Modelling the Aboriginal rock art of Mt Moffat\ud

This paper introduces the method used to produce a 3D model of an Aboriginal Rock Art Cave for inclusion in a synthetic environment using the Torque game engine as its user interface. The site chosen for this is an area called “The Tombs” in the Mt Moffat section of the Carnavon Gorges National Park. The game developers were facing a number of obstacles such as remoteness of the site, its accessibility and the necessity to produce a 3D model with a low number of polygons for an efficient use in Virtual Reality.\ud Given the nature of the model to construct, a traditional method of surveying/modelling would have produced a very high number of polygons making it necessary for a lengthy process of optimization. Laser scanning or Photogrammetry would produce the most accurate data collection but would have been difficult due to the presence of numerous trees; and, because little was known about the site, the choice of appropriate equipment was difficult to make and not practical to carry into the remote of the site. The geometrical accuracy was not a priority, as the purpose of the model is for visualisation alone, therefore a much simpler method of surveying and modelling was chosen.\ud A series of high resolution photographs were taken onsite. These were used as a base for the mesh modelling as well as for the texturing of the final result. Each photo was then calibrated before stitching to produce a panorama of the entire rock face. The panorama was then used as a texture onto a flat plane made of 500 polygons. The most obvious cracks and recesses were then created by changing the Z value of the relevant polygons, finally the high resolution panorama was re-applied to form the final texture. The entire process took approximately 16 hours and the end result is a very realistic mesh model with less than 1000 polygons. This paper will report on the processes and outcomes of this project in the context of preserving and enhancing aboriginal cultural heritage