Project objectives

The proposed digital tour that is implemented aims to satisfy the requirements of the modern visitor of a cultural space, presenting an integrated Augmented Reality methodology through serious games and stories (Serious Games, Digital Narrative).

The field of interest of the tour is the City of Chania and specifically Ancient Kydonia.

Specifically, it is provided for:

To integrate into a mobile platform historical multimedia information, geolocated at specific points of high interest.
To enrich the platform with multimedia playful features (image-music), which will motivate users to follow a story to specific sites of archaeological interest, participating in a cultural music game. The context of cultural games, as long as the user wishes, will be based on achieving goals in the playful environment based on the musical experience. There will be instructions on the combined lore on offer, as well as rewards, which will be a major incentive for the player to revisit the location. The explorer will wear headphones and the sounds of each era from Minoan to historical times (musical instruments, musical melodies, musical patterns) will be the basic tools for the development of the game. New melodic forms will be created and ready-made sound libraries will not be used. The selected melodies, harmonized (spatialized) with the respective historical points of interest and the environment, will upgrade the user’s experience through the multimedia game (gameplay).
To create standard music production in a professional recording studio for the needs of the application.
To include, in addition to text/image/music data, 3D reconstructions of monuments of various historical phases (3D models) documented through archaeological research, which will be visually combined with reality, as perceived by the user during his tour, with the aim the representation of the monuments in the form they preserved in the past through the Mobile Augmented Reality application.
To be based on the composition of sounds and music utilizing archaeological data, with precise spatial orientation, where combined with the visual effect of the application they will assume a central position in the scenario of the playful cultural tour.
To implement visualization of archaeological events with modern Augmented [AR] or Virtual Reality [VR] glasses, e.g. a human sacrifice in Ancient Cydonia, alongside the creation of digital material, which can be used for display on different platforms and for different uses (as part of the application or as a display in the museum environment). Locations and events will be selected by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chania, with an emphasis on invisible or non-existent points of historical interest.
To record and evaluate the course of the visitors, as well as the road maps they traveled, indicating alternative areas and routes. The proposed environment is purely interdisciplinary, combining the knowledge of archaeological research and strategic technological development in the field of culture.
To attract new visitors, who will periodically participate in a collaborative historical tour platform, having the opportunity to promote the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in the technological sector for culture.