Roles

The partnership between virtual reality (VR) or game designers and sound art designers is essential for crafting immersive and captivating experiences. By establishing a productive collaboration between these two teams, the overall quality and coherence of the end product can be significantly improved. A workflow chart visually presents the process, mapping out the different stages, tasks, and interdependencies required for this collaborative endeavor.

The collaborative workflow between VR/game designers and sound art designers typically initiates with concept development. Both teams converge to generate ideas and deliberate on the project’s overall vision, theme, and aesthetic. This initial stage holds significance in aligning their creative concepts and establishing a shared understanding of the desired outcome.

Following concept establishment, the workflow proceeds to the design phase. VR/game designers dedicate their efforts to constructing the virtual environment, designing characters, and devising gameplay mechanics. Concurrently, sound art designers commence the creation of audio assets, including music, sound effects, and ambient sounds. Continuous communication is crucial during this phase as sound designers need to grasp the specific requirements and timing of the visuals, while VR/game designers offer feedback and guidance to ensure audio elements harmonize with the immersive experience.

Once the design phase concludes, the workflow advances to implementation. VR/game designers integrate visual assets and mechanics into the virtual environment, while sound art designers focus on incorporating audio elements. This stage necessitates close collaboration to synchronise visuals with corresponding sounds, guaranteeing a seamless and immersive user experience. Regular meetings and iterative testing aid in identifying and resolving any issues or discrepancies between the audio and visual components.

Conceptualisation

Surrealism is an influential artistic and cultural movement that emerged in the early 20th century. It was a response to the rationality and logic of the time, seeking to explore the irrational, dreamlike, and subconscious aspects of the human mind. Surrealist artists sought to tap into the realm of the imagination, embracing the chaotic, mysterious, and fantastical elements that lie beneath the surface of everyday life.

At the core of surrealism is the concept of juxtaposition. Surrealist artworks often feature unexpected combinations of objects, situations, or elements that challenge traditional notions of reality. By bringing together seemingly unrelated or contradictory elements, surrealism aims to disrupt our usual ways of perceiving and understanding the world. These juxtapositions can create a sense of surprise, confusion, or even unease, inviting viewers to explore the hidden meanings and connections within the artwork.

Another characteristic of surrealism is the use of symbolism and metaphor. Surrealist artists often incorporate symbolic imagery into their works, drawing on elements from mythology, dreams, and the subconscious. These symbols can represent abstract concepts, desires, fears, or emotions. Through these symbolic representations, surrealism seeks to tap into the deeper layers of the human psyche and provoke a profound emotional response in the viewer.

Surrealist artworks also frequently employ techniques such as automatism and chance. Automatism involves creating art without conscious control, allowing the subconscious mind to guide the artistic process. This approach aims to bypass rational thought and access deeper, more intuitive expressions. Chance plays a role in surrealist art by introducing randomness and serendipity into the creative process. Surrealist artists often embrace accidents, spontaneous gestures, or the unexpected outcomes of artistic experiments, letting them shape the final artwork.

It has had a profound impact on various art forms, including painting, sculpture, literature, film, and performance art. It has inspired countless artists to explore the boundaries of imagination, challenge societal norms, and delve into the realms of the unconscious.

In the context of virtual reality, I think surrealism finds a new medium for expression. VR’s immersive nature allows artists to create fully realized virtual worlds that can transport users into dreamlike environments, where the rules of physics and logic can be bent or broken. Users can experience firsthand the bizarre, fantastical, and irrational elements that characterize surrealism. By integrating surrealistic elements into virtual reality experiences, artists can push the boundaries of what is possible, offering users unique and mind-altering encounters with the surreal.

My team had the exciting task of selecting a theme for our VR project, and after careful deliberation, we decided to explore the realm of surrealism. The surrealistic theme fascinated us with its ability to challenge reality, defy logic, and provoke imagination. It presented an opportunity to create a truly unique and mind-bending experience for players.

Within the surrealistic framework, I was given the role to design a world inside a computer. While the concept was intriguing, it also posed several challenges. Making a surrealistic experience set inside a computer required finding a delicate balance between the abstract and the recognizable. Surrealism often thrives on unexpected juxtapositions and dreamlike scenarios, which can be challenging to translate into a digital environment.

