Technology1 min read

Show HN: Valencia, Spain in Sim City/Isometric View

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The recreation process began by capturing real three-dimensional city geometry from a locked isometric vantage point. A dedicated visual model, trained on curated pixel art, subsequently repainted the rendered data across individual tiles to produce smooth transitions across the port, sea, and lagoon. Apart from a few minor agricultural exclaves missing source imagery, the map fully encapsulates the municipality. The finished product blends official Spanish administrative records with modern aerial photography to preserve real-world urban accuracy.

Key points

  • The project omitted only a small number of huerta exclaves due to missing source three-di…: The project omitted only a small number of huerta exclaves due to missing source three-dimensional imagery.
  • Seamless visuals across adjacent sections ensure unbroken coverage across the port basins…: Seamless visuals across adjacent sections ensure unbroken coverage across the port basins, open sea, and inland lagoon.
  • Multiple spatial databases, including OpenStreetMap and the Dirección General del Catastr…: Multiple spatial databases, including OpenStreetMap and the Dirección General del Catastro, supplied the foundational building and boundary data.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

… of València, painted

An isometric pixel-art map of València, in the spirit of SimCity and of Isometric NYC. Every building is a real one, drawn from above at the same angle, block by block.

The whole municipal term is painted, from the huerta to the Albufera, except a few small huerta exclaves where there's no 3D imagery to paint from.

Real 3D city data is rendered from a fixed isometric camera. An image model trained on a hand-picked pixel-art style then repaints it, tile by tile, each tile continuing its painted neighbours so the city stays seamless. The sea, the port basins and the Albufera are drawn in the same style.

Buildings © Dirección General del Catastro · Aerial photo & terrain © IGN (PNOA, MDT05), CC BY 4.0 · Roads, boundary, coast & search © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL · 3D reference: Google Photorealistic 3D Tiles via Cesium ion.

Technology