....I considered that the download time was still too long so I replaced the o/s maps with a XaraX created vector map. The whole site is now a lot smaller. However as the vector map loads 1st in entirety (around 57 Kb ) it still has a delay on start up. I could avoid this by slicing the vector map into 3 parts and loading them similarly to the o/s maps. This would make the first map section 20 Kb's and would load whilst the visitor was reading the opening text. The remaining 2 sections of the vector map could load later in the time line.
VIEW HERE
At present the buttons only show a thumb nail on roll-over, but it would be quite simple to also add an on click action to load a full size image in anather window. The information re each photograph is still very basic but a great deal more could be added. I've added the information panels to cover up blank spots at present, but you could add really sexy speach bubbles if the map was complete.
As an example of the file saving, your original map image alone was 675 Kb's. The first Flash site, with the maps plus the first 16 photographs was 407 Kb's, whilst the 2nd Flash site with the vector map and the 16 photographs is 198 Kb's.
Egg

[This message was edited by Egg Bramhill on May 14, 2002 at 20:00.]