX knows where to find the mapped textures, then convert them appropriately



PS: Is there a particular reason that you need / want to import a Geo-rectified (calibrated) image of that site into SBuilderX ?

GaryGB

 

[kmanning]

PS: Is there a particular reason that you need / want to import a Geo-rectified (calibrated) image of that site into SBuilderX ?

Hi Gary,

I have the google earth pro and had it for years, and it's all configured as you explained. As to why I want a Geo-rectified calibrated image is because SbuilderX always require you to calibrate the map if it's not already Geo-rectified, and there's no way to get the exact coordinated needed to calibrate it correctly.

Ken.

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Ken:

If you make a 3D model "terrain skirt" or G-Poly textured with the local imagery, and use it along with a CVX vector flatten, do you still need to drape the local surrounding terrain with a custom photo-real land class BGL made in SBuilderX ?

If so, how large of a surrounding area do you plan to cover with a custom photo-real land class BGL made in SBuilderX ?

GaryGB

 

[kmanning]

Hi Ken:

If you make a 3D model "terrain skirt" or G-Poly textured with the local imagery, and use it along with a CVX vector flatten, do you still need to drape the local surrounding terrain with a custom photo-real land class BGL made in SBuilderX ?

If so, how large of a surrounding area do you plan to cover with a custom photo-real land class BGL made in SBuilderX ?

GaryGB

Hi Gary,

I think so, but it's not all that important right now. But regarding the area of coverage, I will just cover the entire area around the hospital project. I guess that's what you're looking for.

Ken.

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Ken:

Are you using FS default land class textures with Autogen in all other areas outside the specific landmarks you are 3D modeling ?

AFAIK, you would end up manually annotating Autogen for any custom photo-real imagery land class tiles you made for FSX / P3D.

Baptist Montclair Hospital is in a heavily-wooded area, and you would be less likely to see the ground outside the adjacent paved areas, so I'm not so sure it is worth the effort to make a small tile of custom photo-real imagery land class for the contiguous Hospital grounds.


BTW: If you have not yet purchased MSFS-2020, here's how this site looks (as detailed as the 3D model in Google Earth ...if not moreso).

The more I fly MSFS-2020, the less I can see any point in allocating time to developing for the prior version(s) of FS.

Even if making an older version of KBHM, the work saved by building on top of MSFS-2020 default scenery ...may offset SDK learning time.

GaryGB

 

[kmanning]

Hi Ken:

Are you using FS default land class textures with Autogen in all other areas outside the specific landmarks you are 3D modeling ?

Yes. But if there are tress or some buildings that are not suppose to be there, I just exclude them using ADE.

AFAIK, you would end up manually annotating Autogen for any custom photo-real imagery land class tiles you made for FSX / P3D.

Baptist Montclair Hospital is in a heavily-wooded area, and you would be less likely to see the ground outside the adjacent paved areas, so I'm not so sure it is worth the effort to make a small tile of custom photo-real imagery land class for the contiguous Hospital grounds.

I'm not going to worry with it now but I will do it latter. I guess I've been doing it correctly.

BTW: If you have not yet purchased MSFS-2020, here's how this site looks (as detailed as the 3D model in Google Earth ...if not moreso).

The more I fly MSFS-2020, the less I can see any point in allocating time to developing for the prior version(s) of FS.

Even if making an older version of KBHM, the work saved by building on top of MSFS-2020 default scenery ...may offset SDK learning time.

GaryGB

Yes, I agree with you and the scenery really looks great. Is that the way it looks in the sim, without google earth, because my brother has the MSFS 2020 and the scenery is basically default, just like FSX or P3D. How do you get it to look like the google earth 3D in MSFS 2020? I haven't purchased the MSFS 2020 yet but I'm planning to do so. What irritates me about purchasing a new sim is that one has to go and purchase more aircraft and scenery addons purchased from sites like, FSDream Team, Flightbeam, PMDG, and many others. Will you give me some details about this sim and how it works? I've been to their website but I don't see anything that shows real photo scenery images like the one you're showing here.

Ken.

 

[GaryGB]

Yes, I agree with you and the scenery really looks great. Is that the way it looks in the sim, without google earth, because my brother has the MSFS 2020 and the scenery is basically default, just like FSX or P3D. How do you get it to look like the google earth 3D in MSFS 2020? I haven't purchased the MSFS 2020 yet but I'm planning to do so.

What irritates me about purchasing a new sim is that one has to go and purchase more aircraft and scenery addons purchased from sites like, FSDream Team, Flightbeam, PMDG, and many others.

Will you give me some details about this sim and how it works? I've been to their website but I don't see anything that shows real photo scenery images like the one you're showing here.

Ken.

My latter screenshot above is from an actual KBHM MSFS-2020 flight, and uses only the default scenery (aside from a seasonal tree add-on).

Yes, the scenery for MSFS is now closer to being "As Real As It Gets" ...when compared to FSX / P3D.

If you have even a basic version of MSFS 2020 installed and have an internet connection that is 'slow' (but faster than dial-up) you should still be able to manually pre-cache and display custom 3D objects / photo-grammetry (autogen) objects / and photo-real imagery ground textures during flight sessions.

If MSFS 2020 is not able to access the internet at required minimum speeds, or if certain firewall permissions are disabled ...it switches to land class mode.

AFAIK, MSFS briefly "phones home" at startup, then checks for updates; the only time one needs a fast connection is during initial installation, unless one is otherwise willing to tolerate a slower download of the 80+ GB core installer for 12 to 18 hours.

BTW: Initial download size requirement is smaller now, as MSFS allows one to pick-and-choose what content will remain installed via the 'Content Manager'.

In the areas I tested, the MSFS 2020 land class textures were not as good as those used in FSX / P3D, but obviously one would want to always use the default MSFS streamed / pre-cached photo-real ground textures and photo-grammetry scenery content instead.

MSFS' rendering engine provides all 3D object / terrain object sunlight-associated directional shadows, including skylight Ambient Occlusion (aka "AO").

MSFS' default airport infrastructure RWY / Taxiway / Apron objects are available for use by the live in-sim SDK GUI mode and/or ADE, and utilize ultra-high detail PBR types of texture materials; thus via ADE you should be able to Exclude / Replace MSFS-2020's default KBHM with a 1970's-era airport relatively easily.

Sketchup has a PBR-enabled plugin Ruby script which outputs MSFS and MCX compatible 3D model and texture material file formats.

IMHO, the basic version is adequate for most users, although 'heavy' aircraft fliers / big airport lovers may wish to get the deluxe premium version.

FYI: I built a new computer to get 2X more FPS, but I could already run MSFS 2020 with 24 - 30 FPS performance on my older FSX / P3D hardware.


IMHO, you are likely to be much happier with the scenery in MSFS 2020 compared to all prior versions of FS.

The water and roads are blended photo-real, and most world landmarks / major city buildings are now custom modeled as well.

You may not believe your eyes when you see how many scenery details can be displayed without stutters by MSFS' rendering engine.


The realistic default scenery "out of the box" has the potential to save FS Developers a lot of work and time ...to offset MSFS 2020 SDK's learning curve.

As with SDK's for prior FS versions, MSFS 2020's SDK still has "growing pains", but apparently now MS-Asobo is actively working on it every month.

GaryGB