Creating a Mosaic Dataset

Nowadays, there are many sources where we can get remotely sensed data: satellite imageries, aerial photos, digital elevation models, IFSAR, LiDAR, and more. Organizations with large collections of data sources may encounter difficulty in managing and making it accessible to all their users. 

Traditionally, we share our files physically that may create problems, especially with large datasets. To resolve this, we can use Esri's Mosaic Datasets. Mosaic dataset manages your data as a catalog collection where you can dynamically deliver a mosaicked image on-the-fly.

So, how do we create a mosaic dataset? First step is to check if your dataset needs to be preprocessed - build pyramids and calculate statistics. By building pyramids, you create a reduced-resolution versions of your datasets that will then enable faster access. Calculating statistics on the other hand ensures that your dataset is rendered properly. After that, you can now create your mosaic dataset.

Here are the typical steps:

1. Create a Geodatabase.
2. Create a mosaic dataset inside the Geodatabase that you have just created.
3. Add all your raster data.
4. Define additional metadata - e.g. sensor name, product type, processing template, filter, minimum and maximum stretch, band combination, pan-sharpening technique, orthorectification method and function templates.
5. After that, the raster data will be cataloged inside your Mosaic Dataset. You can now refine the footprints of your raster data and define NoData pixels as well.
6. Then, you can create seamlines. Seamlines are used to define the line along which the rasters in the mosaic dataset will be mosaicked.
7. After that, you can color balance your mosaic to create a seamless looking mosaicked image. This is necessary since your mosaic dataset is composed of many raster datasets that may have significant color differences.
8. Then, you can refine your mosaic dataset.
9. Lastly, you will need to generate overviews. Overviews, in a way, are like raster dataset pyramids.

If you haven't tried mosaic datasets, try creating one now! xx

DigitalGlobe's new website

Check out DigitalGlobe's new website! 

They made significant changes to the look and feel to make your web experience more engaging. It is now more customer-centric, with a deeper focus on key verticals served by DigitalGlobe. 

Here are some of the specific highlights of the website:

• Responsive design allows you to easily explore the site from your computer or any of your mobile devices.     
• A simplified global navigation focuses on DG's key industries served, as well as DG's core product offerings.
• More interactivity including roll-overs, sliders, and animations that helps to simplify complex ideas and solutions.
• A robust footer area containing important links such as DG's investor page, partner links, and access to DG's Partner Extranet.
• Localized versions of the site (English, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese).

Visit their site today! xx

GTA 5 for Xbox One and PS4

Here's another game to look forward to this week, November 18, the Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V) by Rockstar Games for Xbox One and PS4!

Photo from gottabemobile.com/

GTA V was released last year. So what's new with this year's release? For one, it's an upgraded version. Then, there's the much-awaited new first person mode. Hooray! I'm sure a lot of you are pretty much excited about this. Say hello to first person shooters! And of course, the more detailed graphics for a more amazing experience with our GTA story and main characters. 

Photo from gottabemobile.com/

For more information, visit gamespot.com! xx

Rocksmith 2014

Wanna learn how to play the guitar as easy as ABC? Try Rocksmith 2014 for Xbox 360. :)

Rocksmith 2014 is a music video playing game that allows you to play any electric or bass guitar. It only requires a USB cable that comes with the disc. 

With Rocksmith 2014, you can choose to play as lead, rhythm or bass guitar, depending on what path you want to play and improve on. The good thing here is that you can set the song difficulty. And as you progress with one song in particular, it automatically updates your difficulty as well. 

This game is designed to be a teaching tool for guitar beginners. As you learn a song, you'll learn the proper finger position and improve your guitar skills as well. Not only that, this will also enhance your memory skills as there is a master mode. And once you've finally memorized one song, you can then play it elsewhere. :) 

Grab your own copy now! xx

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

The long wait is over! Halo: The Master Chief Collection for Xbox One is finally here! Well, last November 11 to be exact. :)

Photo from www.xbox.com

Halo: The Master Chief Collection, a first-person shooter game, combines all four Halo games in one disc. Thus, you get to play Halo 1 to 4 all for the price of one! Yes, you heard it right! :) Not only that, you get to play the original gameplay! And here's the real catch, you'll have access to Halo 5's beta.

Amazing news right? :D

Halo 3 is the first game I've tried in the Halo franchise. Ceejay would be Master Chief and I got to be the Arbiter. I think it's one of the games where I really honed my shooting and driving skills at the same time! :)

Photo from www.microsoftstore.com

Now, what are you waiting for? You can get your copy at your nearest Data Blitz stores for only Php 2400. I know someone who' s very eager to get his own copy. Haha!

