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To build on the success of the Roman Villa Virtual Reality (VR) we created in 2019, we have just released our latest VR experience. Welcome to the Late Saxon Hall.
Wessex Archaeology’s Studio team has this time built just one enclosed space, so no wandering around from room to room like in the Roman Villa. This one room though is just as engaging if not more so, because this time we have gone interactive!
Experience the Saxon lifestyle
In the Late Saxon period, the buildings were very cosy or hygge. This room is made of timber with a thatch roof, it has worn oak floorboards and wooden furniture. The space is warmly lit by a cosy fire with a cooking pot that swings above it. There are animal skins on the floor and objects you can pick up and handle, from tableware to swords and shields!
Although not a true game this experience is based on the latest gaming engine technology with added sound and autoexposure lighting to produce a highly realistic fully immersive experience. All models and textures have been created by our in-house Studio creatives and are based on research of real Late Saxon archaeological examples. Sadly the table has already been damaged, as someone has used the knife to score a message onto it!
We are planning for this experience to go on tour later this year and throughout 2021 with our Community & Education team travelling to events around the country, so try to join us. It has been designed for people of all ages, from five years old to octogenarians. This experience has no set targets, so people can explore the scene at their leisure, learning all about how it feels to be a Saxon.
Understanding the past
Our tests during production have shown that this kind of experience with added interaction, is even more immersive than our Roman-British Villa experience is. People forget they are still in the real world! Some people interact more than others, and that reset button becomes more important. For some of our audience the opportunity to throw stuff around the room becomes overwhelming…maybe we made those objects swing, bounce and roll just a little bit to realistically!
In the future this VR experience will also be going to business and expo events along with our Communications & Marketing Manager to give both our existing and potential clients the opportunity to immerse themselves in heritage, and see first-hand this fantastic legacy product.
Unlike other Heritage Interpretation companies Wessex archaeology is uniquely placed to create this kind of experience. Wessex Archaeology is a well recognised leading heritage company, which excavates hundreds of archaeological sites every year, and handles thousands of real archaeological objects. With an impressive array of heritage specialists, our in-depth knowledge about all aspects of archaeology is invaluable when recreating the past. From prehistory to the second world war, our expertise covers all time periods.
Bringing the past to life
As a Heritage Interpretation Association member and an ISO registered company you would be right to expect the quality of our products to surpass our competitors. Whether it is a photorealistic experience like this Saxon Hall or an AR experience made in a creative arts style you can depend on our quality and archaeological accuracy. We aim to create a highly memorable and informative heritage experience which matches the archaeological evidence it depicts as closely as possible.
