Terrain Forge- Real World Heightmap and Imagery Generation Tools

Terrain Forge is a tool that can generate heightmaps from terrain information using a variety of spatial data from around the world. The core importer enging can generate integrated heightmaps and overhead imagery from Bing Maps and National Map Viewer (images and elevation data that is georeferenced); and it also allows for the conversion of Microsoft Links CRZ files to heightmaps. This heighmap data can be imported into modern game and visualization technologies.

Terrain Forge currently supports creating heighmap files from:

• Microsoft Links CRZ Files
• ASCII Vector Files
• ASCII Grid Files

Terrain Forge supports creating properly geo-referenced terrain and overhead imagery from:

• National Map Viewer
• Bing Maps

Changing the Game

Perfect Golf is a new 3D Golf Game that will change the marketplace for golf simulation. Designed to be multi-platform the game will interface with any and all input devices from a launch monitor to a mouse and will be available on multiple platforms. Its content-driven model will reignite the simulator and PC golf game markets that have been stagnant and lacking in innovation for years. And with a fully-integrated tool set, course designers will have the ability to develop their own content.

The game will come in a veriety of editions including versions for PC, MAC, and Linux, as well as Console and Mobile devices and even the Web. In addition, the Simulator Edition will be focused specifically on creating a streamlined immersive augmented experience to get players right into the action.

At the core Perfect Golf will offer a true golf game simulation, with enough options to adjust the rules to suit any style of play. Tee-off from any number of photo-realistic courses that range from fictional creations to those built using the terrain from actual places from around the world. Perfect Golf offers some of the most realistic physics simulation - from the moment you hit the ball to the landing and roll, including reactions to the environment when a not-so-perfect shot is made. Our technology includes a game engine that features physics that considers factors such as the ball and club, as well as the environment, which means that the ball will continue to be affected by real-time forces after it has been hit. This brings to Perfect Golf one of the key ingredients of real golf - that moment of anticipation after you hit the shot and you are wondering where it is going to go. Will a puff of wind knock the ball down into the lake or keep it in play? You'll have to wait and see.

Bringing Players Together

Another key component of Perfect Golf is the social experience. After all golf is a social sport designed to be played with friends.

Because Perfect Golf is cross-platform players can participate in matches with others without constraint, and they can use whichever device they are comfortable for the experience that they prefer.

If you're looking to form a closer relationship with other players, look no further than the Country Club - the gaming communities of Perfect Golf. Community leaders can sign up for a Country Club mini-site with the option to pay the dues up-front or distribute to members. Members can participate in events exclusive to their club and see how they rank with other members on the community leaderboard.

In order to make the game more personal, Perfect Golf offers player profiles that can be stored online and loaded up anywhere. From the first time you sign up you start personal golf career. This presents a unified experience whether playing a round of golf, hanging out at the online Club House, or playing an event with their Country Club community; and if you're on the go and simply want to review how you played.

Not interested in playing online with friends? Try Career Mode. Play offline against a set of computer-generated opponents with established goals for progressing along; or compete online for prize money, sponsorship and exclusive invitations.

The Broadcast Suite software supports a set of fully customizable tracers, in up to 8 colors so they can be tailored to each broadcasters desired palette or to match player bibs. Each tracer can be drawn by the operater and incorporates fully customizable hook, draw, fade and slice options. Additionally, the tracer system can be fully integrated with on-the-ground technology at the event, integrating with products such as Trackman and Pro Tracer to provide real 3D geometry of the shot. When integrated with our unique free-camera technology the Broadcast Suite can offer the television producer the ability to fly around the tracers in 3D allowing for an analysis of how different players with different ball flights approach a hole from both a strategy and an outcome perspective.

The main interface of Broadcast Suite allows the operator to program all aspects of the shot including player name and shot data for graphical display purposes, as well as the ability for saving and recalling shot information via data-driven web services. This, in conjunction with a game controller or joystick, allows for easy location anywhere on the golf course. A variety of different camera angles are also fully programmable from Static or "Spectator Cameras", "Landing Cameras" or our innovative ball camera which provides a ball-eye view of any shot made on the golf course.

Behind the scenes, the internal graphics engine powering Broadcast Suite allows for automatic graphics generation, fade-in and -out both manually and automatically, all based on the shot information entered or pulled from an external data source. This allows each TV production company to customize and create a unique viewing experience for their viewers. Name plates, hole banners, and yardage markers all calculated automatically within our 3D environment, the operator just needs to place them on the course.

The high-resolution 3D environment of Broadcast Suite does not rely on satellite imagery for its visualization. This allows for low-level "golfer eye views" not seem before in TV production. This allows us to get you a virtual view of any shot on the golf course. As such, this view is rendered in real time and can be broadcast long before a real camera is able to get on the ground; and this offers broadcast teams the opportunity to discuss a player's options and the strategic choices long before other TV productions that are using aerial photography visualization.

There is also free camera technology that leverages the fact that courses built with Course Forge are full 18 hole plot courses, which enables operators to offer up to the producers and directors of outside broadcast events almost any shot scenario, as well as the ability to create relevant fly-by paths in real time that significantly aid the commentators strategic analysis options.

Course Forge is the premiere content creation tool that allows for the rapid development of outdoor 3D environments. Built as a fully integrated plugin for modern game engines and visualization platforms, it incorporates an advanced mesh system that allows for rapid drawing of all the different parts of the golf course: fairways, rough, greens. With custom-built shaders and enhancements focused on the outdoor world, Course Forge can significantly reduce the time it takes to build a golf course.

As the core editing application in the engine, the capabilities of Course Forge are extended to allow course files to be read by all the Perfect Parallel applications beyond games to include broadcast, multimedia and print.

Course Forge's capabilities extend beyond Unity 3D. As the core application in our software suite, Course Forge files can be read by all the Perfect Parallel applications extending their use to Multimedia, Simulation, Web and Game Play.

Using Course Forge designers can efficiently build 3D golf course content using various input devices to support the workflow that suits best. These tools leverage a fully-functioning engine that is lightweight and can be deployed on a multitude of platforms.

Your initial journey begins with high resolution imagery of the properly geo-referenced terrain. Course Forge allows the designer to virtually dig the course right out of the real terrain or copy over the exact course terrain and shading. Once the core course is built, simply place props and other assets as needed.

And that's just the beginning. We encourage the community to develop asset bundles and download our asset bundles for use in Course Forge.

A video showing the creation of a hole in just 15 minutes from a blank flat terrain is available in our video section and demonstrates how the tools simplify the process of building golf courses.