Virtual Annelv, an educational MORPG based on Planeshift Engine

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Virtual Annelöv, an educational MORPG based on
Planeshift Engine

• Arianna Benigno (arianna.benigno_at_gmail.com)

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Why Virtual Annelöv?
Problems
Virtual Annelöv
Methodology
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Motivations and Goals

• New opportunity for people with physical
  disabilities
• Experiment Role Playing Game paradigm for
  creating cooperation among the users
• Learn and enjoy a visit to an archaeological
  place
• Gain of public visibility for the archaeologists
• Convey critical cultural content
• Experiment Open Source software (Crystal Space,
  Planeshift)

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Target Group

• People with physical disabilities, but enough arm
  function and no sight problems. Individuals that
  wants to have such experience.
• Age 13 40 (english as language, high
  computer skills, critical approach).
• The archaeologists at the Swedish National
  Heritage Board.

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Physical Accessibility

• Physical accessibility issues have got a lot of
  attention in the latest years (building design,
  town planning, etc.)
• Interest in the process of equalization for
  people with disabilities
• Monuments must be preserved
• Historical places have structural obstacles that
  impede complete accessibility
• The financial aspect is relevant

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Cultural Virtual Reality Applications

• Some categories
• Virtual Archaeology reconstructions, tools for
  archaeologists
• Educational 3D worlds learning by doing
• Main problems
• Lack of interest in the users
• Absence of interaction with the environment and
  cooperation between users
• Idleness
• Some applications
• Virtual Leonardo
• Shrine SEE (Shrine Educational Experience)
• Virtual Annelöv

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RPGs Role Playing Games

• MUDs and MMORPGs (online RPGs) have been
  successful
• It consists of the interpretation of a character
  in a specific background
• It is involving and stimulates the cooperation
  among the players
• Correct development of the game thanks to the
  Game Master
• Everybody can play RPGs!

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Development of the project

• Conceptual design and cooperation with the
  archaeologists background knowledge, GIS data,
  interviews, objects from the excavation
• Modelling of the VE based on the archaeologists
  feedback
• Exporting of the model to Crystal Space format
• Implementation phase and 2D Art use of
  Planeshift
• Tests with the target user group
• Analysis of the obtained results

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Conceptual Design (1)User Scenarios - Storyboards

• User scenarios planned with the archaeologists.
• Realization of storyboards.
• Feedback of the archaeologists over the
  storyboards.
• Suggestions on the structure of the application

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Conceptual Design (2)Organization of the Game

• The game is structured in two sessions (60
  minutes each).
• The concept of session avoids idleness and makes
  easier the organization of the game.
• Session 1
• Free exploration with the aim of gathering
  knowledge
• Session 2
• RPG takes place. The scenario is previously
  specified through email.

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Conceptual Design (3)Educational aspects

• The content is spread in the Virtual Environment.
• People should learn some basic concept
  about Bronze Age in southern Sweden and about the
  archaeologist work.

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The 3D Archaeological Scenario

• The archaeological scenario is based on
  archaeological data
• GIS data (ArchView) of the landscape and of the
  excavations
• Reference material
• Interviews
• 3D laser scanner used for the artifacts
• Archaeologists drawings

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Modelling

• Tools 3D Studio Max 5.1, Blender (avatars),
  Cal3D (animations)
• Landscape imported in VRML format from ArchView
  (GIS data)
• Modelling of the objects based on drawings and
  pictures
• Textures found on free textures archives and real
  pictures for existing objects
• Artifacts scanned with a 3D laser

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Exporting to Crystal SpaceWalktest application

• Crystal Space exporter format the concepts of
  genmeshes and thingmeshes, factories, LOD, etc.
• Crystal Space requirements alpha channels,
  keycolor, etc.
• Exporting dynamic lights, particles system,
  portals and sectors, player barriers
• Frustvis or Dynavis?
• E.g. Skydome as genmesh with uniform lighting
• Bad UV Coordinates ?

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The 3D World
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Architecture

• Single server handles all game activity.
• All player clients connect to it the same way.
• Single DB for all.
• AI managed in separate process, connected to
  server through network.
• Multiple AI clients supported, but not required.

MySQL
Client (psclient)
Game Server (psserver)
Client (psclient)
Client (psclient)
NPC AI (npcclient)
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From Planeshift to Virtual Annelöv

• Substitute maps
• Analysis of the player
• guide
• Analysis of the GUI
• Planning of new features
• Clean up of the database
• Updates from CS/CEL on a daily base
• Manual merge from PS on a daily base

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New features

• Loading of the lightmaps on the client
  lightmaps.zip for all maps (CS!)
• Registration of the user within the client
• Cleaning up of the GUI and commands
• Simplification of the combats
• Possibility to view a video file (lost of
  portability) and pictures (improved Action
  Locations)
• Replacement of objects in predefined location.
• Fire scenario
• Adaptation of digging
• Pushing of flagged objects

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Tests

• Based on the REAL (Relevance Effectiveness
  Attitude Learnability) approach
• Effectiveness and Learnability First Test
• Relevance and Attitude Second Test

• First Test
• Thinking Aloud
• User tasks
• Interview
• Results
• Minor interface issues
• Rather intuitive
• Some bugs

• Second Test
• Full experience
• Three people with motor impairment
• Questionnaire
• Results
• Second session more effective
• Positive response

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Conclusions

• Problems visualization of a not existing place,
  open source issues, usability issues, ...
• Positive aspects good cooperation with
  archaeologists, open source advantages, good
  response from end users, ...
• The present Swedish National Heritage Board.

http//www.reflex.lth.se/culture/annelov