Mapping Airports/Scenery as a community

[tonywob 4,768]

Hi Simmers

 

I'm putting out an idea here to see if it's something people would be interested in doing and participating in. Basically, it's a way we can build up better scenery as a community of flight simmers (and other simulators which will use the data). The idea would work like this:

 

1) Each week (or time period) we all vote on an area around an airport (or it could be just an interesting area) which isn't well-mapped on OSM. Generally this means quite a large part of the US, Canada, Australia, NZ and also many parts of the UK, Spain, etc.. I'm not sure how we could nominate which airports, but we can think up this.

 

2) Each participant takes a small area to map. If it's just fields and woodlands then the area can be larger, for towns, it's best to have a small area. That person then traces the woodland, farmland, buildings and other features (I'll write a guide on what to map and how). This could takes anywhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours per person (based on experience editing OSM).

 

The effect of this editing is the following:

 

1) Next time Andras or LR regenerate their mesh scenery, the improvements made will appear in the simulator. Mapping roads, rivers, streams etc really helps improve the mesh.

 

2) World2XPlane will also use the data, and I'm sure I can make the area available for download once we've done (or via Simheaven). World2XPlane will make use of the fields, woodland, buildings, streams etc. There are plenty of examples on my website to see the results of this.

 

3) I'm sure in future Outerra and other simulators will also make use of data in OSM. FSX/P3D do somewhat with OpenVFR and other products.

 

4) We all get to discover interesting places and learn a bit each time we map it.

 

Something like this in OpenStreetMap (OSM) is called a mapping party and they are very effective (Google them if you want to see past examples). It's possible to map quite large areas quickly, but also once an area is no longer empty in OSM it seems to have the effect of getting local mappers joining in who no longer see an empty map but some data.

 

If people are interested and have any idea about the logistics behind this then please add your comments or "thumbs-up"

 

Tony

 

 

 

[Jessica Bannister-Pearce 120]

I like it. Great idea Tony.

[mdavis 10]

Great idea.  Do we have that many simmers who are proficient with these tools?  I'm just barely able to edit in WED.

[tonywob 4,768]

 

 

Do we have that many simmers who are proficient with these tools?

 

It's actually pretty easy. Basically you can edit straight in the web browser for beginners, or for more advanced users, there is JOSM. It's much easier to use than WED, and is simply a case of drawing shapes (tracing) things and then saying what they are, e.g. house, field, farm, etc..

[ryanbatc 12,770]

I have no idea how to do this stuff but Id be interested, especially for USA stuff.

[alpha12125 213]

i will definately be up for this, maybe post this in the org aswell ? probably bigger traction there. Teamspeak while editing might be fun too

[mdavis 10]

Are there any tutorials on using JOSM?  I'm not familiar with that process.

[Ebs 114]

This is a brilliant idea!

[__v__ 16]

Sounds like a great idea! As an optional add-on, if there happens to be some missing airports/helipads/seabases in the area in question those who are comfortable in WED could coordinate getting these put into the gateway as well.

[CaptCWGAllen 49]

I'm up for it Tony. Already did my home town but lots more to do. Actually as I am not that far from Manchester and Manchester Airport is getting close to release that may be one to start on for the UK users.

 

cheers

Peter

[scotchegg 4,158]

Good idea. Personally my only worry is that I don't have much time to devote to it at the moment but will do what I can.

[scotz04 0]

Great idea, only prob would be getting everyone to agree on the area .

[avgaskoolaid 292]

I know nothing about how to do what you're talking about, but if it is easy for a novice to learn, then I'd be willing to help out. Even though I am currently not using X-Plane, I plan on getting it as soon as money permits. The lack of good scenery options (like we see in FSX) has put me off X-Plane so far, but I am more than willing to help the community effort to fix the problem. That is, unless a copy of X-Plane is needed, in which case I would need to delay my entry into the program. 

[tonywob 4,768]

 

 

Actually as I am not that far from Manchester and Manchester Airport is getting close to release that may be one to start on for the UK users.

 

Agreed,would love to see this area done as it's pretty barren at the moment and an awful lot of work for one person. But I think it would be joining the queue of other areas that need some love, especially in the US.

 

 

 

Great idea, only prob would be getting everyone to agree on the area .

 

Yes, this is certainly going to be hard. I believe we should start in the US, and then rotate countries for each one. e.g. US, then UK, then AUS, etc...

 

 

 

Are there any tutorials on using JOSM?  I'm not familiar with that process.

 

You can have a look at the tutorials on my website, but they presume you already have an idea about OSM. I'd suggest to start with the in-browser editor at OpenStreetMap.org to add a few buildings or woodland in some area. It's very easy to do, and once you get the idea of how it works (which shouldn't take you longer than 30 minutes), you can think of using the more advanced JOSM. I think the best solution is to have a simple PDF/guide that people can follow so they know what works and we are all following the same basic guidelines. Also, it's very important we don't mess up other data already there which other mappers not related to simming have added.

 

 

 

That is, unless a copy of X-Plane is needed, in which case I would need to delay my entry into the program. 

 

No, not at all. You only need X-Plane if you want to see the changes immediately, otherwise you can join in like everyone else and eventually the changes you've made will filter their way into some product and even your satnav if you have one.

[Smokeyr67 0]

I'm in, but I'll need training:)