“Maple Batalia: A VR Crime‑Scene Recreation” invites users to step directly into the very space where a real tragedy unfolded, offering a richly detailed virtual reconstruction of the parking‑lot crime scene. This experience prioritizes authenticity over gamification: every surface, object, and ambient sound has been modeled from photographic and forensic records to convey the atmosphere of the actual location. By removing conventional game objectives, the project allows visitors simply to “be there,” absorbing the environment and gaining an unmediated sense of place.
Once immersed, participants can freely navigate the scene—wandering between the victim’s last known position, the surrounding vehicles, and peripheral areas where subtle traces may linger. Instead of point‑and‑click puzzles, the focus is on spatial awareness: noticing the exact position of a bloodstain, the tilt of a fallen sign, or the pattern of tire tracks. This open exploration encourages a contemplative engagement, where understanding emerges from presence rather than prescribed challenges.
A concluding transition brings users to a quiet virtual archive, where collected artifacts and environmental photographs are displayed for closer inspection. Here, the emphasis remains on factual evidence and contextual detail, rather than on scoreboard metrics or in‑game rewards. By omitting a narrative “solution,” the experience underscores that real investigations seldom resolve neatly—and that the power of virtual reality lies in its ability to transport us, unfiltered, into another moment in time.
Once immersed, participants can freely navigate the scene—wandering between the victim’s last known position, the surrounding vehicles, and peripheral areas where subtle traces may linger. Instead of point‑and‑click puzzles, the focus is on spatial awareness: noticing the exact position of a bloodstain, the tilt of a fallen sign, or the pattern of tire tracks. This open exploration encourages a contemplative engagement, where understanding emerges from presence rather than prescribed challenges.
A concluding transition brings users to a quiet virtual archive, where collected artifacts and environmental photographs are displayed for closer inspection. Here, the emphasis remains on factual evidence and contextual detail, rather than on scoreboard metrics or in‑game rewards. By omitting a narrative “solution,” the experience underscores that real investigations seldom resolve neatly—and that the power of virtual reality lies in its ability to transport us, unfiltered, into another moment in time.
While researching the location of the Btalia case, I dove into gathering references from a variety of sources—Google Maps, news reports, and more.
Initially, I used Google Maps imagery to generate a point‑cloud reconstruction in Metashape and RealityCapture, which provided a solid foundation for modeling the entire parking area in 3D software.
Initially, I used Google Maps imagery to generate a point‑cloud reconstruction in Metashape and RealityCapture, which provided a solid foundation for modeling the entire parking area in 3D software.
While researching the location of the Btalia case, I dove into gathering references from a variety of sources—Google Maps, news reports, and more.
After obtaining the point‑cloud data from the photogrammetry software, I used the resulting mesh as the foundation for modeling the parking lot—marking the first milestone of the project. Next, I unwrapped the UVs and applied textures to bring the scene to life.
After obtaining the point‑cloud data from the photogrammetry software, I used the resulting mesh as the foundation for modeling the parking lot—marking the first milestone of the project. Next, I unwrapped the UVs and applied textures to bring the scene to life.