Moreover, capturing the essence of surrealism within the constraints of a computer world was no easy feat. Surrealism often relies on the physicality and tangibility of objects, textures, and environments. Translating these organic qualities into a virtual space could potentially diminish the impact and lose some of the inherent surrealistic charm.

As I carefully evaluated my options, I realised that a sci-fi theme would provide a more suitable foundation for the goal of creating an immersive surrealistic experience. Science fiction, by its nature, already incorporates elements of the fantastical, futuristic technology, and imaginative worlds. It allowed me to embrace the surrealistic aspects while providing a logical framework that could be easily translated into a computer-generated environment.

By embracing a sci-fi theme, I could incorporate futuristic landscapes, advanced technologies, and extraordinary visuals, all while maintaining a level of believability within the virtual world. This decision ensured that our players could easily connect with the experience and suspend their disbelief, further enhancing their immersion.

By analysing and studying sci-fi VR games, I wanted to gain insight into successful design choices, immersive storytelling techniques, and effective user interactions. To examine how these games create a sense of awe, wonder, and immersion, and apply those principles to my own projects.

I think they also offer a lot of inspiration when it comes to world-building. They often present intricately crafted virtual environments, futuristic cityscapes, alien planets, and imaginative landscapes. Studying these games will help me understand how to create compelling and visually stunning virtual worlds that transport players to new and exciting places.

Furthermore, I feel that sci-fi VR games often explore complex themes, moral dilemmas, and thought-provoking narratives. They can provide inspiration for storytelling techniques, character development, and creating meaningful player experiences. Since storytelling is a passion of mine, analysing the narrative structures and storytelling devices employed in these games might help me craft engaging and immersive narratives in my own project.

Some stood out to me.

Poetry and the surreal

In the realm of storytelling, the blending of different genres often yields fascinating and unexpected results. In my eyes, one such intriguing combination is the integration of poetry into a sci-fi environment. This merging of contrasting elements creates a striking juxtaposition and introduces a surrealist dimension to the narrative.

Sci-fi, with its focus on advanced technology, scientific exploration, and futuristic societies, typically emphasises rationality, logic, and the exploration of new frontiers. It immerses readers in a world of extraordinary possibilities and often relies on intricate world-building and complex scientific concepts. On the other hand, poetry, with its lyrical language, metaphorical imagery, and emotional depth, invites introspection, captures the essence of human experience, and evokes a range of emotions.

By introducing poetry into a sci-fi setting, I think the narrative gains a fresh layer of complexity. The scientific and technological aspects of the story, driven by reason and empirical evidence, clash with the subjective and abstract nature of poetry, which thrives on the exploration of emotions, perceptions, and the intangible aspects of existence. This contrast highlights the divergence between the tangible and the abstract, the logical and the emotional, fostering a sense of wonder and cognitive dissonance.

I think the infusion of poetry in a sci-fi environment can serve multiple purposes. It may act as a form of cultural expression within futuristic societies, offering glimpses into the inner workings of characters’ minds and the state of their world. Poetic compositions can serve as a means of communication or documentation, capturing the essence of the human condition amidst the vastness of space or the advancement of technology. The juxtaposition of scientific advancement with poetic introspection can emphasise the dichotomy of the human experience and the profound questions that arise when confronted with the unknown.

Moreover, the surrealistic nature of poetry enhances the sense of awe and wonder that is often central to the sci-fi genre. Surrealism, with its penchant for exploring the subconscious, blurring the lines between reality and dreams, and challenging conventional perceptions, complements the speculative nature of science fiction. I feel by introducing surrealistic elements through poetry, the narrative ventures into the realm of the unexpected, encouraging readers to question the boundaries of their imagination and transcend the limits of rationality.

In this fusion of sci-fi and poetry, I hope to make the player ponder profound philosophical questions, encounter imaginative landscapes, and experience the emotional resonance of poetic language within the context of futuristic worlds. I want the contrast between the logical and the abstract, the scientific and the emotional, allows for a rich exploration of the human experience and expands the narrative’s artistic possibilities.

By embracing the juxtaposition of poetry and sci-fi, I want to create a narrative that challenge traditional conventions, transcends the boundaries of genre, and invite players on a journey that seamlessly weaves together the rational and the ethereal, the conceivable and the fantastical. This unique combination adds depth, complexity, and a touch of surrealism to the sci-fi environment, resulting in a truly captivating and thought-provoking reading experience.

