We added support for a new Level of Detail method to Biosphere3D, as presented in our paper “Image-Error-Based Level of Detail for Landscape Visualization“, presented on the VMV 2010 conference in Siegen. Check out the source code revision 1964 for the implementation presented in the paper. We are currently working on an improved version, so later revisions may contain unexpected and undocumented deviations.
Original model and three levels of detail. Top: High resolution to show the LoD primitives; bottom: magnification of image at target resolution to show that the LoD primitives are hardly noticeable.
We have added High Dynamic Range (32 bit) Image export (.exr) to Biosphere3D.
Here displayed as a JEPG (converted in Photoshop)
The last update finally brings support for KMZ and improved Collada support. Now, users can load 3D objects, e.g. from Google 3D Warehouse or exported from SketchUp.
The graphic designer and photographer Henrik Andree has created this Biosphere3D logo:
Biosphere3D logo by Henrik Andree
The latest Biosphere3D release is a major update. It includes new features such as:
- New rendering effects: shadows, ambient occlusion (see preferences, settings have no effect, if your gpu doesn’t support it)
- Creation and capture of Camera Paths (Panel -> Camera Path to create, Panel->Screenshot to capture)
- Polygons of Shapefiles can be drapped on the ground (use text-attribute “GrndColor”, e.g. “1,1,1″ for white or “1,0,0″ for red, add the Shapefile to the Maps tab)
Issues with SketchUp 6 and 7 collada (.dae) files have been fixed (e.g. problems with materials, groups or components).
New Biosphere3D rendering of Herod's 3rd winter palace and gardens
Finally Biosphere3D has got a new feature: Shadow Mapping. Malte Clasen has implemented this much-longed-for feature (still experimental, there are some issues). Currently, it not yet part of the Auto-Update (just SVN Binaries). Hardware requirements are a GPU supporting DirectX 10 or 11.
Shadow Mapping and Screen Space Ambient Occlusion
Screen Space Ambient Occlusion
Malte Clasen has ported parts of the NVIDIA Direct3D 10 sample code to support Screen Space Ambient Occlusion (cf. Malte’s Blog).
Biosphere3D now also supports optional 16 bit Floats for Deferred Shading (turn on in Preferences) on recent GPUs (tested on Radeon HD4850), which e.g. results in better water shading (also due to implementation of Schlick’s approximation of the Fresnel equations).
This Biosphere3D.org Blog is now the official news site, while other information on Biosphere3D including download links has moved to our Wiki at Sourceforge. There are new Installer versions (x86 and x64) with new features such as Auto-Update and a Scenario Manager to store and switch between scenarios and blend between/ compare two, e.g. before and after.
Note that users, who are not developers, should either switch to the installer versions or change the SVN URL, if you want to be able to downgrade via SVN.
Download Steffen Ernst’s presentation “Inside Biosphere3D – The free digital globe from a developer prospect” PDF
September 22 – 24, 2009, Karlsruhe hosts the INTERGEO, one of the world leading geoinformation conferences and trade fairs. This year, Lenné3D presents Biosphere3D at the OSGeo Park. Meet us at our booth – Hall 1, Halle: 1, booth #1.417 – or share our talks at the OSGeo Forum.
A Biosphere3D Wiki is now available @ Sourceforge:
-> Check the first entry: Olaf’s Forest Tutorial.
Two official Project Mailing Lists are hosted @ Sourceforge
biosphere3d-developer – Biosphere3D Developer Mailing List
biosphere3d-user – Biosphere3D User Mailing List
Uncategorized | malte March 8, 2011 | 
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