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Vindolanda reconstructed in \"Medieval Engineers\"
#1
Hello all.

I wanted to introduce you all to a new piece of software that's now in early-release Alpha, "Medieval Engineers." It's a sandbox world-builder along the lines of Minecraft, but with much greater detail, and with real-world physics, including weight, tension, rolling, gravity, and destruction.

Over the past month, I've used the software to try to recreate Vindolanda, the Roman fort that sat just behind Hadrian's Wall. I've been well-impressed with the power of this software, even in such an early & unfinished stage. I've been able to recreate a fort & vicus that actually respect the known archaeology very well. (Still working on terraforming the landscape around it, a big job.)

The game is being hosted by Steam. The direct link for the Vindolanda build is http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/fi...=432593889. There you can find a number of images, a couple short videos I've created, and a build history.

[img width=400]http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/716415927283986457/F3F7FF00F441447C02BC9CE93A7D20934163BFA7/[/img]

[img width=400]http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/719792825670921437/5466669B7650DF9E1E3A3FD7ED9258706BFF0A56/[/img]

Obviously there are limitations -- for now the only stone walls are, well, stone walls. No whitewashing or plaster or paint yet. And the roof choices give generic thin red tile, wood shingles, or thatch. In addition, being "Medieval," the placeable items so far don't include amphorae or samian pottery. But the game is built with modders in mind, and as the community grows hopefully some folks with the talent for it will begin creating more Roman-era materials that can be placed. (I wish I had the talent for it!)

Anyway, I wanted to let the community here know about this new resource. I'm pretty bullish on it as both a source of fun and a way to educate & even test out ideas of how a Roman fort/town would have functioned. Just walking through Vindolanda's streets now in the game has got me thinking of things like, how did carts maneuver the narrow alleys? Where was the rubbish kept? How was the town planned/managed?

Just a lot of fun. I hope you enjoy it.

- Harry
Everything old is new again.
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#2
I am very impressed: what a nice job. You ought to let Dr. Birley see it.
Richard Campbell
Legio XX - Alexandria, Virginia
RAT member #6?
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#3
Thanks! I'm hoping to show it off to the Trust, etc. as it moves along. I'm very happy with the fort & vicus, but still have much to do with the landscape. It's another thing I've learned -- how dependent a site is on its landscape, and how out-of-place it looks when the setting around it is "wrong."
Everything old is new again.
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#4
If you use FB, could you post it on RAT there?
Richard Campbell
Legio XX - Alexandria, Virginia
RAT member #6?
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#5
Would be happy to, thanks for the suggestion.
Everything old is new again.
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#6
Nice going! Here is a site of some German guys that impress me no end as to their efforts in accuracy. Perhaps it can serve as an inspiration of what can be achieved and it has some great textures: http://www.digitale-archaeologie.de/ger/

Ah, this is my favorite: http://www.digitale-archaeologie.de/ger/...gal_nr20=2
Salvete et Valete



Nil volentibus arduum





Robert P. Wimmers
www.erfgoedenzo.nl/Diensten/Creatie Big Grin
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#7
Absolutely gorgeous, and very inspiring! Thank you for the links. Are those worlds playable/visitable? What I'm enjoying about "Medieval Engineers" is that anyone with a good modern computer and $20 for the game can download my Vindolanda from the software's "workshop" website, and then experience every corner of it themselves. I do hope the software expands and goes far, the possibilities for education & just plain fun are endless.
Everything old is new again.
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#8
No, they are not to my knowledge. This firm makes animations and stills for musea and the likes, not for gaming, but perhaps you can use their examples to improve the playable world you wish to create. These German fellows are really the top of the bill in 3D computer accuracy in recreating the Roman world, in my honest opinion.
Salvete et Valete



Nil volentibus arduum





Robert P. Wimmers
www.erfgoedenzo.nl/Diensten/Creatie Big Grin
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#9
Robert,

This is one of the most impressive recreations I have seen. Congratulations!

Petrus Augustinus
(aka Pierre Kleff)
Petrus Augustinus
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#10
Not my credit! I just love their great work. No computer skills here, I do my 3D modeling in iron, steel, bone and wood :wink:
Salvete et Valete



Nil volentibus arduum





Robert P. Wimmers
www.erfgoedenzo.nl/Diensten/Creatie Big Grin
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#11
Now that I have the build mostly complete, I've begun using it as a teaching tool. Below is a link to my first video, a little 4-minute guide setting the stage, describing what Vindolanda was, and a little bit about the make-up of the garrison within the fort. I'm pretty pleased with how the video turned out. Eventually I hope to make a full series so that gamers & casual visitors can walk through it and have some sense of what I put in and why. Comments, critiques, shares, and suggestions all welcome and encouraged!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULib-SWZTKc
Everything old is new again.
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