Introducing TGC Designer Tools and Real Course Recreation Lidar Import

[ChadGolf]

Hi everyone!

I've been hard at work for the last month developing tools that primarily will import Lidar data into TGC 2019 Courses.

There have been a lot of ups and downs, but I'm at the point where I'm ready to accept feedback from the community.

A completed course file is available here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RYW...ew?usp=sharing

Please don't publish this course in game, it's not completed and I call 'dibs' on publishing this course after I finish decorating it.


I've completed the proof-of-concept phases and have created playable, realistic courses. I'm still working on the User Interface and instructions to make this the easiest that it can be, but I wanted to open the tools up for developers to contribute fixes.

The source code is available free on Github and releases will be available there under the "Releases" link. I'm targeting the initial release in a week or two as a Windows download:

https://github.com/chadrockey/TGC-Designer-Tools

https://i.imgur.com/4GnzENd.png

I also am supporting import from OpenStreetMap golf courses ( https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=1...576/-115.28536 ) into TGC as splines if you don't want the lidar elevation or can't get lidar for your course.

https://i.imgur.com/Nza71FG.png

Quick tips if you want to get started on your OpenStreetMap course: use the highest quality sat image available, map greens along the inside of THE FRINGE, map bunkers on the outside lip, map water on the outside lip.

For more information on the process or if you want to support future features of this tool, please read here: https://www.patreon.com/chadgolf

I hope this brings enjoyment to everyone. We all have courses that are personally meaningful to us, and I hope this software inspires you to create something for the community.
- Chad

Special thanks to MTHunt, crazycanuck1985, friendBOMBER, and HTdumps for initial feedback and guidance.

Instructions and a tutorial linked from this page: https://chadrockey.github.io/TGC-Designer-Tools/

[Craig118]

Been wanting to do Scioto Country club for awhile now. With the elevated greens and cavernous bunkers it would have been a tough one to get accurate. With the new tools I had an accurate plot and a few holes mapped out on OSM in about an hour. Another hour or so of work on the 13th hole is below. This would have taken me a week to do one hole the old way .

[Craig118]

Got a few more holes of Scioto completed in OSM. This picture is completely raw after combining data without any work...I am amazed at how well everything lines up. The Lidar Data captures just how deep these Donald Ross bunkers are.

[Craig118]

Couple more pic's of Scioto without moving any dirt. All the RCR's I did the old way100% manually moving dirt are now completely obsolete (If there is LIDAR data). There is no way I could have matched this accuracy.

[ChadGolf]

frodaddy00 Could you review my latest source code commit?

Available now in the 0.1.1rc download in THE POST below! I tried to track down the scalloped fairways and it got messy. Overall I believe I improved the ascetics of all splines, made most splines usable as if they were created in game, and improved how much splines represent their real life counterparts.

Source code link for frodaddy:
https://github.com/chadrockey/TGC-De...e7c8eea539c22c

The main problem is that every spline starts life looking like a cartpath! So they are super wide, like to bleed together. The game actually displays METERS and not yards for the spline widths and secondary widths.

My main finding from a while ago was that to keep bunkers tight, I had to make these little "rabbit ear antenna" spline handles that pulled the shape in tight. I think former attempt tries to apply this technique in various ways to most of the splines. Since the splines are filled, I used a technique only available in code to set the spline width to 0.0. Unfortunately, the game doesn't render these well and this results in the scallops.

(See scalloped image)

After some investigation, I determined that the minimum width of fairways that removes the scalloping to my taste was 3 meters!

(See fairway outline image and 3m wide fairway image)

With that in mind, I now had to go through and determine which direction was right to shift each and every spline point by half of its width inside so that the outside shape would remain unaffected by the new widths. This was a little bit challenging, but I think I got the math right. As a bonus, when there are slight curves or imperfections in fairway edges, you can move them in game and I think they "do the right thing".

(See new rendering image)

While I was in there, I noticed some "bare dirt" around some greens and teeboxes, so I did slight visual updates to all of these so that they are "more stock" in the game and the user won't have the sizes jumping up and down if they try to change the styling. This involved shifting the points on every spline but bunkers and fake water, but I think that the visuals and accuracy are now greatly improved. From everywhere I looked, this also keeps the green and the fringe the right size so there's none of that green/fringe bleeding into slopes effect that really bothers me.

