Reviewer, 2008-03-05 07:05:00

Tourweaver helps create full screen interactive 360 degree panoramic virtual tours with maps, hotspots, company information, dynamic text, pop-up images for certain scenes, radars and URL links. The tour created can be in Flash, as a Java applet and video clip.

Pros: Tourweaver is a Flash virtual tour creating tool. It lets the user create full screen virtual tours with maps, hotspots, company information, dynamic text, pop-up images for certain scenes, radars and URL links. Tourweaver is able to link spherical panorama, cylindrical panorama and still images and build a web based virtual tour. Tour viewer skin can be customized. Hotspots can be used to link panorama, still images, audio or other tours. Tour path can be specified, as also the timing to define the tour, radar effect on multiple maps can help in visualizing the virtual tour appropriately. Java applets created at the end of processing can easily be uploaded to websites and no special viewer would be needed to view the virtual tours.

The latest version of the Tourweaver has a lot of useful features that make the virtual tour making easier; easy to use, highly interactive and fully customizable. Such features include support for SWF format for pop up images, full screen toolbar, zoom in/ zoom out effect to pop up image, full screen viewing of tour/scene and map viewer. Multiple maps and audio format support has been added.

The effect created is simply amazing! The simulated tour gives the effect of 3D information being available. The tours look almost like the virtual tour created out of architectural plans & elevations. The interface is well designed, fairly easy to use. It does take a little time to learn. Cons: It is a little difficult functionality and rather unusual. Strong set of tutorials and help documentation would have been useful. Overall: Overall a definite 5 star quality level attained.