Map usage in virtual environments
By: Helsin Cevik
Publisher: Naval Postgraduate School; Available from National Technical Information Service
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Monterey, Calif; Springfield, Va
Language: eng
Number of pages: 122
Description: It is neither practical nor efficient to represent virtual maps as we do for paper maps in the real world due to      major differences in hardware and software capabilities and requirements. Instead, we can determine the      parameters that affect virtual map representation and that help to construct a mental map, and then manipulate      these parameters in order to increase the effectiveness of map representation as an aid in performing navigation      tasks. The approach taken was first to determine and then investigate the parameters that affect virtual map      representation through an experiment designed specifically for this thesis. The experiment examined users of an      urban and open ocean virtual environment executing a set of navigation tasks with a virtual map with different      orientation schemas. The results of this study showed that, a forward up map orientation is preferable to a      north up map orientation for egocentric tasks and a north up map orientation is preferable to a forward up map      orientation for geocentric tasks. Under almost every possible condition, individuals with high spatial abilities will      be able to use either a north up map or a forward up map better than individuals with low spatial abilities.      Furthermore, it was found that these principles apply across types of environment with vastly different spatial      characteristics, but sparse environments seem to exhibit less of a performance difference than dense      environments.
Notes: "September 1998."

Thesis advisor(s): Rudolph P. Darken, John S. Falby.

Thesis (M.S. in Computer Science) Naval Postgraduate School, September 1998.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 117-118)

"Approved for public release, distribution unlimited"--Cover.

Also available online.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

System Requirements: Adobe Acrobat reader.

Turkish Navy author.

dk/dk cc:9116 11/19/98.