About CityExplorer
CityExplorer is a simulator that allows you to freely explore photorealistic 3D urban spaces from a drone's-eye view. Featuring a real-time day/night and weather system reflecting actual weather data and sun positions, AI-guided regional information panels, and POI (Point of Interest) markers for restaurants, tourist spots, and public facilities, this tool can be used for everything from pre-travel research to virtual sightseeing.
CityExplorer - Gameplay & Practical Use Guide
From virtual exploration to practical utility, there are many ways to enjoy CityExplorer.
Chapter 1: Gameplay & Entertainment
1-1. Virtual Travel & Sightseeing
CityExplorer is the ultimate virtual travel tool, allowing you to fly over and explore cities around the world from the comfort of your home.
Instant Teleportation: Simply enter the name of a city or tourist spot in the search bar to travel there instantly.
Real-Time Weather & Time Cycles: Experience the actual "now" of any location with real-time weather and day/night cycles.
AI Loading Screen Guide: The AI automatically provides information on local specialties, tourist attractions, and festivals during loading screens.
Night View Mode: Enjoy the mesmerizing and magical nightscapes of global cities.
Rain Mode: Experience the unique atmosphere of cities in the rain.
1-2. Photo Mode & Creative Composition
Find beautiful scenery, take screenshots, and build your own collection.
Full Environment Control: Freely adjust the time of day and weather to create the perfect scene.
Realistic 3D Visuals: Immerse yourself in highly detailed 3D imagery of global cities.
Vibrant Nightscapes: Commercial districts illuminated by neon lights at night are highly recommended shooting spots.
Custom Markers: Adjust your altitude to find the perfect angle, and save your favorite locations using custom markers.
1-3. Hidden Mode
By entering specific commands, you might unlock a completely different way to enjoy the simulator...!
Chapter 2: Practical Applications
2-1. Pre-Travel & Sightseeing Research
The perfect tool for scouting and planning your next real-world trip.
3D Layout Preview: Check the streetscapes, terrain, and scale of your destination in full 3D beforehand.
POI Markers: Easily locate restaurants, tourist attractions, and public facilities.
Detailed Info (Spacebar): Access official websites and photos for specific locations.
Favorites List: Create and manage a customized "places to visit" wishlist.
AI Insights: Learn about regional specialties and festivals ahead of time through the loading screen AI.
2-2. Geography & Educational Use
An excellent educational tool for studying geography and urban development.
3D Topography: Gain a three-dimensional understanding of the terrain and geographical features of cities worldwide.
Diverse Landscapes: Learn experientially by exploring varied terrains such as mountainous areas, coastlines, and plains.
Cultural Integration: Study geography and culture simultaneously using information for each region.
Real-Time Data Display: Understand geographical relationships with real-time displays of altitude, address, and latitude/longitude.
2-3. Location Scouting for Photography & Videography
A powerful tool tailored for photographers, filmmakers, and video creators.
Lighting Simulation: Check lighting conditions at your shooting spot by changing the time of day (Morning, Noon, Evening, Night).
Weather Simulation: Simulate environments under sunny, cloudy, or rainy conditions.
Composition Testing: Virtually test framing and compositions for aerial and drone photography.
Location Management: Automatically generate markers from geotagged photos to manage your shooting locations.
2-4. Real Estate & Neighborhood Research
Aerial Inspection: Check the neighborhood atmosphere and surrounding environment of areas you are interested in from above.
Surrounding Amenities: Get a comprehensive overview of nearby POIs such as stations, commercial facilities, and parks.
Compare Areas: Add multiple locations to your favorites to compare them easily.
2-5. Game Development & 3DCG Reference Material
Urban Modeling Reference: Observe 3D cities as reference material for urban modeling.
Urban Layouts: Gain a bird's-eye view of building density, road patterns, and green space distribution.
Lighting Reference: Utilize the dynamic light source shifts of the day/night and weather systems as lighting references.
After purchasing on Steam, you automatically receive a Welcome Pack. Each feature has a separate usage quota. Additional quota packs can be purchased via Steam in-game purchase.
You can use a controller with this game, but a mouse and keyboard are still required.
Legal Notice of CityExplorer
# CityExplorer — Licenses & Credits> Last updated: 2026-08-07
This application uses the following third-party software, data, and services.
---
## Engine & Plugins
### Unreal Engine 5.7
- Copyright © Epic Games, Inc.
- License: Unreal Engine EULA
- https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/eula
### Cesium for Unreal
- Copyright © Cesium GS, Inc.
