1. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About How to Create a Virtual Reality Tour Lynn Whitelaw Director Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art William Haun Web Programmer/Analyst Web & Instructional Technology Services, St. Petersburg College

2. Agenda What Exactly is a Virtual Tour? The Different Tour Formats Which One is Best? - Pros & Cons What “Stuff” Do I Need to Create a Tour? Delivering Your Virtual Tour Other Issues to Consider with Virtual Tours Case Studies Discussion & Questions

3. What exactly is a Virtual Tour? A Virtual Tour allows a computer user to interact with an environment via a series or collection of images (still and/or moving). “Interact” –“Virtual” is a reference to “Virtual Reality” - an artificial environment which is experienced through sensory stimuli (as sights and sounds) provided by a computer and in which one's actions partially determine what happens in the environment “Series or Collection” –Series can be individual images the user navigates between –Collection can be several images “stitched” together into a single panoramic image (0 to 360 degrees) Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online: http://www.webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=virtual+realityhttp://www.webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=virtual+reality

4. What is NOT a Virtual Tour? Slideshows are NOT Virtual Tours –http://www.inlandseas.org/Anfy/FadeShow.htmlhttp://www.inlandseas.org/Anfy/FadeShow.html Photo Albums are NOT Virtual Tours –http://www.2004.com/virtual_tours.asphttp://www.2004.com/virtual_tours.asp Videos are NOT Virtual Tours, they are Video Tours –http://www.answersingenesis.org/museum/media.asphttp://www.answersingenesis.org/museum/media.asp

5. Different Types of Tours HTML QuickTimeVR Java iPIX Shockwave/Flash

6. Different Types of Tours: HTML HTML is the code behind ordinary web pages These Virtual Tours usually involve a series of web pages the user navigates through. Each page usually consists of text, images, and/or multimedia Javascript can be used to enhance the Tour (transitions and other features)

7. Different Types of Tours: HTML Examples: Basic HTML Virtual Tour: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History - http://www.mnh.si.edu/museum/VirtualTour/ http://www.mnh.si.edu/museum/VirtualTour/ HTML Virtual Tour with Javascript: Henry Whitfield Historical Museum – http://www.hbgraphics.com/whitfieldmuseum/ http://www.hbgraphics.com/whitfieldmuseum/

8. Different Types of Tours: QuickTimeVR QuickTime VR is an extension to the popular video format developed by Apple Computers. Was the first major virtual tour product on the market (Jan. 1995) Can be embedded in a webpage or a stand-alone QuickTime movie QuickTime Player is a free download from the Apple website; ships with many products. Official Site: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtvr/http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtvr/ David Egbert’s Quicktime History Timeline - http://david.egbert.name/quicktime/history/http://david.egbert.name/quicktime/history/

9. Different Types of Tours: QuickTimeVR Examples: Musée du Louvre http://www.louvre.or.jp/louvre/QTVR/anglais/ Sola Creo http://www.solacreo.com/gallery.html http://www.solacreo.com/gallery.html MacWorld 2004 Location Promo http://www.iqtvra.org/exhibit/MWBoston2004/MW_Boston_VR.mov Refrigerator (placed 3 rd place in Apple Computer’s 1998 QuickTime VR Contest) http://www.mediacosm.com/refrigerator/index.html

10. Different Types of Tours: Java Most common type of Virtual Tour on the Web Java is a plug-in* for internet browsers. Every browser has some form & version of Java Virtual Machine Java “applets” are programs downloaded by the user and run by the user’s Java Virtual Machine * Plug-in - An auxiliary program that works with a major software package to enhance its capability - www.gurunet.comwww.gurunet.com

11. Different Types of Tours: Java Programmers can create an applet that can then run on most computers. Any programmer can create applets or components, so they come in all shapes and sizes Dozens of Do-It-Yourself Virtual Tour programs exist that create Java applet Virtual Tours for you * Plug-in - An auxiliary program that works with a major software package to enhance its capability - www.gurunet.comwww.gurunet.com

12. Different Types of Tours: Java Examples: Roman Open Air Museum Hechingen-Stein http://www.villa-rustica.de/tour/indexe.html Imperial War Museum http://www.pan3sixty.co.uk/tours/iwm/java-select.html

13. Different Types of Tours: iPIX Largest commercial vendor of Virtual Tours Has its own proprietary format that must be created with its own hardware and software Has a national network of independent “service providers” that can create iPIX tours Tours can be displayed as Java applets or using iPIX’s own plugin Official website: http://www.ipix.comhttp://www.ipix.com

