Manhattan has always been a main character in any Spider-Man movie, so giving our artists near instant access to the entire island of Manhattan was a big win.
Along with being reference for the skyline, landmarks, and perspective for story artists, this tool also provided access to control the time of day, angle, and intensity of the sun. This way, artists could simulate lighting in any part of the city to gather reference or just inspire new ideas.
Play as a means of development was a major goal.