- License: Apache License 2.0
- https://github.com/CesiumGS/cesium-unreal
- Apache 2.0: https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
### Steam (Steamworks SDK)
- Copyright © Valve Corporation
- License: Steamworks SDK Agreement
- Used for: platform authentication, achievements, leaderboards, Steam Cloud saves
- https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/sdk/agreement
---
## 3D Data & Map Tiles
### Google Photorealistic 3D Tiles
- Copyright © Google LLC
- License: Google Maps Platform Terms of Service
- https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/terms
### CartoDB Voyager (Minimap Tiles)
- Copyright © Carto / OpenStreetMap contributors
- License: CC BY 3.0
- https://carto.com/attributions/
---
## POI & Location APIs
### Yahoo! YOLP (Yahoo! Open Local Platform)
- Copyright © LY Corporation
- License: Yahoo! Japan Developer Network Terms of Service
- https://developer.yahoo.co.jp/
### OpenStreetMap / Overpass API
- Copyright © OpenStreetMap contributors
- License: ODbL (Open Database License)
- https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright
### Nominatim (OSM Geocoding)
- Copyright © OpenStreetMap contributors
- License: ODbL (Open Database License)
- https://nominatim.org/
---
## Weather & Elevation
### OpenWeatherMap
- Copyright © OpenWeather Ltd.
- License: CC BY-SA 4.0 / OpenWeather Terms of Service
- https://openweathermap.org/terms
### Open-Elevation API
- License: MIT License / Open-Elevation Terms
- https://open-elevation.com/
---
## 3D Assets
### Sedan Car (Vehicle Mesh)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### Generic Sport Coup Car (Vehicle Mesh)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### VehicleVarietyPack (Vehicle Meshes)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### Subway Car TTC (Train Mesh)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### AnimalVarietyPack (Crow Mesh)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### Suited Male Character (Additional Content — Character)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### PBR Velociraptor Animated (Additional Content)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### Pistol Cyberpunk (Additional Content)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### PREY Shotgun (Additional Content)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### Floor Smashed Exploded (Explosion Effect)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### UAF Sprint (Additional Content — Character Animation)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### Anim Starter Pack (Animations)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### Car (Additional Content — Vehicle Mesh)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
### HDRI NightSky (Skysphere Texture)
- Source: Fab Marketplace
- License: Fab Standard License (per-asset terms)
---
## Content & Media
### Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
- Copyright © Wikipedia contributors
- License: CC BY-SA 3.0
- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
- Area information is retrieved in real time from the Wikipedia API.
### Hotpepper Web Service
- Copyright © Recruit Co., Ltd.
- License: Hotpepper Web Service Terms of Use
- https://webservice.recruit.co.jp/hotpepper/
- Restaurant information is retrieved in real time from the Hotpepper API.
---
## AI / LLM
### Google Gemini API
- Copyright © Google LLC
- License: Google Generative AI Terms of Service / Google Cloud Terms
- https://ai.google.dev/terms / https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs
- Area information and descriptions are generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite in real time.
- API keys are managed exclusively on the Developer's server infrastructure and are not accessible to clients.
- No user API key input required.
- Generated content may not be accurate. Please verify with official sources before use.
---
## Infrastructure & Relay Services
### Cloudflare Workers
- Copyright © Cloudflare, Inc.
- License: Cloudflare Terms of Service
- Used for: relay server infrastructure for Google 3D Tiles and Gemini API
- https://www.cloudflare.com/terms/
---
## Sound Effects
### OtoLogic
- Copyright © OtoLogic
- License: CC BY 4.0
- https://otologic.jp/
- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
### Soundeffect-Lab
- Copyright © Soundeffect-Lab
- License: Free for commercial use (per site terms)
- https://soundeffect-lab.info/
---
## Disclaimer
- This application is an independent personal project and is not affiliated with any of the above service providers.
- Certain features of this application (Google 3D Tiles, AI area information) are delivered through a cloud relay service operated by the Developer. The Developer shall not be liable for any damages or losses incurred by users due to unavailability of features caused by relay service failures, external API outages, network disruptions, specification changes, service terminations, or any other external factors beyond the Developer's control.
- Area information generated by AI (Gemini) may contain inaccuracies. Always verify with official sources before use.
- Terms of service and pricing of third-party services may change without notice. Please refer to each provider's official website for the latest information.
- In-app purchase prices (e.g. quota packs) may be revised in the future in response to changes in external API pricing structures or growth in the user base. Users will be notified in advance of any such changes.
- All company names, product names, and service names mentioned in this application are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. This application claims no ownership of these trademarks.
- This application is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.
- The Developer is not responsible for the content of any third-party websites or services linked or referenced from within this application or its in-game content.