Using games engines for archaeological visualisation: Recreating lost worlds

Research and development in graphics and games engines has great potentials in many application areas, archaeology being one of them. While these entertainment-driven developments, mainly in software algorithms and enhanced graphics hardware are being improved and being made more accessible and at a more affordable rate, other areas belonging to the science and engineering are gradually discovering their use in visualisation. However, the process that leads to the final delivery of the presentation layer of an archaeological visualisation is often a thorough and lengthy scientific process, involving more than just a pretty picture on a high-tech display unit. As the statement by experienced artists holds true - 'the process is more important than the outcome', so the credibility of a final interactive visualisation greatly depends upon the 'underground' process. This article explores the methodology, techniques and strategies of an archaeological visualisation as applied to a real-world problem - A 10,000 year old mystery landscape at the bottom of the North Sea.