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Dig Greece
Introduction
The Project: In Depth
Ancient Halieis
Halieis House 7
The Team
Budget
Project Specifications
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Project Specifications
General Specs
- excavation simulation using a real site and set of real objects from that site
- 6th grade to intro. college-level players (classroom and individual use)
- c.15min. to complete and come to conclusion about the function of the site, rooms, and/or specific objects; possibly also the date of the complex
Specific Functions
- specific amount of money is given at the outset; and a specific amount of time is stipulated at the outset (the simulation must be completed within either parameter; specific amounts yet to be determined)
- random events will affect simulation time
- we could add a randomizer to some artifact locations so simulation is slightly different each time played
- dry sieving allowed for broken or missed objects
- a burial will be included (though none found in the houses at Halieis; possibly add this as a second site or context to excavate during a 2nd phase of the project; eventually could have a set of sites for users to choose before playing; this could be sites that vary by type or by location or by period)
- evaluate conclusions and suggest follow ups ("you have found so and so, but your conclusions are not valid, go back and try....")
- link off to related sites, or suggest reading and other material to research
- relate site to landscape, use GIS, regional economic situation, trade, topo location data (not yet itemized in the screen descriptions outlined below)
- ask users to evaluate changes from market town vs. farmstead; distance to water sources and effects
- use a single period site, with no different habitation levels to sort out, such as Halieis w/ Brad Ault's data (perhaps House 7 from the excavations there, with its artifacts)
- include ca. 20-25 objects among the finds
- include a notebook function for adding photos, drawings, and notes about objects and other finds (with free-text fields)
- architecture would be part of the set of finds to evaluate and determine the function and/or date
- ability to hire experts (hire before going to site, or pay more for them at site)
- ability to select from a given set of tools & equipment
- tools and other aspects of the simulation will have sound effects
- excavation depth and results depend on tool chosen
- since this is on the 'Net, users must complete the simulation in one sitting; they will not able to save the simulation live online and return to it (we could add this in a 2nd phase)
Preliminary Storyboard
- Opening splash screen
- project name
- project copyright info
- cool image
- 2-line description of simulation
- Introduction screen
- explanation of simulation goals
- explanation of simulation context (real site, real objects)
- links to Credits, Help, and System Specs pages
- Instructions screen
- detailed description of simulation
- "how to play" instructions
- detailed description of goals and expectations
- links to screen-sensitive Help page (available from all subsequent screens)
- Screen01-- T&E
- choose tools and equipment for the excavation (budget guidelines, images and prices of a range of items from camera, to trowel, to backhoe, to shovel, to notebook, etc.)
- Screen02 -- Staff
- choose staff and experts for the excavation (budget guidelines, prices for hiring from a range of experts, such as metallurgist, architect, faunal specialist, dating expert, pollen/botanical person, etc.)
- Screen03 -- Travel
- accept the added costs of airfare, lodging, hiring local laborers, food, housing etc. for the chosen set of staff members
- final acceptance of the full budget for the season's work
- screen fades to an image showing the staff going to the site (possibly build in an extensible code so that later we can add in more sites, and have the user choose which site or which site type to excavate)
- Screen04 -- Excavation
- view of the unexcavated or partially excavated site
- site will have a grid imposed over it, so that users can keep track of their grid square; level of detail and size of grid (or any subgrids) still to be determined
- array of available tools and equipment with numbers and range dependent on what was purchased earlier
- list of available experts to call in if necessary to evaluate a find
- dirtpile to go to if dry sieving is needed
- bar graphs will track use of funds and time, and tell how much is left
- links to Dirtpile, Field Notebook, and Staff Tent pages
- Field Notebook screen
- if a camera is part of the equipment and a photo is taken of the object in the ground, then the photo will appear in the Notebook along with context and stratum data
- for architecture, there will a drawing function to capture a sketch of the feature for the Notebook
- if an object was found in the dirtpile, then no context or assemblage information will be possible
- if a tape measure is part of the equipment, then the user will be able to capture dimensions of objects or architectural features, which will be added to the Notebook
- all objects will automatically get an inventory number and a separate page when entered in the Notebook
- Notebook has a free text fields for the user to jot down notes about the object, the excavation in general, or any interim conclusions
- links to Excavation, Conclusion, and Staff Tent pages
- Staff Tent screen
- for any object (artifact or architectural feature) user will have the choice of bringing the object (after it's photographed and/or drawn) to the expert's tent (because experts don't go out in the sun, of course) for their opinion on various aspects of the object
- users can ask questions of the experts, who may or may not give accurate, complete, or meaningful answers, depending on how qualified they are to reply or how tired they happen to be or maybe how many times they've been asked already
- answers will automatically be logged in the Notebook with the proper object
- we can have a set of random, witty, pithy, or other replies set for each expert, depending on what object they are asked about
- links to Notebook and Excavation pages
- Dirtpile screen
- when artifacts are missed, usually because of choosing the wrong tool with which to dig, objects can be retrieved by going to the Dirtpile
- if users have purchased a sieve, then they can go to the Dirtpile and find any missed objects
- objects found in the Dirtpile will not have any context, but can still be photographed, drawn, measured, and/or brought to the Staff Tent
- links to the Excavation, Notebook, and Staff Tent pages
- Conclusion screen
- at any time, a user may access the Conclusions screen and type in his/her analysis of the function of the building, spaces, artifacts or whatever we deem to be the "goal" of the simulation
- we can add a language parser that will look for keywords and determine whether the user has the correct answer or came close
- users may go back and forth from this page to the excavation or Notebook to add to or change their final text
- users may include copies of their photos or drawings from the Notebook to substantiate their conclusions
- after a Conclusion is submitted, the user will get a tabulation of their excavation results (such as, number of objects found in context, number of objects lost or broken, amount or percentage of money used, amount or percentage of time used, etc.) so they can compare their results with others
- Links to Notebook and Excavation pages
- Correct answer splash screen
- if the Conclusion is correct, or mostly correct, this screen will appear with congratulations, and any additional explanation we want to add about the quality of their results
- Incorrect answer splash screen
- if the Conclusion is substantially incorrect, this screen will permit the user to go back to the simulation, begin the simulation again, or quit
- Final credits screen
- the last screen will list all the credits and any final thank yous or good byes we wish to leave the users with as they leave the simulation
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