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Google Earth Revives Ancient Rome


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"Google has added a new twist to its popular 3D map tool, Google Earth, offering millions of users the chance to visit a virtual ancient Rome."

 

Google Earth Revives Ancient Rome

Edited by Antiochus of Seleucia
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"Google has added a new twist to its popular 3D map tool, Google Earth, offering millions of users the chance to visit a virtual ancient Rome."

 

Google Earth Revives Ancient Rome

 

 

Thanks. How interesting!

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Ditto on the thanks! I'm almost tempted to download Google Earth now, 'cept I'm suspicious of downloading anything.

 

Anyone here ever have any problems after downloading Google Earth? I mean... If you attract their attention by downloading their stuff, they don't hunt you down with their Google Earth satellites, do they? I've got a skylight in my bathroom...

 

-- Nephele

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Ditto on the thanks! I'm almost tempted to download Google Earth now, 'cept I'm suspicious of downloading anything.

 

Anyone here ever have any problems after downloading Google Earth? I mean... If you attract their attention by downloading their stuff, they don't hunt you down with their Google Earth satellites, do they? I've got a skylight in my bathroom...

 

You'll probably be safe from the Google satellites. Microsoft's on the other hand...

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You'll probably be safe from the Google satellites. Microsoft's on the other hand...

 

Oh gee, thanks, MPC. Now you've given me Microsoft to obsess over. :clapping: Bill Gates had better keep his nose out of my bathroom skylight.

 

Anyway, I tried downloading Google Earth, and it slowed down my computer. Plus, my Spy Sweeper popped up with all sorts of warnings. I wound up uninstalling Google Earth.

 

-- Nephele

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I've got a skylight in my bathroom...

 

-- Nephele

...I know!!! :clapping:

 

Eek! I think you and Bill Gates are in cahoots! Did you sell him real estate in Homunculum?

 

-- Nephele

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I've got a skylight in my bathroom...

...I know!!! :clapping:

 

Eek! I think you and Bill Gates are in cahoots!

 

Sheesh, Neph, you gotta be more careful as to what you put out there in the internet...Now you're going to have all sorts of cosmic Peeping Toms!

 

As for the program, I love the idea as a teaching tool. Hope they do this with other 'great' civilizations; I'd love to see this for the Maya, Aztec and Inca ruins, as well as Babylonia. Heck, I could see this as part of a history course demonstration, or even ethnic studies. It would bring these ancient cultures more into the collective conscience; students seem to recognize Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece, but forget about much anything else.

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Salve, Amici

I have been using Google Earth for some time and it has been a delightful experience (no royalties for me, BTW). This software requires a lot of memory; that may be the origin of the problems reported by Lady N.

 

Thanks to Antiochus (gratiam habeo, BTW) I have just recently checked on the Ancient Rome in 3D section of the Gallery layer; it's certainly very attractive and extremely didactic.

 

Probably no one of us can be absolutely safe from spyware intrusions; I don't think this software would make any real difference about it.

 

I honestly think most (if not all) of us will enjoy this experience.

 

Google-Greetings from Schmidt & Brin.

Edited by ASCLEPIADES
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As for the topic, haven't had a chance to take a look myself but the previews look great.

Too bad it's based on a piece of fascist propaganda.

 

I worked on this project doing topographical research and 3d modeling and texturing for almost a year and I'd like to address this issue. While it is true that the Plastico was originally developed as a propaganda piece, with the hills and monuments being about 20% higher than they are in the physical model than they were in reality, the digital terrain is based on scientific data and the buildings were calibrated to the digital terrain. The Plastico rarely represents insulae that were greater than 4 stories tall, but we know that many were as tall as 6 or 8 floors. In Rome Reborn 2.0, all of the insulae were procedurally created and are typically more accurate than the ones depicted on the Plastico. Keep in mind that Gismondi continued to work on his model through the early 1970's, much after the end of Fascism.

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I worked on this project doing topographical research and 3d modeling and texturing for almost a year and I'd like to address this issue. While it is true that the Plastico was originally developed as a propaganda piece, with the hills and monuments being about 20% higher than they are in the physical model than they were in reality, the digital terrain is based on scientific data and the buildings were calibrated to the digital terrain. The Plastico rarely represents insulae that were greater than 4 stories tall, but we know that many were as tall as 6 or 8 floors. In Rome Reborn 2.0, all of the insulae were procedurally created and are typically more accurate than the ones depicted on the Plastico. Keep in mind that Gismondi continued to work on his model through the early 1970's, much after the end of Fascism.

 

That's good to hear, thanks much for the heads-up.

I really will take a good look at it as soon as I can find the time.

 

Do you know by any chance what the relation between domus and insula is or (even better) their numbers as included in the project?

I would be very interested to know what data were used to determine it. This is another thing lacking in the plastico, too many palaces, not enough 'common' homes.

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