14 replies to this topic

[pingzing]

Hi, just speaking for myself, i am interested in designing a golf course.

I Have  just downloaded Untiy 5 and have no friggin idea where to start.

I have had a look in course forge thread, but to me the help topics are all over the place and not so easy to understand, especially when you are new to unity and havent got a clue.

For newcomers, we first look at unity and think wow this is deep, then get dispondent and overwhelmed and just exit and forget about it and will put alot of new comers off and wont come back.

 

Can anyone provide us with a very basic step by step guide  and video tutorial at all. why we need this and that and how to go about it

 

I just thought you could  laydown a tee, fairway, bunkers, greens etc and away you go. i think  i need CF for that from what i have read but thought Unity could do this 

but seems you have to draw your holes in a paint program, then import so from the start its a bit overwhelming for some., now look not everyone is familar with these sort of programs and not everyone picks things up so easy so bear in mind we are not all that savy with certain things.some of us need a little bit more help in that regard than others

 

Also i really want to have a go at  real life courses, this is very appealing, i saw Joe Habigers videos, this looks very good. maybe we can get a step by step guide for this too, his videos were a bit blury and couldnt see to get all the info he was explaining on what do, what programs and steps, this seems to be varying on where you live re the course data and the software used 

I live in australia so will probably be different here

 

So please from the skilled and experieneced members please guide and help us novices  get started.

 

 

 

 

[shimonko]

CF is still constantly changing. Tuts at this stage would quickly become outdated and would confuse.

 

The program Joe and I use for getting real world data in costs $500-$1000. The process Jim uses is free, but takes many hours instead of minutes and doesn't use the beautiful hires data available with LiDAR. The Unity WorldComposer option, around the $100 mark is quick but also doesn't handle LiDAR. PP's TerrainForge was designed to make the real-world data process simple and cheap, but it too hasn't been released yet.

 

So it's just premature. Familiarity with Unity is best at this stage (Udemy free tuts for example), also reading the CourseForge manual for an overview of what CF adds to Unity.

[Kablammo11]

Unity will cover several aspects of course building - without CF, you will not be able to build a golf course, but what you can do is train certain basic skills that will be required. Also, you can prep courses (to a certain point). Try the following:

 

- Learn how to create and sculpt a terrain with the terrain tools

- Learn how to move about in your scene, what keys to use to fly in 3D, pivot your camera etc

- Learn how to create and/or import and apply terrain textures (with normal maps). 

- Learn how to create and/or import and plant grasses and trees

- Learn how to create and/or import 3D objects for rocks, walls, fences, structures etc.

 

Without these basic skills, there is no point in you having a go at CF. Also, without a basic grasp of Unity, you won't even know what questions to ask us, since you will lack the glossary and the hands-on experience to formulate your issues.

Try to google around for help to achieve these objectives. Read up on stuff and think for yourself to progress. If all else fails, as a last resort and when you're stuck, post your questions here. They will be answered.

[pingzing]

ok thanks shimonko and k11, will see how i go

 

cheers and thanks for reply

[AwYea]

For starters here's the Unity manual

 

http://docs.unity3d....nual/index.html

 

Second, if you plan on doing real courses i would highly recommend WorldComposer plugin for unity.

 

It's on sale for $45 at the assest store. Without this it is a painsaking process. You have to convert files, stitch images and import and export from different software to an other. PP is supposed to release a course converter that does the same thing, but don't know the ETA on that.

 

http://www.terrainco.../worldcomposer/

[DriverDivots]

shimonko, on 20 Jun 2015 - 06:21 AM, said:

CF is still constantly changing. Tuts at this stage would quickly become outdated and would confuse.
 
The program Joe and I use for getting real world data in costs $500-$1000. The process Jim uses is free, but takes many hours instead of minutes and doesn't use the beautiful hires data available with LiDAR. The Unity WorldComposer option, around the $100 mark is quick but also doesn't handle LiDAR. PP's TerrainForge was designed to make the real-world data process simple and cheap, but it too hasn't been released yet.
 
So it's just premature. Familiarity with Unity is best at this stage (Udemy free tuts for example), also reading the CourseForge manual for an overview of what CF adds to Unity.