Technical and Theoretical research

No Man’s Sky, as a VR game, delivers an exceptional experience that showcases the vast potential of virtual reality. It excels in several aspects, offering players a sense of awe-inspiring exploration and immersion.

One of the standout features of No Man’s Sky in VR is its expansive and procedurally generated universe. The game allows players to freely explore a virtually infinite number of planets, each with its own unique ecosystems, landscapes, and alien lifeforms. This vast and diverse universe provides an unparalleled sense of scale and discovery, drawing players deeper into the immersive experience.

The game’s immersion is further enhanced by its intuitive and immersive controls. Players can navigate through the universe using VR motion controllers, allowing for natural movement and interaction within the virtual environment. The ability to physically reach out and interact with objects, manipulate spaceship controls, and scan the surroundings reinforces the feeling of being present in the game’s universe.

I particularly liked the fact that the player is in a space craft. I think it contributed to immersion through to factors like realism, the astronaut’s perspective, freedom of movement, engaging interactions, and technical accuracy. The combination of authentic visuals, audio, and controls creates a sense of realism, while the unique vantage point and weightlessness add to the immersion. Engaging with interactive tasks and accurate scientific principles deepens the connection to the virtual environment. Because of this, I want to incorporate spacecraft journey into my VR experience.

Red Matter’s captivating visual design plays a pivotal role in creating immersion. The game presents a dystopian sci-fi setting with stunning graphics and meticulous attention to detail. The atmospheric lighting, intricate textures, and realistic environments all contribute to a sense of presence and transport players into the game’s immersive world.

The game also utilizes spatial audio to enhance immersion. The carefully crafted sound effects and ambient audio design effectively create a sense of location and depth within the virtual environment. This audio immersion adds to the overall atmospheric experience, making players feel more connected to the world of Red Matter.

Red Matter’s puzzle-solving mechanics are another aspect that enhances immersion. Players are required to interact with their surroundings, manipulate objects, and decipher complex puzzles to progress through the game. These interactive challenges create a deep sense of engagement and agency, making players feel like active participants in the game world.

The narrative and storytelling techniques in Red Matter contribute to its immersive quality. The game features a gripping sci-fi storyline with atmospheric storytelling and rich lore. Through carefully placed environmental storytelling and narrative-driven gameplay, Red Matter immerses players in a captivating and mysterious narrative, further drawing them into the game world.

I want to incorporate a puzzle/mini-game element into my VR experience while maintaining a narrative focus. This combination offers active engagement, a challenge, and a sense of purpose for players. By integrating a mini game into the storyline, I can create a seamless blend of gameplay and storytelling, providing meaningful and immersive challenges that drive the narrative forward. This combination of a game and narrative ensures a compelling and engaging VR experience that keeps players invested throughout the journey.

Lone Echo is a highly acclaimed VR game that delivers an exceptional level of immersion through its innovative mechanics and attention to detail. The game’s standout feature is its ability to create a strong sense of presence, allowing players to truly feel like they are inhabiting the game’s virtual world.

The embodiment mechanics in Lone Echo are a key factor in its immersive experience. Players assume the role of Jack, a futuristic android, and control his movements and actions. Every gesture and motion made by the player is translated seamlessly into the virtual environment, creating a powerful sense of being present within the game. This embodiment mechanic enhances the overall immersion and makes players feel like they are physically floating in space.

I liked the unconventional and dreamlike environments players encounter. These surrealistic landscapes deviate from traditional representations of reality, presenting fantastical and otherworldly spaces. Players navigate through ethereal realms, encounter abstract structures, and witness visually stunning scenes that defy traditional expectations. The incorporation of surrealistic elements challenges players’ perceptions and immerses them in a world that blurs the line between reality and imagination.

I was intrigued by the narrative in Lone Echo 2 that explores surreal themes and concepts. The game delves into the subconscious, presenting thought-provoking scenarios and surreal encounters. Through symbolic storytelling and metaphorical representations, players are invited to contemplate deeper meanings and unravel the mysteries of the game world. This narrative approach adds layers of complexity and intrigue, fostering a sense of curiosity and engagement within the surrealistic framework.

Witnessing the embodiment mechanics and meaningful narrative in Lone Echo 2 has inspired me to incorporate these elements into my own VR experience. By focusing on embodiment, I aim to create a strong sense of presence and agency for players. And by crafting a meaningful narrative, I hope to provide a framework for emotional engagement and create a more immersive and memorable VR experience overall.

