Immersive Ro(o)me. A Virtual Reconstruction of Rome in 1750

This paper presents the development of an immersive virtual reconstruction of Rome in 1750, designed as a serious game to support cultural heritage dissemination through interactive storytelling. The research integrates historical analysis, iconographic sources, and three-dimensional modeling to recreate the urban fabric of eighteenth-century Rome within a game engine environment. The methodology combines urban reconstruction based on cartographic sources such as the Nolli map with a hierarchical modeling strategy that distinguishes primary, secondary, and tertiary elements to optimize visual perception and navigation. As illustrated in the modeling workflow (pp. 647–650), parametric modeling and procedural rules are used to generate urban morphology, while textures, lighting, and environmental elements contribute to recreating the perceptual identity of the historical city. The virtual environment is structured as an open-world interactive system in which users explore the reconstructed city, interact with characters, and engage in narrative-driven tasks based on a Game Design Document. Results demonstrate that serious games can enhance user engagement, support learning-by-doing processes, and effectively communicate complex historical and architectural content, while also highlighting the importance of balancing historical accuracy with gameplay and usability.