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3D Helicopter View Added To Google Maps

Posted by Soulskill on from the merging-the-flight-sims-and-directions dept.

Zothecula writes "Those not content with getting a 2D top-down or 360-degree street level view of a planned route using Google Maps can now enjoy a virtual flight over the route thanks to Google adding a new Helicopter View. The new feature, which currently only works in a full browser and requires the Google Earth plugin, lets users see 3D view, and should come in particularly handy for walkers or bike riders looking for a more intuitive view of potentially tiring hills."

10 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. Not that new. by The_mad_linguist · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Google Earth has had a flight simulator built in for years now. The difference between normal google Earth, a F-16 in Google Earth and a helicopter in Google Earth isn't that noteworthy.

    1. Re:Not that new. by Sockatume · · Score: 2

      I don't think you understand what helicopter view is.

      --
      No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
    2. Re:Not that new. by rwa2 · · Score: 2

      Not that I've tried this "new" helicopter view, but Google Earth had that kind of navigation track animation since the Keyhole days. I think the only news is that they've tied that feature into maps.google.com using a plugin.

  2. Modern Man by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Heaven forbid that you would get tired.

  3. Re:Full browser? by Cyko_01 · · Score: 2

    Here are the results of my own testing:

    Works In:
    firefox 7
    google chrome
    IE8

    Does Not Work In:
    safari 5.1 (windows)
    Opera 11.51

  4. Re:Full browser? by Cyko_01 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Netscape navigator 9.0.0.6 (I have it installed just for laughs) shows the 3D button but the plugin shows some errors and crashes the browser if you try it anyways.

  5. Linux Users Not Invited by Psion · · Score: 4, Informative

    Unfortunately, the plugin only supportes Mac and Windows. C'mon, Google!

    1. Re:Linux Users Not Invited by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      3D is hard to do on Linux... I should know, I'm a cross platform game programmer.

      I mean, it's not like you freetards have created a standard Open Graphics Library, and even if you did it's not like Firefox or Google would be using such a thing, especially not on OSX -- I mean, we know how they all hate open standards and free software. Google's sKetchup 3D editor doesn't run on Loonix or support .OBJ or .3DS either... wait, it does if you pay for it... Oh, and OpenGL does exist... and they're using it on OSX... Yeah, the lack of GNU/Linux support reeks of retardation...

      I mean, it's not anyone has OpenGL experience with Linux on their mobile Androi-- oh, nevermind... It's just dumb, and I hate their laziness -- It's hard not to think there are posterior motives afoot given how simple it is to use cross platform tools.

      If even indie game devs can figure out how to leverage cross platform, then WTF everyone else?

    2. Re:Linux Users Not Invited by alienzed · · Score: 2

      and during the Year of the Linux Desktop. What a shame.

      --
      Never say never. Ah!! I did it again!
  6. You don't have to run it in a browser by Animats · · Score: 3, Informative

    Google Earth is really a standalone Windows application. (Remember those?) Google didn't develop it; it was from a company called Keyhole, which sold it as a service for years before Google bought them out. I had a Keyhole account back in 2003. NVidia had a promotional deal; it was cheaper with an NVidia card.

    You could fly along a route in Keyhole, so a "helicopter view" isn't exactly new.