Virtual+Worlds

These programs (and others) are part of an increasing number of virtual environment modelers. Advances in web delivery methods, graphics card accelerators, and the ever increasing amount of spatial data have led to a boom in the use of these types of technology dependent maps. These kinds of products are increasingly be used by cartographers and geographers to present their data to others. Most of the applications are web-based, some allow for GIS and 3D model incorporations, still others provide access to huge archives of spatial data stored on the web, and (more importantly) often these applications are free!

__What to blog on__: Write a blog on Virtual Worlds. Examine these software products and the links on Google GOO. Write about their geographic applications, the implications of this technology and its accessibility, and don't forget to include some smaple graphics. Be a map geek, but take care, there are a lot of very cool applications of this technology. Investigate this topic thoroughly. You'll need to make sure that you are writing about the cartographic implications of these products - not just how cool you think they are.


 * ArcGIS Explorer** - http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/explorer/index.html - part of their new online service opackage with ArcServer, ArcGIS Explorer is ESRI second venture into virtual worlds. There first was ArcScene. Be sure to check out the link to the ArcGIS Explorer demos!


 * Celestia** - http://www.shatters.net/celestia/index.html - a product which allows you to examine some of the other planets in our solar system (and beyond). Clestria is a open source, which means it is free (for now). Be sure to visit the Celestia Motherlode site to see some really cool applications of this technology (http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/).




 * Dapple** - http://dapple.geosoft.com/default.asp - another open source product (also free). Open source products a usually free, but not always free of bugs. This one is sponsored by Geosoft (the makers of Oasis Montaj) and is based on the NASA’s WorldWind platform. It has absolutely tons! of data layers built into it – from seismic hazards to forest cover to population. Well worth exploring.




 * EarthSLOT** - http://www.earthslot.org/ - Links to loads of data sources for use with these types of programs (although mostly Alaska and polar stuff, which is where they are from). Their stuff is a little buggy. I have not been able to get their stuff to work with GE, but it does with Terra Explorer (.fly is a default Terra Explorer extension). Take a look at their 3D engines link has a good analysis of several of these programs.


 * Global-I** - http://infoview.infomagnet.com/ - “A 3D globe full of world data”. It takes awhile to load, but the data here is pretty extensive. This application works in your browser (no download required), is full interactive, and has some interesting features. This program allows you to look at global demographic and socio-economic data sets in a virtual, 3D environment. Below are two views of global GDP for 1999 - the first is a 3D column, the second a choropleth representation.



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 * Google Earth Pro ... etc** - http://earth.google.com/ - need I go into detail here? This is one of the ‘mainstream’ products that most folks know about. There are several versions of the software, each with different capabilities and costs.

//__**NOTE:**__ This product is installed in the lab. To use it, right click on the desktop icon and run as local user **google_pro** with the password **GIS4fun**.//


 * Mircosoft’s Live Search and Virtual Earth** – Live Search (http://maps.live.com/) is their answer to such online mapping services as mapquest, google maps, and yahoo maps. Virtual Earth (in beta right now) is their answer to Google Earth, but with out the GPS and GIS functionality. Virtual Earth is free, with a small download and nice web interface. It has a better base map and includes some nicer imagery than GE (when you zoom in) with the familiar map/photo/hybrid interface. Click on the 3D link in Live Search to get it to work on your machine. Below are two examples - the first makes use of Mircosoft's huge volume of orthophotos, the second shows the same area with their map view.

//**__NOTE:__** This product is installed in the lab. To use it just click on the desktop icon.//



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 * GeoFusion’s Geoplayer** - http://www.geofusion.com/ - the Geoplayer is a free web application. It has links to some very interesting data - Katrina, the Indonesian tsunami, global earthquakes – as well as some really high resolution imagery of places across the planet. It is worth looking into. Below are two screen shots of the before and after of the Indonesian Sunami.



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 * NASA’s WoldWind** - http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/ - This one is a beauty, and free! It provides an alternative to GE with the added bonus of access to NASA’s huge data reservoirs. It’s navigation controls are not as fluid as some of these other programs, but the data is rich! You can also tour other planets!

//**__NOTE:__** This product is installed in the lab. To use it just click on the desktop icon and accept the defaults when prompted.//


 * Norkart Virtual Globe** - http://www.virtual-globe.info/ - an oldy but a goody (if you can call circa 2001 old). This is an EU project. Its free, web-based viewer, and it has some different data than the other programs mentioned here. Bleow is a screen shot using A false color LANDSAT composite of the South Lake region.




 * Punt** - http://punt.sourceforge.net/new_svn/index.html - another open source program built on the WoldWind platform. It allows for the integration of GIS data layers and a larger number of add-ons that are free to download. These guys used to work for NASA and still have a good working relationship with them. Many of the feature in Punt appear in new releases of WorldWind.


 * Skyline Software’s Terra Explorer/SkylineGlobe** - http://www.skylinesoft.com/corporate/corporate_home.asp - In beta right now, and it changes frequently, but this product is very slick. Nice image lacing and really fine resolution. It allows you to do most everything – link to your data, to webcams, live weather, import 3D models, and even some basic analysis and simulations functions. There is a free version which works in your browser. The program has a very fine resolution for most urban areas (3 in resolution in some cases!). They also offer free hosting to local governments! Check out their customer showcase to see their product in action. They have some awesome customers. Take a look at how detailed these 3D views are ... including boats, helicopters, and bridges! You have to check it out!!



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 * Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006** - http://www.volvooceanrace.org/virtualspectator/index.aspx?bhcp=1 – A very cool application – almost a game really. This program allows you to explore the 2005-6 global yacht race sponsored by Volvo. The program download is free. It allows you to view the progress of the race participants in a virtual, 3D environment. You can even view the race from an individual yacht. It includes weather and course conditions simulations. There are links to team sites. It is kinds cool to look at how they have incorporated 3D models into this informational, virtual race news site.