Google Maps API for PlayCanvas?

Help & Support
1

Hi
does anybody know about how to use assets via the google maps API in Playcanvas? Apprently you can di it via unity - Google Maps Platform - Location and Mapping Solutions - has anybody exported via unity and put on Playcanvas, or is there an easier way to do this?

thanks
C

2

Look at the web apis for the SDK here: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/

That should get you started.

1 Like
3

thanks Steven, we’ve seen that but our guys are not sure how to get the 3D assets into a Playcanvas model. Or should it be google earth API. We were wondering if there is a way we can take google maps/earth 3D buildings and put them into a PCv model…? We found an old way via 3D max but it’s full of bugs… Any ideas here, without having to go through unity?

4

would it be the KML option here?

5

Which 3D assets are you looking to use?

I would have thought that the buildings are generated meshes at runtime and the data of the building is given via the API?

You could also extract the package for Unity and see what assets it comes with to use?

6

yes so in panorama/birdseye mode, the 3D assets that you see in google earth, buildings in the neighborhood mainly. Being able to create skybox would be great too. Also street images (mostly 2D jpegs). And finally in our walking mode it would be great if could walk frictionlessly from the model to google street view… I know it’s a lot of info, but I suppose the 3D builldings for now would be great if you had any idea?
thanks

7

does anybody have experince with extracting via unity? I’d prefer not to have to sign up to a 12m contract with unity just to try it out. Thanks again Steven for your help, best

8

You could just download the free version and extract in that?

9

I’m not 100% sure the Google maps API actually gives you data about the building size/shape for free. The link you shared in the first post seems to be a paid service/API.

If you can find documentation about that, I could potentially give you more ideas from there?

10

I’m in touch with the sales team so will let you know the outcome. Their first reply was to say they only are offering this for games, but let’s see… will keep you posted

best

11

idea of pricing is here:

12

Hi @yaustar

I spoke to some guys on the google maps API team about seeing if we can get direct access to the API as was suggested in this video: https://youtu.be/7Bbd5dbuPBc

They said the following:

“To be very honest, with this API being recently launched there are still a couple of thing we are figuring out, and I don’t have an update at the moment for when this will be accessible to everybody, the focus for the time being is on big gaming studios but we will be updating the details on the website.”

Would it be possible for Playcanvas to integrate with this? It would be magical for us :slight_smile:

best

13

Until it is accessible to everyone, it isn’t possible to know how it could integrate with PlayCanvas if at all. In the meantime, it might be worth checking out Mapbox as they have a Web SDK that could be used in conjunction with PlayCanvas.

PS I’m not part of PlayCanvas so this isn’t the official word.

14

thanks @yaustar - yes mapbox does this procedural styling of the loaction that doesn’t suit our needs, but should be useful for some other of the PCv users

thanks for you help