PLAY: Whaleback Anticline

​The Whaleback Anticline is a world-class geology field site in central Pennsylvania for the study of fold geometry, kinematics, and mechanics. This virtual field experience includes a Structure-from-Motion-captured model of the Bear Valley Strip Mine (Shamokin, Pennsylvania) that includes the Whaleback and several adjacent folds.

The virtual field experience is hosted on itch.io. Click here or on the image on the right to have the virtual field experience.
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Please wait 15-45 seconds for the game to load after starting it.
We recommend using Google Chrome or Firefox to play.

Troubleshooting: 
Turn off ad blockers to play
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Click on image to go to itch.io site to have the virtual field experience

WATCH: Video tutorial on game play

We made a 10-min video describing how to use the tools within the virtual experience.
​The video description on YouTube contains links to particular sections of the video.
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If you plan to use our Whaleback experience for education, please consider watching the tutorial video (watching at 1.5x speed is helpful); however, below are some quick-start directions if you just want to briefly explore.
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Click on image to open YouTube tutorial on gameplay

Quick Start Guide

​Starting the Game:
  • When you click the link below, your internet browser will load the game. 
  • Select Field Adventure from the menu. 
Moving in the Game:
  • Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to walk around. Alternatively, WASD. 
    • Run: hold shift while walking (does not apply to jetpack mode)
    • Jump: press the space-bar (does not apply to jetpack mode)
  • Click Jetpack icon to fly around using the arrow keys. You can adjust your altitude with the Jetpack buttons. Alternatively, E and Q adjust elevation.
  • To rotate your view and direction, use the right mouse button.
​Taking Measurements (geodetic compass):
  • Click on the Stereonet in the upper right corner
  • Select your mode:
    • ​​Planar
      • 3-point tool: click three points on a surface to generate a plane
      • 2-point tool: click two points, then adjust plane around axis with slider
    • Pole: click once on surface to generate a pole to a plane (appears as flag on surface). This tool also prints the elevation of a point
    • Line: Click on surface in two places to generate a line 
Reviewing data:
  • ​Click Dashboard on the Stereonet interface.
  • In the dashboard, you can click on a stereonet, name it, and enlarge the stereonet to read the orientation data you collected.
  • In the dashboard, you can also start a new stereonet and take new measurements.
  • Download Button
    • ​Generates tab-delimited .txt file formatted like the dashboard-stereonet data view
    • Generates a .txt file for import to Stereonet 11, (references below) 
      • Allmendinger, R. W., Cardozo, N. C., and Fisher, D., 2013, Structural Geology Algorithms: Vectors & Tensors: Cambridge, England, Cambridge University Press, 289 pp.
      • ​Cardozo, N., and Allmendinger, R. W., 2013, Spherical projections with OSXStereonet: Computers & Geosciences, v. 51, no. 0, p. 193 - 205, doi: 10.1016/j.cageo.2012.07.021

Credits

Designers / Engineers
  • Mattathias "Max" Needle​
  • Jacky Mooc
  • Andrew Wang
  • John Akers
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Primary Whaleback Research Collaborators
  • Juliet G. Crider, Department of Earth & Space Sciences, University of Washington
  • Mary Beth Gray, Department of Geology, Bucknell University
  • Arlo B. Weil, Department of Geology, Bryn Mawr College 

Photography at the Bear Valley Strip Mine / photogrammetry advising
  • Keith Hodson

Support for Whaleback model and/or game generation
  • NSF: EAR-1523909
  • Reality Lab Incubator, U. of Washington
  • Department of Earth and Space Sciences, U. of Washington 
  • Geological Society of America
  • Student Technology Fee, U. of Washington