Linear VS Choice defined narratives

Linear narratives follow a fixed sequence of events, where viewers act as passive observers. These narratives are often scripted and tightly controlled by the creators, ensuring a specific progression and story outcome. Choice-directed narratives provide players with the ability to make decisions that shape the story’s progression and outcome. These narratives introduce branching paths and multiple story possibilities based on the choices the player makes.

In one of our first meetings we discussed the option of linear vs nonlinear narratives. I wrote a list of pros and cons

Linear narrative pros:

Clear storytelling: Linear narratives provide a clear and coherent storyline without deviations or distractions. This means we can carefully craft the narrative to convey our intended message and themes effectively.

Immersive experiences: By guiding viewers’ attention and focusing on specific events, linear narratives can create highly immersive and cinematic experiences. The absence of choices can enhance the immersion by minimising distractions and keeping viewers engaged in the unfolding story.

Accessible: Compared to choice-directed narratives, linear narratives are generally easier to produce. They require fewer branching paths and interactive elements, making them more appealing to us, as we’re a small team.

Cons:

Lack of agency: In linear narratives, players have limited or no influence on the story’s progression or outcome. This can lead to a more passive viewing experience, reducing the level of engagement and personal investment.

Limited replay value: Once viewers experience a linear narrative, the story remains the same upon subsequent viewings. Since there are no alternate paths or choices, there is little incentive for viewers to revisit the experience unless they simply want to relive the same story.

Choice directed narrative pros:

Agency and immersion: Choice-directed narratives empower viewers with agency, allowing them to influence the story’s direction. By making choices, players feel more involved and immersed in the narrative, as their decisions directly impact the unfolding events.

Replayability: The branching nature of choice-directed narratives offers players the opportunity to explore different paths and outcomes. This encourages replayability, as players can make different choices during subsequent viewings, leading to new story experiences and discoveries.

Personalisation: Choice-directed narratives can provide players with a sense of ownership over the story. By shaping the narrative through their choices, viewers feel a personal connection and investment in the characters and events.

Cons:

Complexity: Designing and implementing choice-directed narratives can be more complex and challenging compared to linear narratives. Creators must account for multiple story branches, ensuring coherence and continuity across different paths. This complexity can greatly increase the workload.

Fragmented experience: With branching paths, it can be challenging to maintain a cohesive narrative experience. Some storylines may be less developed or less satisfying than others, leading to an inconsistent overall experience for viewers. Creators must carefully balance the different story paths to ensure a coherent and engaging narrative.

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Asset management

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/electronics/computer/circuit-board-9cb10348-bd4f-4506-b5b3-2b7f34581504

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/science/medical/sci-fi-operation-table

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/architectural/architectural-street/cyberpunk-city-scene

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/architectural/engineering/cyberpunk-city-19078a29-c862-452b-89af-edc5e8e8036b

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/architectural/other/cyberpunk-city-cb4e79cd-66e0-4356-8e0e-d73ae1d34c91

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/vehicle/sci-fi-vehicle/futuristic-transport-shuttle-rigged

Sounds

Scripts

Detect: finds the player.

End: sets the animations change to true.

Scene manager, listens to actions and loads the next scene when the game is ended. 

Audioone, enables audio source to play a specific sound and then tracks it at the end it loads the next scene manager for the next scene.

Audioplay, plays the sound when being told.

Playerchairtracker, tracks the current position of the shuttle and places player in it, once it reaches its destination it puts the player at a bus stop.

Reachdestination, teleports the player to the bus stop.

Screentexture, focuses on applying text on the screens with a timer tracks when the last piece of text has been introduced to the game.

Buttonpresslevel, tracks when the player presses the screen using UI.

Redandgreenminigame, contains logic for the minigame, therefore sets the screens and chooses a screen randomly.

Redandgreenmanager, contains logic of the minigame from a management perspective therefore checks if person has clicked, and if right screen has been clicked, if the game has been restarted, and it also starts the game. 

Moveonwaypoints makes an object move along waypoints.

Npscontroller attaches NPCs to a waypoints path.

Blinking, blinks specific amount of times with a timer lets audioonescript be aware it needs to play the audio ( I didn’t use this in the end).

Some unincluded work

I was advised to prioritise the computer scene which was very go0d advice!

