Using Voxel Earth to Transform Maps into Minecraft

by Frank McDougall
in Action, News, xEL
on 23 June 2024

A researcher from Cornell Tech, Ryan Hardesty Lewis, has developed a groundbreaking technique called Voxel Earth that converts Google Maps’ 3D tiles into voxelized versions of the Earth in Minecraft. This innovative process involves decomposing the high-resolution 3D Tiles into voxels, assigning colors and textures based on the original photogrammetry data, and exporting the results. But what sets Voxel Earth apart is its ability to map these voxels to Minecraft blocks while maintaining the environmental context and functionality within the game.

The machine learning algorithm implemented in Voxel Earth enables the recognition of various features such as rivers and oceans. Instead of representing water as simple blue voxels, the algorithm takes into account the elevation and extent of the water bodies, replacing them with water blocks in the Minecraft representation. This attention to detail preserves the realism of the voxelized Earth and enhances the gaming experience.

Lewis foresees several applications for Voxel Earth. Educators can utilize this tool to transform maps into dynamic lessons, offering engaging experiences in fields like geography, environmental science, and urban planning. Additionally, gamers can immerse themselves in their favorite real-world locations, exploring and interacting with voxel representations of these places.

The Voxelizing Google Earth project will be presented at the SIGGRAPH conference, a renowned gathering focused on computer graphics. Attendees will have the opportunity to witness the technology in action and experience the voxelized Earth firsthand. Lewis’s groundbreaking technique holds great potential for both educational and gaming purposes, offering a new way to visualize and engage with the world around us.

For more information about Voxel Earth and to see gifs of the project in action, visit the official website at voxelearth.org. Don’t miss the full interview with Lewis on SIGGRAPH’s website to delve further into the development and potential of this exciting technique.

Additional facts:

– Voxel Earth is not limited to just mapping the Earth, but can also be used to convert other locations or even fantasy worlds into Minecraft.
– The voxelized Earth created by Voxel Earth is not static but is updated in real-time. This means that changes in the real world can be reflected in the Minecraft representation.
– Voxel Earth is compatible with both the Java Edition and Bedrock Edition of Minecraft, allowing users on different platforms to experience the voxelized Earth.

Important questions and answers:

Q: How does Voxel Earth convert Google Maps’ 3D tiles into Minecraft?
A: Voxel Earth uses a process of decomposing the 3D Tiles into voxels, assigning colors and textures, and mapping them to Minecraft blocks while maintaining the environmental context.

Q: What are some potential applications of Voxel Earth?
A: Voxel Earth can be used in education for dynamic lessons in geography, environmental science, and urban planning. It can also be used by gamers to explore and interact with voxel representations of real-world locations.

Key challenges or controversies:

One potential challenge for Voxel Earth is the accuracy of the voxelized representation. Although the machine learning algorithm used in the process enables recognition of features, there may still be limitations and inaccuracies in the conversion from 3D tiles to Minecraft voxels.

Advantages:
– Voxel Earth provides a new and immersive way to explore and interact with real-world locations in Minecraft.
– It has potential applications in education, making learning more engaging and interactive.
– The real-time updates allow for reflection of changes in the real world.

Disadvantages:
– The accuracy and level of detail in the voxelized representation may be limited, depending on the quality and resolution of the original 3D tiles.
– The process of converting 3D tiles into voxels may be time-consuming and require a considerable amount of computational power.