[contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map

alexandra · 2006-03-02 14:11:51

Just a couple of sidenotes:

get a designer doing the maps design first
keep it simple, really simple
i recommend flash/xml (very flexible and great interactivity)
start with a simple map
better a simple map than none

I remember a site using txp, flash and xml… can´t remember authors name but will look it up on the forum and post it here later on

EDIT
Flash master is mr.riff from India

neutrino · 2006-03-02 16:34:51

Anark says he will consult on this and I’ve e-ed mr.riff and invited him to join the fun. I agree Alex, simple is usually the place to start. So we’re looking for a graphic artist to draw this baby? Sorry to say that tho my background is Art it’s not in drawing. I used to argue with my teachers — I said I have a camera to capture reality and otherwise I draw with objects. (I did assemblage and other abstract work.)

neutrino · 2006-03-02 16:42:56

And because of my abstract orientation this map screams textpattern at me.

Bastian · 2006-03-02 18:37:51

i hear the map screaming, but i don`t understand what.

mr.riff · 2006-03-02 18:55:20

Flash master is mr.riff from India

I’m terribly sorry, but that’s one heck of an overstatement!

My experience with flash is very much limited – all I did was parse a very simple xml file into an array in actionscript, which then sent out a set of variables (upon mouse events such as onclick and onrollover) to javascript which, in turn, did all the dirty work.

This project sounds quite fun, innovative & inspiring.

As for how this is executed, I see two very simple (and somewhat crude) ways:

The xml file that’s generated could contain a complete hierarchical structure of all projects, contributers & urls. Flash could then parse it and generate a map in real time accordingly. This method relies heavily on flash, won’t be search engine friendly and will take some time load (along with some cpu power). It’s also quite above my level of expertise.

Alternatively, The entire map could be rendered in xhtml/css (which really isn’t that hard if you use txp :P ), and each element could be hidden with css. Flash would then parse a simpler xml file which would only contain the id’s of the elements that contain data (like project, contributors), and send out data to javascript which would then unhide the relative html elements. This method is very search engine/accessbility friendly, and shouldn’t take too long to load. We could even make this interactive as well.

The reason why I suggest flash for xml parsing is because I find flash to be more robust than javascript (and much, much more lightweight).

However, those two methods are very, very simple – and they don’t even come close to the elegance of ajax (which wouldn’t be search engine/accessibility friendly, now that I think of it) – and ajax is way over my head..

An exciting project, nonetheless.

Destry · 2006-03-02 19:26:24

nardo wrote: the benefit of cities/suburbs etc (as opposed to just flat subway maps) is that importance/activity/relationship is represented graphically

I think there’s ways of successfully communicating “importance/activity/relationship” without all the unnecessary eye candy (or visual pollution). My feeling, FWIW, is that too much visual thematics is beyond practicality here. I looked at that sim city thing and I’m immediately hit with a learning curve. Imposing a learning curve on the users is not what we want to do here. I would caution again, and echo Alexandra, we want simplicity (I would hope).

I still think AJAX is the right way to go here, though Mr. Riff’s second bullet above may be more practical. I can’t say for sure.

Please, everyone, let’s remember what this is really for: it’s for helping people to quickly find an access these various information locations so they can simply do what they really want to do, use Textpattern. We want to do that in the most optimal, lightweight manner. Of course you want to have a little fun with the design concept too, but just don’t go overboard.

neutrino wrote: Anyone else besides Basitian want to work on this?

I guess you can consider me a stakeholder in this project, if nothing else, because TextBook will be a significant destination in this railway and I’ll want to make sure the train gets there on time. ;)

For that matter, I think every leader of a TxP site should be a stakeholder in this project, giving feedback and having some say with the implementation.

Last edited by Destry (2006-03-02 19:27:50)

neutrino · 2006-03-02 19:31:41

> Bastian wrote:

i hear the map screaming, but i don`t understand what.