However these are the shaders I did

I also rigged a body for VR but was told to not use it sit could break my teammate’s scene. It was disappointing that I couldn’t use my embodiment idea, but very understandable to why.

I also made a VRrig script for the player to control the rig.

Blinking, blinks a specific amount of times with a timer lets audioonescript be aware it needs to play the audio. I didn’t use this because I think it put a bug in the orange tank scene where I implemented it. Before using it, the screens on the wall did not flash in VR, but afterwards they kept flashing and didn’t stop even when I disabled the blinking script.

I also made a mirror so the player could look at their body have have an impactful tether to the scene.

Storyboard

I think this narrative is effective for the following reasons:

Surreal Atmosphere: The game’s setting inside a computer immediately establishes a surreal atmosphere. By venturing into the digital realm, players are transported to an otherworldly environment where the rules of reality can be bent or broken. The combination of familiar computer elements, such as circuitry and virtual landscapes, with unexpected or fantastical elements creates a sense of wonder and intrigue. This surreal backdrop sets the stage for an imaginative and immersive experience.

Active engagement: The mini-game that challenges players to beat the virus adds an interactive layer to the VR experience.

A twist with a captivating narrative: The virus’s deception and subsequent capture of the player inject unexpected twists into the game’s narrative. As players progress, they become aware of the virus’s manipulative nature, creating a suspenseful and unpredictable storyline. The concept of the cyber city, where the virus has assimilated the captured inhabitants, raises questions about identity and memory. Exploring how the characters have adapted to their new lives and uncovering the truth behind their forgotten pasts adds depth and intrigue to the narrative.

Uncovering the Truth: The character who recognises that something is wrong serves as a guide and catalyst for the player’s journey. Her recognition of the player’s true identity creates a sense of intrigue.

Mini game

My teacher Herman helpfully made this to guide me with the game logic:

The idea was to have a game where the player presses coloured screens. I decided to have all screens between, and if one turns red they should press it to turn it back to green.

However, once I applied the colour grading I saw that the red and green colours looked the same, making the game pointless :’), so I changed the idea to having ones and zeros, to fit with the computer theme.

Scene formation

I chose a linear structure for my scenes, this is because it lent itself well to the story I constructed.

Scene name: level1

I made the scenes without much attention to colour aesthetics as I planned to colour grade everything to make it look black and green

Scene name: level2

scene name: level4

Scene name: demoscene

I was in a big rush so instead of creating a new scene, I accidentally put the attic into a random scene that came with rosa’s project lol.

The most time consuming part was texturing each part of the scene. The scenes were so big and came with each component completely separated, this was not said in the product description and I only found out once I had already bought it.

Collaboration

I am very impressed with Rosa and think she’s very good at what she does. I only downloaded her zipped project file 2 days before the due date because I assumed everything would be okay. However I have now learnt to do earlier as I could’t find the attic scene that was supposed to embed my project into, I asked her to send her attic scene alone but even I dowloaded it, the actual attic scene was not there. In the end I found the attic prefab and attached my scene to it. At first I made a button and put it over the computer so if the controller pointed at it, my scene would be triggered. However this didn’t work, so I did a trigger when the player walked near the pc. I couldn’t do it closer to the pc because then it wouldn’t work.

The collaboration with the sound artists went well, next time think I will be more specific with my exact needs, but I’m happy with how the sounds turned out. I know they were very busy and didn’t have time to make us more sounds but I’m happy with what I have.

Important

The player needs to find this NPC, in my other version there was a UI saying how to find this NPC. However once the player is at the bus stop, they need to turn around and start walking, the npc will been the left, near the bar area.

Playtesting process

I started by defining specific goals and objectives for the playtesting session: Each time I determined what aspects of the game I wanted to evaluate, such as gameplay mechanics, immersion, and level design.

I then identified the target audience and recruit participants accordingly: I selected people who are unfamiliar with VR, since my experience was intentionally easy to engage with.

I set up a comfortable and safe playtesting environment: Ensure there is enough space for players to move around and that any potential hazards are minimised.

I then ensured that all necessary VR equipment is functional and calibrated properly: I verified that the VR headset, controllers, and tracking devices are in good working condition and properly configure

Conducting Playtesting:

I began the session by providing participants with an overview of the game mechanics and objectives where applicable: I explained the purpose of the experience, the controls, and any specific things they should focus on.

I asked participants to think aloud while playing, expressing their thoughts, feelings, and any issues they encountered and encouraged players to share their impressions, opinions, and any difficulties they face during gameplay.

