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Die WIKISTORIA-Software ist das Kern der Realisierung des Projekts. Wir haben die Anforderungen so festgehalten, wie wir uns die Software vorstellen. Ob sich alles so umsetzen lässt, wird sich noch herausstellen müssen. Die Beschreibung ist nur in Englisch verfügbar.
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WIKISTORIA
the free online historic reconstruction
The idea: Anyone who played ‘Civilization III’ knows the film at the end, which shows the territorial developments made during the game. He surely wondered once if it might be possible to reconstruct and display the real historic evolution of humans, exploring, settling, or colonizing continents, building cities, founding states, fighting battles and traveling to far countries. Up to the present the graphical reconstruction of these processes is not the simplest and because of the complexity of the required software, its high amount of required data and the limitations of standard monitors, already existing historical reconstructions are very restricted regarding area and time. The idea of WIKISTORIA project is nothing more than the reconstruction of the entire human history since the very beginning, when mankind was born in Africa, until the days of now.
The software to realize this idea is supposed to be the tool for historians and interested people to easily picture all the important historical and territorial evolutions. This will be the WIKISTORIA software. The main tasks of this software will be:
- edition of border changes and historical events
- collaboration between different people each contributing to the construction movie
- display of all historical events in the final reconstruction film
- customizing the data to private ideas without publishing them
- conversion of that film into popular movie formats
1. Graphic MotionThe movement of the borders and inserted files should appear fluent, in a steady motion. Therefore it’s necessary that the user of the WIKISTORIA software is enabled to edit the start position at a specific date and the end position at a different specific date. In between this time range the software should calculate the fluent change of the borders or the fluent movement of the inserts. When territorial belongings weren’t that clear in the past or in deserts, the borders can be omitted in favor of a fading color of the territory at some parts of the borderline. Coastal lines are automatically borderlines and don’t have to be indicated. Helping tools for an easy implementation of borderlines into the graphic interface of the software should be established. This can include e.g. an automatic implementation of existing digital maps.
2. Graphic Inserts (GrIns)Graphic Inserts are small files that are linked into the reconstruction by the software. They are not strictly necessary, but they visualize and give the viewer a certain feeling of participation. According to the meaning of the displayed action or situation the GrIn can be static, animated or/and moving. The format should be GIF or similar. The creation of GrIns is not part of the creation of the software; they have to be created separately. A rich and detailed variety is eligible; the figures of ‘Civilization III’ can be examples. Moving Units One moving unit can represent an army, a tribe, people or nation (e.g. the Great Migration or the resettlement of Native Americans called ‘the Trail of Tears’) or a more or less single person (e.g. Marco Polo, Christoph Columbus). For the time before national states existed, the peoples, settlers and other figures can be distinguished into an African, Arabic, Australian, European, Far Eastern, Indian and Native American look. When national states arise, a detailed national costume (civilians) or uniform (militaries) can be elaborated for each state/region and period. Weapons, like tanks, war planes, or war ships, and similar units, like civil planes and ships, are also technically detailed. Moving units are mostly animated in different ways (e.g. swordsman marching, fighting, standing, dieing), with the animation optionally being repeating or one-time. By the color of parts of the costume or uniform the figure should be associated to its home state. Fix Units Cities, Fortifications (e.g. Roman Forts) or Sightseeings (e.g. Eiffel Tower, Pyramids or Great Wall) are nonmoving, mostly not animated units. With the color of a flag the unit should be easy to associate to its home state unless it’s inside the home state territory. The flag could be an animated part of a fix unit. Signs Instead of a fix unit there can be put in place a no-3-D and not animated sign. (E.g. squares as a symbol for cities)
3. Sonic Inserts (SoIns) Sonic Inserts are small files that are linked into the reconstruction by the software. Like the GrIns, they are also not necessary, but they, too, illustrate the event and give the viewer the feeling of being amidst the action. The format should be MP3 or similar. The creation of SoIns is not part of the production of the software; they have to be created separately.
4. Textual Inserts (TeIns)Single GrIns can be labeled with a short textual explanation about what or who exactly the pictured unit is.
5. CollaborationSince the software is planned to be distributed to historians or interested people, who will complete the reconstruction of a certain region at a certain period, the software has to provide large and simple collaboration functions. It should be easy to implement the reconstruction of certain areas or periods into an already existing reconstruction and adding period for period and area for area until everything is covered.
6. Input
The Input Mask includes all details and information necessary for each event.
