Visualization is important, however, because it eliminates the problem of putting a three dimensional area onto a two dimensional surface. He goes on to explore the variables of animation and the categories of non-temporal animation. Animated maps make it possible to view events and phenomena that could not be shown using static maps. A popular application of animation is temporal events. Animation makes it possible to show the movement of a hurricane towards the state of Florida, or the movement of a particular race or age group in a city over time.
Animation is either frame based or cast based.
The illusion of movement is created by displaying the frames in rapid succession. One problem is that an animation takes up a large amount of memory in a computer. Research continues to find ways of creating animation that takes up less memory. Interaction is important because it allows the map viewer to make decisions about such factors as scale, features displayed, and color selection. By being able to create the map according to his needs and specifications, the map becomes more useful to the user.