Exploring an Approach for Developing Realis;c Geovisualiza;ons of Coastal Places
Robert Newell Dr. Rosaline Canessa
Coastal and Ocean Resource Analysis Lab (CORAL) Department of Geography, University of Victoria
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Realis'c geovisualiza'ons as tools for collabora've coastal management
‘Landscape VisualizaHons’
Bishop and Stock (2010)
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Spa'al considera'ons versus place-‐based considera'ons
Considera;on
Spa;al Analysis Tool Place-‐based Analysis Tool
SpaHal referencing
Geo-‐referenced
SpaHally relaHve
Detail and scale
Abstract and lower detail over larger area
High detail in smaller navigable areas, but less detail in larger surrounding areas (i.e., viewshed)
ResoluHon
Maintain integrity of data
Maintain maximum level of resoluHon
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Realis'c geovisualiza'ons as place-‐based tools (Newell and Canessa, 2015)
Source: Marco Gualdrini (taken from the Visual Nature Studios image galley, AlphaPixel LLC)
“what begins as undifferenHated space becomes place as we get to know it beUer and endow it with value” -‐ Tuan (1977)
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places So9ware and workflow
ArcGIS • Primary program for handling and organizing spaHal data • Used for compiling and processing field data
Adobe Photoshop
• Serves as an ‘intermediate’ between ArcGIS and gaming engine
Unity 3D • Gaming engine used to build the virtual environment
• Used for development of textures, scenary, and working with terrain ‘skins’
• Allows for first person navigability, sound, animaHon and scenarios
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places
Sidney Spit, Gulf Island Na'onal Park Reserve, BC
Source: Capital Regional District (CRD) of BC
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places
Land to sea surface (merging topographic and bathymetric data)
=
+ Source: Parks Canada
Source: Parks Canada
Place-‐base Tool Considera;ons
• SpaHally relaHve (use raster calculator rather than reconciling verHcal datums)
• Maintain maximum level of resoluHon
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Preparing heightmap (Adobe Photoshop)
Place-‐based Tool Considera;ons • Blur image (smoother surface) • Filling in gaps
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Segmen'ng terrain
Place-‐base Tool Considera;ons High detail in smaller navigable areas
ArcGIS Clip raster into 500m x 500m segments
Unity 3D Define dimensions of each segment and arrange
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Texture mapping Heterogeneously textured surfaces and spaHally-‐referenced ‘patches’
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Texture mapping
Terrestrial versus marine textures
• Terrestrial images are applied directly to texture map
• Marine images are used as references for applying similar terrestrial images (i.e., not applied directly to map due to image visibility issues)
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Object mapping
Fit object reference ‘skins’ to terrain and then add objects
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Object mapping
• VegetaHon • Woody debris • LiUer • Boats • Gulls • Boats • Posts • Light beacon • People • Marine invertebrates
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Water and 'des
Fit Hdal reference ‘skins’ to terrain and calibrate water level to Hdal marks
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Water and 'des
Depressions and flooding areas
dal reference • Modeling tools can be Fit uHsed to lower terrain at certain points, ‘skins’ to terrain allowing for more precise fiwts to level Hdal reference lines calibrate ater
to Hdal marks
• These tools can be parHcularly useful for depressing terrain in areas that are flooded during high Hde
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Viewshed elements
Distant elements
• Fit reference ‘skins’ for viewshed imagery (i.e., waypoints for scenery photos) on terrain
• Build skybox with ruler extending across skybox panels
• Use ruler and viewshed reference points to align panoramic imagery properly within skybox panels
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Viewshed elements
Nearby elements
• Clip raster, defining an area surrounding the smaller, navigable terrain segments (e.g., 5km x 5km)
• Export with navigable terrain segments ‘blacked out’ to create a ‘hole’ for fidng navigable terrain
• Use satellite imagery for textures and add some objects (i.e., coarser detail)
Developing RealisHc GeovisualizaHons of Coastal Places Robert Newell PhD Candidate, Department of Geography, University of Victoria
[email protected]
Bishop, I. D., & Stock, C. (2010). Using collaboraHve virtual environments to plan wind energy installaHons. Renewable Energy, 35, 2348-‐2355. Newell, R., and Canessa, R. (2015). Seeing, believing, and feeling: The relaHonship between sense of place and geovisualizaHon research. Spaces and Flows: An Interna
