# Virtual Palaces with the Click of a Button
**URL:** https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589
**Category:** General Memory Chat
**Tags:** method-of-loci
**Created:** [May 7, 2012, 2:43am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589 "2012-05-07T02:43:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@MotleyBrew](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/MotleyBrew)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2012, 2:43am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/1 "2012-05-07T02:43:26Z")
Yo,
I am new here. Wanted to share something essential to my memory journeys.
There are quite a few posts about creating journeys around your house, memorizing a trip to the grocery store, or browsing google earth etc.
These are great, and I have a few of them stored away. But, what I needed was a way to quickly make a new memory journeys that would be different from other journeys, layered with memorable loci, and include 100 stages. More importantly, I wanted the stages to move in and out of buildings, and follow a specific path, and I wanted to be able to see in 1st person as well as 3rd person…immediately.
So, I searched, researched, and decided to purchase “The Movies” Mac/PC game. Here’s why:
I can build movie sets with the click of a button. I can walk through the sets in first person, and zoom out to third person as I need to. I can make each loci as wild as I need to and tailor the journey to my liking.
It’s worked well for me, and it might work well for you too.
---
### Author:  [@Olli](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Olli)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2012, 5:39am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/2 "2012-12-03T05:39:10Z")
Thx!
Google Sketchup is also cool for that purpose.
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### Author:  [@Josh](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Josh)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/3 "2012-12-04T02:50:00Z")
Is this the game? It looks like it’s only $8, so I might check it out. I’m looking for examples of 3D computer games that are good for creating memory palaces.
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mHUSV2lATE)
Edit: see also [virtual memory palaces](https://artofmemory.com/blog/virtual-memory-palaces/)
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### Author:  [@theurge](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/theurge)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/4 "2012-12-08T23:27:05Z")
Has anyone ever made software specifically for memory palaces? I realized the other day that I can probably run through the first few levels of the original Doom in my head despite having not played it in 10+ years!
My only concern about using a video game is that I’ll end up trying to defeat cacodemons instead of memorizing things.
---
### Author:  [@bruno](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/bruno)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2012, 2:48pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/5 "2012-12-09T14:48:47Z")
> [@theurge](#):
>
> Has anyone ever made software specifically for memory palaces? I realized the other day that I can probably run through the first few levels of the original Doom in my head despite having not played it in 10+ years!
> My only concern about using a video game is that I’ll end up trying to defeat cacodemons instead of memorizing things.
Videos walkthrough might be a suitable idea for helping to get better memories of our video games without losing too much time. I found [this website](http://www.gameanyone.com/) , it seems to be appropriate for this purpose. It’s awesome that these endless hours spent on video games might become usefull for memorising things 😃
---
### Author:  [@Josh](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Josh)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/6 "2012-12-10T04:03:25Z")
I downloaded a few games to see if there were any good ones for making memory palaces. I found a copy of Portal 2 for five dollars on Steam, but didn’t find it very inspiring. I’m thinking about getting a copy of The Movies, but I want to make sure that I get the right version.
I’m not really interested in wandering around solving puzzles or fighting things – I just want to experiment with finding more loci. 🙂
It looks like Portal 2 has community maps and maybe a world builder, but I haven’t figured it out yet.
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### Author:  [@theurge](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/theurge)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2012, 4:29am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/7 "2012-12-11T04:29:25Z")
So I had this idea, and I’m not sure if it’s horrible. But the idea is a piece of software where you could choose a number of points to correspond with your loci . You could then attach words or images to those loci. It would generate a 3d environment with a definite beginning, middle, and end. Your loci would be inserted into a 3d environment. It would have a large catalog of textures, objects, etc. that it would automatically insert at random along with regular twists and turns. Then you just wander it and have fun with your generated memory palaces.
If this idea sucks, let me know.
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### Author:  [@Josh](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Josh)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/8 "2012-12-11T06:18:00Z")
It could be useful software if someone knows how to program it. 🙂
I’m not sure if it would be worth the time required to program it though, because there are many virtual tours available online, like these:
> **[How to Use Virtual Memory Palaces](https://artofmemory.com/blog/virtual-memory-palaces/)**
>
> 👉 A virtual memory palace is a memory palace that is based on artificial spaces, like art, software, computer games, books, or other sources. Learn how to use virtual memory palaces with our free guide.
