I think that the "tour" concept is important (providing the viewer with the option of taking 2 or 3 different tours). Instructions about how to take the tour (say by clicking somewhere) should be included somewhere outside the VRML environment (on the web page).

I understand that this is still in an early development stage and that placeholders for most of the works will be added. Also that the "tours" will be completed and the movement of the head on the top-down view will be synchronized to the user's position and navigation.

Regarding the "extruding" images:
I'm not sure that the funky "extrusion" of each billboard image is really needed. Everyone I've shown it to has had difficulty understanding what is happenning and believes that it is an unnecessary effect. Even those who know the sculptures have had trouble identifying the works. Maybe a simple billboard will work just fine (or maybe a billboard cut-out, if that doesn't impact performance due to the implementation of transparency).

Regarding the sketch of the top-down view:
its location (centered at the top part of the window) is ok when starting out, but obstructs the view of the billboards when getting closer to them. I think it should be moved to the top left part of the window (or is it possible to keep it centered at startoff and then move it (redraw it) to the side)? It may also be helpful if the diagram was less detailed (are all those yellow lines are required?) or just smaller.

The current yellow outline is sufficient for the top-down sketch to give a sense of orientation in the garden but doesn't seem to help orientation at the "eye-level" view. It is important to be able to identify certain areas so that better spatial orientation is achieved. This may be done by perhaps adding some texture/material to the ground, i.e. differentiate the grassy parts from the pathways. I've sketched out an example on the above snapshot of the current garden. These need not be elaborate, so performance is not sacrificed. It may be good to color in some of these areas on the elevator view as well, for consistency reasons (see image).

The addition of a few other spatial cues would help as well. Maybe the actual 3D representation of a couple works (the Martin Puryear, for instance) or the addition of some "signs" (maybe just text) that could serve as a compass -help identify, say, the four main directions "north", "south", "east, and "west", i.e. "To Walker ->", "To bridge", "To conservatory", "To arboretum", etc. These spaces may be represented with a 3D icon. After writing this I just noticed Steve's clarification notes from 7/31/97 where he mentions "there will be one or two realistic touchstones such as the Puryear, but mainly there will be one or more abstracted stand-ins for the sculptures". I think there should be 4 realistic touchstones -they will be important as navaigational references.

I know that the sound is music composed for the garden, but I can't get it to work on my machine, so I have no comment on that.

The code is probably generated in JAVA for the top-down view to work, so I can't see the .wrl source.