Hello
I’ve looked, read, watched around the topic of importing geo data into UE5 and Twinmotion, specifically tried something with the national geo data provided for my country. They provide data in various formats traditional for established GIS software. A minority could be used directly I think but in a limited way.
Now there is Datasmith and the exporters and exporter plugins, however it seems that it’s focused for large constructed datasets built inside various GIS applications. Which means that it’s still required to purchase expensive GIS software to first import the source there, and then export into Datasmith. At least to my understanding right now.
It’s not just a quick conversion either, it also requires knowledge of GIS software to properly configure imported data, etc.
The usecase here isn’t about complicated GIS building, simply to import the source data that’s produced by various providers such as national geodetic agencies, into UE5 (and/or Twinmotion) preferrably in a native way so that proper landscape can be built and other things. Perhaps this is very difficult technically? But for who, Epic to support the SHP and other ESRI file formats natively as if they were like any other 3D object assets in traditional game-engine formats or the geodetic data providers to adapt and conver the data into traditional game-engine file formats?
This may already be partially possible, seen some tutorials, but it’s still … it’s never built to be used by game-engines, perhaps this is where things should change, from the root source.
It might be benefitial (practical?, faster?, proper? etc) for the geo data providers to construct their data specifically for UE5, for direct import, completely bypassing the need for other GIS applications. Provided with good tools and instructions from Epic, than for Epic to support non-game engine formats, etc.
Epic could contact and negotiate with these providers what’s realistic and practical that they can do on their side to appease the wishes of the game engine and other conveniences, plus what Epic would need to do to extend the engine to support some of the aspects of geodetic data.
Epic could create a proper standalone “datasmith creator” or otherwise appropriately named utility specifically for geodetic/geospatial data providers, to help them adapt, convert and pack, or whatever’s necessary, the data into a common UE5 asset file that UE5 can import and use directly and natively.
It doesn’t have to be everything right away, but for starters, the simple stuff like heightmaps(lidar)->landscape and geotiff->textures/materials->landscape, etc
could be very welcome to do it out of the box, instead of having to go through the maze of tricks and outdated tutorials(generally speaking, idk specifically).
Perhaps some accuracy or deformation might happen if some geo data can’t be properly converted to UE5/game-engine compatability, but that may be acceptable for non-critical entertainment products.
Also excuse me because I’m not really a GIS person at all, perhaps simply importing things directly, barebones, might not be a practical usecase for everyone, if there’s not much to do with it in just UE5, I’m speculating. Perhaps because to do useful things on a large dataset, one would need the advanced editing features of proper GIS software, I’m thinking. This is why I came here to discuss, to get an idea what the community thinks how useful this is for the big players who make serious use of large geo datasets, but let’s not be pessimistic and rather try to see the benefits rather than making excuses how unnecessary it may be.
For example this is the kind of public geodetic data provided by the Slovenian Government Ministry for Environment and Zoning E-Area web portal:
Free geodetic data
Following data sets:
- Orthophoto DOF050 (sheet by sheet)
- National topographic database
- National topographic maps
- National large-scale maps
- Digital elevation model
- Basic geodetic system
- Register of geographical names
- National border record
- Register of spatial units
- Building cadastre
- Land cadastre
- Real estate register
- Consolidated cadastre of public infrastructure
- Valuation models register
- Real estate Market records
- Data on sheets repartition of the maps
are freely available thru the aplication e-Surveying data, where also information on data structure is published.
Some of the data is downloadable without registration here: JGP
Not directly relevant but there’s also a web viewer here for preview, which doesn’t require any registration and includes most (I think all?) of the same public data that’s available for direct download above.
So for starters, it would make a big difference if only the main relief, digital elevation, 3D buildings and the ortophoto for texturing/materials and various infrastructure outlines are supported, all of the complicated metadata and relationships just don’t have to be part of what the geo data provider would release in a UE5 specific package, as time goes on more things could be added if it proves a worthwhile effort (user demand, difficulty, etc)
There’s specialty maps that are for deeper research and analysis like surface geology, earthquake zones, caves and geothermal stuff, none of that is of any urgent need to be supported.
For example, here’s a translated help document for one of the datasets
BASIC INFORMATION ON TOPOGRAPHIC DATA COLLECTION (DTM)
The collection of topographic data is maintained in the form of the National Topographic Model (DTM), which contains graphic and attribute data on topographic objects corresponding to the accuracy of the scale 1 : 5,000.