14. Different Types of Tours: iPIX Examples: National Baseball Hall of Fame – http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/news/2005/ipix_gallery.htm http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/news/2005/ipix_gallery.htm Greensboro Children’s Museum - http://www.gcmuseum.com/explore/virtual/ http://www.gcmuseum.com/explore/virtual/ British National Maritime Museum: Royal Observatory, Greenwich - http://www.nmm.ac.uk/site/navId/00500000d http://www.nmm.ac.uk/site/navId/00500000d

15. Different Types of Tours: Shockwave/Flash Media created by Macromedia’s products Director and Flash Flash is the most popular plug-in on the Net 97.6% of Internet users have the Flash plug-in Flash has evolved over the years from a animation tool into a multimedia delivery system that is used for design, streaming video, rich internet applications, and even document creation.

16. Different Types of Tours: Shockwave/Flash Though often used in website design & décor, Flash is relatively new to the Virtual Tour scene Flash allows full customization and creativity –Some Flash Tours are just a series of images –Others offer 360 degree views –Yet others have Quicktime Tours embedded in them Some Do-It-Yourself Virtual Tour programs now export their tours in the Flash format (*.swf)

17. Different Types of Tours: Shockwave/Flash Examples: National Museum of American History: VOTE Exhibition http://americanhistory.si.edu/vote/index.html Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art http://www.spcollege.edu/central/museum/museumtour.htm Pickering Museum Village (with QuicktimeVR) http://www.picnet.org/pickering/pmv/flash/default.htm Petra Virtual Tour with 3D animation (Shockwave) http://vrm.vrway.com/projects/petra/

18. Format Pros & Cons: Things to Consider Target Audience Computer Compatibility & Requirements Plug-ins Required for End User Size of Download (Tour & Plug-in) Features & Customization options Quality of Image Resources Needed (Cost & Staff)

19. Pros: HTML Web pages work for everyone! No special plug-ins or large files to download Web pages are easy to create – even Microsoft Word makes them (though they aren’t too pretty) HTML is free to create. All you really need is a text editor (Notepad or Word). WYSIWYG editors are available from $20 - $500 WYSIWIG – What You See Is What You Get

20. Cons: HTML Web pages work for everyone… so I wasn’t completely telling the truth. Care has to be taken to make sure they are cross-browser friendly –Internet Explorer http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ –Firefox http://www.getfirefox.comhttp://www.getfirefox.com –Netscape http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsphttp://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp –Opera http://www.opera.com/http://www.opera.com/ –Mozilla http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/ –Safari (Mac) http://www.apple.com/safari/download/http://www.apple.com/safari/download/ –Older versions archived at http://browsers.evolt.orghttp://browsers.evolt.org Web pages are limited when it comes to interactivity Bottom Line: They just don’t make very impressive Virtual Tours

21. Pros: Quicktime VR Very Reliable and Efficient – they’ve had one update to their Authoring software since their 1995 release 64% of Internet users already have the Quicktime plug-in* since it is used for so many other functions (video, music, iTunes) – Mac users always have it Has built in Dynamic Perspective Correction (DPC) Allows Progressive Download – User doesn’t have to wait to load the whole thing. Instead sees each piece as it is loaded. Allows Full-spherical views – 360 degrees and up & down Not only allows 360 views of rooms but of objects You can add Hot Spots, embed video clips, and more *NPD Online survey, conducted June 2005

22. Cons: Quicktime VR 36% of Internet users don’t have the Quicktime plug-in and the download size is now 23mb or more* (60 minutes on a dial-up modem!!) They are still in Version 1 of the Authoring Software A lot of newer features (stand-alone tour, maps, nodes, additional interactivity) require purchasing 3 rd party software *Download size for Quicktime 7 - Mac OS X: 25.7MB Windows: 23MB

23. Pros: Java The most popular Virtual Tour format. There are dozens of products available that create Java Virtual Tours for you. 87% of Internet users have some form of a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) installed: It was built into Netscape, Microsoft and AOL version 3.0 and later Web browsers. Because Java is a programming language, programmers can create Tours that do, look, and act however they want. Can have dozens of features (hot spots, DPC, full- spherical, stand-alone, and more)

