451-234 Environmental Visualisation

 

 

Assignment 1

 

The purpose of this assignment is to create some familiarity using three dimensional tools and representations in a familiar GIS environment. The 3D tool in ArcGIS is called ArcScene. Much of the interface is very similar to ArcMap so you should not have too much trouble moving around and using the software.

 

You have already become familiar with the concept of the digital terrain model. Here it becomes the basis for creating three dimensional imagery.

 

 

             

Steps

 

A. Data download

  1. Create a new directory without any spaces in its full path name.
  2. Download the zip file (Cudgewa_data.zip) containing a DTM, linear features and airphoto mosaic into your new directory
  3. Extract all the components of the zip file into your directory.

 

B. ArcView

4.        Start ArcScene 

5.        Use Add Theme to bring all the shape files and grids into the view. Have a close look at the data and also at the different ways of moving around the 3D space using the different mouse buttons.

6.        Many of the interesting things you can do are found through the theme properties dialog.

 

 

7.        Change Base Heights of the themes so that height is based on the surface DTM (calc2).

8.        Decide on appropriate vertical exaggerations for both the image and the line features.

9.        You may also want an offset for line features to ensure their visibility. Boundaries could be extruded to look like fences.

10.     To better represent the buildings they can be assigned a height.  An alternative is to use a specific 3D symbol for the buildings.

 

 

 

11.     You can also experiment with:

(a)     line and polygon based textures

(b)     settings under View/Properties

12.     Use 'Alt/Print screen' to capture images for your report. You can try 'File/Export/2D' but this does not necessarily save what you might expect.

 

 

Reporting

 

  1. You should prepare a report of about 2 pages which describes what you have done in your own words. Discuss any decisions you made along the way (e.g. vertical exaggeration, line feature offset or extrusion, choice of buildings).
  2. You should also include at least two images of the 3d view in ArcScene.
  3. Submit your report as a WORD .doc to your protected folder on Webraft. See guide on file upload to Webraft here.