The DTM contains topographical data that complies with the guidelines of the INSPIRE directive.
A combined photogrammetric survey based on the products of cyclic aerial photography of Slovenia (CAS) and laser scanning of Slovenia (LSS) is used to capture the geometric parameters of the topographic data. Topographic data thematic attributes are interpreted from CAS stereopairs, LSS data, default from other databases and records (building cadastre data, data from the collective cadastre of commercial public infrastructure, road data bank data) or interpreted from other sources (TTN 5/10, DTK 25).
Topographical data are covered in the national coordinate reference system D96/TM. Coordinates are rounded to two decimal places.
For users, topographic data is available in the D96/TM coordinate system.The collection of topographic data consists of the following object areas:
• buildings (BU),
• transport networks (TN),
• communal and public services (US),
• hydrography (HY ),
• ground cover (LC),
• area in special use (LU),
• relief (EL).
Data in the field of hydrography are taken from the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning.Each object area consists of one or more object types. For each object type, their topological form is indicated, whereby the letter L is used for the designation of the line layer, the letter P for the planar layer and the letter T for the point layer.
Topographic data for each object area is available for the whole of Slovenia in a compressed file (*.zip), which contains individual object types in SHP format.
Structure of compressed files:
DTM_BU.zip:
• BU_STAVBE_P.shp
• BU_OTHER_BUILDINGS_P. shp
• BU_OTHER_BUILDINGS_T.shp
• BU_DEVICES_T.shp
DTM_TN.zip:
• TN_CESTE_L.shp
• TN_ROAD_SURFACE_P.shp
• TN_ZEREZNICE_L.shp
• TN_ZICNICE_L.SHP
DTM_US.zip:
• US_ELEKTROVODI_L.shp
DTM_HY.zip:
• HY_KOCE_VODE_L.shp
• HY_KOCE_VODE_P.shp
• HY_STOJECE_VODE_P.shp
• HY_GRAJENI_VODNI_OBJEKTI_L.shp
• HY_BUILDED_WATER_OBJEKTI_P.shp
• HY_BUILDED_WATER_OBJECTS_T.shp
• HY_NATURAL_WATER_OBJECTS_L.shp
• HY_NATURAL_WATER_OBJECTS_P.shp
• HY_NATURAL_WATER_OBJECTS_T.shp
• HY_WET_SURFACES_P.shp
• HY_PRODISCA_P.shp
• HY_MORJE_P.shp
DTM_LC.zip:
• LC_COVERAGE_TAL_P.shp
DTM_LU.zip:
• LU_PESBNA_RABA_P.shp
DTM_EL.zip:
• EL_PLASTNICE_L_VZHOD.shp
• EL_PLASTNICE_L_ZAHOD.shp
• EL_VISINSKETOCKE_T.shp .Codes that refer to each object layer are shown in the document under the attribute table of the object layer. Those codes that appear in different object areas are published as common code numbers at the end of the document.
Each SHP file consists of files:
*.cpg – code table information
*.dbf – attribute description
*.prj – projection information
*.sbn - spatial index of objects
*.sbx - spatial object index
*.shp – geometry
*.shx – spatial geometry index
So the idea here is, the .SHP for geometry to use some kind of a more UE5 suitable format which I do not know what that might be, that’s for Epic to figure out and what the geo providers could do to possibly convert, or Epic supporting the .SHP natively. And other base stuff in this package that’s required to get shapes working, without the not-so-gaming-useful metadata, no need to bother with real-world info on a building, whether the building has gas pipe connection or which year it was built. This would save a lot of time and make this idea a lot more doable earlier.
The question is, is any of this simple enough, almost creating a new standard of sorts, I think I do have an idea that this isn’t that simple, I just really don’t know how, what would it take for Epic to do something about in this whole area, to help these providers be able to provide their data in formats other than these enterprise GIS specific usecases(planning, construction, etc), opening these kind of data to other uses and to a larger set of users.
For reference: The Ultimate List of GIS Formats and Geospatial File Extensions - GIS Geography
ArcGIS Shapefile Files Types & Extensions
Datasmith Supported Software and File Types | Unreal Engine 4.27 Documentation
Thanks for consideration - and I’ll be responding and updating this thread as new info comes to light, if necessary.