Feature request: Manual for usage with OSS simulator

[jdsika]

ok, I am having a good time spamming your issue section - tell me to stop at any time :)

I think it would be awesome to test the compatibility of this dataset with an open source simulator. I have absolutely no idea about the prerequisits here but let's assume I would want to test a function with a bunch of scenarios in Ingolstadt. We have published the ALKS Sceanrios here as an example. In order for people to understand it better we added a few steps guide to run it wich esmini. I left an issue in the esmini repository to get the ball rolling. I think cross-referencing and connecting those projects with each other could be very powerful!

[OloOcki]

And we are having good time reading and answering! Projects need to have discussion - there is no stopping :)

Within the scope of my Master's Thesis I have developed a workflow to transform CityGML models (mixture of raw CityGML + OpenDRIVE) to Unreal Engine-friendly format. Thus models can be utilized e.g. in CARLA (see GitHub repo)

One can develop a game where user-defined objects are interactive due to semantics from CityGML models (see the photo above). The mini game that I have created is here. The gameplay is rather simple but gives a gist about possibilities of CityGML + OpenDRIVE + Unreal Engine.

[benediktschwab]

If you are interested in @OloOcki's Master Thesis, you'll find it on mediaTUM.

@jdsika yes, please continue with ideas! 😄 What OSS simulators do you have in mind? CARLA or another one?

As far as I'm aware of, CARLA can import some OSM data, which have varying degrees of accuracy.
IMO, it would be really nice to have a tutorial on "Driving Simulation within highly accurate Semantic City Models" just beneath the OpenDRIVE standalone mode tutorial. The turorial could include some basic FME workbenches for transforming and preparing (object replacement strategies) CityGML towards an Unreal friendly format. Moreover, some references could be provided to the 3DCityDB and tooling around it.

Actually, it would be great to have the inner city of Ingolstadt as open testbed for various projects (open source as well as commercial):

@jdsika, @OloOcki: What do you think? If 3D Mapping Solutions is able to release the complementary OpenDRIVE dataset, we could start working on a PR for CARLA.

[OloOcki]

@b-schwab I believe that this is an excellent idea!

Going even a step further the Ingolstadt city might be used as a CARLA-shipped map. However, this will be possible under the requirement that an OpenDRIVE dataset is released as open data. Alternatively, the OSM roads for the Ingolstadt area can swap the OpenDRIVE dataset (temporary). The OSM to OpenDRIVE converter is already there.

So, shall we begin? :)

[benediktschwab]

Great, I think we can begin as 3D Mapping Solutions will provide the complementary OpenDRIVE dataset as demo on their website.

[jdsika]

Can they also check it into the repository? Or "allow you to check it in"? In terms of consistent datasets it would make sense

[benediktschwab]

Great news 🎉 : 3D Mapping Solutions released the complementary OpenDRIVE dataset on their website. It is named Ingolstadt Innercity City Halls and can be downloaded after an initial registration.

@jdsika yes, that would be good. However, I think that they want to know the users of their models for potential feedback.

@OloOcki I guess all models are now open to bring the OpenDRIVE-CityGML combination to CARLA...