Well.. sorry i've been missing for quite awhile.. got some new projects at work and for such i need to learn FLEX... while learning a new API is not easy... it IS a hell of a lot easier learning FLEX then say... .NET

With that effect.. I was looking into the new FLEX API for ArcGIS Server 10.. and well, I can't help but think how utterly AMAZING it would be to be able to sandbox and online realm in it.

For those of you who are firmiliar with ArcGIS Software, but not ArcGIS 10... Two big changes which are of interest for this specific concept are Time based layers... and also the revamp of editing...

New to ArcGIS 10 is the capability to have a feature that is time based. This means you can create a feature that is linked to a time, and query those result... Better yet this capability is alive and well on their new FLEX web API.. meaning you can see these on the web, for instance a timeline slider.

Another great upgrade is a complete rethink of the editing process... Now you are able to create numberous "Template" symbols, so lines/points/polygons that have a certain look, and even set default data to them... (if most of your rivers are going to be water, and only 2 lava, it makes sense to make the type to default to water)... So editing a layer in ArcGIS is now a matter of click "Start Editing" which brings up a panel with all the templates, that you can then just click and start drawing with... Sweet. Again, this option is alive and well on the FLEX web API.. which means... *GASP* we can now do on the fly editing! yes not only did they allow the use of templates in editing online, but also the ability to edit on the fly!


So picture an online realm website... on that website is a map of our entire world, as created using ArcGIS with the land masses, water, trees, and anything else we can create.... now comes the fun part... If you are a member, you can log in, and "edit" the map, adding new data to it.... so for instance, in your last campaign you needed a new port city in the south that has not yet been created... You have made up a simple paper map, labelled some generic zones (market, etc) and are ready to post it online. Using the "City" point template, you can drop a point on the map so you can see it when zoomed out... you have more detail then that tho.. so you zoom in, and use the "city zones" and "roads" templates to draw the road work, and zoning you've done... Great! your edits area actually automatically posted on line, and within seconds everyone is able to see it...

Someone else loves the idea of your city, and decides to run his campaign in it... He's a bit of a perfectionist tho, and wants more of the city layout to be defined... He designs the different city "parcels" a general layout of each city block (who owns it, its use etc), as well as the building footprints. He can then use your data as a guildline (Even edit it to fit his closer detailed shapes) and add his city blocks, and building footprints using the available templates.

As you go, even more people can add, and even more, till you have a rich, creative world on a website.. with everyone contributing.. sort of an online map wiki...

But we all know as a world evolves people aren't always adventuring at the same time.. some games are slower, some people want to adventure in the past... when every city didn't have an arch wizard.. etc.. in comes timed layers... all of a sudden, your world's history is at your finger tips.. you can show the growth of a city, the shrinking of a lumber hub's resources... the drying up of a river, etc.

Pretty cool idea i think

only think i need now is someone willing to spend the thousands of dollars on an arggis server 10 license to be used for gaming purposes...

any takers?

Heres some examples that you should take a look at if you think my idea was a cool idea (shows some samples of the flex api at work)


Time Aware Eg

Editing