Virtual Landscapes

Virtual Landscapes PDF Author: Umran Ali
Publisher: Umran Ali
ISBN: 0957408641
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 160

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Book Description
The magical essence of natural landscapes since the dawn of man have been a source of intrigue, wonder and inspiration in art, philosophy and literature. With each new era in civilisation, new methods of creative expression have been used by artists, designers and writers to capture the rich natural landscapes, and with the 21st century and the emergence of new interactive technologies, this innate desire is being expressed through the digital domain. From the giant mushroom forests of Morrowind, the Archipelago islands of Zelda: Wind Waker, to the tropical underground caves of Phantasy Star Online, Virtual landscapes have enthralled, captured and engaged player imaginations for over 30 years. Virtual Landscapes is a three part series attempting to, for the first time, visually illustrate, share and critically reflect upon the unique, virtual natural landscapes within Computer & Video Games. Virtual Landscapes: The Transition Era visually illustrates the period from 1990 to 1999 that marked the decline of 2D natural landscapes from the 'Embryonic Era' and by the emergence of true 3D technologies which would radically shape virtual landscapes in the years to come. From the intricate, picturesque landscapes of Kings Quest 5, the isometric forests of Landstalker, through to the beautiful mysterious lands of Kyrandia, and finally the magical forests of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Virtual Landscapes presents these virtual spaces for the first time, in stunning unseen digitally enhanced, high resolution and panoramic forms.

Virtual Landscapes

Virtual Landscapes PDF Author: Umran Ali
Publisher: Umran Ali
ISBN: 0957408641
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 160

Get Book

Book Description
The magical essence of natural landscapes since the dawn of man have been a source of intrigue, wonder and inspiration in art, philosophy and literature. With each new era in civilisation, new methods of creative expression have been used by artists, designers and writers to capture the rich natural landscapes, and with the 21st century and the emergence of new interactive technologies, this innate desire is being expressed through the digital domain. From the giant mushroom forests of Morrowind, the Archipelago islands of Zelda: Wind Waker, to the tropical underground caves of Phantasy Star Online, Virtual landscapes have enthralled, captured and engaged player imaginations for over 30 years. Virtual Landscapes is a three part series attempting to, for the first time, visually illustrate, share and critically reflect upon the unique, virtual natural landscapes within Computer & Video Games. Virtual Landscapes: The Transition Era visually illustrates the period from 1990 to 1999 that marked the decline of 2D natural landscapes from the 'Embryonic Era' and by the emergence of true 3D technologies which would radically shape virtual landscapes in the years to come. From the intricate, picturesque landscapes of Kings Quest 5, the isometric forests of Landstalker, through to the beautiful mysterious lands of Kyrandia, and finally the magical forests of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Virtual Landscapes presents these virtual spaces for the first time, in stunning unseen digitally enhanced, high resolution and panoramic forms.

Virtual Law

Virtual Law PDF Author: Benjamin Tyson Duranske
Publisher: American Bar Association
ISBN: 9781604420098
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 484

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Book Description
If you are one of the many who have read about and heard about virtual worlds but do not really understand what a virtual world is, or even how to use appropriate terminology when discussing them, then this is the book for you."--Jacket.

Modern Approaches to the Visualization of Landscapes

Modern Approaches to the Visualization of Landscapes PDF Author: Dennis Edler
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3658309563
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 553

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Book Description
The volume deals with the effects of digitization on spatial and especially landscape construction processes and their visualization. A focus lies on the generation mechanisms of 'landscapes' with digital tools of cartography and geomatics, including possibilities to model and visualize non-visual stimuli, but also spatial-temporal changes of physical space. Another focus is on how virtual spaces have already become part of the social and individual construction of landscape. Potentials of combining modern media of spatial visualization and (constructivist) landscape research are discussed.

African Landscapes

African Landscapes PDF Author: Michael Bollig
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387786821
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 520

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Book Description
Landscape studies provide a crucial perspective into the interaction between humans and their environment, shedding insight on social, cultural, and economic topics. The research explores both the way that natural processes have affected the development of culture and society, as well as the ways that natural landscapes themselves are the product of historical and cultural processes. Most previous studies of the landscape selectively focused on either the natural sciences or the social sciences, but the research presented in African Landscapes bridges that gap. This work is unique in its interdisciplinary scope. Over the past twelve years, the contributors to this volume have participated in the collaborative research center ACACIA (Arid Climate Adaptation and Cultural Innovation in Africa), which deals with the relationship between cultural processes and ecological dynamics in Africa’s arid areas. The case studies presented here come from mainly Sahara/Sahel and southwestern Africa, and are all linked to broader discussions on the concept of landscape, and themes of cultural, anthropological, geographical, botanical, sociological, and archaeological interest. The contributions in this work are enhanced by full color photographs that put the discussion in context visually.

Exploration Without Boundaries

Exploration Without Boundaries PDF Author: Hilary Rhodes
Publisher: Melbourne Univ. Publishing
ISBN: 9780522852035
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 48

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Book Description
Exploration Without Boundaries invites you on a journey of reflection and fantasy through 48 digital landscapes - dreamlike yet reminiscent of familiar places. Hilary Rhodes has created an evocative place that is truly not of this world. Share her vision through environments that are non-photographic and totally invented, created pixel by pixel via fractal texture synthesis. Each environment features background music generated from the profiles of the landforms using special synaesthetic software.

