TacForge GeoSketch

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Oblique Photo 3D Modeling Plug-in for Google SketchUp Pro

Google SketchUpTM is one of the easiest 3-D modeling programs available today, however it lacks the advance capabilities needed to support Military and Advance Imagery Based Customers.

Full GeoSketch PRO is a plug-in to Google SketchUp which adds functions to import oblique and NADIR images, and quickly construct textured 3D polygonal models in industry leading formats including OpenFlight and Flight Simulator Direct-X.

FREE GeoSketch Roof Top tool is a plug-in to Google SketchUp which adds functions to quickly parametric model complex roof types with overhangs as well as inference engine to help align complex multiple roofline roof construction.  Also to try out some of the engineering that goes into our Full package which can make making buildings easy, quick, and professional no matter your level of 3D expertise.  Free Forum support for the roof tool here:  www.tacforge.com/home/forums/

It was first commercially released in 2009 and has been primarily used by US Department of Defense agencies, however, with release of  GeoSketch V2.2, it can now be deployed to almost any country worldwide.

Image Support:

Faster than you ever thought possible start modeling and watch the best pixels from your many images get automatically applied to the 3-D model(s).

GeoSketch supports using the same images for texturing multiple models, meaning as you refine the models the camera models automatically updated and the pixels are corrected on the other 3-D models at the same time.

With the GeoSketch plug-in, Google SketchUp has taken a significant leap forward to support the ability to create 3-D models with:

  • Video
  • Oblique imagery
  • Handheld and Cell Phone Imagery
  • Satellite Imagery
  • Imagery with and without camera models
New with Version 2.2:

  • Ability to import and use cell phone camera EXIF Imagery
  • NITF with embedded RPC imagery
  • Ability to sub select large imagery into smaller sections for use in GeoSketch without cutting up the original image
  • Ability to select images that are contained inside an area from a large list
  • Ability to select images that have pixel that look into an area from a large list
  • Ability to present those images as native oblique or as ground projected ortho images

Assisted Modeling:

Complex roof types can be tricky and time consuming to model when you do not have the parametric roof modeler embedded in GeoSketch.

Quickly create hip, pitched, and other roof types with overhangs and the base building structure to speed your modeling processes.

Combine the roofs functions to create the most complex roofs found in the real-world quickly and easily.

Advance tools additions to SketchUp to make quick work of 3D modeling including parallel slicing, clipped surface cutting, and much more.

Inference Engine:

GeoSketch adds a custom inference engine to Sketchup,  specifically designed to speed the modeling process.

For example, when observing the edges of a building in an oblique image, the edges of the building will not appear to be perpendicular in the 2D space of the image.  The GeoSketch inference engine calculates how the edges project into the 3D modeling space, allowing the modeler to “snap” the edges perpendicular.

The custom inferencing applied to the pitched roof tools.

For example, the inference engine will detect when a roof section is perpendicular to a previously constructed roof.

When eaves of new roof sections match the eaves of existing roof.

GeoSketch also adds a new feature to the inference engine in V2.2:

By holding down the Ctrl key, the modeler can temporarily turn off inferencing during construction, giving them more control on the placement of the geometry

ESRI ShapeFiles:

GeoSketch lets you import ESRI ShapeFiles as building footprints and other features which are automatically textured when introduced into the scene by the oblique and NADIR images loaded.

New 3-D features creation also creates new ShapeFile entries which are exported with the model so they can be placed in Google Earth or your favorite flight simulator.

Enhanced Output Formats:

Google SketchUp and Google SketchUp Pro support a number of CAD and Open Formats for exporting the 3-D models built inside Google SketchUp.

OpenFlight: With the GeoSketch plug-in, Google SketchUp is enhanced to write OpenFlight compliant 3-D models directly without having to perform a conversion process with another tool.  OpenFlight can include SMC/FID and multiple LODS.

Microsoft Flight Simulator and LMCO Prepar3D: With the GeoSketch plug-in, Google SketchUp is able to publish directly to the internal format of Microsoft Flight Simulator and LMCO Prepar3D.  Meaning the new GeoSpecific 3D features can now enhance the 3D worlds in your favorite flight game and serious gaming applications.

Correlation: Be able to export correlated Google Earth KML Collada 3-D, Gaming,  and OpenFlight directly from Google SketchUp to assure 3-D model correlation between all your applications as easily as pushing a button.

Video of it in action:

Easy to Learn.  Easy to Use.  Powerful 3-D Modeling.

To learn more about Modeler contact: Contact@Cogent3D.com

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