Automatic Geodata Processing Methods for Real-World City Visualizations in Cities: Skylines

The city-building game Cities: Skylines simulates urban-related processes in a visually appealing 3D environment and thus offers interesting possibilities for visualizations of real-world places. Such visualizations could be used for presentation, participation, or education projects. However, the c...

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Main Authors: Jan Pinos, Vit Vozenilek, Ondrej Pavlis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-01-01
Series:ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/9/1/17
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author Jan Pinos
Vit Vozenilek
Ondrej Pavlis
author_facet Jan Pinos
Vit Vozenilek
Ondrej Pavlis
author_sort Jan Pinos
collection DOAJ
description The city-building game Cities: Skylines simulates urban-related processes in a visually appealing 3D environment and thus offers interesting possibilities for visualizations of real-world places. Such visualizations could be used for presentation, participation, or education projects. However, the creation process of the game model from geographical data is inaccurate, complicated, and time consuming, thus preventing the wider use of this game for non-entertainment purposes. This paper presents the automatic methods scripted in the Cities: Skylines application programming interface (API) and bundled into a game modification (commonly referred to as a game mod) named GeoSkylines, to create a geographically accurate visualization of real-world places in Cities: Skylines. Based on various geographical data, the presented methods create road and rail networks, tree coverage, water basins, planning zones, buildings, and services. Using these methods, playable models of the cities of Svit (Slovakia) and Olomouc (Czech Republic) were created in the game. The game mod GeoSkylines also provides methods for exporting game objects such as roads, buildings, and zones into a Geographic Information System (GIS) data format that can be processed further. This feature enables the game Cities: Skylines to be utilized as a data collection tool that could be used in redevelopment design projects.
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spelling doaj.art-8d90cdf5f20c44269b6b530c5714ae3a2022-12-21T22:44:49ZengMDPI AGISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information2220-99642020-01-01911710.3390/ijgi9010017ijgi9010017Automatic Geodata Processing Methods for Real-World City Visualizations in Cities: SkylinesJan Pinos0Vit Vozenilek1Ondrej Pavlis2Department of Geoinformatics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 50, 77146 Olomouc, Czech RepublicDepartment of Geoinformatics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 50, 77146 Olomouc, Czech RepublicDepartment of Geoinformatics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 50, 77146 Olomouc, Czech RepublicThe city-building game Cities: Skylines simulates urban-related processes in a visually appealing 3D environment and thus offers interesting possibilities for visualizations of real-world places. Such visualizations could be used for presentation, participation, or education projects. However, the creation process of the game model from geographical data is inaccurate, complicated, and time consuming, thus preventing the wider use of this game for non-entertainment purposes. This paper presents the automatic methods scripted in the Cities: Skylines application programming interface (API) and bundled into a game modification (commonly referred to as a game mod) named GeoSkylines, to create a geographically accurate visualization of real-world places in Cities: Skylines. Based on various geographical data, the presented methods create road and rail networks, tree coverage, water basins, planning zones, buildings, and services. Using these methods, playable models of the cities of Svit (Slovakia) and Olomouc (Czech Republic) were created in the game. The game mod GeoSkylines also provides methods for exporting game objects such as roads, buildings, and zones into a Geographic Information System (GIS) data format that can be processed further. This feature enables the game Cities: Skylines to be utilized as a data collection tool that could be used in redevelopment design projects.https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/9/1/17geodatavisualizationgame modscity-building gamescities: skylines
spellingShingle Jan Pinos
Vit Vozenilek
Ondrej Pavlis
Automatic Geodata Processing Methods for Real-World City Visualizations in Cities: Skylines
ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information
geodata
visualization
game mods
city-building games
cities: skylines
title Automatic Geodata Processing Methods for Real-World City Visualizations in Cities: Skylines
title_full Automatic Geodata Processing Methods for Real-World City Visualizations in Cities: Skylines
title_fullStr Automatic Geodata Processing Methods for Real-World City Visualizations in Cities: Skylines
title_full_unstemmed Automatic Geodata Processing Methods for Real-World City Visualizations in Cities: Skylines
title_short Automatic Geodata Processing Methods for Real-World City Visualizations in Cities: Skylines
title_sort automatic geodata processing methods for real world city visualizations in cities skylines
topic geodata
visualization
game mods
city-building games
cities: skylines
url https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/9/1/17
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AT vitvozenilek automaticgeodataprocessingmethodsforrealworldcityvisualizationsincitiesskylines
AT ondrejpavlis automaticgeodataprocessingmethodsforrealworldcityvisualizationsincitiesskylines