:) lol. it is abstract (and distributed). As I stared at it I could see various symbols representing various aspects of the community in the scattered way it is now. Add a little color and a legend . . .

Seriously, the subway lines/cities are still the main idea as far as I can tell from what everyone has said so far. Still waiting for a design type to show up.

@mr. riff thanks for coming to visit. I’m going to assume everyone here is in on seeing this project thru to its end (more or less regardless of the details?) so I’ll go register everyone as members of the project, if that’s OK. Yell if not.

Mary · 2006-03-02 19:40:40

Don’t start with a design first. First, collect all the data, then decide how to organize it, or you’ll end up with problems later. The suggestion of using FreeMind is a good idea, not as the final, but for organizing and mockup. Then you can use that to decide the implementation.

I agree with simplifying it as Destry mentioned. More complicated means it’ll either: never be finished, never be maintained, or never actually used.

Last edited by Mary (2006-03-02 19:48:26)

Destry · 2006-03-02 19:46:23

Everything mary said. Word (or should that be “squidword”).

Last edited by Destry (2006-03-02 19:47:24)

alexandra · 2006-03-02 20:04:11

> mary wrote:

> Don’t start with a design first.

I slightly disagree here, mary. From working professionally on many projects like this the workflow usually is:

write a concept (=> keyinfos you like to display, a chart here)
make a [rough] design (extendable)
decide for the app if you did not already

To get a designed worked out pretty soon, visualizing what you are up to, is always inspiring and kicks the project. Quick feeling of success.

[great sig, mary ROFL :)]

neutrino · 2006-03-02 20:42:10

I agree with everyone here. Can I do that? I think so.

Needs to be:
fast, accessible and easily kept up to date
Visually simple and light but impressive (what could be simpler than vector drawn subway lines that recalculate according to the data set being passed to them)

@Destry, Riff, Mary: Look at this: PHP/SWF Charts

@Destry, Mary, Alex I agree function first. But I think we have that down pretty much — a hierarchical map. One of the next steps is to test whether the visual we have in mind fits with the way the data will be presented to it—ie dynamically. We sure don’t want that ugly Microsoft tube screensaver to be the result. And for that we need a sketch.

@Destry yes everyone is a stakeholder but everyone is not going to get everything they want (probably). I really hate to sound like Zem but it’s going to come down to what gets done rather than what gets envisioned.

@Alex I would love to see a sketch or mulitiple sketches from various designers. I agree visuals are inspiring.

The design part here I think is pretty math-oriented (it would depend on what the math can do quickly).

@Nardo don’t get discouraged about the virtual stuff. Technologically I think the 3D environment is the future. It’s just not that good yet—too square and boxy and slow. You’re just ahead of the curve.

Last edited by neutrino (2006-03-02 22:55:53)

alexandra · 2006-03-02 20:59:20

okidoki, i said what i had to say ;) and leave you now.
I am very excited what you all will come up with.
Have fun!

neutrino · 2006-03-02 22:57:34

Thank’s for starting us going Alex. And please do check in . . .

Last edited by neutrino (2006-03-02 22:57:51)

Anark · 2006-03-02 23:50:10

Neutrino asked me to head up this project. I declined for lack of time and effort, but I’m sure he’ll make a very capable project lead.

The conceptual work should probably take precedence over the stylistics, especially since we aren’t clear yet about what exactly we’re going to do. Then again, people like to look at stuff, so if you’re a visual designer and have comps to gawk at — do pass them along.

I suggest Neutrino start a Yahoo group that all interested parties can sign up to. We’d then work out a blueprint and submit that blueprint back to this Board for discussion before we build anything.

mr.riff · 2006-03-03 00:13:37

> neutrino wrote:

@Destry, Riff, Mary: Look at this: PHP/SWF Charts

Sweet! But I can’t pull that off (the vector graphics bit)..

I wouldn’t mind at all working on this project on a regular basis, and I’d love to see it accomplished, but I’m not really sure how helpful I’d be.

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