In January, a massive isometric map of New York was released. Isometric NYC is a sprawling pixel art tribute to the city, visualizing every block – from iconic skyscrapers to tucked-away corners – from a unique isometric perspective.
Of course, one of the primary hurdles for any cartographer is that the world never stops moving. No sooner is a “definitive” map published than the ground changes: buildings are demolished, new towers rise, and road layouts shift. These challenges are amplified tenfold when dealing with pixel art – and even more so when a record-breaking blizzard transforms the entire look of the city overnight.
This is exactly why cannoneyed, the developer behind the project, was forced back to the drawing board this past weekend. Following the historic blizzard that buried New York City under a record-breaking blanket of white, he decided to release a timely update to his digital metropolis. Isometric NYC Snow is another massive isometric map of New York – but this time, it depicts the city exactly as it looks right now: buried under several feet of snow.
If you’re curious about how cannoneyed managed to produce such a gargantuan map of a blizzard-hit New York so quickly, you’ll want to check out his detailed account of the workflow.
