3d cartography
DESCRIPTION
Slides from my presentation at the British Cartographic Society Annual Symposium 2014. Not much use without the words and jokes but there's some pretty pictures.TRANSCRIPT
3D cartographyglitz, glamour and sometimes useful
Kenneth Field
Cartography
Nepal
Uzbekistan
Length Area Volume
Perception of 3D pie charts
Scale
Roger Smith, Geographx
Scale
Direction
Roger Smith, Geographx
Scale
Direction
Focus
Roger Smith, Geographx
Scale
Direction
Focus
Occlusions
Roger Smith, Geographx
Scale
Direction
Focus
Occlusions
Sectioning
Roger Smith, Geographx
Difficulties with 3D
Comparisons
Estimation of value/volume
Perspective distortion
Symbol scale distortion
Directional inconsistencies
Focal point
Occlusions
Sectioning
Rotation disorientating
Technically challenging
Difficulties with 3D
Comparisons
Estimation of value/volume
Perspective distortion
Symbol scale distortion
Directional inconsistencies
Focal point
Occlusions
Sectioning
Rotation disorientating
Technically challenging
So why do we use 3D?…
Visually interesting
Real-world view
Better terrain recognition
Unconstrained
Lacks rules
Aesthetically exciting
Pushes the limits
More artistic/less graphic
Great for marketing and advertising
…because we’ve always used 3D
2300 B.C.
2005-present
and beyond…
and even further beyond…
120o120o
120o
110o120o
130o
109o
116o
135o
Axonometric
Jenny and Patterson (2007)
Smith (2012)
Parallel Orthographic (Axonometric)
Petrovic & Masera
2D
Topo drape
BW drape
3D Natural
distance height orientation navigation
Measurement
Object recognition
Topo drape
BW drape
3D Natural
building church road stream forest rocks
Map type preference
3D guidelines
• Use dictates structure - Promotional maps require less structure. Thematics require more structure
• Impact - 3D can be powerful, eye-catching and immersive. Use to support attention-grabbing needs
• Content - Simplification and Generalisation have never been more important. Clean. Simple. Functional
• Texture - Avoid flat colours…add textures
• Natural realistic not photorealistic
• Symbols - Mimetic symbols support easier recognition
• Typography - Still important but don’t overload. Rotate with scene if possible but not to be overbearing
• Projection - Use axonometric where possible to maintain scale particularly for analytical map functions
3D guidelines
• Sky and haze – avoid sky but include haze which aids depth cue perception
• Space-Time Cubes - Good for linear data, OK for point, poor for area…try not to overload or stack
• Z value does not have to depict height or time (get creative!)
• Scene control - Avoids occlusions by supporting multiple views but avoid too much rotation
• Bookmarks - Guide users…supports camera reposition without user control
• Interaction - Allow data to be recovered, overcomes measurement limits
• Narration - Guides and improves interpretation
3D guidelines
If the third dimension doesn’t encode something useful…
STICK WITH 2D