Version one is now up on my page. Go to this address and click on the 'Special Topic -- Heth vs. Reynolds' link.
This map covers the first day, 730am to noon. It focuses on Heth's assault on McPherson Ridge, the defense by Buford's division, and the counter-attack by Wadsworth's division. This animation implements some requested new features:
Any ideas for new features? From here, I plan on updating the existing 'version one' animations of days one, two and three to create 'version two' maps. Fixes and upgrades.
Why do I do this? Because -- seeing something is always the beginning of understanding. I have a general big-picture beef with the way history is presented: too many words, not enough visuals.
For example, how many of us can correctly explain the timing relationship between Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire? Probably not many, because we're missing the visual picture of how it all played out. Classical Greece, Alexander, the Roman Empire ... it's all connected, but we don't see the connections.
Same thing for Gettysburg. Three days, bewildering. Historians like Martin and Pfanz do a great job, but for me it's too micro and I didn't UNDERSTAND it. So, animate it! Web browser plus JavaScript. I hope it helps. I dedicate these maps to all of you, the Gettysburg forum.
This map covers the first day, 730am to noon. It focuses on Heth's assault on McPherson Ridge, the defense by Buford's division, and the counter-attack by Wadsworth's division. This animation implements some requested new features:
- shows movement by regiments, rather than brigades
- speed control offers reverse, as well as slow, normal, and fast
- unit IDs display with a mouse-over rather than a click
Any ideas for new features? From here, I plan on updating the existing 'version one' animations of days one, two and three to create 'version two' maps. Fixes and upgrades.
Why do I do this? Because -- seeing something is always the beginning of understanding. I have a general big-picture beef with the way history is presented: too many words, not enough visuals.
For example, how many of us can correctly explain the timing relationship between Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire? Probably not many, because we're missing the visual picture of how it all played out. Classical Greece, Alexander, the Roman Empire ... it's all connected, but we don't see the connections.
Same thing for Gettysburg. Three days, bewildering. Historians like Martin and Pfanz do a great job, but for me it's too micro and I didn't UNDERSTAND it. So, animate it! Web browser plus JavaScript. I hope it helps. I dedicate these maps to all of you, the Gettysburg forum.