I observed the participants’ actions, reactions, and performance during gameplay and paid attention to their body language, gestures, and overall engagement with the virtual environment.

I took brief notes of participants’ experiences, paying attention to any problems, bugs, or usability issues and documented issues such as gameplay glitches, confusion, discomfort, or any suggestions for improvement.

Analysing Playtesting Results:

I reviewed the notes and observations from the playtesting session and collated the feedback, categorised the issues, and identified any recurring patterns or common problems.

I identified recurring patterns or common problems that multiple participants encountered and looked for trends in the feedback to pinpoint areas of improvement that are affecting multiple players.

I classified issues based on severity, impact on gameplay, and frequency of occurrence and prioritised issues based on their impact and frequency, ensuring that critical problems were addressed first.

Here are the issues in no particular order:

1. Issue with implementation of screens – not displaying screens accurately.

2. Different world coords – difficulty to place items correctly.

3. XR Origin parent and Camera is in different places – camera is getting random offset.

4. Teleportation made the character become a size of a mouse

5. Once teleporting, sometimes falling through the floor

6. The Car in the city scene kept falling when I assigned it to waypoints.

7. Rosa and I had different Unity versions

This is how I resolved them:

1. Changing the names and setting them in order

2 . I used Maya to fix the local coordinates of each asset whether it was imported or not.

3 . Once the scene was fixed, I moved the camera to the XR origin.

4. The creation of the character controller.

5 . Correctly placing environment colliders.

6. Removing gravity from the object.

7 . Exporting the project as a package and importing it to the new one.

Presentation and pitch

I think a good pitch effectively communicates ideas. I key elements I wanted to prioritise were clarity, a strong opening, a well-structured presentation, a clear unique delivery of the value of the experience, convincing evidence, and persuasive and engaging delivery,

This is the pitch I wrote:

Step into a world where imagination knows no bounds and dreams come alive in a stunning virtual reality experience. In this captivating adventure, players will be transported to an attic filled with immersive objects that hold the keys to surreal dreamscapes, waiting to be unlocked.

Imagine standing in the centre of a room surrounded by a diverse array of fascinating objects—a breathtaking painting that seems to pulsate with life, an ancient book whispering forgotten tales, and a mysterious computer glowing with untold secrets. Each object holds a portal to a unique and mesmerising dream world, where reality bends and dreams become tangible.
As player explores, they will have the freedom to choose any object that captivates their curiosity. Once they make their selection, they will be instantly transported, diving headfirst into an awe-inspiring, surreal dreamscape crafted to their chosen object’s essence.

The attic will gradually transform as you immerse yourself in the dreamscapes. The once unfamiliar space becomes a haven, a sanctuary where you can return between your adventures, forming a deeper connection with your surroundings. It becomes a place of solace, a true home within the virtual realm.

The beauty of this experience lies not only in its captivating visuals and immersive environments but also in its ability to evoke profound emotional responses. From the wonder and awe of exploring extraordinary landscapes to the contemplation of life’s mysteries, players will be deeply engaged and connected with each dream world they encounter.

By fusing cutting-edge virtual reality technology with surreal dreamscapes, we open a gateway to an entirely new form of experiential storytelling. It transports players beyond the confines of reality, offering an escape into worlds limited only by their imagination.

Prepare to embark on a transformative journey, where dreams manifest as reality, and the boundaries of your imagination blur. We invite you to experience the magic, wonder, and limitless possibilities of the human mind. Are you ready to explore the surreal depths of your dreams?

These are the slides I made for the presentation

I really enjoyed presenting!

Disaster struck :'(

I had a lot of trouble trying to colour grade my project – I added global volume, but when I tried to apply the colour grading effects nothing would happen. I asked Ria for help and nothing worked so we exported my scene and put it into another unity project, this made colour grading work. I then exported the rest of my scenes into this new project and worked on the new imported project instead of the old one.

My laptop doesn’t have much storage space, so I couldn’t unzip the Unity project that my teammate Rosa sent me. I started deleting files to make room. I became desperate when I no matter what, I couldn’t free enough space to extract the file. I started deleting unity projects. I was in a very panicked and anxious state and wasn’t thinking clearly. I accidentally deleted the new unity project I was working on </3 2 and a half weeks of work is all gone and I’m devastated.