Hey shimonoseki, what is the program you use to get the real world data? I watched Joe's videos this morning, so is his method the free one? Doesn't that include lidar data?

I'm new to unity but have some 3d modeling experience. My goal is to start creating my home course and a few others, and then hopefully play them on my simulator one day when perfect golf simulator version is released.

[pingzing]

AwYea, on 20 Jun 2015 - 1:06 PM, said:

For starters here's the Unity manual

 

http://docs.unity3d....nual/index.html

 

Second, if you plan on doing real courses i would highly recommend WorldComposer plugin for unity.

 

It's on sale for $45 at the assest store. Without this it is a painsaking process. You have to convert files, stitch images and import and export from different software to an other. PP is supposed to release a course converter that does the same thing, but don't know the ETA on that.

 

http://www.terrainco.../worldcomposer/

 

Thanks mate, this looks dam awesome, really appreciate your help , its amazing and will make things much easier to create real courses

PP course converter looks promising.

 

So i see what your saying, Cf early beta stages and will just have to be patient and see what unfolds in time

Time being will have a go at Unity, very slowly and try build up some experience and knowledge that way, while waiting for CF

 

Thank you

[pingzing]

Forgot to ask, seems its a good idea to create some holes to import into unity so to get a scale of things

 

Is there any golf course holes in already made up ready to go, no ones personal courses just a standard  ( Demo ) one to practice with

 

Just though i would ask

 

Thanks

[DDawg]

Hello, and Hi from a devoted TGC course design defector, wishing to seek asylum in learning course forge.

 

What is the quickest way to find myself getting started with the Unity 5/Course Forge Software.  I have 1700 hours in the GNCD designer of TGC, And had spent time in the old Links APCD ... 

 

I am thinking its time I jump ship.

[shimonko]

DriverDivots, on 20 Jun 2015 - 6:14 PM, said:

Hey shimonoseki, what is the program you use to get the real world data? I watched Joe's videos this morning, so is his method the free one? Doesn't that include lidar data?

Getting the real world data is just going to a handful of websites and downloading it for the region of interest, which is usually free.

 

LiDAR data however is a point cloud - which is a ton of isolated 3d points in spare which aren't joined together. Some sort of program is needed to turn the point cloud into a solid surface such as a landscape. For this Joe and I use GlobalMapper, but it's not cheap. The trial version doesn't export but if you understand gamma correction well you might be able to craftily use the trial version.

I don't use the other program Joe uses, Wilbur, but that is free. TerrainForge also does it so hopefully that will be along soon.

[DriverDivots]

Got it. Thanks for the explanation. I'll probably start with WorldComposer and work my way up from there.

[Joe Habiger]

My home state of Minnesota has the whole state done with lidar and I found the site which houses all that lidar. Trying to find which tiles to download though takes a while but it's not to hard really. Just have to search counties and then look at google maps and such and then the DNR's tiles to find out where they are.

 

I can possibly make another video later this week but until then I would just suggest trying to get use to unity and it's paint brushes and what they do. I can also possibly make a small amount of Lidar courses available because I can't do everything. I know some top courses and some very good courses i'll never do, hell I may only do Hazeltine and another I never know but I do have about 30 courses on my drive already that take about 15 minutes to convert to perfect Unity mesh with an overhead already matched up so you can draw out shapes ONCE Course Forge actually comes out.

[DriverDivots]

Any lidar data for Augusta national?
Other than that I'll mostly be recreating courses in NC.

[Joe Habiger]

I've heard two people I know have it but I am not sure I want to tackle it, I did it for the game I play now (as with hazeltine) and was a ******...lol - But both Hazeltine and Augusta I never had access to Lidar and used a two shape method to raise and lower to the correct or close to correct elevations.

 

I know Pennsylvania, Oregon also has a ton of lidar to choose from also. I'm sure there is much out there but you just need to find it. Searching is your best friend but you have to know what to search for also.

[shimonko]

DriverDivots, on 21 Jun 2015 - 8:15 PM, said:

Any lidar data for Augusta national?
Other than that I'll mostly be recreating courses in NC.

You're in luck because the Carolinas have readily available LiDAR for free, as does Augusta.