Architectural Approach to Level Design

Architectural Approach to Level Design PDF Author: Christopher W. Totten
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1351116282
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 547

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Book Description
Written by a game developer and professor trained in architecture, An Architectural Approach to Level Design is one of the first books to integrate architectural and spatial design theory with the field of level design. It explores the principles of level design through the context and history of architecture. Now in its second edition, An Architectural Approach to Level Design presents architectural techniques and theories for you to use in your own work. The author connects architecture and level design in different ways that address the practical elements of how designers construct space and the experiential elements of how and why humans interact with that space. It also addresses industry issues like how to build interesting tutorial levels and how to use computer-generated level design systems without losing the player-focused design of handmade levels. Throughout the text, you will learn skills for spatial layout, evoking emotion through gamespaces, and creating better levels through architectural theory. FEATURES Presents case studies that offer insight on modern level design practices, methods, and tools Presents perspectives from industry designers, independent game developers, scientists, psychologists, and academics Explores how historical structures can teach us about good level design Shows how to use space to guide or elicit emotion from players Includes chapter exercises that encourage you to use principles from the chapter in digital prototypes, playtesting sessions, paper mock-ups, and design journals Bringing together topics in game design and architecture, this book helps you create better spaces for your games. Software independent, the book discusses tools and techniques that you can use in crafting your interactive worlds.

Designing Green Landscapes

Designing Green Landscapes PDF Author: Klaus Gadow
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402067593
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 290

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Book Description
While the natural resources of the earth continue to diminish, “Green Landscapes” arebeingcalleduponto produceanincreasingrangeofgoodsandservices.A Green Landscape is a rural expanse of scenery that may comprise a variety of visible f- tures. This book focuses on forested landscapes, although much of the theory and most of the practical applications are valid for any area of land. In many regions of the world, people depend on forests for their livelihood and well-being. Forests provide multiple services, – bene ts generated for society by the existence of c- tain forest ecosystems and their attributes. The value of these bene ts is often only recognised when they are lost after removal of the trees, resulting in ooding, loss of income and declining species diversity. Forests provide multiple services. However, the amount and quality, and the p- ticular mix of these services depend on the condition of the resource. Landscape design is a proven way to ensure that certain desired bene ts will be available in space and time. It provides the foundation and an essential starting point for s- tainable management. This volume, which forms part of Springer’s book series Managing Forest Ecosystems,presentsstate-of-the-artresearchresults,visionsandtheories,aswell as speci c methodsfor designing Green Landscapes, as a basis for sustainable ecos- tem management. The book contains a wealth of information which may be useful to companymanagement,the legal and policy environmentand forestry administ- tors. The volume is subdivided into four sections.

Social Virtual Worlds and Their Places

Social Virtual Worlds and Their Places PDF Author: Merrill L. Johnson
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 9811686262
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 335

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Book Description
This book provides a foundational look at social virtual worlds from the geographer’s perspective. How can the geographer’s craft be applied to social virtual worlds? This question is addressed through careful analysis of what social virtual worlds are, how interest in these worlds has waxed and waned during the twenty-first century, and the meaning of their concocted spaces. Examining one of the key features of the social virtual world, the avatar, the book focuses on its user's motivations and identity choices. The book draws on the geographical understanding of place to examine where avatars live, work, and roam, and describes how virtual-world places resemble and diverge from actual-world places. A mixed-methods survey conducted in Second Life adds additional breadth to the discussion, whilst a series of vignettes gives extra life to the subject matter. This original exploration of the content and meaning of social virtual worlds is an essential resource for geographers, and for anyone interested in the virtual world experience.

Conflict Landscapes and Archaeology from Above

Conflict Landscapes and Archaeology from Above PDF Author: Birger Stichelbaut
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351949691
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 347

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Book Description
The study of conflict archaeology has developed rapidly over the last decade, fuelled in equal measure by technological advances and creative analytical frameworks. Nowhere is this truer than in the inter-disciplinary fields of archaeological practice that combine traditional sources such as historical photographs and maps with 3D digital topographic data from Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and large scale geophysical prospection. For twentieth-century conflict landscapes and their surviving archaeological remains, these developments have encouraged a shift from a site oriented approach towards landscape-scaled research. This volume brings together an wide range of perspectives, setting traditional approaches that draw on historical and contemporary aerial photographs alongside cutting-edge prospection techniques, cross-disciplinary analyses and innovative methods of presenting this material to audiences. Essays from a range of disciplines (archaeology, history, geography, heritage and museum studies) studying conflict landscapes across the globe throughout the twentieth century, all draw on aerial and landscape perspectives to past conflicts and their legacy and the complex issues for heritage management. Organized in four parts, the first three sections take a broadly chronological approach, exploring the use of aerial evidence to expand our understanding of the two World Wars and the Cold War. The final section explores ways that the aerial perspective can be utilized to represent historical landscapes to a wide audience. With case studies ranging from the Western Front to the Cold War, Ireland to Russia, this volume demonstrates how an aerial perspective can both support and challenge traditional archaeological and historical analysis, providing an innovative new means of engaging with the material culture of conflict and commemoration.

Treasured Landscapes

Treasured Landscapes PDF Author:
Publisher: Government Printing Office
ISBN: 9780692536087
Category : Historic sites
Languages : en
Pages : 170

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Book Description
In addition to color images from the National Park Service collections, this book also provides brief overviews of some of the site collections, information on artists, and the art collectors.