Chapter 7: A 3D scene can be more intuitive to interpret than a 2D map and allow for wider applicability with urban planning and defense simulation. Some 3D apps offer fly-around and X-ray vision. There are two types of scenes: photorealistic scenes and cartographic scenes. Photorealistic scenes aim to recreate reality using photos for textures and are commonly used for cities. A cartographic scene takes 2D mapping techniques and moves them into 3D to display abstract features such as population density and flight paths. A scene has four elements: surfaces, features, textures, and atmospheric effects. Surfaces are often referred to as a digital elevation model (DEM), digital terrain model (DTM), or digital surface model (DSM), and are continuous measurements. Features can be 2D layers or 3D scenes and are the operational layers of the 3D app. Texture provides exterior or interior covers of 3D features and is often aerial imagery or cartographic symbols. Atmospheric effects include lighting and fog. Scene layers have 3D object scene layers, building scene layers, integrated mesh scene layers, point cloud scene layers, point scene layers, and voxel scene layers. 3D object scene layers are used to visualize 3D objects and are created manually or automatically using procedural rules. Building scene layers allow you to visualize and interact with all aspects of buildings and have an overview, discipline (i.e., architectural and plumbing), category layer (i.e., windows and walls), and filters. Integrated mesh scene layers are constructed from sets of overlapping imagery, such as from drones. Point cloud scene layers display large volumes of symbolized point cloud data, typically from lidar or drone images. Voxel scene layers represent multidimensional spatiotemporal data in a 3D visualization. Atmospheric data and space-time cubes are voxel layers. I had a lot more trouble finding the things it was asking for in the tutorial, as some of the settings have been changed since this textbook was released.
Application: I can use this chapter to create a scene of a construction site and compare different plans to compare the impacts of underground pipes, what trees and other natural resources will need to be removed, and how they will fit in with the surrounding areas in terms of height.