3D Map Generator – 3D Mapper – Photoshop Plug-in

3D Map Generator – 3D Mapper – Photoshop Plug-in

MAC & PC from Photoshop CC-2015.5 to CC-2021 (incl. v22.2)

Search and create real 3D maps of almost every place on earth directly in Photoshop or upload your own GPX files. Use different map styles and be creative in customizing your 3D map. Various 3D elements turn the map into an informative and impressive eye-catcher. Render the final 3D map right in Photoshop and choose between different export formats to publish, share and even 3D print your map. You need a legal commercial use? No worries, we have a solution for that too.

When we published the worldwide first 3D map generator for Photoshop in 2011, we began a journey that has now lasted over 10 years with constantly new ideas and insights. The 3D-Mapper is exactly the result of these 10 years of experience:

• Integrated Location Browser
• 4 different map styles(OSM, OTM, SAT + Street)
• Map texture sizes up to 3072×3072 px @96dpi
• Areas resolution from 10m/px to 0.1m/px
• GPX file import
• Map textures free for private use
• Purchase option for commercial use
• 3D map live preview
• Map Library with preview
• 2 map mesh quality modes
• fully editable 3D map(rotation, size, position)
• Customise edge color,surface texture, light + material
• 16 scene background presets
• 24 additional 3D Elements
• 3D map renderable
• 3D printable
• Export scene as 3D file format (dae, obj, stl, gltf)
• Share maps as 3D Photos
• Exclusive User Area
• Documentation and video tutorials
• Heightmapper access
• Free updates

Watch the teaser

Location Browser

With the integrated Location Browser it is possible to find and download map areas from almost every place on earth directly in Photoshop. The Location Browser has its own search function, but you can also use coordinates or Google Map URL. Additionally there is a GPX file upload available to create maps with a track on it.

With the Location Browser you have access to the excellent map data sources from MapTiler and OpenStreetMaps. You can choose between different map textures and map set sizes. The sizes available depend on the zoom level and the selected tile set.

Map Tile Sets

• OpenStreetMap
• OpenTopoMap
• Satellite
• Satellite + Streets

Tile Set Sizes:

• Small (max. 1024 px @96dpi)
• Medium (max. 2048 px @96dpi)
• Large (max. 3072 px @96dpi)

GPX File Import

A GPX file is a GPS data file saved in the GPS exchange format. It contains longitude and latitude location data that may include waypoints, routes, and tracks.

3D Mapper allows you to upload GPX files directly into Photoshop and to create 3D maps with real tracks on it.

Map Library with 3D preview

All map sets created are saved locally in the library and can be retrieved at any time. Your own map sets, modified sets and 3D maps can be archieved and deleted there.

The preview function can be used for map sets and height maps. The preview is always created of the currently active Photoshop document and can be helpful for the map set modification.

Mesh quality and layer shortcodes

You can create map scenes in two quality levels. Depending on the size of the map set used, the processing power, the planned usage, and the amount of additional 3D elements, you can choose between a low-poly and a high-poly 3D map.

Rename the layer to get this additional features before creating the 3D map. Layer shortcodes:

• “texture” marks this layer or group as a texture. So it will be positioned directly on the 3D map
• “shape” marks this layer or group as a shape of the 3D map

3D Elements

More than 20 additional 3D elements can be used to customise the 3D map. These elements can be edited in color, size and position, you can insert text and images and some elements also contain further 2D icon sets. Like the 3D map, they follow the camera movement and can also be rendered together with the map.

3D Print your map

The final 3D map models can be exported as STL file first for instance or printed directly from Photoshop. There is no 3D printer available right now? Just use an online service for 3D printing or search for a local 3d print shop.

3D File Export

Photoshop supports the following 3D file formats for export:

• Collada .dae
• Wavefront .obj
• STL .stl
• GLB /glTF (from CC-2020) .glb
• Universal 3D .u3d

These file formats are supported by most of the 3D computer graphics programs
like 3D Studio Max, Cinema 4D, zBrush, Blender or Maya.

3D-Photo

Share your 3D maps and scenes as 3D photos on Facebook. Your post will be an eye-catcher! With just one click the corresponding shortcut creates a complete image set in the required size on your desktop. All you have to do is upload it! See 3D-Photo examples

Important pre-sale notes:

The 3D-Mapper plugin will only work with Adobe Photoshop CC-2015.5 to CC-2021 (incl. v22.2). It cannot be installed with any previous or newer version.
How to find out which Photoshop version is yours (tutorial video)

If you are using a Mac with Apple Silicon M1 and Photoshop from CC 2021 v22.3 and higher, please read: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/photoshop-for-apple-silicon.html

You must have an internet connection for this plugin to work, it works by streaming DEM data and images directly from the internet as it is required.

The 3D-Mapper plugin can be used on both PC and Mac. Please mind the minimum requirements for performance.

Creating a 3D map with the 3D-Mapper plugin can take 10 min or more, depending on the map size and the performance of your computer.

Generally every map size is possible. But the processing time and the map size depends on the performance and the hard-disk space of your computer.

The source data is a digital terrain model, which represents the bare ground surface, excluding buildings and plants. Buildings are not presented as a elevation on the 3D map.

The free heightmapper service is not part of the 3D-Mapper plugin. This is just one option and an alternative to get a grayscale heightmap if the Location Browser is temporary not available.

Generally there is no guarantee of availability and quality of the map source data.

Use of Maps

If you have your own data sets available, consisting of a heightmap and a texture, you are of course allowed to use them for commercial projects as well – as long as you own all rights to the map material.

Would you like to use data sets from the 3D-Mapper location browser, we ask you to necessarily follow our Terms of Use. Here’s a summary:

1. Basically, there is an attribution required for the map material, if you use and publish the data set for private and commercial projects. This means that an attribution should be made in a clearly visible textual description in the immediate vicinity of the map. For detailed information, please read the instructions and our Terms of Use.
2. You are only allowed to use our data in private or educational projects. As soon as you want to use our data (or 3D maps created from it) for commercial purposes, you must purchase a license for each map set. The price per map set is between $4 – $8, depending on the size, and can easily be ordered through our website.

System requirements

Mac OS

• Multicore Intel processor with 64-bit support
• Mac OS X v10.9 (64-bit) or v10.10 (64-bit)
• 2 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended)
• min. Photoshop CC-2015.5 to CC-2021 (incl. v22.2)

If you are using a Mac with Apple Silicon M1 and Photoshop from CC 2021 v22.3 and higher, please read: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/photoshop-for-apple-silicon.html

Windows

• Intel® Core 2 or AMD Athlon® 64 processor; 2 GHz or faster processor
• Microsoft Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1
• 2 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended)
• min. Photoshop CC-2015.5 to CC-2021 (incl. v22.2)

Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation and access to online services.

Tested on MAC and PC

Photoshop CC-2015.5,
Photoshop CC-2017,
Photoshop CC-2018,
Photoshop CC-2019,
Photoshop CC-2020,
Photoshop CC-2021 (v22.2)

Item Support

If you are reporting an issue:

• give us as much information as possible (Photoshop version number, used Photoshop language, OS version)
• tell us what exactly you have done
• screenshots are helpful
• videos are very helpful (try this free app)

Credits and thanks

Poster Mock-ups by Anthony Boyd