24. Cons: Java Basic Java Tours do not require downloading a plug-in, however some tours may need certain versions of Java that the user doesn’t have. Get the most recent JVM at http://java.com/en/index.jsphttp://java.com/en/index.jsp Java Tours can take a while to load since not only do the images have to load but the Applet itself Java Tour interfaces often look primitive and are not very visually appealing (not always though) Poorly coded applets can kill processor speed and freeze up slow computers DPC is often missing or sub-par Microsoft Java Virtual Machine Support - http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/java/http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/java/

25. Pros: iPIX iPIX Tours can be created with the complete iPIX “kit” Very simple and easy to use Very easy process to put tours on webpages Only two shots create a single, 360 degree, spherical virtual tour Great Dynamic Perspective Correction Customer Support Large network of experienced users with sites & forums online to share info and help

26. Cons: iPIX $$$$$ Their tours can only be created with certain cameras and their proprietary hardware “kits” (starting at $595 - not including cost of camera) Their tours must be created with their software which must be re-licensed annually ($899 first year, $699 per renewal year) Though the end user can view the iPIX tours with Java, for best quality they need to have the iPix plugin installed iPIX Software Pricing: http://www.ipix.com/products_studio.htmlhttp://www.ipix.com/products_studio.html iPIX Hardware Pricing: http://www.ipix.com/products_photography.htmlhttp://www.ipix.com/products_photography.html VRPhotography.com Case Study: QTVR vs. iPIX - http://vrphotography.com/data/pages/casestudies/qtvrvsipix.htmlhttp://vrphotography.com/data/pages/casestudies/qtvrvsipix.html

27. Pros: Flash Macromedia Flash is the world’s most pervasive software platform, reaching 97.6% of Internet-enabled desktops worldwide, as well as many popular devices* * http://www.macromedia.com/software/flashplayer/http://www.macromedia.com/software/flashplayer/

28. Pros: Flash Flash plug-in is a small 480K (1 minute download on dial-up modem) file that installs itself from the Macromedia website Unlimited interactive capabilities & fully customizable Ability to be dynamic (database or XML driven) Virtual tour can be turned into a stand-alone executable file for CD or DVD distribution. The user does not need the plug-in or Internet access to view it then.

29. Cons: Flash Macromedia’s “97.6% of Users have Flash” Statistic can be deceiving* * http://www.macromedia.com/software/player_census/flashplayer/version_penetration.htmlhttp://www.macromedia.com/software/player_census/flashplayer/version_penetration.html

30. Cons: Flash Unlike Java Tours, there are not many stand-alone applications that create Flash Virtual Tours for you For a customized Flash application you must have (or hire) a Flash Developer to create the Tour and write the ActionScript (code) 3rd party panorama stitcher software is needed (Flash doesn’t do that) Macromedia Flash is expensive: $499 – however, it does have many uses in addition to Virtual Tours (interactive websites, animation, streaming video, and much more)

31. Tools Needed The Hardware –Computer –Digital Camera –Tripod –Panoramic Head (optional) –Turntable (optional) The Software –Stitching Software –Tour Creation Software –Webpage Creation Software The Method of Delivery –Web Server –CD-ROM –DVD

32. Hardware: Computer Processor needs to be fast enough to handle complex stitching algorithms Needs enough memory to hold large panoramic images Basic Suggestion (minimum requirements) –2ghz processor –500mb memory –Video card with 128mb memory –40 gigabyte hard drive –USB 2.0 and/or IEEE 1394 (aka Firewire or i.Link) –Windows XP or Mac OS X

33. Hardware: Digital Camera 3 megapixel will suffice for web & CD-ROM production Extra memory stick usually required since one room can require 20-60 photos Some models have built-in stitching tools Camera may need to support addition of lenses (wide- angle or fisheye) Cost from $150 - $infinity CNET.com feature/cost comparison site at: http://shopper.cnet.com/Digital_cameras/2001-6501_9-0.html?tag=shfd.feature http://shopper.cnet.com/Digital_cameras/2001-6501_9-0.html?tag=shfd.feature

34. Hardware: Tripod Tripod must be sturdy (flimsy $20 tripods don’t do the job well) Must have good adjustment brackets & knobs Needs to have levels Cost: $50 - $250

35. Hardware: Pano Heads (optional) Panoramic Heads attach to tripods and allow for taking photographs at exact angles that provide the best resulting stitched panoramas Not required but they make the image quality better and the task of stitching easier Some stitching software requires images to be taken at exact angles, so a panoramic head may be necessary Cost $200 - $1300

