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As
discussed recently (e.g. Vatanen in CAA 2002), documentation
of digital multi dimensional data, is a acute considerable
challenge for virtual archaeology. Being able to document
precisely the archaeological work done also in virtual reality
is essential for the scientific credibility of the discipline
and the virtual archaeological methodology. This paper discusses
some of the practicalities of implementing an efficient and
yet cognitively unburdening system for the documentation of
virtual realities, opening insights into what an archaeological
record could be in a true digital form.
The essential difficulty of virtual spaces are the formal
perspectives of the virtual. A strong emphasis is placed on
the multi dimensionality and multi mediality of the virtual
worlds. The rather more nature like form of a virtual reality,
or simulation as has been recently argued, requires new concepts
and approaches to the idea of annotation, documentation and
information retrieval. Therefore a satisfactory solution cannot
be reached simply by implementing linearity of traditional
computing strategies.
Theoretical basis of the study is to conceptualise the tasks
of making, reading and interpreting information in the virtual
realities, as dynamic infrastructures of co-existing processes
ending up as a semi-real organisation with inherent cognitive
capabilities and intelligence. As the key point of the paper
a theory on a plausible documentation strategy is presented
with a reference to a practical case study on a documentation
tool application.
Keywords: virtual reality, documentation, annotation, method
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