Hi everyone!
I am currently busy working on v2 of my RapidUnity Vehicle Editor, and whilst I have been working on this, I have been investigating other areas of driving game creation.
I have discovered how to use Google Earth to map out paths and export the data into a fantastic piece of software called Bob’s Track Builder for editing, and then finally I have created another RapidUnity tool which imports the data from BTB into Unity 3D, you can then use my RapidUnity Vehicle Editor to add a car, and race around the track.
This is pretty cool, it means you can create real world tracks in Unity, better still it does not use Unity terrain, so these tracks can be used for iOS games!
As well as creating real world tracks, you can simply create any track you like in Bob’s Track Builder, and then import that into Unity 3D using my new RapidUnity BTB import tool.
Take a look at my YouTube video to see it all in action…
I will be posting more information over the next few days!
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Cool. I can’t remember the name of the project, but wasn’t there another car racing game that allowed you to build a track anywhere based on Google earth data? Are you actually using terrain height data directly from Google Earth? If so, I thought that wasn’t possible.
This is great, Greg. There’s a couple of tracks I’d like to build.
@bigkahuna. Yes it is possible to get height data from Google Earth. I have done that with an island from Sydney Harbour I am creating for a game level.
Thanks for comments guys! The other game was called Hometown GP, thread link below:
http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/60098-Hometown-GP-Launched!-(a-google-maps-3D-F1-racer)
I will create some more tracks and a webplayer demo for you all to play with later today.
Nice work.
Could this also be used to recreate classic rally stages? - that would be very cool!
PS Why use Daytona as an example (a boring track) and not use Spa/The ring - classic tracks?
Thanks for kind comment Chris! 
You have hit the nail on the head, Bob’s Track Builder can produce closed or open race tracks, so it is perfect for creating rally stages!
Here are a couple of YouTube’s of rally stages created with BTB.
Be careful calling Daytona a boring track, the American’s would argue that its not, I am a hardcore F1 fan, so yes producing Spa would be a nice idea, I did Daytona as a quick and easy demo, only took me 20 mins from opening Google Earth to having a completed scene in Unity with working car, track, lighting and a skybox.
My next demo will be just a made up track in Bob’s Track Builder, showing how easy and quick it is to use (by the way I am not affiliated with BTB in anyway, I just think its a great tool, rFactor modders use it all the time), and I will demo my other new RapidUnity product for precise object placement around the tracks on the terrain meshes, also using my ArrayWizard tool to build tyre walls etc.
Currently, my BTB Importer only supports track and terrain, with BTB you can add tyre walls, trees, buildings etc, but for phase 1 of my importer these have been shelved due to issues I have hit with colliders, and instances of objects.
However, I plan to implement these in phase 2, in the meantime my current tools help do the job for now! 
Can this be used to create non-oval tracks like Mugello, Silverstone, or Nurburgring?
On second thought, it’d be difficult to create the Nurburgring in a way that Unity could handle the behemoth…
It can be used for any open or closed tracks! Just created Silverstone in 5 minutes , see below…
From GoogleEarth…
To Bob’s Track Builder…
And into Unity…
I need to complete my documentation, which includes a tutorial, and then I can release my RapidUnity BTB Importer product (phase 1).
BTB is available as an unrestricted 30 day trial, so you can create some test tracks before purchasing, the same goes for my importer, as I am hoping to release a trial version as well.
Right. I’ve looked everywhere but can’t find any info on how to pull terrain data from Google Earth. If anyone knows, please drop me a PM. Sorry for the OT post.
I know, but I am including it as part of my product and documentation, its seems to be a black art, and took me many hours of reading lots of different forums etc, and piecing it all together…
Handy tool I did something similar for our engine a while back, can see a bit of it at 1:27s in the video below. Google Earth does have a built in Api for doing various tasks with, you can get spot heights from it directly but you are limited to a few hundred at one time then a time delay is built in to stop you grabbing all the data you want. If you have the pro version of GE that limitation is removed. Nice job Greg Quite an array of tools you are providing.
Chris
Thats the Ring alright! And Silverstone looms quite handsome as well
Here is a site with some info about the Nurburgring, and has some nice google images with labels.
And here is link to GoogleMaps:
Very high res, i like. Now for the modeling process
Hi Grady,
I am still busy documented my product, will be ready for release soon. Not enough hours in the day…
WOW! That is a very nice idea/tool.
I use BTB to create some tracks, but always had to convert to .x, import into Max with a buggy .x importer,rename the parts, weld all the verts together, then export to .fbx and import into Unity. This tool will save tons of time.
I know how you feel. It would be madness to be able to compete against Simbin or even Turn 10/Polyphony. But that’s only a dream for most of us…
Now in BTB I see there are export options for three games. How would you take a track and import it to Max?
@Grady Lorenzo, as Ayce says its a nightmare, and hence why I have created my tool, all my tools are aimed to make development easier for you guys, and myself!
BTW, bit off topic, but I got my Apple Developer request approved today, has taken almost a month, but I can now publish to iPhone’s and iPad’s via Unity, wahoo!!! Look out for the next killer app from me! 