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Event 00219 |
Description: |
Legion XVI moving to Lutetia |
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Figure |
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Animation |
A00031.gif |
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Free Text Label |
Legio XVI Gallica |
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Moves |
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Starting Point |
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401.777,6 |
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Starting Date |
23030043 |
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(UTM) |
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3.655.984,3 |
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06:30:00 |
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30-N |
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Halting P. 001 |
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400.539,6 |
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Halting Date 001 |
01040043 |
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4.655.984,3 |
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18:22:00 |
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29-N |
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+ Halting |
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Ending Point |
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386.717,6 |
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Ending Date |
12040043 |
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(UTM) |
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4.955.364,2 |
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12:35:00 |
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29-N |
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Topic Selection |
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Civil Crime |
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Travels/Discovery |
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Diplomacy/Intelligence |
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Nat. Disaster |
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Economy |
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Civil Construction |
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Military Construction |
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Fictional Event |
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Single Person |
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Cross-nat.Conflict |
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Civil Conflict |
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Military |
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Colonization |
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Sciences/Invention |
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Religion/Art/Culture |
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Border&Area |
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Anonymous Event |
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Street/Trade Route |
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Importance |
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(1-9) |
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Detailedness |
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(1-9) |
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Example: Input Mask
7. Play-back OptionsConcerning the play-back of the reconstruction, the idea of the software is that generally everything can be changed or switched off optionally. All settings should be to store, creating different viewing profiles. Underground The basic map is given but should be changeable. The viewing angle should also be changeable, so that earth appears to be watched out of the bird’s eye view (see Google Earth). The assumed world map is a physical Robinson Projection with standard parallels 38°N and 38°S. The aspect ratio is approximately 2:1. The map has to be changeable, since natural and man made geographic and climate changes occurred in the respective time range. Speed The play-back speed should be changeable during the display of the reconstruction movie. In case of the conversion into a movie file, speed should be definable and lay in a range between 12 seconds per historic day and 1 second per 4000 historic years. An Adaptable Speed (AS) should be established, enabling different play-back speeds for different periods in the same play-back session. (For example the prehistoric times can be speeded up, while later e.g. in World War II speed is on the slowest value possible, in order to watch the course of war very carefully and detailed.) It should be possible to store different AS profiles.
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dd |
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mm |
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year |
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speed |
duration |
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min 1x – max 17,532,000x |
min / sec |
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01 |
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01 |
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-35000 |
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2,000,000 |
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0 min 24 sec |
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-3000 |
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1000 |
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30 min 25 sec |
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01 |
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-500 |
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50 |
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243 min 20 sec |
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01 |
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500 |
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20 |
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790 min 48 sec |
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1800 |
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8 |
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212 min 24 sec |
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01 |
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09 |
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1939 |
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2 |
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34 min 33 sec |
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08 |
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05 |
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1945 |
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10 |
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72 min 22 sec |
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31 |
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12 |
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2006 |
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store |
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create new period |
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Example: AS (speed maximum and duration figures approximately) Insert Options It should be possible GrIns (moving units, fix units and signs), SoIns and TeIns (Description and Labeling) to be blinded out optionally. So you can choose to play without the display of GrIns, SoIns, or TeIns or without the display of just two or all of them. Moving units should be indicated either traced or not traced. Tracing means showing the way the unit took as long as it is moving. Fix units and signs are mutually exclusive options.
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GrIns |
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moving units |
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fix units |
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signs |
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traced |
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SoIns |
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TeIns |
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description |
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labeling |
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Example: Insert Options Colors The colors marking the units and the territories of the different TPNs should be selectable. Thereby the software should give suggestion for the color of the different TPNs, attending the rule that identical or similar colors should not be used in nations next to each other. Borders should have the same color as their appropriate areas. Colonies should have the same colors as their colonizing power. Transparency The transparency of the colored territory should be free eligible within the range from 0% to 100%. It should be distinguished between transparency of colored areas and borders.
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| areas |
0% |
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100% |
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| borders |
0% |
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100% |
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Example: Transparency GrIn Size It should be possible to vary the size of the GrIns and their labels. GrIns should be distinguished between moving units, fix units, and signs, with the possibility to choose different sizes for each of them. The standard patterns for GrIns are squares and the size should range from 0.001% to 0.02% of the basic map size horizontally and from 0.002% to 0.04% of the basic map size vertically. Label height should range from 1% to 500% of the respective unit height; the length of the label should be conforming to the label text.
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| moving units |
0.001% |
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0.02% |
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| label |
1% |
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500% |
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| fix units |
0.001% |
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0.02% |
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| label |
1% |
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500% |
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| signs |
0.001% |
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0.02% |
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| label |
1% |
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500% |
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Example: GrIn Size Selection Topics Events will be classified by topics to enable the display of different areas of interest in the final reconstruction movie.
