Creating a heroic journey through Maltese folklore : developing a game environment where the viewer experiences lesser known local historical events

Abstract

This dissertation aims to raise awareness on a more obscure parts of Maltese folklore through the use of a video game as a compelling and engaging narrative tool. Other successful video games will be examined to provide insight as to how historical elements can be utilised to create games with mass appeal.

Research through the use of an online survey will be conducted to further understand what can be done to increase local interest regarding obscure parts of Maltese history and to find the best setting possible to garner sufficient popularity to expose a relatively unknown Maltese story to the gaming mainstream. Historical evidence will be gathered to reconstruct two landmarks (Mdina and Castrum Maris) as accurately as possible based upon the limited documentation that exists regarding these structures during the said historical era.

Rendered animations will be produced to showcase the selected structures of ancient medieval architecture with flybys and the creation of a user-selectable local hero that could exist in such a time period.