MrGruntHunter | 4 years ago | 8 comments | 2 likes | 1.2K views
LostBoyz and vincent like this!
I have started using Bixelangelo to trace travel routes. I can import maps as a background image and then draw the route following the routes being traveled on. My problem is that these overall routes can be for very large distances and can be on some twisty roads. When I try to zoom in to allow for better definition only the route I am drawing will enlarge with the background image remaining small. Isn’t there a way to have the background image increase in size proportionately along with the line drawing in Bixelangelo so I can more accurately trace my routes? I guess that would be like putting them both in the same ‘container’ so they could be controlled together. The only way I’ve been able to get close is by drawing a lot of little short lines.
As an example: This clip is only one small portion of a 6,000 mile (9,656 km) trip.
Hi Mike,
As good as it is, I don't think that Bixangelo is appropriate for this type of thing. There are programs that specialize in route tracing and animation. For example, Google Earth Pro, Magix Travel Maps that comes with Video Pro X, Movie Edit Pro Plus/Premium, PhotoStory, and the master of all, Vasco da Gama - as per the embedded video.
I did up a quick and dirty one in Travel maps for your route that I can post if you would like to see it.
I use BluffTitler to embellish the routes.
JCB, 4 years ago
JCB, WOW! Now that's exactly something I wanted to do for my overall trip video especially being able to zoom in and back out again while traveling your route. What program(s) did you use to create that? I took over 2,000 photos during our 6 week trip so I've broken them down into 5 individual slide show videos plus I made an 8 min video that shows many of the highlights of our trip. What you did would have made an awesome into for that video. I am currently trying to plan a 2 month trip for this fall and it would be great to do something like that. This is the trip we took last year. I might have to look into one of those other programs.
MrGruntHunter, 4 years ago
Mike, with these tools you'll have the possibility to make a super-pro presentation for your journey!
vincent, 4 years ago
Hi Mike,
As shown at the top left of the image, I used Vasco da Gama and Vasco StreetMaps from Motion Studios:
motionstudios.de
This is expensive, but worth it if you have a lot to do. I also have the Airplane Objects package as many of my trips were by plane around the world. Unfortunately, there are no PanAm aircraft in the package.
I create different levels of maps from Vasco StreetMaps. I do one that shows minimal detail at the zoom level I want, then one each for only the start and end areas with more detail. Three levels can be brought into Vasco da Gama (VdG). So for zoomed out parts, only the lower detailed map is seen and then when zoomed in, the increased detail shows (there is a parameter for this).
Routes can be drawn on the map or imported from a gps file. When doing travel on roads, I use Google Earth Pro to get the route as it's quicker than drawing on the map, then export to kmz. If I have several legs, I import each into GPS Utility, combine the routes and compress them to reduce the number of points, then save as a gps file. Then I import that into VdG or Travel Maps. In VdG, the route can be adjusted in great detail; no adjustments allowed in Travel Maps using gps files. The process can be time-consuming if you want a zoomed in start, zoomed out, zoom in, etc. and have it happen smoothly.
Here is an example of a video done with several routes showing how I integrate the route video with photos (and videos when I have them).
youtube.com...
The integration is done in the video editor, not in VdG. In your case, using BluffTitler, you can do up some fancy titles with emblems of various cities, export to transparent avi files, and integrate them into your video.
While I'm thinking of it, I also use a GoPro for a lot of filming of hikes. The GoPro records the gps route with the video file, so I can locate where on the map I was. I also record the route on a cell phone so that I can import the entire hike into VdG or Travel Maps (or first modify with GPSU). Then I can integrate photos and videos along the route.
The drawback with VdG is that it does not have access to satellite maps, although you could export one from something else and import it into VdG. Travel Maps, on the other hand, uses live maps, including satellite maps, so I can trace the route on one map, export the animation, change the map to satellite view, and export the same animation. Then I can use one or the other or both in a video.
JCB, 4 years ago
Thank you for sharing your video and all of that information. I did go and download the demo for Vasco de Gama (BIG file and it took a very long time to install). Yes, I can see it could get REAL expensive ($168,24 US plus all of the additional add-on packages you would need) real fast. For just an occasional personal vacation that cost would be difficult for me to justify. It does appear to be the perfect program though for someone who was in the business of creating videos like that for paying clients. It appears to cater more towards European travel though. I think for what I am doing I will need to be satisfied with what I can squeeze out of Bixelangelo and hope that Michiel will sometime have the opportunity to provide more capabilities with it. That certainly is a GREAT travel video you created and I am impressed how you were able to condense it down to just a 12 minute video :-) as that is one of my biggest challenges LOL.
MrGruntHunter, 4 years ago
Yes, actually in Bixelangelo when we trace using a background image if you zoom (draw mode), or move/rotate (edit mode) background image stays fixe while it should follow the grid. Hope too michiel will fix this, at least for zoom and move, but I know it very busy with BT 64bits.
vincent, 4 years ago
Yes, it would be good if the background image in Bixangelo adjusted with the zoom and pan.
Here is an example of doing animated mapping in Magix Travel Maps that comes with Video Pro X, Movie Edit Pro Plus/Premium and PhotoStory. Travel Maps is not sold separately at the moment. This is a less expensive solution than Vasco da Gama.
About Vasco da Gama, you do not need to get everything, only the main program VdG Pro or Pro XXL, and Vasco StreetMaps Ultimate. I think that Motion Studios used to sell individual continents but now only all or Europe. You don't need Vasco StreetMaps as you can import your own map and trace the route on it. VdG comes with many 2D and 3D objects, so no additional object package is needed unless one really wants one.
The other alternative is Google Earth Pro in which you can trace the map and export the animation of the route. It's free.
JCB, 4 years ago
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