(See new green rendering image)

Let me know what you think, but overall this looks like a good step toward meeting expectations of the game editor while maintaining real-world dimensions.

[frodaddy00]

I usually check every day or so and pull down new updates but I'll definitely check out new spline code!

[ChadGolf]

The new splines look like they are working well so I've rolled out a new Release Candidate 0.1.1 for everyone to test:

https://chadrockey.github.io/TGC-Designer-Tools/

[Craig118]

Chad you are a genious. The latest release fixed the jaggy fairways 100%. You even got the second cut the perfect width that I like. Here is proof, first pic is Scioto CC from V 0.1, second pic from V1.1. all 18 Fairways are beautifully contoured with hardly any work needed! Thank you so much.

[frodaddy00]

ChadGolf The new spline code is perfect. Not only did it fix the fairways but greens are much smoother as well! Kudos once again

[Laboroflove]

I’m out of town this week away from my Gaming PC, so can’t use the editor. But I do plan to do some mapping in OSM. What’s everyone finding for tips with OSM? More points are better or worse? Should lines be right on features like tee boxes and bunker edges or just inside to allow for slopes to generate better? Cart paths everywhere? Planning to map out a few courses this week without being able to test the mapping so would appreciate any of those tips!!!

[frodaddy00]

With Chad's latest fixes to splines you do not want too many spline points in OSM.. I'd say fewer the better to start out.

[Craig118]

I’m out of town this week away from my Gaming PC, so can’t use the editor. But I do plan to do some mapping in OSM. What’s everyone finding for tips with OSM? More points are better or worse? Should lines be right on features like tee boxes and bunker edges or just inside to allow for slopes to generate better? Cart paths everywhere? Planning to map out a few courses this week without being able to test the mapping so would appreciate any of those tips!!!

Some lessons I have learned so far in OSM for TGC generated textures:

- # 1 rule, Make sure everything on your plot is to your satisfaction in OSM and TGC tools before you start doing any editing in TGC. Any elevation or texture changes you make in TGC designer will be lost if you go back to re-run Chad's tools .

- I try to stay on inside border of bunkers in the areas that butt up close to greens and fairways. It's easier to brush those in later if needed than to delete/move points in TGC designer.

-Place more points at corners and small radii than in the straight sections ( search "Scioto Country Club" on OSM to see examples ).

-Even if there is no LIDAR data available for your course , you can still map out a flat plot with an OSM . This in itself, even without the LIDAR implimentation, would have been awesome for doing RCR courses.

-OSM tools are not that great when switching between multiple feature types (Green/Bunker/Fairway/Water..etc) . If you do all of one type at a time.. for example all Bunkers... then you don't have to constantly switch feature types.

-I find it easier to get smoother transition of plot points by using space bar instead of mouse clicks. For me it allows faster smoother results....and it's easier on my hands than 10,000 mouse clicks.

-Just like in TGC designer...save often!

Any other tips?

[Laboroflove]

frodaddy00 Craig118 thanks for your insights. I’ll definately check out your example in OSM to see how the pros are doing it!!!

[Genghis]

I'm finding it's best to find a prominent feature, brush it on OSM and then run Chad's tool to make sure I'm lined up. Once lined up, I'll trace away without having to go back later and adjust everything.

If I have to apply an offset, I'll save it in the description field on the first hole in OSM for later reference.

Other backgrounds are helpful to trace features if trees or shadows are in the way. I can usually find a winter view. Then it's only a matter of dragging it to the right place.

[Jtangm04]

Amazed at your guys dedication and hard work coding and designing these courses.

[Jwheels9876]

anyone make a step by step youtube video yet?

[ChadGolf]

Jwheels9876 I’ll do a live stream demonstration and question and answer session later this week on Twitch http://twitch.tv/ChadGolf . We can use those videos as a first guide for the time being.

I can do any day Wed through Sunday. What day and time would people be available? Are we mostly Eastern time? I’m Pacific time.

[Solstice72]

I'm going to try to watch

[Whiskeyjack]

I'll watch if available.

[ChadGolf]

Stream discussion thread here:

https://golfsimulatorforum.com/forum/golf-simulator-brands-and-types/the-golf-club/187872-tgc-lidar-and-designer-tools-twitch-stream-tutorial-and-question-and-answer-session

[longhornlove]

This looks amazing. Look to try when I get 2019.