TEXTURES

This is actually a key element in our modeling. We will construct a library of textures, properly catalogued. The generator programs will invoke textures from this library via standardized parameters. The actual textures returned by the library is somewhat indeterminate.

E.g., our block generator may make a library call for a texture with these parameters:

	[facade] BROWNSTONE
	[year] 1940        // i.e. prewar
	[height] 70	   // in feet
	[stories] 3
	[width] 35
	

Note that the year (or architectural style) determines the style. Here are some categories (but clearly, subcategories ought to be defined):

• building facades
  - TYPE: apartments, brownstones, office, store-front, etc
  - YEAR: either date or period (e.g., prewar)
  - HEIGHT, WIDTH: this is important information which you may need to estimate for the library.
• building top features
  - to be matched to the building facades
• wall
  - including graffitti!
• vacant lot
  - this is just a special case of buildings of height 0.
• road textures (tarmac, cobblestone)
• pavement textures
• grass
• trees
• skylines

Note: skyline texture will be used when you look down a street (e.g., looking west of 14th Street, you might want to show New Jersey Skyline). You may initially default this to the clear blue sky.

The easiest way to collect textures is to scan from magazines or photos. You will need to use a standard image editor (XV, Photoshop, etc) to clip and manipulate these images, and to produce a file of the texture. You will probably need to shear and stretch images. (If you want to use a digital camera for this purpose, we may be able to provide it - please speak to me.)