3D Visualisation Proposal 2008
Background
The Galleries of Justice prison area has been on the site since 1449 throughout its history it has housed convicts and is led to believe that in the cave area where the dungeon rests is where Robin Hood was thought to have been locked up. The historic nature of the site allows visitors to reach these underground area however is not suitable for disabled users to physically go into the depths of the caves.
The 3d Visualisation project will give these users the opportunity to guide themselves through a virtual tour of the prison and caves below. The virtual tour will enable themselves to interact with characters, explore the area, hear the sounds and visualise what it would have been like for the prisoners all those years ago.
The basements plans is a good starting point to allow for placing of rooms and corridors in the right area of the cave. Images that have been taken (below) are used to have a visual of the interior walls, doors, floor and artefacts that can then be input into the 3D computer program. The images can also then be related to later to acquire the correct textures and colour for the final product.
The cave area has significant lighting, cabling and cameras as would be expected in the modern world today. On the final visualisation scene this will not be included. The central theme for this project will be realism, to be able to see and hear what these caves would have been like when they were operational. The users will be able to engage in this realism and have an experience that they really are in the scene!
The dark areas of the caves and the Sherriff’s dungeon are haunted by characters from the past, prisoners talking amongst themselves whilst being watched by the eyes of the prison guard. The embedded sound effects within the visualised scene will give some more depth with users being able to hear these sounds and effects as they become a part of the history.
Technology
The technology used to utilise the look of the caves are Photoshop – to manipulate images taken and to create textures that will look realistic. 3D Studio Max will be the application that will allow the images to come to life, this program will create a photorealistic scene that will be a good simulation of the real life caves. Finally Quest 3D will be used to enable this 3D Visualised scene to become an actual application that can be walked through by users in their own time.
Below is an example of a small area of the cave region rendered using 3D Studio Max, this shows initial textures that have been used. The whole cave area and dungeon will be created first with these initial textures to get the colour and feel and eventually will be replaced with the final textures, added light and shadows that will make the scene.
Artefacts from prisons including items relating to prisoner identity, escape, and execution such as chains, neck ankle and feet restraints and possible the odd rat will be included so show and remind viewers of what prison life would have been like for inmates and prison staff. Alongside with trying to keep the visualised scene as realistic as possible to life as it was in those days, the modern signs and guides will be kept to enable users to read them and know which area they are in and where to go and explore.
Timeline
24th November 2007 - Agreement Brief
28th January 2008 - Proposal
7th February 2008 - First Draft of product complete
15th February 2008 - Final Draft of product complete
18th February 2008 - First meeting with client
19th February 2008 - Product brought into Quest 3D
29th February 2008 - Modifications in Quest to be complete
6th March 2008 - Product Complete to specification
10th March - Second meeting with client
24th April 2008 - Hand in evaluation and final agreed modifications to product
