Number of 3D cities in MS2020? - use Earth View 3D to see them!

[ArchStanton 156]

This is related to the availability of 3d data. For Offenbach, these may have been available free of charge for Bing. The Frankfurt data are probably not free.

Edited May 19, 2020 by ArchStanton

[Shack95 2,658]

45 minutes ago, ArchStanton said:

This is related to the availability of 3d data. For Offenbach, these may have been available free of charge for Bing. The Frankfurt data are probably not free.

Possible. Just found out that my hometown offers free photogrammetry as well, also for commercial use. Maybe I should point this to Bing.

[tweekz 2,165]

38 minutes ago, Shack95 said:

Possible. Just found out that my hometown offers free photogrammetry as well, also for commercial use. Maybe I should point this to Bing.

The problem with such companies is, that they usually don't care for us little people. Even if you are the godfather of screenshots. 😄

But maybe ASOBO could do something... or mp15. 🙂

[Shack95 2,658]

Wasn‘t meant seriously but would be cool anyway.

33 minutes ago, tweekz said:

But maybe ASOBO could do something... or mp15. 🙂

😂 I’m sure Larry and Serge would have a friendly ear for their best mate.

[WarpD 824]

8 hours ago, Shack95 said:

I've just come across a city which has photogrammetry in Bing Maps but that's not on the list of 3d cities. It's Offenbach am Main, a neighbouring town of Frankfurt (Germany). Does anybody happen to know whether this is new? Maybe someone who checked out Frankfurt in Bing Maps in the past? I think one would have noticed it as Offenbach is directly adjacent to Frankfurt.

 

 

I don't believe Asobo or Microsoft has stated that the list of 3D cities is representative of exactly where things are 3D and where things are not 3D in the sim.

[Shack95 2,658]

16 hours ago, WarpD said:

I don't believe Asobo or Microsoft has stated that the list of 3D cities is representative of exactly where things are 3D and where things are not 3D in the sim.

No, they haven‘t. You‘re right. But so far photogrammetry areas in Bing and MSFS match, so I guess at least the ones we have in Bing Maps will be there in the sim as well. Maybe (hopefully) some more. 
I asked because it could be an indication of Bing updating their photogrammetry. And that would be reassuring to see. 

[WarpD 824]

I think that if one were to make an assumption (and I would urge one to never do that, bad choice), that one should assume that the Bing 3D cities represents the absolute minimum of what the sim's 3D world will offer and probably doesn't represent enough.  I also wouldn't assume that MSFS is flying in Bing.  I think, based on screenshots provided, that the MSFS world appears to be far more detailed than the the Bing 3D world.

[ca_metal 2,024]

10 hours ago, WarpD said:

I think that if one were to make an assumption (and I would urge one to never do that, bad choice), that one should assume that the Bing 3D cities represents the absolute minimum of what the sim's 3D world will offer and probably doesn't represent enough.  I also wouldn't assume that MSFS is flying in Bing.  I think, based on screenshots provided, that the MSFS world appears to be far more detailed than the the Bing 3D world.

They’ve said Bing is just part of the equation. It’s not just Bing, there are other factors involved: https://blackshark.ai

[desbean 357]

On 12/27/2019 at 1:06 PM, Tuskin38 said:

There’s nothing saying that London won’t have photogrammetry by time of launch. It is all still WIP after all.

 

Also some landmarks are hand built, for example the space needle. I wouldn’t be surprised if the clock tower and the parliament buildings were one of them.

I’m hoping Ottawa gets some love personally. It’s lacking even in FSX.

It's not just London. Looks to me like Washington DC is in 2D, unless the Washington Monument is supposed to lean at 45-degrees.

[Lotharen 287]

I was hoping to view my hometown in 3D when I got to try this out. Apparently only large cities are in 3D, my little hole in the wall does not have 3D present......now I'm sad. lol

[Shack95 2,658]

43 minutes ago, Lotharen said:

I was hoping to view my hometown in 3D when I got to try this out. Apparently only large cities are in 3D, my little hole in the wall does not have 3D present......now I'm sad. lol

It will be 3d, it just won’t look as authentic as  e.g. New York. 

[Dominique_K 10,149]

As far as I remember, Asobo has never said  that Bing was their only source, only that the pilot (pun not intended) they made for the Seattle region, to get the contract from MS, was made out of Bing.

And Bing is not a source of imagery, it is one portfolio of imagery licensed by MS. It would make sense that Asobo uses other sources.

Also, as underlined by ca_metal, some deep AI voodoo is afoot .

[Shack95 2,658]

On 5/20/2020 at 2:43 PM, WarpD said:

I think that if one were to make an assumption (and I would urge one to never do that, bad choice), that one should assume that the Bing 3D cities represents the absolute minimum of what the sim's 3D world will offer and probably doesn't represent enough.  I also wouldn't assume that MSFS is flying in Bing.  I think, based on screenshots provided, that the MSFS world appears to be far more detailed than the the Bing 3D world.

Yes, there‘s more to it than Bing but I think it‘s relatively safe to assume that their main source for aerial imagery is the same source that’s used for Bing Maps. The fact that in 200+ screenshots the imagery (also in photogrammetry areas) is exactly the same as in Bing Maps can‘t be mere coincidence. So far I’ve only come across one single exception (Leeds). This doesn‘t necessarily mean that they don‘t have other sources for imagery at their disposal; however, I think it strongly suggests that Bing (i.e. their source) is the main source for the aerial imagery in MSFS.

What I don‘t yet understand is Blackshark‘s role in all of this. Is it their AI that supplies data for the autogen where no Azure data is available (building footprints, hight and colour; trees etc.)? This could be the case as we‘ve seen accurately placed buildings in areas where Microsoft/Bing has no footprints, at least according to their blog.

I‘m fully aware that this is all speculation (though some of it not completely unreasonable I would say) but I see no harm in it. Should I turn out to be wrong then so be it. For me this is just a way of dealing with the agony of waiting for the sim to get released.

Edited May 25, 2020 by Shack95
spelling

[Dominique_K 10,149]

Just now, Shack95 said:

 

What I don‘t yet understand is Blackshark‘s role in all of this. 

 

This is is certainly the most interesting question today around FS20, how much deep learning AI does the team use. I wish we could have an EP on Blackshark.ai ! 

[Tuskin38 6,504]

a month or so ago, there was a weekly alpha screenshot that showed the Satellite imagery in MSFS was different than what's currently on the maps app. Different grass colour, some dirt where there isn't, cars where there aren't.

So it's possible the sim does have some imagery data that isn't public yet.

Edited May 26, 2020 by Tuskin38