Why doesn't it work?

Metis requires Apple's Quicktime technology in order to function properly. All macintosh computers come with Quicktime pre-installed. Window's users may need to install the most recent version of this software which can be freely downloaded at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download.

How do I move around?

For a concise and clear guide to navigating and using QTVR movies, please see the Apple Quicktime Help Page.

How do I get back to the main catalog?

Clicking the Metis icon located at the top of every page will return you to the main catalog.

How do I make URLs that reference something in Metis?

You can now create URLs that point to anything anywhere in Metis (cf. the Highlights page for examples). It takes some experimentation and you need to first locate what you want to reference but it's not too difficult. For example, let's say you want to construct a link to the Erechtheion on the Acropolis in Athens. You would find a view you like and look at the url in your browser to learn the name of the site and the node number (in this case: site=acropolis and node=2). Then you would build your url as follows:

(1) The main part of the url should always point to the qtvr script at the stoa.org site:

http://www.stoa.org/metis/cgi-bin/qtvr

(2) Add the name of the site ("acropolis"):

http://www.stoa.org/metis/cgi-bin/qtvr?site=acropolis

(3) Add the number of the node ("2"):

http://www.stoa.org/metis/cgi-bin/qtvr?site=acropolis&node=2

(4) Then you can add a pan attribute to rotate your view from left to right:

http://www.stoa.org/metis/cgi-bin/qtvr?site=acropolis&node=2&pan=32

The pan attribute allows you to specify the initial pan angle for a QuickTime VR movie. Only integer values are supplied for this attribute. The range of values for a typical movie would be 0 to 360 degrees. You might have to experiment to get the precise rotation you want.

(5) Add a tilt attribute to tilt your view from top to bottom:

http://www.stoa.org/metis/cgi-bin/qtvr?site=acropolis&node=2&pan=32&tilt=42.5

The tilt attribute allows you to specify the initial tilt angle for a QuickTime VR movie. The range of values for a typical movie would be -42.5 to 42.5 degrees. Here we look as far up as we can.

(6) And finally add a fov attribute to set your initial "field of view" or zoom:

http://www.stoa.org/metis/cgi-bin/qtvr?site=acropolis&node=2&pan=32&tilt=42.5&fov=64

Only integer values between 8 and 64 degrees are supplied for this attribute. The fov attribute allows you to specify the initial field of view angle for a QuickTime VR movie. Here we zoom all the way out.

Has Metis been translated into other languages?

You can download scene movies in German for the following sites: the Athenian Acropolis, South Slope, Pnyx, Olympia, and Troy. If you are interested in translating sites into your own language, please contact me.

Where did the old scene movies go?

You can still download the old "scene movie" for each site. Links are located at the bottom of the page for each site (hold down your mouse on the link and select "save movie" or the equivalent). I've found these scene files useful for projecting while teaching.

Credits

I'd like to thank the following organizations and individuals who made Metis possible. The University of Texas System Administration for providing primary funding for the project. Gene Rinas of Kodak for providing the rugged digital camera that took every one of these 50,000+ photographs. Ross Scaife for his continuing enthusiasm, encouragement, and for donating the resources of the stoa.org when Metis was looking for a home. Photoshop and stitching pianists Marcie Handler and Iris Titto. Neel Smith for generously allowing me the use of his beautiful plans. The Greek Archaeological Service for permission to photograph at the Greek sites. John Camp for making all the Turkey sites possible. Craig Mauzy for getting me back to Greece. And all my students from Greek Archaeology CC307 for whom this project was primarily undertaken.