36. Hardware: Turntable (optional) Object Turntables are used to photograph objects so that the user can view them from all angles Pricing ranges from small manual turntables to large motorized ones that hold 200lb objects and lighting gear Cost $75 - $6000

37. Software: Stitching Tools Stitching software takes your series of photos and “stitches” them together into a single panoramic or spherical image Some stitching software can create a 3D movie from a series of object photos Software varies in image quality, image format, ease-of- use, and automation Price Range: Free* - $500 Some Tour Creation software includes Stitching tools * Helmut Dersch’s Panorama Tools are a free, open-source set of Java tools that are used by many VR professionals. However, they are extremely complex and have no graphical user-interface - http://webuser.fh-furtwangen.de/%7Edersch/http://webuser.fh-furtwangen.de/%7Edersch/

38. Software: Stitching Tools Realviz Stitcher 4.0 Internationally recognized as the “industry-standard software for creating panoramas”* Allows adjustments to accommodate most camera lenses (can’t stitch from fisheye though) Allows exporting panoramas as QTVR movies, JPEG images, layered Photoshop files, Shockwave, and more Available for PC and Macintosh Cost: $580 – Trial Version Available Online Stitcher 5.0 comes out this month http://www.realviz.com/products/st/index.php *3D World

39. Software: Stitching Tools EasyPano Panoweaver 4.0 Easy-to-use and powerful panorama software which can stitch perfect 360*180 spherical and cubic panoramas from fisheye images. Stitches automatically and allows manual stitching Only stitches from fisheye lens images Publish panorama as PTViewer, QTVR, MGI Panoviewer, and VRML Available for PC and Macintosh Cost: $599 http://www.easypano.com/pinfo_pw.html

40. Software: Stitching Tools 360 Degrees of Freedom – Panorama Pro Powerful panorama stitcher and simple-to-use virtual tour builder Stitches automatically Features hotspots, transition effects, and zoom Unlimited technical support & 60 day money back guarantee Available for Windows only Cost: $99 http://www.360dof.com/products/panorama-stitching-software/360-panorama-professional/

41. Software: Stitching Tools Adobe Photoshop CS The world’s greatest image editor now has a built-in photo stitching tool Completely automated stitcher – just point to the folder with all your images Lack of manual controls when stitching is limiting; if images aren’t take just right, results are disastrous Available for PC and Macintosh Cost: $649 (latest version CS) Trial Version Available Online http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/main.html

42. Software: Tour Creators These products take your panoramic images and create interfaces for them Features vary from product to product. Features to look for are: –Final format of the interface (webpage, stand-alone, Quicktime movie, Flash movie, etc..) –Built-in stitching tools –Interface’s ease of navigation (linked rooms, hotspots, etc…) –Ability to add images, video, audio, text –Visual appeal of final Virtual Tour Price Range: Free - $500 (with a plethora of add-ons available)

43. Software: Tour Creators EasyPano Tourweaver 1.30 Create tours that not only include 360 and spherical panoramas but sound, still images, slideshows, maps, floor plans, and more Has unique features of interactive map with compass effect, personalized viewer skin and customized walkthrough Available for PC only Cost: $199 (standard) $499 (pro) http://www.easypano.com/pinfo_tw.html

44. Software: Tour Creators 360 Degrees of Freedom - VRbrochure Build 360 panoramas and choose from a library of templates when creating the multi-page VRbrochures Features 3D objects, photos, slideshows, interactive floorplans/maps, and hotspots Tours created for both Java and Flash Available for Windows only Cost: $147 (lite) $297 (project) $497 (pro) http://www.360dof.com/products/vrbrochure-authoring-software/

45. Software: Webpage Creation Tools There is no shortage of WYSIWYG programs for you to choose from The most popular are: –Microsoft FrontPage $199 –Macromedia Dreamweaver $399 –Adobe GoLive $399 –Macromedia Homesite $99 –NetObjects Fusion $195 –Microsoft Word $229 (Office Standard edition) –CoffeeCup HTML Editor $49 Price Range: Free* - $400 Some free Webpage tools are listed at http://www.thefreecountry.com/webmaster/htmleditors.shtml#wysiwyghttp://www.thefreecountry.com/webmaster/htmleditors.shtml#wysiwyg

