Augmented Reality Storytelling Submerged. Dry Diving to a World War II Wreck at Ancient Phalasarna, Crete

Abstract

Underwater heritage and archaeology is, in general, limited to the few who have permission, and the means to actually dive on location and experience the submarine sites. Dry dive technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) now offer unprecedented opportunity to change this situation. This paper explores the use of AR storytelling with regard to a World War II landing craft at Phalasarna, Greece. Tank Landing Craft A6 (TLC) was sunk by German aircraft while evacuating Allied troops from Crete in 1941. Its remains still lie just off the coast in a few metres of water. This project revolves around the development of a 3D–animation to make the site more accessible to those who cannot dive. By visually reconstructing the dramatic event of the craft’s final moments under German attack before it settled to the seabed, as well as the site’s present condition, visitors can experience and learn more about both the vessel itself and the historical context. The Indirect AR simulation contains two main modes: a dry dive reconstruction of the wreck as it looks today with detailed multimodal explanations based on historical and archaeological research, and an animation sequence that reconstructs the actual German attack on the ship. This article presents detailed descriptions of the site’s historical background, of the vessel and the design challenges involved in the production process of the app itself. Feedback provided by visitors who recently tested the AR simulation on location is also reported here.