Character design. Alhambra tourists.
In 2001, the University of Madrid decided to research, create and develop a 3D virtual simulator of the Alhambra in Granada.
In the technological environment of that first decade the 21st century in Spain, the web was 1.0, and domestic use of the internet was very limited. Connecting to the network was done by external routers and there were approximately 300 Kbps for uploading and 2 Mbps for downloading; e-mail consultation was the main use. In many homes, families had only one computer (without Gigas or Teras) and the external data recording system was CDs.
The project allowed for a real-time visit of a virtual simulation of the Alhambra. The user could choose an avatar, with a tourist appearance, with which to interact with other users and also choose a virtual guide who would explain the wonders of the Alhambra in her "tourist visit".
Mental Salat, the company that directed the production of the project, (programming, design, etc.) contacted the animation studio SOPA DE SOBRE, made the concept artwork: character design, settings and interface design.
The basic technical guidelines that both pre-production design and 3D modelling had to follow:
- simplicity: with few elements to give all the possible information to the Internet user.
- Optimization: so that the Internet user could navigate in real-time through this virtual Alhambra with the computer equipment and the network of that time.
- naturalism: that the architectural environment of the Alhambra could be recognized and the virtual avatars had a friendly appearance in their Low Poly representation, allowing virtual interaction between them and the environment without collapsing the connection to the network.
Currently and amid this global pandemic, it seems that the idea of visiting places virtually with an avatar is technological closer than ever.
Personally, it was hard work, but very helpful in learning. I was an assistant in the SOPA DE SOBRE STUDIO and I learned techniques and work processes .
