DEM's and Borders the Easy Way

[Dickieboy]

I am absolutely definitely NOT looking at another map before I've even released the one I have spent 3 years working on honest. BUT... 😉

I have downloaded a few Lidar files from DEFRA and put them into Google. Where they meet there's a very obvious join/gap. I'm assuming that I need to get the files merged in some way, and have tried to bring them into MicroDem but it gives me a message about missing GDAL and then tells me it can't. the files I have are 1m tif's. Is there a way to do this or not do you know Wrinkley?

[WrinkleysRule]

I stopped using microdem as I couldn't get it to work correctly with the OS CRS 27700.

I now use QGIS for any dems needed which is a fully functioning geospatial programme and allows all sorts of plugins including Google Earth/Open Street map overlays

It takes a bit of getting used to but is worth it in the end.

PM me the 1m grid references and I will merge them up into a tif and png file for you if you want

Will also PM you regarding QGIS --

[c.christensen98]

On 3/23/2024 at 9:09 AM, WrinkleysRule said:

I stopped using microdem as I couldn't get it to work correctly with the OS CRS 27700.

I now use QGIS for any dems needed which is a fully functioning geospatial programme and allows all sorts of plugins including Google Earth/Open Street map overlays

It takes a bit of getting used to but is worth it in the end.

PM me the 1m grid references and I will merge them up into a tif and png file for you if you want

Will also PM you regarding QGIS --

Hey Wrinkleys! I have been working hard the past few days to follow your DEM mapping tutorial and I finally was able to get the weights in (for the most part), and get the border into the map. However, I was having trouble getting my border to align with the terrain of my map. It appears that the border I used in blender didn't end up having any kind of depth (remained completely flat after importing into giants editor). Is there a common issue you may know of, or why this may happen? The area is relatively flat, so I figured that could be a part of it, but there are some rolling hills and whatnot, so I imagined there would be some kind of difference in height.

[WrinkleysRule]

Did you follow the new tutorial for Blender 2.93 and above on page three of this topic.

[c.christensen98]

1 hour ago, WrinkleysRule said:

Did you follow the new tutorial for Blender 2.93 and above on page three of this topic.

Oh wow, I had no clue that there was a new tutorial. This is great news! Thank you for directing me, I appreciate that a lot.

I suppose another question I had is that in Google Earth Pro, when selecting and highlighting roads and turning sunlight as low as possible, it highlights the roads correctly, but it appears that there is no way to turn off the roads from being labeled (despite ensuring that all labels are off beside roads). Is this just a downfall of current versions of google earth?

[WrinkleysRule]

Unfortunately there is no way to turn off the road labels but you can reduce the size of the font by Tools --Options --3D Font and selecting the smallest size and Apply.

I will add a rider to the main tutorial regarding the new method for later versions of Blender.

[c.christensen98]

That is great, thank you! I hope you know what a fantastic resource this is. You've done a great job and it is awesome how much you help and interact with the community. It inspires a lot of us to learn how to contribute to something we all enjoy, so thank you for being a positive catalyst!

[deboy130]

Anyone know what size image I need for overlaying onto a 45x map?

 

[c.christensen98]

@WrinkleysRule Is it common for DEM's to just appear as a white or black image? I find that when I download my .tif files and DEM's following the tutorial, it seems like they don't apply right away, and when importing them into google earth, it shows up as a blank white square. 

[WrinkleysRule]

@c.christensen98, see the note in the Microdem section of the tutorial

Note:
Some SRTM’a display a completely white images in Google Earth, if this happens open the SRTM in Microdem and follow the above steps to modify the Display Parameters.

[WrinkleysRule]

@deboy130

As far as I'm aware you cannot create a 45x map all maps have to be to ^2 i.e 2,4,8,16,32 64 etc

see this list of map dem/gdm/grle sizes required for the various size maps (courtesy of Bonger76)

Normal map size
1. densityMap_fruits: 4096x4096
2. densityMap_ground: 4096x4096
3. densityMap_height: 4096x4096
4. densityMap_stones: 4096x4096
5. densityMap_weed: 4096x4096
6. infoLayer_farmland: 1024x1024
7. infoLayer_indoorMask: 4096x4096
8. infoLayer_navigationCollision: 2048x2048
9. infoLayer_placementCollisionGenerated: 1024x1024
10. infoLayer_tipCollision: 4096x4096
11. infoLayer_tipCollisionGenerated: 4096x4096
12. map_dem: 1025x1025

4x map size
1. densityMap_fruits: 8192x8192
2. densityMap_ground: 8192x8192
3. densityMap_height: 8192x8192
4. densityMap_stones: 8192x8192
5. densityMap_weed: 8192x8192
6. infoLayer_farmland: 2048x2048
7. infoLayer_indoorMask: 8192x8192
8. infoLayer_navigationCollision: 4096x4096
9. infoLayer_placementCollisionGenerated: 2048x2048
10. infoLayer_tipCollision: 8192x8192
11. infoLayer_tipCollisionGenerated: 8192x8192
12. map_dem: 2049x2049


16x map size
1. densityMap_fruits: 16384x16384
2. densityMap_ground: 16384x16384
3. densityMap_height: 16384x16384
4. densityMap_stones: 16384x16384
5. densityMap_weed: 16384x16384
6. infoLayer_farmland: 4096x4096
7. infoLayer_indoorMask: 16384x16384
8. infoLayer_navigationCollision: 8192x8192
9. infoLayer_placementCollisionGenerated: 4096x4096
10. infoLayer_tipCollision: 16384x16384
11. infoLayer_tipCollisionGenerated: 16384x16384
12. map_dem: 4097x4097

[c.christensen98]

8 hours ago, WrinkleysRule said:

@c.christensen98, see the note in the Microdem section of the tutorial

Note:
Some SRTM’a display a completely white images in Google Earth, if this happens open the SRTM in Microdem and follow the above steps to modify the Display Parameters.

