How do I upload custom Google Street View images?

The Observation Deck (Immerse Scene)

The Observation Deck scene in the Immerse Platform is a unique scene that allows the instructor to take students to a large platform hovering in the middle of a 360° Image. This scene is limited in that it does not allow the same interactions with the space that all other scenes offer. However, it allows the teacher to choose the "place" the students are in by choosing the images to project around the class.

Observation_Blank.png
(Virtual observation deck surrounded by blue screen)
 

The Observation Deck scene has a number of saved "location photos" to choose from. Additionally, you can now upload and save custom images of your choice from the vast selection of global images in Google Street View. Follow these instructions to find and upload your images into the Observation Deck.

 

Find an Image

(Option 1): Search for a Point of Interest

  1. Navigate to Google Maps.

    1. (Click on the link above, or open your web browser and search: "https://maps.google.com/")

  2. Search for a point of interest.

    360Image_Search_Word.png
    ("Hollywood Sign" in the search field of Google Maps, above a list of search results that begin with "Hollywood Sign")

  3. Find and select a 360° image.

    360Image_Find360s.png
    (In a row of photos in the search results for "Hollywood Sign" on Google Maps, an arrow points to one labeled "Street View and 360°")

  4. Copy the Web URL of the image to your clipboard.

    360Image_CopyURL.png
    (An arrow labeled "Copy URL" points to the browser bar of a window displaying photos of Hollywood)

(Option 2): Find and drop into any location

  1. Navigate to Google Maps.

  2. Find the desired location on the map and click+hold to pick up the "human" icon on the bottom right.

    360Image_Drag_Hover.png
    (An arrow points to a circled icon of a human in the bottom right of a Google map of Santa Monica)

  3. Drag and drop the "human" onto a blue part of the map to select your location.

    360Image_Drop_Hover.png
    (A circled icon of a person floats above the Santa Monica Pier on a map of Santa Monica; a photo of the pier floats below)

  4. Copy the Web URL to your clipboard.

    360Image_CopyURL_2.png
    (An arrow labeled "Copy URL" points to the browser bar of a window displaying a photo of the Santa Monica Pier)
 

Upload the Image to Immerse

Now that you have selected and copied your custom image, you must upload and save it to the Observation Deck scene. Start by navigating to the Observation Deck scene in Immerse.

  1. Open the Location Selector in the Observation Deck.

    Observation_ImageSelect_Hover.png
    (Rear view of a character on the virtual observation deck surrounded by blue screen; in the upper left corner, a cursor hovers above a landscape icon beside the title "360 Images")

  2. Click on "Save New" inside the "Custom" tab.

    Observation_SaveNew.png
    (In a pop-up titled "360 Image Selection," a cursor hovers over the "Save New" button)

  3. Paste your copied URL, add a title, and click save.

    Observation_SaveClick.png
    (In the pop-up, a message asks "Would you like to save it to be used again? Other instructors at your organization will have access to it," and a cursor hovers over the "Save" button)

  4. The Custom Location is now saved on your desktop application.

Important

Custom Images that you upload can be accessed by anyone using your institution's "Access Key".