46. Delivering Your Virtual Tour Web CD-ROM DVD-ROM

47. Delivery Method: Web To put any web pages or media on the Internet you need two things: –A domain name (aka mymuseum.org) –Web Server that “hosts” it Every city has its own companies that host websites and the internet has a million more Things to look for in a Web Hosting Package: –Bandwidth: basically the amount of information that can be downloaded from your site in one month –Server space: how much storage space you have to hold all your webpage files (images & video can take up a lot) –Uptime: % of time your host guarantees your website will be up and running Price Range: Free* - $500+ per month *CAUTION: Free hosting packages ALWAYS incorporate advertisements on your site and greatly restrict bandwidth

48. Delivery Method: CD-ROM Price Range: $.20 per disc plus printing & packaging costs Leepa-Rattner produces its CDs at an approximate cost of $.60 per disc. That includes the CD media, packaging, and printing of labels on disc.

49. Delivery Method: DVD-ROM Price Range: $1 per disc plus printing & packaging costs Virtual Tours created in the formats covered in this presentation must be viewed on a computer and are not viewable on a stand-alone DVD player and TV. Virtual Tours can be created for DVD and television but are more like “Video Tours” and have very limited interaction. NOTE: The DVD edition of the first Harry Potter film has the best DVD Virtual Tour I have seen to date. As the next generation of DVD players are released, the potential for Virtual Tours on DVD will grow significantly.

50. Other Issues to Consider Security of your copyrighted images Cost of Maintenance & Ability to Update Portability Accessibility

51. Case Studies Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art –Flash & XML driven Virtual Tour Musée du Louvre –Quicktime VR & HTML driven Virtual Tour

52. Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art Virtual Tour Built with Macromedia Flash technology Pulls all content from XML files, making changes easy Images hidden and encoded to protect copyright Created for both web and CD-ROM Web version allows user to pick bandwidth Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art http://www.spcollege.edu/central/museum/museumtour.htm http://www.spcollege.edu/central/museum/museumtour.htm

53. Musée du Louvre Virtual Tour Combines QuicktimeVR with HTML Webpage interface Has about 60 individual panoramic images Has Java Tours on select rooms Users use a floorplan of the museum to navigate between rooms Does not offer views of current and rotating exhibits Tours consist only of panoramic images with no descriptions, text, or closeups of individual works of art

54. Misc. Resources Resources VRMag – Online Magazine dedicated solely to Virtual Tours & Photography http://www.vrmag.org http://www.vrmag.org VR Photography Case Studies - http://vrphotography.com/data/pages/casestudies/casestudies.html http://vrphotography.com/data/pages/casestudies/casestudies.html Tutorials Creating Javascript & HTML Virtual Tours - http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/server_archive/articles/creating_virtual_tours.html http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/server_archive/articles/creating_virtual_tours.html Other Cool Virtual Tours Arounder – Travel around the world via 360 full screen panoramas - http://www.arounder.com http://www.arounder.com FullScreenQTVR – A directory of extreme locations shot in 360 panoramas http://www.fullscreenqtvr.com POSCO Museum in Korea – The inspiration for the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art’s Flash-based Virtual Tour - http://museum.posco.co.kr/museum/docs/eng/mTour/s91b3060001m.jsp http://museum.posco.co.kr/museum/docs/eng/mTour/s91b3060001m.jsp

55. Vendors Tour Creation Software 360 Degrees of Freedom - http://www.360dof.com/http://www.360dof.com/ EasyPano – the virtual tour way - http://www.easypano.comhttp://www.easypano.com iPIX - http://www.ipix.comhttp://www.ipix.com Quicktime VR Authoring - http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtvr/http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtvr/ Realviz - http://www.realviz.comhttp://www.realviz.com Squamish Media Group (QTVR extensions) - http://www.smgvr.com/http://www.smgvr.com/ VRToolbox - http://www.vrtoolbox.com/vrthome.htmlhttp://www.vrtoolbox.com/vrthome.html Hardware Kaidan Panoramic Heads, Lenses, & Motors - http://www.kaidan.com/ http://www.kaidan.com/ Manfrotto Panoramic Heads - http://www.manfrotto.com/303SPH/http://www.manfrotto.com/303SPH/

56. Feel Free to Send Questions and Comments to: William Haun Email: haun.william@spcollege.eduhaun.william@spcollege.edu Phone: 727.394.6173 Website: www.williamhaun.comwww.williamhaun.com