I have done so, and at the z-range portion, it makes the DEM appear all white again when I do the conversion. In this case, my DEM when clicking specified has values of (Min - 674, Max - 2000). When doing the math for the giants editor that would put the terrain between 85 - 255. I am wondering if after putting in the new z-range if the DEM should look completely white or not.

[WrinkleysRule]

@c.christensen98

Pm me the coordinates of your Geo. tiff (ie. n51_w003_1arc) and the site you downloaded it from and I will see what is going on with this continuing 'whiteout'.

[c.christensen98]

11 minutes ago, WrinkleysRule said:

@c.christensen98

Pm me the coordinates of your Geo. tiff (ie. n51_w003_1arc) and the site you downloaded it from and I will see what is going on with this continuing 'whiteout'.

I sent it. I downloaded for USGS Earth Explorer.

[harvey]

Hey guys, 

 

im redoing my dem trying to use the British LiDAR information, as it’s a 16x map I’m kinda brain hurt as not only have I got 26 different tiffs, I have below sea level areas down to like -10 and areas upwards of 315m (google earth) on some of the outside borders, I’ve been trying my best going over and over to no brake through, obviously I was hoping I could just import the tifs into google earth (which I have). and just copy that layout into a dem but for obvious reasons it’s too hilly (Mendip hills to Somerset levels) if you could point me in the right direction I would be grateful as going in circles for 20 hours isn’t the best 

thanks

MARVVV

[WrinkleysRule]

To get a proper dem you will need to combine all the 26 tiifs into one single tiff using a programm such as QGIS this will then even out the different shadings and gaps usually found when importing UK lidar directly into Google Earth.

The following is one combining method using QGIS

QGIS
download from here
https://qgis.org/en/site/ --approx 1.2gb

Once downloaded/installed in the folder QGIS 3.36.0 select QGIS Desktop 3.36.0
select Plugins
You now require the following plugins
Virtual Raster Builder -- may need to be reinstalled (without uninstalling) to remove error message
go2streetview
Google Earth Engine
Grass GIS provider
KML Tools
LAStools
Raster Cutter

Once you have the plugins installed Select Project -- Properties - CRS and ensure the EPSG:27700 - OSGB36/ British National Grid
is selected (tip in filter type 27700 to bring up the correct entry to select) this setting is important for alignment between the different CRS of Google and OSGB which causes the splits between rasters when imported directly into Google Earth.
Next Settings -- Rendering -- Raster -- Contrast Enhancement -- Single Band Grey --Stretch to min/Max --selected in dropdown
Drag and drop all the Defra tif images into the the main screen they will open in seperate Layers
Now select Raster -- Miscellaneous --Build Virtual Raster
At the end of the Input Layers box select the 3 dots this will bring up another pop up with a list of all the layers in your Layers panel
Select All then Run
A new Layer will appear named Virtual with all the selected Layers merged into one image with the correct brightness/contrast
To save this virtual file as a tif right click on it Export -- Save As
in the 'Save Raster Layer as' pop up
Select Rendered Image
Select the three dots at the end of the filename box to open a file browser add file name Save
and in Save Raster layer pop up select OK
Open Google Earth and drag drop new file into it

NOTE: The CRS EPSG:27700 - OSGB36/British National Grid setting only applies to UK Lidar for any other SRTM Tiff the setting has to be changed to match that tiffs CRS.

 

[harvey]

Hi again 

thank you so much for that got it done quickly and easily, i learn more complex stuff from you than all of my teachers and you make it so easy.

 

im now stuck on my borders not lining up, i have uploaded a zip to google drive, it includes the tiff, the refrence lines for google maps, a blender file (3.6) and dems for the border with the cover textures. My dem is a 12km terrain squeezed into a think an 8x as my plane doesn’t line up as 16344 or 8192 scale 

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xGHILKeVGOTzGvmywCtdBNFsqdctoEYk/view?usp=drivesdk
 

Could you please guide me as to where im going wrong 

 

thanks

 

MARVVV

[WrinkleysRule]

I am a bit confused as to what you are trying to achieve, if you want a 'farm' area of 12k x 12k then simply create a 16k x 16k map and only use the 12k x 12k section leaving the 4k surplus as a border area then if rquired add a further border mesh to get the overall 20k x 20k area you seem to want (judging by your KMZ files).

[Jacer_Shepherd]

You can look at Morris as an example of a 12km playable area hosted on a 16X map. It is on itchio. Just Google/Bing:  FS22 Morris Manitoba Map