Google has launched a competition to try and get more 3D buildings into its Google Earth software, which aims to map the entire planet. The challenge invites participants to recruit up to five friends and model your hometown.

All you need to do is sign up on the competition page and begin to build 3D models of the buildings in your community using Sketchup or Google Building Maker. Then upload them to a dedicated town collection on Google 3D Warehouse, and make sure they're tagged with a precise geographic location.

Entries will be judged on accuracy, photo-texturing, efficiency, detail, metadata, coverage and elegance. Google is pointing would-be entrants to its 3D Warehouse Acceptance Criteria for more info on how to generate a winning model. Finalists will be picked by an internal team of SketchUp experts, and then a winner will be chosen by public vote.

The prize is $10,000 for the town's public schools, a visit from a Google team with event in the winner's honour, a video profile of the winning team to be featured on YouTube, a virtual tour of the town for the Google Earth website and a bunch of coverage on Google and other websites.

It's open to any town in the world, so if you fancy it then go sign up.

Via: sketchup.google.com

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