4 replies to this topic

[JB Krygier]

ADMIN NOTE: I split this topic from this posting as it was an interesting discussion in it's own right

Our firm has seven designers working out of home-based offices in Minnesota, Iowa, New York and Virginia, and our specialties include:

2D perspective campus/area maps - 99+ percent vector
3D perspective (oblique/illustrated) campus maps - 45 percent vector, 30 percent raster, 25 percent hand-rendered

I enjoyed looking at the campus maps. The campus maps created at the
Univ. Wisconsin Cartographic Lab (back in the 1970s-80s) were based on
what was called (I think) "pseudo perspective" - a plan base (not perspective,
just a regular map) with buildings that suggested an oblique view. It would
fall somewhere between the two categories above.

The old Boulder campus map I posted is an example - if you look at it you
can see it is a typical planimetric road map, with oblique views of the buildings.

The large scan of the map is here:

http://makingmaps.ow...boulder_med.jpg

I recall this particular style of campus map developed out of a seminar, where
campus maps were evaluated by users. The outcome was that people liked the
perspective views, but some found them difficult to navigate with (because of the
perspective; roads and buildings could be obscured). Thus the idea to combine
a plan base, with perspective buildings. I believe they tested the "pseudo
perspective" maps and found it solved some of the problems of the perspective
maps.

I liked this style of mapping as it showed how we can noodle with "reality" on maps
to make "reality" easier to understand. I think some realists out there might
complain about this style for this very reason.

Does anyone know if this "pseudo perspective" style is being used on any campus
or urban mapping anymore?

john k.

[Hans van der Maarel]

John,

It is, and I thought this ( DC Flyby ) was a very nice example of it. A bit cartoonish/simcity like, but nicely done and very informative.

[Derek Tonn]

I enjoyed looking at the campus maps.  The campus maps created at the
Univ. Wisconsin Cartographic Lab (back in the 1970s-80s) were based on
what was called (I think) "pseudo perspective" - a plan base (not perspective,
just a regular map) with buildings that suggested an oblique view.  It would
fall somewhere between the two categories above.

The old Boulder campus map I posted is an example - if you look at it you
can see it is a typical planimetric road map, with oblique views of the buildings.

The large scan of the map is here:

http://makingmaps.ow...boulder_med.jpg

I recall this particular style of campus map developed out of a seminar, where
campus maps were evaluated by users.  The outcome was that people liked the
perspective views, but some found them difficult to navigate with (because of the
perspective; roads and buildings could be obscured).  Thus the idea to combine
a plan base, with perspective buildings.  I believe they tested the "pseudo
perspective" maps and found it solved some of the problems of the perspective
maps.

I liked this style of mapping as it showed how we can noodle with "reality" on maps
to make "reality" easier to understand.  I think some realists out there might
complain about this style for this very reason.

Does anyone know if this "pseudo perspective" style is being used on any campus
or urban mapping anymore?

john k.

John,

Thanks for your message and for sharing that example. Yes, the "pseudo perspective" is very-much still in use today! However, a great-many campuses that we encounter have been trying to replace it with more "pure" 2D perspective or 3D perspective views....as I think either the departure from accuracy from people who prefer the 3D perspective maps OR the "added busy-ness" from people who like to keep it simple, aka the 2D perspective maps, has caused many campuses to start moving away from this combined perspective style of map design.

I see you work at Ohio Wesleyan! That's an interesting coincidence...as that is one of the campuses that has been contacting our firm this summer, asking if we might be able to help them develop new maps of their campus. I actually was within about 50 yards of campus too during a sales trip through ohio this summer....but didn't get the meeting with your PR folks that I was hoping for. It looks like you have a very interesting campus....a fun challenge related to 3D perspective depiction!

One other thing I should mention as I see there are college faculty that are members of this board as well: I am also willing to talk about internships with any outstanding students that you know who have a strong interest in the type of map design work we do. My usual offer is to work closely with a student for a semester or two...helping them to develop a new/better map of their own campus (or a neighboring campus), charging the institution whatever they are willing to pay the student for the project, plus an additional 20% to cover my time in coaching/tutoring them. I usually end up making less than minimum wage on that type of arrangement, but that's not the point! It's fun trying to help young designers consider campus mapping as a potential design path...and I always look at it as an opportunity to possibly add a new designer or two to our staff down the road.

Thanks too to Hans sharing that DC Flyby sample map as well. Very interesting. I like it, although all of the textures give me a bit of a headache on-screen.

[JB Krygier]

It is, and I thought this ( DC Flyby ) was a very nice example of it. A bit cartoonish/simcity like, but nicely done and very informative.

The DC map is very simcityish, and is peculiar. I cannot quite tell
what is going on with the basemap. It resembles the pseudo
perspective in some ways (no horizon) but does seem to have
some perspective in it (the blocks should be rectangular/square
if it is a "true pseudo perspective" (!?). I cannot find who made
it - maybe it is SimCity?

john k.

[Nick Springer]

I used the pseudo-perspective method for 2 maps last year: a campus map of St. Joseph's University, and a tourist map of Philadelphia.