Converting maps to panoramic views - software ?

[Wheatley]

About 3 or 4 years ago one of the mags, either MR or RM, ran a small article about a web site which converted maps into a digital panorama.

 

You clicked on a point on a map and told the widget which direction to look in, and it drew an outline panorama showing what the hills etc would look like from that position. Essentially, in it's simplest form, it could sketch the outline of the backscene for a real location without all trees and buildings getting in the way.

 

Does anyone have the faintest idea what I'm talking about, and know what the site was please ? I had it bookmarked a couple of laptops ago but of course now I need it I can't even think of a suitable search term to Google to find it again.

[Lastgaspandy]

Yes i do know what your trying to achieve even if  i don't know the specific program. However can this not be achieve in google earth with real imagery rather than maps. I seem to recall there is 3D function which converts the satilite image into elevation based on mapping data. You can then adjust the elevation and angle you are viewing from if that makes sense. 

[Jamie]

Haven't seen the article, but it may have been GIS software.  There's a plugin for the free "QGIS" software which appears to do what you need IF you can get the necessary terrain info (not a map, but a 3D terrain model).  

 

The plugin's intended purpose is for analysing sightlines for example how far you can see from a given point, or from what area a given point can be seen.  It seems to then be able to project that horizon as a 2D drawing.

 

Google Earth is, I suppose, a form of GIS software, so as the previous poster says, it may do what you're looking for.

[AdeMoore]

Google earth will do it but only at certain locations where 3D resolution has been mapped.

Identified by a greener landscape in 2D with straight edges along the boundary. As seen below Cheddar Gorge is bang in the middle of the 3D band of mapping.

 

 

The only draw back is you can only really get aerial shots of the 3D, nothing achievable at ground level.

A couple examples below of as low and tight as I could get it via the app.

 

 

Hope that helps, but I’ve no idea on your original quest.

Cheers

Ade

[RichardS]

I think this is what you seek.

https://www.udeuschle.de/panoramas/makepanoramas.htm

I kept it in my favourites.

[Wheatley]

Thank you all very much gentlemen !

 

Richard is bang on the money, that is the very site. However, I must confess I'd never considered Google Earth, I use Google Maps all the time but I've never bothered to download the full GE, and Ade's results look like they might extremely useful if the 3D mapping extends to Galloway :-) (I bet it doesn't !).