Darb Dabney’s OpenSim Blog

One thing about these tiny builds is that they’re easy to see from one end to the other, so why not make a video of these miniature builds in Second Life?  I offer this for the amusement of Geospatial Information Service (or Geographic Information Systems if you prefer) folks who may be introducing themselves to immersive 3D.  International GIS Day will be here in a couple of weeks, so I’m posting this now.

 I’ve also challenged myself to improve my video production standards.  Who knows, maybe more than 1300 people will view it if I make it more fun to watch with a bit of editing and title-based metadata?  Nothing deep is intended with the score, it just caught my attention as matching the length of the machinima rushes tonight.

I’ve tried to improve the video with some titles to explain what’s being seen at the Level 1 (bare earth with draped ortho) 1:42-scale build, Level 2 (first-return reflective LiDAR gridded surface with draped ortho) 1:16-scale build, and Level 3 (full immersive 3D vector features in Second Life primitives with real world textures) 1:3-scale build.

If the embedded link does not work, the video is hereколи под наем which is at http://www.youtube.com/v/6joRvDH52jU

The 10th annual GIS day is arriving on 2008 11 19, and an article on the techniques that I’ve been blogging may be published on that day. In anticipation of that article, I’ve taken some time to upload selected strips of the Open Berkurodam model that has been built at 1:1.024 scale on 40 OpenSim simulator regions to Second Life. In that way, many more people may find this work and take a closer look.

In the article are three terms I’m suggesting be used for work that involves translation of GIS data into immersive 3D simulator environments: Level 1 build, Level 2 build, and Level 3 build. Level 1 is like Google Earth or MS Virtual Earth, basically bare earth gridded terrain with draped orthoimagery. Level 2 is what I’ve got as a placeholder in the Open Berkurodam 40-region 1:1-scale build, with a reflective LiDAR gridded surface draped with orthoimagery. Level 3 is just standard immersive 3D vector features that fill so much of Second Life, but in the special case of an immersive 3D build based on GIS-grade scaled mapping of building exteriors and possibly interiors.

The Level 3 build was what inspired my efforts starting back in October 2006 (Darb Dabney just has his second Rez-day celebration), but the Level 2 seems like the most important one for actual civic builds, because the grid of LiDAR data brings full-scale, full coverage data to hold the place and fill the mass of both buildings and trees, until one can afford to create the Level 3 build.

So now at the SIMGIS land in Stanford, there is both a Level 1 model (bare earth terrain with draped orthoimagery) of the entire 40-region sim at a reduced 1:42 scale, as well as a Level 2 model (gridded LiDAR first-return surface with draped orthoimagery) from the Berkeley BART station up Center Street, and on to the UC Berkeley Campus at Mulford Hall at a reduced 1:16 scale. It’s fun to see these tiny models, and it helps to convey some of the value that OpenSim offers those of us who would publish entire cities. A copy of these two models has also been placed in Amida, just across the channel from Gualala.

My selection of that path between BART and Mulford Hall was made to offer an entertaining Level 2 swath for those who would be taking transit to an ASPRS - BAAMA - GIF GIS Day event.

First the view in Second Life from Amida toward Gualala, with my Level 1 (1:42 scale), Level 2 (1:16 scale), and Level 3 (1:3 scale) (full immersive vector features with interiors) models of the downtown Berkkeley BART area. Second is the view of the SIMGIS Stanford site, with the same Level 1 (1/42-scale) and Level 2 (1/16-scale) builds.

Level 1 (1/42 scale) at base, Level 2 (1/16 scale) and Level 3 (1/3 scale) in distanceAnd here's a view of the new SIMGIS Stanford region site, as viewed from Hawthorne region. The Level 1 model 1/42-scale is just above the water, and the Level 2 model 1/16-scale is above it.

Level 1 (1/42-scale) above water, and Level 2 (1/16-scale) above that.

Smal is beautiful, at least on the SL Grid. There seems to be many attractive SL parcels for sale right now and I gave myself a special two-year Rezday present–abandoning a bit of Amida to pounce on a comparable area in the heart of what was originally called the Outlands. I abondoned a comparable area so that I would not raise my tier fees (secured property tax) to Linden Lab. No time to wax poetic tonight, but I’ve wanted this address for two years now. To display some SIMGIS product, I redesigned the 1:25 scale bare-earth model to be a nearly 1:42 scale model and now have copies both in Amida and the new land in Stanford at 248/248.

Although the SL region’s name refers to the same California governor whose land became a nearby university, it is the alley in San Francisco rather than the university that inspired the name. Stanford was the fourth simulator region in the SL mainland grid.

View toward model in Gualala from Amida

New SIMGIS site at Stanford with an early SL map and Level 1 model

There’s been a quiet three weeks here on the OpenSim front. Somehow, I’ve really been adrift since splitting my focus between both OpenSim and the ever-evolving Second Life. It’s hard to put in so many hours of effort configuring up a server and content, and then pop over to Second Life and see the astounding array of stuff at Burning Life on servers that are just there on the grid running great, seemingly all by themselves.

So I just sat back on my neighbor’s chair in Gualala and watched the sun rise over the 1:25 scale model of UC Berkeley in Amida. I pulled my Gridnaut bear out from inventory so I wouldn’t feel quite so lonely.

<<non-technical aside>> This week I’ve been listening to some ~40-year-old versions of a tune called “Just a hand to hold” from a near-infinite source, which are beautiful but not exactly peppy and uplifting. For the clearest of ovices, here’s how Judy Collins sang it. In fact, a Google search belies Spoelstra’s lyrics slightly–the victim was four, although lyricized as six years old, and lost on New Year’s day 1964.

Watching a sunrise with my Gridnaut bear

I’ve had some folks enjoy the sight of the draped LiDAR data, but most people look for photoreal textures on the sides of each structure. It does seem like there’s progress on that front from Earthmine among others, but it’s not like there’s squared-up textures just sitting around to paste on the sides of the LiDAR drapes. So for now, waiting doesn’t seem all that bad. Maybe tomorrow? Continue Reading »