Modern Cartographic Forms of Expression: The Renaissance of Multimedia Cartography

This article summarizes the Special Issue of “Multimedia Cartography”. We present three main research fields in which multimedia cartography and the study of the effectiveness of multimedia maps are currently taking place. In each of these fields, we describe how published research is embedded in the broader context of map design and user studies. The research refers to contemporary technological trends such as web HTML5 standards, virtual reality, eye tracking, or 3D printing. Efficiency, performance, and usability studies of multimedia maps were also included. The research published in this issue is interdisciplinary. They combine traditional mapping methods with new technologies. They are searching for new places for cartography in, e.g., the environment of computer games. They combine the design of the map with its perception by users.

Mini-Map for Gamers Who Walk and Teleport in a Virtual Stronghold

Studies of the effectiveness of multimedia cartography products may include mini-map design for navigation. In this study, we have touched upon designing gameplay to indicate the impact of the mini-map on the time effectiveness of a player that can walk or teleport himself/herself along marked out points in virtual topographic space. The eye-tracking examination of gamers’ effectiveness in a non-complex game of collecting coins in a reconstructed stronghold on the holm provided us with a new perspective on the role of mini-maps. The more time gamers took to examine the mini-map, the more time they needed to finish the game, thus decreasing their effectiveness. The teleporting gamers had significantly higher time effectiveness than walking gamers, however, the data obtained showed only a minor difference between the proportions of the mini-map examination time to the total game time for walking and teleportation.

A new analog-to-digital method for forming and using of cartographic visualization of the geo-space with the use of multimedia means

The article discusses the development directions of cartographic methods to provide users with geoinformation using modern digital devices. Explains the need to review the substantive essence, the system of symbols, use, information content and the peculiarity of the perception of cartographic information by users. A new method of cartographic support of the needs of the economy and society, which is based on a combination of the capabilities of analog traditional maps, mobile and multimedia cartography, is substantiated and proposed. Various ways of increasing the volume of cartographic information using traditional maps with special markers on them, multimedia files and mobile devices, introducing an interactive mode of working with a map, and also taking into account the peculiarities of the perception of digital mobile maps are considered. The authors proposed option for combining sources of geoinformation to increase the information capacity of a map by combining a traditional map and a set of markers that either store the necessary information in encoded form or represent a link to external sources. We analyzed the features of QR codes and highlighted the basic possibilities of using them when creating a new type of interactive map, and also performed statistical studies of this option regarding a quantitative increase in the amount of stored information. Five methods of creating sources of geospatial information and using it interactively, including in the field and in the absence of communication for the transmission of digital data, are proposed and a summary table of the advantages and disadvantages of the methods of analog-to-digital representation of spatial information is compiled. The results of experimental work are presented, including samples of new types of maps compiled.

EVALUATING POTENTIAL FREE SOFTWARE FOR WEB-BASED MULTIMEDIA CARTOGRAPHY

Most universities students depend on the use of proprietary software as it has prominent capabilities to meet their needs. Although the proprietary software such as Adobe Flash Professional has a high capability to create a web-based multimedia system, budget constraints become the main reason why free software will be used as an alternative to proprietary software. This study is carried out to evaluate the potential free software for developing a web-based multimedia in cartography projects specifically for students in developing countries. Wix and Weebly are the two software that has been potentially explored among the ten selected software in the market. The current commercial software (Adobe Flash Professional) was also applied as a benchmark to the selected free software. This three software were individually utilised to design and develop a web-based multimedia of e-sport system and their technical capabilities were comparatively assessed according to elements of a common multimedia, website and other mapping assessment aspects. The finding showed that each of the software has unique characteristics and has successfully generated the end products according to the standard web-based multimedia title. Although these free software could produce a better looking, more flexible and time saving mapping platform than the end product created from the Adobe Flash Professional, they have limitation in creating menu function. This exploratory and cases study has also demonstrated that the alternative free software has potentials to replace the current proprietary software, while Wix is the best among the two selected software.

An Embedded Collaborative Systems Model for Implementing ICT-based Multimedia Cartography Teaching and Learning

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have created many new opportunities for teaching, learning and administration. This study elaborates a new embedded collaborative systems (ECS) model to structure and manage the implementation of ICT-based pedagogies in a blended learning environment. Constructivist learning, systems theory, and multimedia concepts are used in the model design and development. The model was applied to a third-year undergraduate multimedia cartography course. The findings show that regardless of student background, implementing effective ICT-based learning pedagogies can be managed using the ECS model.

An Embedded Collaborative Systems Model for Implementing ICT-based Multimedia Cartography Teaching and Learning

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have created many new opportunities for teaching, learning and administration. This study elaborates a new embedded collaborative systems (ECS) model to structure and manage the implementation of ICT-based pedagogies in a blended learning environment. Constructivist learning, systems theory, and multimedia concepts are used in the model design and development. The model was applied to a third-year undergraduate multimedia cartography course. The findings show that regardless of student background, implementing effective ICT-based learning pedagogies can be managed using the ECS model.