Comments on: Whistler Blackcomb Trail Map in 3D http://whistlersnowreport.com/whistler-blackcomb-trail-map-3d-1974.htm Unofficial Snow Report for the Whistler ski resort Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:14:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Stewart Harperhttp://whistlersnowreport.com/whistler-blackcomb-trail-map-3d-1974.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1457 Stewart Harper Mon, 08 Nov 2010 21:26:38 +0000 http://whistlersnowreport.com/?p=1974#comment-1457 Thanks! You are right about the playback, it is not easy to do. The varied point desnity of GPS data and the buildings and mountains which get in the way of the camera make it very difficult to do. We ended up building a layer on top of Google Earth and interpolating between the points to ensure a smooth playback. How do you collect the ski run information, by hand? We are thinking of doing a crowd-sourcing feature to allow people to convert their GPS tracks into runs, trails etc. Having the ski-runs listed offers a huge amount of value to the user it's just collecting the data takes a long time. We also have an API http://www.gobreadcrumbs.com/api/ if you ever want to support GPS track upload without doing it yourself. Thanks! You are right about the playback, it is not easy to do. The varied point desnity of GPS data and the buildings and mountains which get in the way of the camera make it very difficult to do. We ended up building a layer on top of Google Earth and interpolating between the points to ensure a smooth playback.
How do you collect the ski run information, by hand? We are thinking of doing a crowd-sourcing feature to allow people to convert their GPS tracks into runs, trails etc. Having the ski-runs listed offers a huge amount of value to the user it’s just collecting the data takes a long time.
We also have an API http://www.gobreadcrumbs.com/api/ if you ever want to support GPS track upload without doing it yourself.

]]> By: Greghttp://whistlersnowreport.com/whistler-blackcomb-trail-map-3d-1974.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1428 Greg Fri, 05 Nov 2010 21:29:54 +0000 http://whistlersnowreport.com/?p=1974#comment-1428 Hi Stewart, I checked out your site and like the idea (not just because it is contains elements of stuff I would like to do :D ). Lots of positives and a couple of negatives but I think your main problem is the same one I am having - being able to display Google Earth tours/tracks from a good POV (primarily because it really needs to have a better controlled changing on the POV). I think it is even harder when you are trying to do a 'genetic' approach as with user uploads. Still, I see enormous potential to using Google Earth and it is only going to get better. Good luck with your website! Hi Stewart,

I checked out your site and like the idea (not just because it is contains elements of stuff I would like to do :D ). Lots of positives and a couple of negatives but I think your main problem is the same one I am having – being able to display Google Earth tours/tracks from a good POV (primarily because it really needs to have a better controlled changing on the POV). I think it is even harder when you are trying to do a ‘genetic’ approach as with user uploads.

Still, I see enormous potential to using Google Earth and it is only going to get better. Good luck with your website!

]]> By: Stewarthttp://whistlersnowreport.com/whistler-blackcomb-trail-map-3d-1974.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1423 Stewart Thu, 04 Nov 2010 05:05:05 +0000 http://whistlersnowreport.com/?p=1974#comment-1423 Great blog Greg. I just wanted to let you guys know about a project I have been working on called Breadcrumbs (www.gobreadcrumbs.com). It lets you upload and manage your GPS tracks, photos and video and then relive your days adventure in 3D. It uses the Google Earth plugin also. Best of all it is free! Here is a track I tracked at Whistler last year using my iPhone to track: http://app.gobreadcrumbs.com/user/stewart/snowboarding/first-season/whistler-mountain Sign up and give it a go, it would be great to hear what you think. Great blog Greg. I just wanted to let you guys know about a project I have been working on called Breadcrumbs (www.gobreadcrumbs.com). It lets you upload and manage your GPS tracks, photos and video and then relive your days adventure in 3D. It uses the Google Earth plugin also. Best of all it is free!

Here is a track I tracked at Whistler last year using my iPhone to track:

http://app.gobreadcrumbs.com/user/stewart/snowboarding/first-season/whistler-mountain

Sign up and give it a go, it would be great to hear what you think.