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Civil Crimes |
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Travels/Discoveries |
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Diplomacy/Intelligence |
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Economy |
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Civil Construction |
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Military Construction |
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Single Persons |
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Cross-national Conflicts |
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Civil Conflicts |
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Colonization |
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Sciences/Inventions |
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Religion/Art/Culture |
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Borders&Areas |
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Fictional Events |
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Streets/Trade Routes |
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Natural Disasters |
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Anonymous Events* |
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Default |
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* Anonymous Events: Events without known person and exact time; example: ‘In 1751 a large number of slaves fled from the plantations of Haiti into the mountains’ |
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Example: Topic Selection An Event can be assigned to several categories. For the display of the final reconstruction movie you can choose the categories to be displayed. Default: All categories except Fictional Events Importance The events will be categorized into different levels of importance:
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Event of crucial global consequences |
| 1 |
Event of important global consequences (incl. category 0) |
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Event of global consequences (incl. categories 0-1) |
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Event of important regional consequences (incl. categories 0-2) |
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Event of regional or important local consequences (incl. categories 0-3) |
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Event of local or important national consequences (incl. categories 0-4) |
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Event of national or important communal consequences (incl. categories 0-5) |
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Event of communal consequences (incl. categories 0-6) |
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Event of insignificant consequences (incl. categories 0-7) |
| 9 |
Personalized Event (incl. categories 0-8) |
*Definitions:
| global |
3-5 continents |
communal |
1-3 cities |
| regional |
4 countries – 2 continents |
crucial |
almost all inhabitants notice the consequences |
| local |
1-3 countries |
important |
majority of inhabitants notices the consequences |
| national |
4 cities – 1 country |
insignificant |
events not classified into category 0-7 |
Importance Zoom The higher the map scale the more less important events can be displayed. The level of importance should be fix or selectable depending on the map’s scale. Fix value: The importance zoom value can range between 0 and 9 and is valid for all scales. Variable value: The importance zoom value changes with the modification of the scale and can range – as shown in the following diagram – between -10 and +9.  At 0 the importance zoom value equals the appropriate map scale value Below 0 the importance zoom value is minor to the appropriate map scale value (less events are displayed than actually possible at this map scale) Above 0 the importance zoom value is major to the appropriate map scale value (more events are displayed than possible at this map scale – not recommended)Default value should be variable value 0. Event Details The detailedness of the event display is classified into ten categories:
| 0 |
An event is executed by only one acting unit (e.g. war: unit = nation/tribe) |
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Label size: no labeling; unit size: 50%*; 10 biggest cities etc: symbols |
| 1 |
Event: only one acting unit (e.g. war: unit = nation/tribe) |
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Label size: 80%; unit size: 65%; 25 biggest cities etc: symbols |
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Event: one acting unit per subgroup (e.g. war: unit = army) |
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Label size: 90%; unit size: 80%; 50 biggest cities etc: visualized |
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Event: one acting unit per subgroup (e.g. war: unit = army) Event executed by < 2 units: all units displayed |
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Label size: 100%; unit size: 90%; 100 biggest cities etc: visualized |
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Event: one acting unit per subgroup (e.g. war: unit = corps) Event executed by < 4 units: all units displayed Label size: 100%; unit size: 100%; 150 biggest cities etc: visualized |
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Event: one acting unit per inferior subgroup (e.g. war: unit = division) Event executed by < 6 units: all units displayed Label size: 105%; unit size: 100%; 300 biggest cities etc: visualized |
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Event: one acting unit per inferior subgroup (e.g. war: unit = brigade) Event executed by < 8 units: all units displayed Label size: 110%; unit size: 110%; 750 biggest cities etc: visualized |
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Event: one acting unit per subordinated group (e.g. war: unit = battalion) Event executed by < 10 units: all units displayed Label size: 120%; unit size: 120%; all cities etc: visualized |
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Event: one acting unit per subordinated group (e.g. war: unit = company) Event executed by < 14 units: all units displayed Label size: 130%; unit size: 140%; all settlements etc: visualized |
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Event: one acting unit per person/unit Label size: 150%; unit size: 180%; all buildings etc: visualized |
*Percental figures refer to the size specified in the respective section. Details Zoom The higher map scale the more details of an event can be displayed. The level of detailedness should be fix or selectable depending on the map’s scale. Fix value: The details zoom value can range between 0 and 9 and is valid for all scales. Variable value: The details zoom value changes with the modification of the scale and can range – as shown in the following diagram – between -10 and +9. At 0 the details zoom value equals the appropriate map scale value Below 0 the details zoom value is minor to the appropriate map scale value (events are displayed in less details than possible at this map scale) Above 0 the details zoom value is major to the appropriate map scale value (events are displayed in more details than actually possible at this map scale – not recommended)Default value should be variable value 0. Military formations (no exact data, since varying throughout history and nation):
| Army |
200.000 |
men |
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0,200000 |
% of population |
| Corps |
60.000 |
men |
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0,060000 |
% of population |
| Division |
15.000 |
men |
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0,015000 |
% of population |
| Brigade |
4.000 |
men |
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0,004000 |
% of population |
| Regiment |
2.000 |
men |
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0,002000 |
% of population |
| Battalion |
600 |
men |
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0,000600 |
% of population |
| Company |
150 |
men |
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0,000150 |
% of population |
| Platoon |
35 |
men |
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0,000035 |
% of population |
| Squad |
12 |
men |
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0,000012 |
% of population |
Viewshed The regions known to a specific culture area can be displayed brighter than unknown regions. The viewshed culture area can be chosen, the respective areas are Europe, Native North America, Native South America, Africa, Arabia, India, Far East, Australia & Oceania. The viewshed culture area default value is ‘None’. Format
Once all options are set, the format should be convertible into prevalent movie formats like MPEG, DIVX, AVI, DVD etc. The resolution should be as high as possible to show all details of the reconstruction. Best case is to make a film for a real movie theater.
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