Integrated Level Design Generation Methodology for Virtual Exploration in XR Mode

In recent years, digital technologies have become increasingly important in preserving and promoting cultural heritage. Virtual recreations of historical spaces offer immersive experiences that bridge the past and present or address the issue of inaccessible locations. However, digitizing real sites for use in applied games poses technical, methodological, and stylistic challenges, particularly concerning interactivity and virtual exploration. This paper details the digitization of the historical center of Brixen for a serious game aimed at heritage promotion, based on a project from the 2023 UID Summer School by Prof. Luigini and Prof. Rossi. Instead of relying on concept art and photographs, the project used real-world elements, optimized for Real-Time Rendering (RTR) to achieve photorealism in a digital environment. The objective is to evoke the atmosphere and memory of the place within the game, rather than an exact replica.