]]> By: Greghttp://whistlersnowreport.com/whistler-blackcomb-trail-map-3d-1974.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1204 Greg Fri, 14 May 2010 16:20:59 +0000 http://whistlersnowreport.com/?p=1974#comment-1204 Not in the near future, as we are focusing on using Google Earth as a viewing platform. 3D is better than 2D! We do hope to have versions that work on the iPhone and Android devices released before next season. Not in the near future, as we are focusing on using Google Earth as a viewing platform. 3D is better than 2D!
We do hope to have versions that work on the iPhone and Android devices released before next season.

]]> By: Wizardhttp://whistlersnowreport.com/whistler-blackcomb-trail-map-3d-1974.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1202 Wizard Sun, 09 May 2010 06:44:51 +0000 http://whistlersnowreport.com/?p=1974#comment-1202 Any plans to release downloadable data map for use in a GPS? I know that there are commercial maps of different ski resorts available (ie. Snowranger). Any plans to release downloadable data map for use in a GPS? I know that there are commercial maps of different ski resorts available (ie. Snowranger).

]]> By: Greghttp://whistlersnowreport.com/whistler-blackcomb-trail-map-3d-1974.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1136 Greg Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:03:13 +0000 http://whistlersnowreport.com/?p=1974#comment-1136 Hi Alan, I am glad you are enjoying the work Mike and I have done. I think what you are working on is an excellent idea / tool. However, I do not give you permission to use our data in your application, especially since it looks like you intend to get people to download our data, while bypassing the website. Basically, that would cost me money in bandwidth usage, and the end user would never even know my website existed. Hi Alan,

I am glad you are enjoying the work Mike and I have done.

I think what you are working on is an excellent idea / tool. However, I do not give you permission to use our data in your application, especially since it looks like you intend to get people to download our data, while bypassing the website. Basically, that would cost me money in bandwidth usage, and the end user would never even know my website existed.

]]> By: Alanhttp://whistlersnowreport.com/whistler-blackcomb-trail-map-3d-1974.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1134 Alan Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:11:20 +0000 http://whistlersnowreport.com/?p=1974#comment-1134 Thanks for the fabulous work you've done to digitize the ski runs - I'm having so much fun exploring your fabulous resort. I did explore your js code to find the location of the kmz files - hope you don't mind. You might like to look at the video I've made of StraTraX skiing down your tracks. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AL0hrMZ-0o ( I haven't yet released that version of StartraX - still testing). I would like to know how you generated the KMZ files - obviously you had to digitize the courses - I guess from pencil points on a paper map? But did you use a tool to generate the kmz files? Thanks for the fabulous work you’ve done to digitize the ski runs – I’m having so much fun exploring your fabulous resort. I did explore your js code to find the location of the kmz files – hope you don’t mind.

You might like to look at the video I’ve made of StraTraX skiing down your tracks. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AL0hrMZ-0o ( I haven’t yet released that version of StartraX – still testing).
I would like to know how you generated the KMZ files – obviously you had to digitize the courses – I guess from pencil points on a paper map? But did you use a tool to generate the kmz files?

]]> By: Greghttp://whistlersnowreport.com/whistler-blackcomb-trail-map-3d-1974.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1111 Greg Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:06:18 +0000 http://whistlersnowreport.com/?p=1974#comment-1111 Thanks for the suggestion, it is something I will add to the 'to do' list. Thanks for the suggestion, it is something I will add to the ‘to do’ list.

]]> By: Greghttp://whistlersnowreport.com/whistler-blackcomb-trail-map-3d-1974.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1110 Greg Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:05:53 +0000 http://whistlersnowreport.com/?p=1974#comment-1110 The standalone version will let you calculate distances, and I can probably add it to the webpage as well. I will look into that. However, if you simply wish to calculate the distance to the lifts, than it is pretty easy to do that already, as the lift locations at the bottom of the mountains are fairly obvious. The standalone version will let you calculate distances, and I can probably add it to the webpage as well. I will look into that.
However, if you simply wish to calculate the distance to the lifts, than it is pretty easy to do that already, as the lift locations at the bottom of the mountains are fairly obvious.

]]> By: Greghttp://whistlersnowreport.com/whistler-blackcomb-trail-map-3d-1974.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1109 Greg Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:02:58 +0000 http://whistlersnowreport.com/?p=1974#comment-1109 Hi Alan, thanks for your interest. I will check out your site and discuss our options with Mike. Hi Alan, thanks for your interest. I will check out your site and discuss our options with Mike.

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