WW2D plus one - Vitaliy Pronkin WW2D modified by Patrick Murris for a 3D view http://www.alpix.com/3d/worldwin/WW2d_Java.html Version : beta 2, may 12, 2006 WHAT ---- This is an update to Vitaliy Pronkin software WW2D as of may 12, 2006. It adds a 3D mode similar to Nasa World Wind. It does not overwrite WW2D files, just adds to it. However this beta version needs you to either edit the file WW2D/Earth/!Base/!Base.xml or replace it with the provided copy - see below for instructions. INSTALL ------- 1. Unzip this archive with its directory structure preserved in a working WW2D installation directory Ex : C:\Program Files\WW2D\ww2d-0.99.87\ This should add the following files to WW2D: WW2DPlusOne.bat DOS batch file including VM arguments WW2DPlusOne.jar The WW2D.jar replacement favicon.ico Some icons favicon2.ico /Global/!Base/Hipparcos_Stars_Mag6x5044.tsv Hipparcos stars /Earth/!Base/2kEarthBump.png Terrain default bumpmap /Earth/!Base/!Base.xml.new Example of config with SRTM terrain 2. Change /Earth/!Base/!Base.xml by doing one of the following: 2.1 Open and edit your copy Open /Earth/!Base/!Base.xml in a text editor Add the following lines just below : Save 2.2 Replace with the new one Rename /Earth/!Base/!Base.xml into !Base.xml.old Rename /Earth/!Base/!Base.xml.new into !Base.xml 3. To launch this version double-click WW2DPlusOne.bat (on Windows) or launch Java VM with this command: java -jar -Xmx256m -Xincgc WW2DPlusOne.jar 4. Important : turn on the SRTM layer for detailed elevation data This version use downloaded SRTM data to build the terrain geometry. The SRTM-ZIP layer is turned off by default in !Base.xml (see above) to avoid the original WW2D to misinterprete it as an image layer. If activated in WW2D, the program will start downloading zip compressed .bil elevation data as .jpg images and try to display them - as blank tiles... you would have to clean up the SRTM folders for *.jpg(s) but that would not impede any further operations if not done. New keyboard controls : Ctrl+3 Switch 2D / 3D mode Ctrl+W Display terrain in wireframe Ctrl+F Turns fog on and off Ctrl+L/M/H Set terrain mesh resolution to Low, Medium or High (default Low) 1, 2...0 Set the terrain vertical exaggeration (default 1) Shift+arrows Change the camera tilt and heading Shift +/- Change the camera field of view (zoom) space Reset view to vertical, north and 50 degree fov Mouse : Right Click + drag Change the camera tilt and heading Reminder : Mouse wheel to move closer or away, and Ctrl + mouse wheel to move slower. WHAT'S NEW ---------- Since beta 1, the following things have changed : * Downloads of images and elevation data are on different queus and dont slow down each other anymore in case of server lag. * Terrain tiles can use lower res imagery when their own hasnt loaded yet limiting empty 'squares' when zooming in and making the terrain more continuous. * Terrain geometry is now optimized in flat or regular slope areas. * Terrain geometry is reconstructed only when needed. * User can select terrain mesh density (Ctrl + L/M/H - low, medium, high) Default is low. WorldWind = medium. High is twice. * Memory management is more robust. KNOWN ISSUES - FAQ ------------------ THIS IS BETA SOFTWARE - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK - RESULTS MAY VARY * Terrain elevation is still coarse. - Turn on the SRTM layer in the layer manager it should work... - This version use an experimental SRTM-Plus Zip compressed service set up by NLT for NWW 1.5 upcoming JOGL version. It may change or disappear... * Things are slowing down when zooming in and tilting the camera... and spinning around... - Optimization is a never ending issue. - Things are better though * When close to the ground and tilting, parts of the terrain disappear - Some tuning on the the viewfrustrum logic is needed * After a while, no more images gets loaded and big holes appear everywhere... - Something overflowed. There are still some memory management issues - Things are getting better though especialy with -Xmx256m Java VM argument * Zooming on the poles slow things down a lot - This is a general issue for this kind of data projection - an alternate projection would be needed for the poles, but is not served (or defined ?) yet. - However, terrain mesh is downgraded and imagery level are limited to avoid memory overflow. Quality may suffer though. * Terrain is less detailed than in NWW - Terrain mesh can have tree levels of resolution, default is low which is half of what NWW uses, Medium is the same and High is twice. - To Change terrain mesh resolution : Ctrl + L/M/H (low, medium, high) - Recomended : low or medium for exploration with horizon in view, high for sharper views of specific area with low tilt - no horizon. THANKS ------ * Vitaliy Pronkin for starting it all with WW2D http://ww2d.csoft.net * Tishampati Dhar aka what_nick http://whatnick.blogspot.com/, for his efforts in decoding 7z and Zip SRTM files. * NASA Learning Technologies for serving SRTM as Zip now... * All the NWW community people for their feedback. Thank you all Patrick Murris