Hi, is it possible to model a track by a video as a reference? My idea is to record a normal open road with almost no buildings (but many trees and occasionally some woods and maybe even a small airfield), elevation changes (13% incline at max) and all that and then have someone make a track of it or try learning the whole stuff myself even (guess that's what I'll have to do). IF I can bring myself to do it. Would it be necessary to model frame by frame, should the driving be fast or slow? Could video quality be a problem? Thanks.
In short answer, no. Using only video material as a reference it's not possible to build accurate track model. You will need something more, like hires maps, CAD - drawings, GPS data, photos etc. Bottom line is, that you need somekind material which tells you accurate dimensions of the track. Unfortunately video material is not accurate (or actually misses this info entirely) for this. If you have never done any track modelling, I recommend that you start modelling some simple fictional short track (like half mile oval or so) to learn rF2 platform and modelling tech. Then you can concentrate improving your skills, instead of worrying accuracy and scenery of real life track. If you put your bar too high on your first project, you might get frustrated. Learning curve is pretty steep from ground-zero, so some patience and lots of time is needed. But in the end, it's VERY rewarding! Cheers!
I remember a software that can build a road mesh from video. It's somewhere in the Modding sub forum.
I thought it may be possible to do it if the footage was in front of a 3dsmax camera (matching it's FOV) and on a path similar to the racing line and with a basic mesh already made. I thought it would be possible to make slight adjustments here and there by what is seen on the video (50% opacity in front of you). I haven't made it work in practice though. I had the same idea in a thread a posted a little while ago when I wanted to model roads using the google street view, it's always at the same height (sometimes in a different lane than the direction you are travelling.)
Google street view will not be a useable source as you have no stereoscopic info or proper perspective
Interestingly you could use google maps.. zoom in, and take snapshots up close of all the course.. Stitch them together in photoshop for a 20000x30000 image or some such... You could also path it in google earth and import it into a 3d editor to get the track outline.. You could then use the video to "Guestimate" elevation.. use the image as a background to place objects in close to accurate locations.. but you would need to model the objects (your best source is the video) so you likely will only get a rough guestimation of what they look like Can be done, but how accurate it is is dependant on how much time and detail you put in.. you may even then walk the course and take photos of everything from multiple angles to model everything. Pretty much my current track im working on has been done this way (Albeit half way through the track owner shared some elevation diagrams) to get the elevation perfect. Its around 99% close to the real track now. and i have around 300 reference photos im working off for the objects round the track.
Google maps and other top view 2D topographys are actually what most track modders use for layouts and that can be very accurate, it's the elevations and surroundings which are the really tricky parts.
Does anybody know if there is a limitation for elevation data to be obtained by means of an inclinometer+gps in a mobile app? Integrating the inclination over distance, which can be assumed to be at constant speed between xy locations, the height variation is obtained. For a closed loop, with several iterations to compensate for gps precision, something really interesting could be done. Definitely an app for the mobile phone for real racers. I definitely need to learn to program these things... I think I will phone a good friend this evening... enviado mediante tapatalk
I've used GPS data for elevation, but it's NOT very exact, I sorted out the most extreme values and then calculated avg. of about 5 meassurements. I had a friend with access to the track drive and log both left and right trackedge - slowly. But I ended up with alot of adjustments and estimates based on visual reference and drivers with experience from both IRL track and the sim. I totally missed your "inclinometer" addition, that might be a very important part, but the stereoscopic capture to pointcloud would be my method of choice.
Where can I get some info about stereoscopic capture? Can it be done just by taking two pictures some meters apart? Answering to your "miss". The inclinometer provides the angle and the GPS provides xy locations for the height integration. I forgot to mention that the mobile should be placed vertical preferably fixed in a vehicle and videorecording what is being logged to better tune the results and the lack of accuracy of the gps. enviado mediante tapatalk
Okay, I thought you were referring to actual height meassurement as such used by aircrafts, the angle- calculated values from GPS is poor or has to be a VERY good GPS - it was such data I was working with and my friend used an external GPS which indeed was placed 'open' and at a fixed position. Someone have made a complete tool and guide here in the forums for stereoscopic caturing to pointclouds using two webcams. Very well done, have not yet tried it though, as I have zero webcams
Yeah, gps data z-axis is not very accurate. Last project, which I tried to use gps data ended very similar results as yours. In 2,5 km distance elevation distort was about 1 meter. So start and endpoint of track edge (same x,y point on start/finish line) elevations was that 1 meter off... I have fortune to use land survey report for last couple of track projects, which are very accurate. In these cases track edges is measured in 5 meters distance reference points on straights and 1 meter or less in corners. Then you got very accurate racing surface, but next challenge is surrounding terrain and tso's. Cheers!
To use the Google Maps (satellite) images that are sharp and 3dsmax viewport you only can use 1024x1024 images and must set the DrectX settings. To create a perfect background tiles I use my tool importGEO. imports all the images automatically with geographic coordinates and get a perfect scale, position and rotation.
Building from photo or video should be possible. Not the easy way though You need to work with camera alignment or matching. There are several videos (i.e. here) out there describing this method. I guess this should work like a charm. Anyhow you don't need to have a full video for this Just some still shots should be enough...OK you can take them from a video of course. In combination of camera alignment, a very good video (perspective, quality of details) and using satellite images for the base images you should get a pretty accurate track in the end I have to admit that I never tried this but I can imagine that this could work well
Pretty easy with photo of a straight road and a building on each side, good luck making any racetrack using that method