I only started writing my blog today, so I only started taking screenshots for my blog today. (20/6/23). This is the only screenshot I ever took of the new project.

However I realised I had previously taken brief screen recording, which at least shows that the npc were able to move along their waypoints, as in the previous version they weren’t.

I tried fixing everything as much as I could during these last 2 days

Here are all the differences between the old version which I have to hand in VS the version I perfected that got deleted 🙁

1. NPCs walk along waypoints in a loop
2. There is a UI telling the player to find the sad existential NPC in the cyber city
3. When the existential NPC says her audio, she touches the player with the mixamo animation ‘petting.fbx’
4. After she touches the player, the glitch shader I made is applied to everything in the scene and the game ends
5. All scenes have post production effects such as colour grading
6. The cyber scene is is fully textured and has no grey materials
7. The scene also has more building models
8. The shuttle scene has more passengers although is still very shaking (I spend 4 days trying to fix it but couldn’t work it out)
9. The 2nd scene with the orange tanks has a textured roof.
10. The first scene with the computer has a black background
11. The XR origin and main camera are better placed in the orange tank so it looks like the body in the tank is the player’s
12. The whole project is organised, with everything in their correct folders
13. There’s a longer audition the orange tank scene.
14. In the version I have submitted, the computer screens in level 1 are flashing, in the better version, I used an the model which was edited model on Maya, so the screens aren’t flashing.

The things I care most about were the scripts I wrote. Coding doesn’t come naturally to me so each script I write takes days. I worked really hard on this project and am very proud of myself, I just wish it could have ended better!

Critical reflection

In reflecting on my VR project, I can identify several aspects that went well and contributed positively to the overall outcome. Firstly, I am proud of my creativity, which allowed me to generate unique and innovative ideas for the project. I think creative flair brought a distinctiveness to my VR experience, especially with the cyber city scene.

I was successful in forming a good narrative within my VR project. The narrative served as a cohesive thread, guiding users through their virtual journey and enhancing their engagement and immersion. The effective use of poetry added an additional layer of depth and emotion to the experience, demonstrating a thoughtful integration of different artistic elements.

I am also satisfied with the game logic I implemented for the mini-game in my VR project. The logic was well-designed and functioned smoothly, providing an enjoyable and interactive component for users. I think his attention to detail and contributed to the overall quality of the project.

Additionally, I put considerable effort into crafting and refining the scripts for my VR project. While it may have taken a significant amount of time, this dedication paid off, as the scripts were well-structured and effectively conveyed the intended messages and interactions. The scripting aspect is an essential component of VR projects, and I am pleased with the results I achieved.

Moving on to areas that require improvement, I realise that I should have been more discerning when collaborating with sound artists. Although collaboration is about working together towards a creative goal, it is crucial to provide constructive criticism when necessary. By not expressing my preferences or concerns regarding certain sounds, I compromised the auditory experience of my VR project. In the future, I need to assert my artistic vision more clearly while also fostering collaboration.

In addition, it is important to note that due to my health issues, I had to attend the majority of our collaborative meetings over Zoom video calls. While this allowed me to participate and contribute to the project, I must admit that I would have preferred to meet in person. Although virtual meetings provided convenience and flexibility, I recognise the value of face-to-face interactions and the potential for more seamless communication and collaboration. Although I am grateful that my teammates were kind and understanding, in the future, if my health permits, I would aim to prioritise in-person meetings to foster a deeper sense of connection and synergy among the team members.

Another aspect where improvement is needed is time management. I acknowledge that I spent a significant amount of time deciding what to do rather than initiating the project promptly. This delay in starting hindered my progress and resulted in time pressure towards the end. To address this, I should adopt a more proactive approach, embracing the concept of “done is better than perfect” and initiating tasks promptly.

It is important to acknowledge that living with ADHD presented its own set of challenges throughout the project. ADHD can make tasks such as organizing, managing time, and staying focused more difficult. However, despite these challenges, I am proud of the progress I have made. I have implemented strategies to mitigate the impact of ADHD, such as creating detailed schedules, setting reminders, and breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps. By incorporating these strategies, I have been able to improve my overall productivity and maintain better focus on the project. This growth and development are significant accomplishments that demonstrate my determination and resilience in the face of challenges posed by ADHD.

