Integration of Complex 3d Models Into Vr Environments – Case Studies From Archaeology

Abstract

Recently, virtual reality technologies are increasingly being introduced into our lives. The focus of their use is shifting from the entertainment industry to design, healthcare, tourism, architecture, education and more. The advantages of virtual reality technology are especially noticeable in the field of archaeology, as many historical objects have not survived to our time, and their appearance can be reproduced only on the basis of historical sources and archaeological excavations. Most platforms for implementing virtual reality programs are based on game engines that can provide the required level of performance for VR. Such platforms show very good results for architectural objects, which often have many similar elements of simple shapes. Integrating complex objects with unique shapes is usually a problem. In this article, we consider the use of photogrammetric methods to create 3D models of historical objects and the aspects of their integration into a virtual environment based on a game engine. Specifically, aspects such as object resolution and suitable level of detail are discussed. As a case study, such a virtual environment was created for the ancient Trypillia settlement in the territory of Ukraine.