Why Do All of Apple Maps 3D Flyovers Look Like a Zombie Apocalypse?

[SomeDudeAsking]

So I'm playing with an iPhone 5 right now with the Apple Maps 3D flyovers and one thing that keeps striking out at me is that all the 3D renderings in Apple Maps look like a scene out of a zombie apocalypse movie. Like check out Manhattan, New York and the buildings look like they've been ransacked by zombies. It makes it impossible to figure out which neighborhood is actually decent and which is run down because all of them look run down in Apple Maps.

What caused all of Apples 3D renders to look so horrible? Is it even possible for them to fix this. Will this ever be fixed? It seems like it is an inherent flaw in Apple's algorithms to render the 3D maps.

 

[pmau]

When maps launched here with iOS 6, germany looked like post WW2.
It really was only greyscale images with no street names and nothing ...

 

[PrometheusGeek]

So I'm playing with an iPhone 5 right now with the Apple Maps 3D flyovers and one thing that keeps striking out at me is that all the 3D renderings in Apple Maps look like a scene out of a zombie apocalypse movie. Like check out Manhattan, New York and the buildings look like they've been ransacked by zombies. It makes it impossible to figure out which neighborhood is actually decent and which is run down because all of them look run down in Apple Maps.

What caused all of Apples 3D renders to look so horrible? Is it even possible for them to fix this. Will this ever be fixed? It seems like it is an inherent flaw in Apple's algorithms to render the 3D maps.

They don't look horrible on my 4S or iPad 3. They take 2-5seconds to load, and everything looks crisp and clear, in Manhatten, San Fran, Chicago...

Clearly you don't like this feature, as this is your second complaint thread about it. I'd suggest not using it if you find it non-useful. Or maybe you're just here to complain about Apple.

 

[SomeDudeAsking]

They don't look horrible on my 4S or iPad 3. They take 2-5seconds to load, and everything looks crisp and clear, in Manhatten, San Fran, Chicago...

Clearly you don't like this feature, as this is your second complaint thread about it. I'd suggest not using it if you find it non-useful. Or maybe you're just here to complain about Apple.

This is legitimate criticism because the Apple's 3D renders do look like something out of a zombie movie. Care to post a zoomed in Apple Maps screenshot of somewhere in sub-urban Manhattan?

 

[MozMan68]

This is legitimate criticism because the Apple's 3D renders do look like something out of a zombie movie. Care to post a zoomed in Apple Maps screenshot of somewhere in sub-urban Manhattan?

You're the one making the claim..you post a pic.

What do you expect? Some high definition pic of every building from 5 feet away?

 

[Edslunch]

My son and I were saying the same thing to each other. The buildings are great but down at street level it's pretty scary looking. If they can improve the resolution though it could be a reasonable alternative to street view

 

[SomeDudeAsking]

A screenshot from a Huffington Post article highlighting the zombie apocalypse effect of Apple Maps. The Apple Maps 3D renders are stuck in the uncanny valley of trying to be realistic but falling short and looking freakish instead.

 

[roxxette]

Image

A screenshot from a Huffington Post article highlighting the zombie apocalypse effect of Apple Maps. The Apple Maps 3D renders are stuck in the uncanny valley of trying to be realistic but falling short and looking freakish instead.

Looks like a new Assasins Creed

 

[SomeDudeAsking]

You're the one making the claim..you post a pic.

What do you expect? Some high definition pic of every building from 5 feet away?

Not high definition, just not zombie apocalypse creepy rendering for everything in Apple Maps. Low resolution photos don't make things creepy, it is the incomplete way Apple rendered everything that makes it bad. Seriously, the Apple Maps 3D renders make me think like I need to carry a shot gun everywhere. If you were a tourist, would you really want to visit the spot from the screenshot in my previous post?

 

[Rajani Isa]

It's so when the zombie apocalypse does come, we don't have to stop and try to figure if the buildings are the same as what's on the phone while being chased by zombies.

 

[Squid7085]

I really don't know what you are expecting, it's a fairly new technology. When you consider the fact they fly a few planes over an area and from that can create full 3D images of a city like New York, I'd say it's dammned impressive. It's like complaining in the 90's because the N64 didn't look "realistic."

 

[SomeDudeAsking]

I really don't know what you are expecting, it's a fairly new technology. When you consider the fact they fly a few planes over an area and from that can create full 3D images of a city like New York, I'd say it's dammned impressive. It's like complaining in the 90's because the N64 didn't look "realistic."

Your analogy and excuse is so bad......., where should I start?

 

[arashb]

Well, if it makes you feel any better SF really does look as scary and run down as the 3D rendering makes it look.

But I'm not sure what good 3D rendering does for anyone. It's far from practical, but the standard map mode in 3D looks pretty cool actually.

 

[Comeagain?]

I'm sure most people are definitely scared to enter manhattan for fear of the zombie apocalypse present in a very new technology.

I'm also sure (this time not sarcastically) that much of the effects you see are the result of removing the vehicles and people. You just don't expect New York to not have any people or cars or anything.

 

[Sir Ruben]

Before you criticise I suggest you compare the same locations in Google Earth. The 3D implementation there looks TERRIBLE compared to Apple Maps. here take a look and see for yourself:

https://www.icloud.com/photostream/en-gb/#A3JtdOXmJqGQum

All these are Rome, and the level of detail in Apple maps is nothing short of stunning!

Goolgle Earth looks more like a post nuclear world, or at the very best a smudgy oil painting

EDIT: Its also worth pointing out that both had fully loaded before taking the screenshots.