Are there any simple world builder programs out there that might have similar features to what you mentioned?
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### Author:  [@Jetes2112](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Jetes2112)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/9 "2012-12-11T18:34:36Z")
For those of you who have played Castlevania, these maps could definitely be used as gigantic memory palaces. I’ve downloaded the Symphony of The Night map; it’s so massive that I cannot attach it here.
You can find all of the castlevania game maps here. Simply select the game you want and click on maps in the left column: [http://www.castlevaniacrypt.com/games.htm](http://www.castlevaniacrypt.com/games.htm)
Similarly, here are some other map websites that could be of use:
> **[Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Maps - Ian-Albert.com](https://ian-albert.com/games/legend_of_zelda_a_link_to_the_past_maps/)**
> **[I Wanna Be The Guy](https://lparchive.org/I-Wanna-Be-The-Guy/)**
>
> Let's Play I Wanna Be The Guy by Eela6
> **[Super Mario World Maps](https://www.mariomayhem.com/downloads/mario_game_maps/)**
>
> Ever wondered if you missed a warp zone in your favourite Mario maps? Mario Mayhem has put together a collection of images showing your favourite Super Mario Levels and their secrets! Bring back the nostalgia your favourite old school Super Mario...
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### Author:  [@Jetes2112](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Jetes2112)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/10 "2012-12-11T18:45:26Z")
I’m also a diehard Earthbound fan (SNES RPG released in 1994). Here’s a colossal map I intend to use. Unfortunately, it’s only a composite of all EB maps, i.e., the maps are placed randomly within the image, and have no spatial correlation to one another.
[http://starmen.net/mother2/maps/fullmap.png(image larger than 4 MB)](http://starmen.net/mother2/maps/fullmap.png)
Alternatively, here’s the website with the individual maps:
[http://starmen.net/mother2/maps/](http://starmen.net/mother2/maps/)
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### Author:  [@bruno](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/bruno)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/11 "2012-12-11T19:40:10Z")
OMG.
Online games maps was what I needed. Why the hell I didn’t look for it this before ?
I found my happiness on this website [http://www.vgmaps.com](http://www.vgmaps.com).
I am currently doing a massive DownThemAll (usefull firefox plugin to download many files in a row ) targeting side views of the best game of all times : Ocarina Of Time. With this I won’t need extra virtuals locis for a while 🙂
As a Zelda Fan, I also found the side view of the map of link’s awakening [http://portfolio16.de/zelda/map4/map\_en.htm](http://portfolio16.de/zelda/map4/map_en.htm).
It’s a 16\*16 grid, maybe there is some way to take advantage of this.
Side views roxxx !
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### Author:  [@billisalive](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/billisalive)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/12 "2012-12-13T22:42:56Z")
Hey all,
Is anyone using these virtual maps yet? I’m wondering if using a screen might not be activating spatial memory the way that an actual, physical space you’ve walked around does. Trying to imagine a 3D world might not be nearly as powerful, or at least take a lot more mental energy. Thoughts?
Bill Powell
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### Author:  [@Jetes2112](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Jetes2112)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/13 "2012-12-14T21:27:01Z")
I’m using the videogame sidescrolling 2D maps to memorize poetry; works like a charm. As for virtual 3D world building with a program, I haven’t tried it yet.
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### Author:  [@Josh](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Josh)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/14 "2012-12-14T23:56:00Z")
> [@billisalive](#):
>
> Is anyone using these virtual maps yet? I’m wondering if using a screen might not be activating spatial memory the way that an actual, physical space you’ve walked around does. Trying to imagine a 3D world might not be nearly as powerful, or at least take a lot more mental energy. Thoughts?
