Temple of Baal at LBA Ugarit - Virtual Reality

This publication includes .apk file that can be installed on VR devices (tested on Meta Quest 3, developer mode needed). The VR scene represents a virtual reconstruction of the Temple of Baal at Late Bronze Age Ugarit, following the reconstruction as suggested by Olivier Callot in 2011 (Les sanctuaires de l’acropole d’Ougarit: les temples de Baal et de Dagan, RSO XIX). It contains interactive elements explaining the scene. The project has been created mainly using two software programs. The first one is Blender, an open-source 3D modelling software. This software has been used to create 3D models, ranging from large temple architecture to small objects filling the space. At the time of publishing, I am using version 4.5 (Blender 5.0 is available in a beta version at this point). The second software is Unreal Engine. This open-source game engine is among the most popular in the world. This engine has been used to put together the scene and enable game functions, including interactive features. The version used at this stage of the project is 5.6. (5.7 is available in preview at the moment). I have started the project using version 5.2. In the case of Unreal Engine, the shift from one version to another presents various difficulties. Some functionalities tend to change to such an extent that the shift to a newer version requires a significant reworking of the scene and settings. Therefore, I have avoided the final upgrade. Unreal Engine offers some game-ready packages for VR, 1st and 3rd person game modes, etc. This made the creation of the scenes and of the interactive functionalities much easier. In addition to these two applications, I have made use of several other digital resources. Importantly, the creation of scenes requires varied textures and materials that give the 3D models a more realistic appearance. Many textures and materials are easily available, for example, on Polyhaven or directly in Unreal Engine via FAB and Quixel Bridge. Apart from materials, these sites also offer rich collections of models that can be incorporated into the scenes. A very useful digital resource has been Tangrams Heightmapper, an application that can create a heightmap image of a selected area. This heightmap can then be directly used in landscape mode in Unreal Engine to recreate the vast surroundings of the scenery, which resembles the relief of the Earth. A more detailed description is available at digitalhumanities.upce.cz/VRToB updates in this version: interactive facade, models with alternative reconstructions