The BEST method of viewing caves digitally?

H

halkyn

New member
Can anyone help by advising of the best current method of viewing or travelling through a cave (via Google Earth), accessed from a website?
Methods I've heard of that of might be possible ......
1)  Use of Survex or Compass etc (IF they permit a fly-through view)
2) Adding a survey or plan as an overlay then adding links to various 360 degree panoramas
3) Any similar method to Googles Street View, but underground
4) Anything else?
Can anyone suggest a name I could contact for help?
Any advice appreciated.Many thanks.

 
footleg

footleg

New member
I think you are describing virtual tours, of which there are some good examples on the web:
- Using static images with hotspots is the http://ogof.net/ site created by Peter Harvey.
- Using 260 panoramic images see the superb http://www.burger.si/Jame/NovaKriznaJama/seznam_2009.html

Both of these create very nice and web friendly methods of allowing virtual exploration of caves, but both require large amounts of effort to take the photographs. If you just want an interactive survey when currently the offline viewers for survex files and therion models (aven and loch) are the most commonly encountered tools in the UK. Neither allow fly throughs, but then the data model they are allowing you to view does not have the detail required to make that of real value anyway.

Finally if you want real photographic fly throughs then look up the website for the Nottingham sandstone caves (I'm not sure of the URL) where you can view video files of cave models created with a laser scanner and photographs as some expense.
 
footleg

footleg

New member
Rhys said:
footleg said:
- Using static images with hotspots is the http://ogof.net/ site created by Peter Harvey.
Click to expand...
Peter Collings-Wells actually.
Click to expand...

My apologies to Peter! I couldn't recall his name late last night when writing my post, so I looked up the website and saw the name Peter Harvey at the top of the main page! But on reading it again I see this was commemorating him as the discoverer of the cave. Of course the photos and the site were created by Peter Collings-Wells. Thanks for correcting this!  :-[
 
A

Amy

New member
footleg said:
Rhys said:
footleg said:
- Using static images with hotspots is the http://ogof.net/ site created by Peter Harvey.
Click to expand...
Peter Collings-Wells actually.
Click to expand...

My apologies to Peter! I couldn't recall his name late last night when writing my post, so I looked up the website and saw the name Peter Harvey at the top of the main page! But on reading it again I see this was commemorating him as the discoverer of the cave. Of course the photos and the site were created by Peter Collings-Wells. Thanks for correcting this!  :-[
Click to expand...
this is seriously my favourite website. I get "lost" for hours. I found the OFD1 round trip no problems at all having just done it once. I then meandered my way and found the through trip. I'm still trying to find the key to get into the gate....haven't found it yet. Don't tell me though, I'm trying! I'll probably "waste" another few hours on the site eventually and get it! haha!

And, while the smell is sadly waining a lot at this point, some of my stuff still smells like the caves there, and so I can pull it out and smell the cave while touring it! Not as good as being there in the least, but about as close as I'll get being on the wrong side of the pond!

edit: OOH OOH OOH found it! tricky...i never even saw that page existed as I don't scroll down normally so I don't see that part of the page hehe. I am the 203rd person to make it to the columns! (also, erm...SWEET)
 
Roger W

Roger W

Well-known member
Well done, Amy!    :clap:

It really is a fantastic website - I've spent hours there myself!

But when I think how many hours it must have taken to get all those photos - never mind about assembling them all into the virtual tour...

My thanks and congratulations to all concerned!    :bow:  :bow:  :bow:
 
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