I haven’t really tried it personally, but see also this post:
> **[Creating an Artificial Memory Palace](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/creating-an-artificial-memory-palace/27523)**
>
> I don’t get out much so I currently do not have enough natural memory palaces to explore. I was wondering on ideas of how I can begin to design my own journey (I understand that help on this can only go so far because it needs to be personal to...
I know a couple of people who use virtual memory palaces and they like them.
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### Author:  [@Josh](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Josh)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2013, 10:50pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/15 "2013-02-09T22:50:57Z")
I just got The Movies for $10. I hope it works on Windows 8. I’ll post some screenshots if I can get it working.
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### Author:  [@alexxx](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/alexxx)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/16 "2013-02-10T20:31:34Z")
> [@Jetes2112](#):
>
> I’m using the videogame sidescrolling 2D maps to memorize poetry; works like a charm. As for virtual 3D world building with a program, I haven’t tried it yet.
Hi! I’m very curious about it:
which videogame are you using?
and most important, do you place on the various levels scenes describing the successive stanzas, or do you enter into the detail of having objects/actions/etc for each word of the poem? Personally I find the second method almost impossible and mostly useless, but I’m very interested in comparing methods.
---
### Author:  [@Jetes2112](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Jetes2112)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/17 "2013-02-11T00:09:03Z")
I’m using the entire castle map from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, for all of my French Gothic, Romantic and Symbolism poets/poems (Baudelaire, Nerval, Hugo, Nelligan, Rimbaud, Mallarmé, Gauthier etc). I find that the Gothic setting and decoration of the castle perfectly accommodate the subject matter of the poetry.
Most of the time, I disassociate the words from the poem. I find that creating scenes describing each stanza inevitably leaves one grasping for those connecting words that have not been coded as separate images. In other words, the scenes I try to create based on a literal interpretation of a stanza are not as powerful or vivid, i.e., not as memorable, as the entirely unrelated images I come up with as placeholders for individual words.
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### Author:  [@lovatto](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/lovatto)
#### Post date: [March 3, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/18 "2013-03-03T17:52:36Z")
If anyone has ever read about the method Dominic O’Brien suggested for learning languages in “How to Pass Exams”, by using a city with gender zones and placing verbs in a park, nouns around the town etc a virtual memory town/city seems the perfect way to learn a new language.
It is hard to get the amount of journeys required to learn languages and also if you wish to get the 50 - 100 journeys that would be required for a World Memory Competition virtual journeys seem the way to go.
I have come across [http://www.esri.com/software/cityengine/getting-started](http://www.esri.com/software/cityengine/getting-started) which I am going to give a go and will report back (the free trial).
There are also alternatives that may be more suitable
[https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=software+to+build+3d+city&aq=0&oq=software+to+build+3d+cit&aqs=chrome.1.57j0j62l3.8573&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8](https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=software+to+build+3d+city&aq=0&oq=software+to+build+3d+cit&aqs=chrome.1.57j0j62l3.8573&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)
I have also had visions of virtual reality/memory palaces being the future of education.
You want to learn Roman History, lets download the Roman History memory palace and get started class etc.
EDIT:
Replica cities in Second Life:
[http://secondlife.com/destinations/real/2](http://secondlife.com/destinations/real/2)
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### Author:  [@FishDisco](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/FishDisco)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/19 "2015-07-30T02:20:51Z")
The Sims 4 is good, as well as the sims 3. You can add lots of furniture, change the wallpapers, add gardens and stuff. Although it’s a bit pricey, it makes building the palace a bit easier than building it in the mind. In theory.
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### Author:  [@KennethLee](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/KennethLee)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2016, 7:37pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589/20 "2016-01-17T19:37:11Z")
Google sketch up is also a resource that could benefit _many_ people, If theres someone willing to make memory palaces through google sketch up.
It think it’s a gold mine unused…
**The houses are**
-premade,
–in 3d,
-large (many of them)
-and you’re able to walk through them!
There are hundreds of _premade houses_ available, there is a just a need for someone to make a video of a tour through them.
This is what the end result would look like, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqtStw8Pb4g](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqtStw8Pb4g)
[Next page](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/virtual-palaces-with-the-click-of-a-button/27589.md?page=2)