 

[PaulTokyo]

It's actually Art
http://gizmodo.com/5949475/the-hilarious-truth-behind-apple-maps-its-an-art-project

 

[Kukulcan]

Wow, so that picture a few posts higher is supposed to look bad?

What do people expect from a first version of such a feature? Buildings made with all the doors, columns, windows etc. modeled high poly? Animated people walking the streets to make it look less deserted?

This is not meant to be a happy Sony commercial with colorful balls bouncing through the streets.

 

[TranceNW]

Wow, so that picture a few posts higher is supposed to look bad?

What do people expect from a first version of such a feature? Buildings made with all the doors, columns, windows etc. modeled high poly? Animated people walking the streets to make it look less deserted?

This is not meant to be a happy Sony commercial with colorful balls bouncing through the streets.

If you're referring to the picture of London above then you're dreaming if you think it's defendable. They have the higher res pictures, it's about how they're being rendered. I'd rather they didn't bother than turn Piccadilly Circus into something from 28 days later. I mean, it looks like there's dead bodies on the floor and with the number of children with idevices these days, should it really be necessary to have to restrict the maps app to prevent them having nightmares?
I get that Apple can't get everything correct from the get go, but certain things can't be defended.

 

[Technarchy]

This thread is funny.

The issue is you need to render fast, with a small CPU (by PC standards) and have the ability to do so with limited bandwidth.

So Apple used low res textures, low polygon count and limited colors. At at distance it works, but as you zoom in things will look off a bit and like something out of "I am legend"

 

[Saladinos]

On the one hand, they're capturing this stuff from the air. Way cool. Not surprised it isn't 100% crisp, but this could perhaps be improved with bigger data sets and some hand-tweaked very recognisable buildings.

On the other hand, Nokia 3D maps (you can view it from the browser but it requires a plugin), which uses the same C3 technologies data as Apple, is far better. Nokia have clearly cleaned up the textures and models in a way that Apple just hasn't.

Stuff like cleaning up artefacts from the street (the smeared blobs) and straightening up building edges is just basic.

 

[Kukulcan]

If you're referring to the picture of London above then you're dreaming if you think it's defendable. They have the higher res pictures, it's about how they're being rendered. I'd rather they didn't bother than turn Piccadilly Circus into something from 28 days later. I mean, it looks like there's dead bodies on the floor and with the number of children with idevices these days, should it really be necessary to have to restrict the maps app to prevent them having nightmares?
I get that Apple can't get everything correct from the get go, but certain things can't be defended.

Wow, this is really mega stupid, how should the children even know this would look like 28 days later without watching the movie first.

So what do you suggest? Removing flat people with photoshop? Modeling them?

And the resolution of textures is fine, no need to slap extremely high res textures on a low poly model, that looks even more weird and puts unnecessarly load on devices with less RAM.

I can understand people complaining about Maps missing important feature, but people complaining about this need to get a life ASAP.

----------

On the one hand, they're capturing this stuff from the air. Way cool. Not surprised it isn't 100% crisp, but this could perhaps be improved with bigger data sets and some hand-tweaked very recognisable buildings.

On the other hand, Nokia 3D maps (you can view it from the browser but it requires a plugin), which uses the same C3 technologies data as Apple, is far better. Nokia have clearly cleaned up the textures and models in a way that Apple just hasn't.

Stuff like cleaning up artefacts from the street (the smeared blobs) and straightening up building edges is just basic.

Just basic, yeah, still it will cost millions (lots of them) if you do it for all the cities in the world. Please, Apple, don't do it and rather give that money to charity.

 

[TranceNW]

Wow, this is really mega stupid, how should the children even know this would look like 28 days later without watching the movie first.

So what do you suggest? Removing flat people with photoshop? Modeling them?

And the resolution of textures is fine, no need to slap extremely high res textures on a low poly model, that looks even more weird and puts unnecessarly load on devices with less RAM.

I can understand people complaining about Maps missing important feature, but people complaining about this need to get a life ASAP

Don't judge me by your own low standards thanks.
You need to have a look at your own post and judge your own stupidity. You wouldn't need to have seen 28 days later to get an impression of dead bodies on the floor. Quite frankly I don't care how they make it look better but what I can tell you is that there are other 3D mapping services which do not replicate the same abysmal results. That's my opinion and opinions are like butt holes, everybody has one and nobody likes to hear it so deal with it.

 

[Kukulcan]

Don't judge me by your own low standards thanks.
You need to have a look at your own post and judge your own stupidity. You wouldn't need to have seen 28 days later to get an impression of dead bodies on the floor. Quite frankly I don't care how they make it look better but what I can tell you is that there are other 3D mapping services which do not replicate the same abysmal results. That's my opinion and opinions are like butt holes, everybody has one and nobody likes to hear it so deal with it.

Stupid Stupid Stupid...no 6yo will think there are dead bodies, as there are not. That is just a pop culture phenomena if people think of Zombies or dead bodies when looking at that screen.

Luckily most people in the world will be happy to get such stuff without even asking for it, because if everybody was complaining like the vocal minority does, no company would add such features any more for the fear of bad press.

Sorry, I leave this topic, as even discussing this is such a waste of time.

 

[matrix07]

Stupid thread. C3 technology (the one uses in Apple Map) can resolve detail like 8 inches area but clearly if Apple gives you that you will still complain about long load time, CPU heating, and data consumption. People these days..

 

[kas23]

Stupid thread. You're looking at it wrong. Have more of an open mind towards the livelihood (or undeadlihood) of zombies. They're people too (or used to be).