Development of a photoreal textures scenery

[Guest iannik]

Hi,

I'd like to have some info about the creation of a photoreal scenery. I am posting in different forums so I can collect more informations possible.

I'm a mac user and I use gmaps for mac to download photoreal textures. The options are two:create an overlay or create a mesh. 

1)In the first case the textures will be applied above the original global scenery textures. The result is very good but I have noticed a bad frame rate (due both textures are loaded), objects and woods not properly in position. If possible I'd need to modify in some way the original layer so that the global scenery textures are not loaded in that portion of map, and then edit objects and tree positions.

2)Second options is to create a mesh. Textures will be the same (always at zoom level 17) but I'm not satisfied about the terrain relief, those of x-plane are better. So I'd preferer first option.

Someone with experience may help me and give me his personal suggestion? I'll post some screenshots.

Thank you.

[Ben Russell]

Please do not pursue this subject here.

Google has made it quite clear what the acceptable terms of use are. This is not one of them.

http://www.google.com/intl/en_ALL/help/terms_maps.html

If you can find a legitimate image source that fully allows this use of their images and does not actively pursue and attempt to shut such things down, fine, we can talk.

Until then, no thank you.

[Guest iannik]

I haven't said from where the textures come, so where is the problem?

[Kesomir]

I haven't said from where the textures come, so where is the problem?

I'm a mac user and I use gmaps for mac to download photoreal textures.

[Guest iannik]

..

[Kesomir]

Isn't that the google maps gmaps software?

[Ben Russell]

Prove me wrong and you're free to discuss what you like.

Getting all defensive, while providing no facts, links, or supporting evidence for your defence doesn't help you.

I would actually like to know where there is a legitimate source of photo scenery imagery that you can re-use in this manner.

To the best of my knowledge there isn't one.

I have used Google to search for "gmaps x-plane".

I get this:

http://members.ferrara.linux.it/cavicchi/GMaps/

It says:

This software create a scenary compatible with X-Plane 9.2x (or later) using orthophotos of Google Maps.

*sigh*

[Guest iannik]

..

[Ben Russell]

No. I do not want to discuss this again. I'm very well aware of the numerous other topics on this subject.

Perhaps you might summarize them instead of pissing me off by arguing and lying.

Goodbye.

[Ben Russell]

User has been banned for lying in direct response to a polite cease and desist. Seriously. &^% off.

Feel free to post your arguments against if you have any.

[-TheoGregory]

But i'll throw you a bone.

1. Go to USGS website. Download it your imagery from there.

2. Make a Mesh or no-one will be able to use it...

[tahustvedt]

Chapter 11.III of the X-plane Operation Manual lists gmap as a resource for making sceneries from google maps. Don't be surprised if people don't know what is acceptable or not when it's mentioned as a useful tool by Laminar Research.

[XPAfrica]

Indi, just for information, the team that was formerly running "xoverlays", the service that provides photoreal Gmaps based content for x-plane (now moved here: http://zonephoto.x-plane.fr/ ) for free, had contacted google about these matters and the implications of their fair use policy. The answers remained very vague, indeed we were absolutely certain that the answers were vague on purpose and google just didn't want to get involved as long as there was no true abuse. Google officially knows about these activities, and has not chosen to pursue anyone unless they use this freely accessible content in commercial products. Also google hosts the Gmaps developpement repository as it is a google-code project.

I have read a lot of your comments on that matter here and elsewhere, i must say that i hardly share your position even if it is perfectly understandable.

In my opinion these anti-abuse/fair use policies are made to protect google and the owners of the images from true commercial abuse, not to give them an opportunity to sue anyone who'd go against them without cashing money for it.

There's another point that i may not comlpetely explain publicly yet, involving a well known developer for x-plane, a third party payware scenery producer and one of google's image providers for Google Earth. In the end,  neither google nor the image provider have chosen to pursue the developper after having been tipped off gestapo-style by said payware developper - in my opinion that will be the case as long as people do not try to make money with other people's work.

[olexia]

I am developing a scenery series for British Columbia, and have been able to find free unrestricted official sources for orthophotography, digital elevation models and coastline data without having to search too much. I pan to the area of interest in Google Earth or Google Maps, zoom in close and then look at the copyright data that appears in the viewer window- in my case it says "Copyright Province of British Columbia 1980" or whatever. I use that as my search term and the Province's online publically accessible orthophotos come up. The photos are completely unrestricted and available for use and in the public domain.

So I think there is a misconception about the imagery on Google Maps/Earth, an assumption that it is all paid for by Google. Alot of it, especially the high quality stuff is likely public domain and paid for by some taxpayer or another, not Google. I am sure Google is using the Province's imagery freely, as am I.

[Simmo W]

Similarly with Chris' use of that cool NZ imagery I think. It's only when you want to charge that things get REAL difficult and expensive. I've tried :-) It's like the big boys don't want to know you, unless you're a very large user..