Can't wait to get my hands on this one! xx

The Rosetta Mission

Another hooray for mankind!

Photo from www.flickr.com/photos/dlr_de

Ten years ago, the European Space Agency (ESA) sent the Rosetta spacecraft to comet 67P/C-G. Today, the spacecraft, accompanied by a robotic lander called Philae successfully landed the comet nucleus - a first in history! The main objective of this mission is to get images from the comet's surface to determine its composition, 
among other things.

67P/C-G also known as 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko is a comet that was discovered by Klim Ivanovych Churyumov of the Kiev National University's Astronomical Observatory in 1969. At present, 317 million miles away from Earth, ESA was able to make the 
historic touchdown. 

For more details from ESA, check this link. There's also some exciting videos from NBC News, take a peek. As well as some amazing photos from Rosetta itself. 
Check them all here.

Enjoy! xx

The 100

There's something with post apocalyptic movies and TV series that fascinates me. It makes me think what I would do if it were to happen in real life. 

I am watching this TV series based on a book by Kass Morgan. The 100 is set in another post-apocalyptic era that premiered last March and currently airing its second season. 

Photo from www.imdb.com/

Photo from www.imdb.com/

Photo from www.imdb.com/

The story starts with a number of survivors living on a space station floating above the Earth, called as The Ark. These people are the remaining survivors when a devastating nuclear war took place 97 years ago and wiped out almost all life on the planet. Well, that's as far as the survivors know. As expected, resources on the space station became scarce and life-support starts to fail. If you were to ask me, they were lucky to have survived that long. 

At the Ark, a group of people, called the council, works as the governing body with all the political drama still in place. To check if earth is habitable once more, they sent a hundred juvenile prisoners to do it. Though thinking that these kids 
will not survive, thus doing a suicide mission since they need to conserve the remaining oxygen that they have left. 

Since the 100 that was sent are composed of juvenile teens, this is where all the conflict, drama and action starts. As well as the typical moral dilemma. There's our good guys that are sometimes bad, and our bad characters that tend to be good.

This show reminds me of BattleStar Galactica. Unlike BattleStar Galactica, they do not have Cylons as enemies, but humans who were able to survive on earth. As far as Season 1 is concerned, the 100 have encountered the grounders, reapers and the mountain men. 

Now, if you're into post-apocalyptic stories, try this one! xx

CitiesXL Platinum

My last post was about Esri CityEngine. Now this one is about CitiesXL Platinum, a city building computer game developed last 2009 by Monte Cristo and then the franchise was bought by Focus Home Interactive. This is an expansion pack really 
for CitiesXL created last 2012. 

Photo from www.toniworld.com

Photo from www.gamersgate.com

Photo from www.comicbuzz.com

At the start of the game, you'll have an option to choose where you want to build your city. The different location offers different type of resources which will be very vital as your game progresses. Once you have chosen, then you'll be able to start. 

With CitiesXL, you can create different building lots (residential, commercial, industrial) and road networks. Take note that when creating residential areas, you have an option as to what social class they'll be in - unskilled workers, skilled workers, executives and elites. Now the trick here is to have a balance with the people in your society and the work your city will offer based on the commercial and industrial industries 
you will soon create. This is the game right here. 

You have an option to create additional recreational activities for your people as well since you'll be acting as Mayor. It's pretty exciting as you will soon learn the 
dynamics of supply and demand. 

What I also like about this game is that it takes into consideration the terrain to make your city more realistic. And you know me, I like my cities unique and realistic 
as much as possible. 

Try this game, you might like it! xx

My City in 3D

Ever heard of CityEngine? 

CityEngine is a stand-alone software application from Esri. It uses procedural rules to enable the creation of detailed large scale 3D city models. This one basically relies on three ingredients -  procedural rules, feature geometry and feature attributes.

Take note that one must at least be familiar with the ArcGIS for Desktop to be able to use CityEngine since it uses the geodatabases you have already created. With Esri CityEngine, you can build flexible scenarios, create realistic context and share your urban plan 
by publishing your 3D models online. 

Here's a trivia, did you know that Cars 2, Total Recall and Man of Steel used CityEngine? Amazing right? Not only can this tool be used by urban planners and architects for visualization but also by the people in the entertainment industry to create cities for movie production. This tool can also be used for creating simulations out of real 
and existing data.

If you're familiar with Sims3 and CitiesXL, then you might want to try this one. Unlike the two games that I have mentioned, with Esri CityEngine, you are creating cities while manipulating real data. You can also create your own procedural rules 
to make your city more realistic. 

To learn more about CityEngine, click here. You can also try CityEngine for free. 
You only need to have an Esri account to access the trial version.

If you want to see my sample city, click here. 

Create your 3D city now! xx