Accessing population data

[goldfarb]

while shape fine would be useful to some I think a more standard 3d file format would be better at first - something that can support groups and attributes etc...
obj I guess...HDF5 is interesting

[RArcher]

Hi Jo,

The shape files would have to be tied into the georeferencing features.  I would love to use both point data for locating things (whether that is individual trees, or traffic signs, light poles or whatever) as well as area features for tree coverages, marsh land, etc. etc.

I've got lots of ideas for expanding the georeferencing side of things, just make a thread somewhere and I'll fill up a few pages 

[cyphyr]

I know CityEngine uses shape files for importing and defining areas. I've just bought a copy and will start experimenting when I return to my main computer. CityEngine is node locked and therefore I'm holding off till I can install on the more powerfull system. I'll report back once I've had an experiment.
Richard

[Eikers]

As for my self I keep vegetation data in shape files and I gladly propose this as an exchange format candidate.

what do you mean by that?

Geographic surveys are becoming ever more detailed with the use of airborne sensors such as LiDAR. The most common product from such surveys are hi-res terrain models. Information about the vegetation can also be derived either as grids or as points. A trees point theme contains measured position (x,y,z), height, species and maybe some more depending on the end use. Other sources of point vegetation data includes processing of aerial photos and some cities even map urban trees from the ground. This information is typically stored as shape files or dxf for Auto CAD.
   

[Henry Blewer]

I have been interested in land data myself. It's an area that land surveyors, architects, and engineers locally don't do well. It's a niche I would like to fill. There is potentially lots of money which can be made rendering photo realistic surveys and visualization.

[Eikers]

I would love to use both point data for locating things (whether that is individual trees, or traffic signs, light poles or whatever) as well as area features for tree coverages, marsh land, etc. etc.

Hi RArcher,
I could not have said it better!
Points are very versatile and could perhaps be used as a support when drawing masks as well? But yes, using area features directly would be better.

Hi Jo,
I am interested in visualizing real world nature data, including measured trees. This can be done in other applications, but it always looks very stylistic and the closer you get to the trees in a scene the emptier it becomes. So using TG2 to fill in the blanks in the geographic info by creating more detail with terrain displacements and shader effects as well as plant populations and other objects would greatly improve the visual quality and versatility of such scenes.

Another way of using shape files (or GIS data in general) would be to symbolize them as more traditional map icons inside a landscape scene. Say you have a bunch of campsites. These could be shown as a population of a "campsite looking 3D object" marking their location. An advanced map or map enabled 3D landscape don't necessarily need more GIS input than a coarse terrain model and a water mask. With the procedural powers in TG2 I simply think there are many creative possibilities when merging real world data with photorealism and procedural detailing.

I think I may be well off topic by now, so I'll stop. Sorry about that cyphyr and thank you anyway.

Erik.