Help Center – Vestigia AI

🤖 How AI Recognition Works

Vestigia uses Google's Gemini AI to analyze photos of historical landmarks and buildings. Here's exactly what happens when you scan:

Step 1 — Capture

Point your camera at any historical building or select a photo from your gallery. The app sends the image to our secure cloud server.

Step 2 — AI Analysis

Our server forwards the image to Gemini AI along with your GPS coordinates (if available). The AI cross-references the visual features against its knowledge of global architecture, identifies the structure, and generates a detailed historical profile.

Step 3 — Verification

Vestigia includes a Hallucination Guard — if the AI cannot confidently identify a structure (e.g., a generic residential building), it will tell you honestly instead of making something up. GPS coordinates are used to validate identifications of non-iconic buildings.

Step 4 — Results

You receive a rich detail card containing: the building's name, city, era, architectural style, height, architect, a historical description, a "Did You Know?" fact, and an interactive timeline. You earn +100 XP for every successful scan.

What can Vestigia identify?

Mosques, churches, cathedrals, temples, and synagogues
Ancient ruins, castles, and fortresses
Bridges, monuments, and public squares
Museums, art galleries, and cultural centers
Iconic modern architecture (skyscrapers, opera houses)
Natural heritage sites (with geological significance)

What can't it identify?

Generic residential buildings without historical significance
Interior-only photos (furniture, rooms without architectural context)
Heavily obstructed views (trees/scaffolding covering the entire facade)

⚠️ AI-generated content is for informational purposes only. Always verify critical facts with official sources.

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⚡ XP & Rank System

Everything you do in Vestigia earns you Experience Points (XP). Accumulate enough XP and you'll climb through 15 unique ranks — from a humble Nomad to a Legend.

How to Earn XP

Action	XP Earned
Scan a landmark	+100 XP
Save to your journal	+50 XP
Share a story card	+20 XP
Unlock a badge	+200 to +800 XP (varies)

The 15 Ranks

Level	Rank Title	XP Required
1	Nomad	0
2	Observer	1,000
3	Marco Polo	2,200
4	Odysseus	3,600
5	Pathfinder	5,200
6	Relic Hunter	7,000
7	The Oracle	8,800
8	Grand Master	10,500
9	The Chronicler	12,000
10	Archaeologist	13,200
11	Scholar	14,200
12	Historian	15,000
13	Time Guardian	15,700
14	Master of Ages	16,200
15	Legend of Vestigia	16,500

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🏅 All 34 Badges

Badges are earned through real actions — scanning, sharing, exploring, and mastering architectural knowledge. They are organized into 4 categories.

Progression (8 badges)

First Step — Complete your first scan

Curious — Scan 10 landmarks

Architect — Discover 5 architectural styles

Time Guardian — Reach Level 10

First Era — Join during the founding period

The Collector — Save 5 discoveries

Polyglot — Read 10 detailed histories

Artifact Hunter — Save 25 unique discoveries

Engagement (9 badges)

Night Owl — Scan between 22:00–05:00

Storyteller — Share a discovery

Social Butterfly — Share 5 stories

Dedicated — 3-day scan streak

Committed — 7-day scan streak

Morning Person — Scan between 06:00–09:00

Speed Demon — 3 scans in 1 hour

Photo Perfectionist — Scan using camera

Local Hero — Scan 5 places in your city

Exploration (8 badges)

Green Soul — Discover a natural site

Urbanist — Scan a modern building

Time Traveler — Discover ancient ruins

Renaissance — Scan a museum or gallery

Spiritual Seeker — Visit a religious site

Holy Pilgrim — Visit 5 different religious sites

Global Voyager — Scan in 3+ countries

City Hopper — Scan in 5+ cities

Mastery (9 badges)

Ancient Roots — 5 Roman/Greek/Egyptian

Silk Road Legacy — 5 Ottoman/Islamic

Euro Heritage — 5 Gothic/Renaissance/Baroque

Eastern Spirit — 5 Buddhist/Hindu/Far East

New World — 5 Maya/Aztec/Inca

Gothic Soul — 3 Gothic structures

Baroque Master — 3 Baroque structures

Modernist — 3 Modern buildings

Heritage Scout — Identify 10 eras

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🔧 Troubleshooting

Camera won't open

Go to your device's Settings → Vestigia → Permissions and make sure Camera access is set to "Allow". Restart the app after granting permission.

"Not a Landmark" error

This means the AI couldn't identify the structure. Try these fixes:

Frame the main facade of the building (avoid close-ups of walls or doors)
Ensure good lighting — avoid heavy shadows or backlit silhouettes
Enable GPS location for more accurate identification of non-iconic buildings
If using Gallery mode, choose a photo with a clear, unobstructed view

"Daily Limit Reached"

Free accounts have a daily scan limit to keep the service sustainable:

Guest users: 5 scans per day
Registered users: 20 scans per day

Creating a free account gives you 4× more daily scans. Your limit resets at midnight (UTC).

GPS / Location Issues

If the app can't get your location:

Make sure Location Services is turned on in your phone settings
Grant Vestigia "While Using" location permission
Step outside — GPS works better with a clear view of the sky
Vestigia still works without GPS, but non-iconic buildings might not be identified correctly

App crashes or freezes

Make sure you're running the latest version from the App Store or Google Play
Restart the app or your phone
If the issue persists, contact us: hello@vestigia-ai.com

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🌍 Supported Languages

Vestigia supports 7 languages. The app automatically detects your device language. All AI-generated content (descriptions, facts, timelines) is translated in real-time.

🇬🇧 English

🇹🇷 Türkçe

🇩🇪 Deutsch

🇫🇷 Français

🇪🇸 Español

🇯🇵 日本語

🇹🇼 繁體中文

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🔒 Privacy & Data

What data does Vestigia collect?

Photos: Sent to our secure server for AI analysis only. They are NOT stored after processing.
Location: Used only to improve landmark identification accuracy. Never shared with third parties.
Account data: Email (if registered), display name, XP, badges, and scan history stored in Firebase.

How do I delete my data?

You can delete your entire account and all associated data from Profile → Delete Account within the app, or visit our Account Deletion page.

For the full details, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

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