[OSGeo-Discuss] Open Source Viewer for 3D Maps

[Brian Russo]

World Wind - http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/java/

On Tue, Mar 30, 2010 at 4:36 AM, Brent Fraser <bfraser at geoanalytic.com> wrote:
> Landon,
>
>  We've used VTP (vterrain.org) and modified the GUI of it's Enviro viewer to
> be a little more end-user friendly.  VTP does a good job of providing an
> interactive 3d environment of DEM and texture (e.g  satellite image), and
> optionally 3d structure models.  On the downside, you have to author your
> datasets carefully (using VTBuilder) to get good performance, and you have
> to limit your map/model to an extent (it doesn't model a globe, only a
> projection).  There's a ton of 3d modeling info on the VTP web site.
>
>  Ossim (www.ossim.org) has OssimPlanet which DOES model a globe but it can
> be an effort to set up (I've never tried it).
>
>  While we've seen some interest in 3D mapping environments, one difficulty
> is ease of use from the end user's perspective.  They're OK with rendered 3d
> perspective images, and they LIKE "fly-thru" movies of terrain.  But they
> LOVE interactive 3d environments, as long as they navigate with ease (and
> this can be a big problem).
>
>  They mainly care about the terrain (dem+image) and overlaying map data like
> points, lines, and polygons (with styling and annotation).  While we've
> shown demos of including 3d structures models (buildings), it hasn't
> generated much interest.  But then we talk to mapping depts, not
> engineering/construction.
>
> Best Regards,
> Brent Fraser
> GeoAnalytic Inc.
>
>
> Landon Blake wrote:
>>
>> I’m curious if anyone knows of a decent open source viewer for 3D maps.
>> Does such a viewer exist? How widespread is its adoption?
>>
>>
>> I know that Adobe PDF has become a fairly common way to share 2D maps
>> digitally, but I didn’t see a lot on the web about a PDF solution for 3D
>> maps. If you build 3D maps and models as part of your work, how do you share
>> them with your clients and the wider public?
>>
>>
>> Thank you for your thoughts.
>>
>>
>> Landon
>>
>>
>> P.S. – Here are a couple of links I ran across for what appear to be open
>> file formats for 3D models. I’m not sure how applicable they would be to 3D
>> maps:
>>
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COLLADA
>>
>> http://www.web3d.org/about/overview
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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Brian Russo / (808) 271 4166