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Arausio
Explore the Orange theater and discover Roman antiquity!
​Arausio is a game made by Ikigai
in partnership with
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​Presentation
Explore this reconstruction of the ancient theater of Orange resulting from archaeological research and lead the investigation about the destruction of the statue of the Emperor Augustus. During your investigation and your encounters with colorful characters from Roman antiquity, you will go from discovery to discovery about this period. For a more contemplative approach, you can also take a simple virtual tour of the theater dotted with historical files. Immerse yourself in History!
Video presentation for teachers and mediators
A reconstruction based on scientific data
The player explores a theater reconstructed from scientific data collected as part of a study on the acoustics of the theater. Archaeologists, engineers, computer scientists and mathematicians worked together to design a high definition 3D model of the building. This model served as a basis for the transposition made by Ikigai to adapt to the technical constraints of the Arausio game. The organization of the building, the sculpted decorations, but also all the organic elements that have now disappeared - wooden masts, ropes, velum cloths - contribute to the player's immersion in a Roman theater in operation. Simon Azema, heritage mediator and current co-director of the Ambrussum Museum, collaborated on the scripting, dialogues and co-direction of certain game mechanics. Nicolas Leys, doctoral student in archeology at Sorbonne University, wrote the historical files. Agnieszka Miskiewicz from ISCD took care of the operational aspects of the project coordination.
Target educational objectives
Discover the architecture of a theatre, between functionality and magnificence; the Roman theater (actors, props and music); the organization of Roman society through one of its leisure activities; Arausio's theater as a concrete example of Romanization; architecture and decor as tools of political communication; scientific research in archeology from the 19th to the 21st century.
Story & Free exploration modes
The game offers several modes of use:
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The Story mode allows you to walk through the theater in order to elucidate a mysterious event. The story lasts for 45 to 60 minutes.
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The Free mode allows you to visit the theater by letting yourself drift inside its reconstruction. You can find info on historical fact through the course of your visit!
Story mode
A fictional story but a very real historical context
We are at the beginning of the 1st century AD. The theater of Arausio has been opened for only a few years and the city is preparing for a great event: the arrival of the emperor himself. In his plan to travel through Gaul, he wishes to come and admire this theater built to his glory. A major event for the city whose economy and reputation will be marked forever. However... Early this morning, part of the stage wall decor collapsed and the statue of the emperor has been damaged. Is it a political attack? An accident? A gratuitous act of vandalism? Personal revenge? As a member of the Praetorian Guard, you are sent to investigate on this case. You must determine if the Emperor is in danger! He could well choose another city as a stopover on his future trip, if that were the case...
List of sheets
In total, 11 sheets provide information on the history and architecture of the theatre. They are also intended to provide details on the historical context of the investigation which takes place at the beginning of the 1st century AD. There is also information on Roman civilization, in particular on the artistic and musical practices of Antiquity:
Sheet 1: Arausio, the place of the plot
Sheet 2: The ancient theater
Sheet 3: The stage wall
Sheet 4: Sound and Architecture
Sheet 5: The Velum
Sheet 6: Actors and Props
Sheet 7: Who came to the theatre?
Sheet 8: Augustus, first emperor
Sheet 9: Romanization
Sheet 10: Tessere: entrance ticket!
Sheet 11: Music instrument
Free exploration mode
The Free mode is made to explore the entirety of the theater as much in its structure as in its history. In this mode, the history files are more numerous and more complete than in the Story mode. They provide insight into the history of the theatre, from its construction during the Roman period to its progressive abandonment at the beginning of the Christian era. Part of the content is also dedicated to the rediscovery of the building throughout the 19th century as well as to the most recent scientific research carried out by archaeologists and many scientists from various backgrounds. Various images (archaeological plans, archival photos, architectural details) illustrate each of these contents.
List of sheets
Sheet 1: Arausio, Roman colony
Sheet 2: The theater in antiquity
Sheet 3: Abandonment & rediscovery
Sheet 4: Architecture: From function to organization
Sheet 5: Facing the public
Sheet 6: A unique decor
Sheet 7: Iconography & glory of Rome
Sheet 8: Acoustics & architecture
Sheet 9: Augustus, first emperor
Sheet 10: The Velum
Sheet 11: The stage curtain
Sheet 12: Scenic arts
Sheet 13: Archaeology & interdisciplinary research
Sheet 14: Modeling: from science to play
Sheet 15: Music and instruments
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Associated services
Like any innovative service, educational video games come with tools that allow you to exploit their full potential: content editors to inject and develop the information provided in your gamified visit routes (educational sheets, announcements of events, clues to be found on the site, etc.) and dashboards to steer your cultural policies closer to your audience. Indeed, video game represents a precious source of information by making it possible to collect multiple data on the frequentation of your institution.
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The virtual to better discover the real
The video game does not mean to replace the object of its mediation. On the contrary, by gamifying an academic approach, it simplifies or increases certain parameters to make them more accessible. The video game arouses curiosity and reinforces the interest of the player who will be inclined to move on site to discover the reality behind the fiction... all the more so if the game openly invites them to do so. The scripting of a game intended for cultural mediation can feature the search for clues scattered over the visit route and thus establish a fruitful dialogue between the site and its game, virtual reality serving as a compass for exploring the real world.
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