Flash

[Gamerprinter]

Flash map design because its vector can work as any vector program, flash allowing animation for zoom is a great ability.

But you miss one point regarding maps. A true map is a simplification of the reality, not a photograph of the earth's surface.

Its true if you could zoom in close, you could read the spellbook on the table in the patio of the wizards bachelor pad, but zoom back to 100% and you can't see the building, the town, the river next to it because they disappear in the distance.

A global or regional scale map is generally an exageration of the terrain details - you can see the river in the map, but if you were at the elevation to view the region properly, the river wouldn't be visible.

You don't really want a "map" of the actual ground details at every zoom level. A map is a representation, its not reality.

I think its better to have a global, regional, city-level map, and 1" = 5' scale map for your different "zoom" levels, but these are four different maps, not the same one at 4 levels of zoom. Just my opinion.

[RobA]

You don't really want a "map" of the actual ground details at every zoom level. A map is a representation, its not reality.

Reminds me of the wisdom of this Lewis Carroll quote:

And then came the grandest idea of all! We actually made a map of the country, on the scale of a mile to the mile!"

"Have you used it much?" I enquired.

"It has never been spread out, yet," said Mein Herr: "the farmers objected: they said it would cover the whole country, and shut out the sunlight! So we now use the country itself, as its own map, and I assure you it does nearly as well.

-Rob A>

[The Cartographist]

Rather than a map that can zoom in to the finest detail, I think that if you want this type of effect, it would be better to produce a map that is hyperlinked to sub-maps that show proportionally smaller and smaller areas. This is done really well at numerous sites on the internet (though I can't remember any off of the top of my head). This form of "interactive" map achieves what I think you are trying to do while eliminating the drawbacks already mentioned above.

[Fister]

Reminds me of the wisdom of this Lewis Carroll quote:

And then came the grandest idea of all! We actually made a map of the country, on the scale of a mile to the mile!"

-Rob A>

A useful quote to remind the cartographer to maintain perspective. However we are not speaking of graphic representations of the Earth's surface, but of graphic representations of our fantastical renderings. So perhaps we might be given a little lee way when imagining our fanciful aspirations. I enjoyed the quote and its message.