Module 11: 3D Mapping

     This week was all about 3D data, with focus on visualization and mapping techniques. We did not create a map to present this week. Instead, we learned about how to work with a little 3D data, some of the various applications of 3D data, and the pros and cons of 3D data. I really enjoyed this weeks lab because prior to this lab, I did not know anything about 3D data. The ability to create 3D images opens up endless possibilities to cartographers. It can be used to depict a lot of the same data as a 2D map, but using 3D adds visual interest and can help a cartographer get their message across more effectively in some cases. An example of an application of 3D mapping is using 3D to model a crime scene to give investigators a whole new perspective. In another example, 3D can be used to depict weather phenomena in a way that is much easier to understand than a simple 2D image. So as you can see, 3D mapping can be incredibly useful and beneficial. Some of the pros of 3D mapping are as follows: with 3D you can show vertical information that can not be depicted in 2D, it is sometimes easier to recognize terrain in 3D, a viewer relies less on a legend or table of contents because the symbology is intuitive, it's easy for humans to interpret this kind of data because we are used to seeing it all of the time, and it really makes a project stand out when given that extra dimension. Although 3D mapping has so many amazing advantages, it also has its challenges. Some of the cons of 3D mapping are: it is sometimes hard to maintain a consistent scale or symbology throughout a 3D model which distorts the perspective of that model, 3D objects often overlap so it is hard to see everything that is going on, 3D models can be hard to navigate which leaves some users disoriented and limits what can be done with the model, since there is so much data in a 3D model performance issues can occur often, and creating a 3D design can be very complicated.
     For the lab this week, we worked with ESRI Virtual Campus, ArcMap, ArcScene, and Google Earth. There were 3 parts to this lab. The first part of the lab was 3D training, in which we accessed ESRI's My Virtual Campus Training to complete the 3D Visualization Techniques Using ArcGIS course. For this course, we watched a few videos, answered some questions to test our knowledge along the way, and completed 5 exercises. These exercises were really interesting to me because I have never worked with 3D images before. The second part of the lab consisted of converting a 2D building layer to a 3D feature using ArcMap. I enjoyed doing this because the end result was really cool and gave me an interesting perspective on an urban area. The third and final part of the lab was a continuation of learning the concepts of 3D data using CityEngine, which is an extension of ESRI desktop software used for designing, planning, and modeling urban environments in 3D. We explored a 3D image of Napoleons March on Moscow. This image was a little confusing to me, but it was cool being able to look at the image from all different perspectives and see yet another application of 3D mapping.