Sketching it up with Sketchup
I’ve always enjoyed 3d modelling, but kind of lost my touch over the last several years. Then I heard Google had bought out (if you can’t beat ‘em, buy ‘em) this cool program called Sketchup. It’s hardly a full-blown modelling package, but once you figure out it’s numerous quirks, it’s remarkably easy to throw together a fairly involved 3d model of just about anything, but regular shaped things like houses are its specialty.
At the risk of furthering the onset of Big Brother, I’ve published the model of my house to the 3D Warehouse, with geolocation all set up. I’m hoping it will eventually make it to the ‘best of 3D warehouse’, at least for Jo’burg, anyway, and then it will show up automatically in Google Earth. Until then, however, click on the picture, or here to check it out, then select ‘View in Google Earth 4′ (if you have it). Then give me good ratings so I can get noticed!!
I’m astonished at GE’s terrain accuracy. My property only changes in height by about a metre or two from end to end, but Google Earth has the right gradient, and I only had to adjust the ‘altitude’ of my house by about half a metre to get the patio above ground. Amazing.