Furthermore, I made the mistake of being overly ambitious by creating an additional scene for my VR project. This decision led to a prolonged search for suitable assets, wasting valuable time that could have been better utilised elsewhere. To avoid such situations in the future, I should consider downloading pre-built scenes that align with my vision, saving time and effort.

Organisational skills and maintaining an efficient project folder structure are areas that require improvement as well. Beginning the project with a well-organised folder structure would have allowed for easier access to assets and improved efficiency throughout the development process. Therefore, next time, I will prioritise organising my project folder from the start to maximize efficiency and minimize unnecessary time spent searching for files.

Lastly, I need to exercise more caution when deleting files to create space. Accidentally deleting the latest version of my project was a heartbreaking mistake. To prevent such unfortunate incidents, I should be more mindful of the files I delete and consider alternative methods for freeing up space or backing up my work regularly.

In conclusion, while there were several commendable aspects of my VR project, including my creativity, narrative development, poetry integration, game logic, and scripting, there were also areas that require improvement, such as being more selective with sound choices, improving time management, avoiding excessive ambition, enhancing organizational skills, and exercising caution when deleting files. By acknowledging these strengths and weaknesses, I can grow as a VR creator and ensure better outcomes in future projects.

The dancers and I wanted something that was other worldly. We agreed on a concept of multidimensional entities transmuting energy in a ritual, I think it offers an opportunity to create a truly unique and immersive experience for viewers. We decided the dancers will dance simultaneously in unison to form one whole entity as well as individual ones. I think the idea of the dancers forming one whole entity as well as individual ones creates a sense of unity and diversity at the same time.

To achieve this, the dancers and I decided to explore different forms of movement and choreography that allow the dancers to move together as a cohesive unit, while also emphasising their individuality. 

For example, we experimented with movements that blend together, creating a seamless flow of energy between the dancers, or contrasting movements that showcase the different personalities and styles of each dancer.

In terms of the overall performance space,I thought a circular formation around the viewer would be particularly effective in creating an immersive 360-degree environment. This setup allows the viewer to be completely surrounded by the dancers, giving them a sense of being at the centre of the ritual.

I also considered using lighting and other visual effects to enhance the otherworldly atmosphere of the performance. For example I thought about using projection mapping to create an ever-changing backdrop that shifts and morphs throughout the performance, adding to the sense of being transported to another realm. But considering level of man-power I had, I decided to keep things as simple as possible.

The dancers and I made a Pinterest board to share visual ideas.

I knew the use of music and sound effects could further enhance the immersive experience. The right music can create a hypnotic, trance-like state that allows the viewer to fully immerse themselves in the performance. Therefore we created a collaborative Spotify playlist and chose a fitting song.

31/03/23

When modelling the environment, I drew inspiration from this image shred on the Pinterest board.

However I decided to reference loosely in order to maintain creative integrity.

I then put it on google drive so Abhay and I could finish it in class.

20/04/23

We added smoke into the scene.

Finished scene.

21/04/23

The dancers uploaded their individual performances on on google drive and I converted the videos into mocap data using the Rokoko browser tool.

However I couldn’t edit the clips or turn them into an FBX file as my computer’s CPU was not compatible with the Apple OS version of the software.

25/04/23

To work around this, I met up at LCC with Abhay and we tried using the university’s computers. Unfortunately none of the computers had Rokoko studio, and tech support staff said they weren’t authorised to download icon a computer for us.

Therefore we opted to use a program called ‘deep motion’ for the time being, and I asked Abhay to use Rokoko on his laptop, and to send me the FBX file.

However the accuracy was appalling, and gave us an awful animation. Due to this, I decided we should should an animation from Mixamo, just so we can set up the simulation nodes, and then import the finalised FBX files later.

We made good progress on the Blender simulation nodes scene and I eventually got the animation looking like this.

Disaster struck once more when I returned to LCC, and found the blender file missing and realised that the computer had been wiped.

I tried to not be too disillusioned, so I worked on the powerpoint, writing slides 2-6

https://lcdsac-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/olivia_foskett_lcds_ac_uk/EeHmSXRdActMibLG1txU3uwBwYPPMYbVU6yOgFEc_EO3Sg?rtime=JlJskjZL20g

2/05/23

Abhay sent me the FBX files and I imported them into blender. However each time I tried to import them, Blender crashed.

I have no clue why this kept happening, I will try again at LCC.

Research

The puzzle game “Mendel,” which was released in 2018, has received accolades for its calming effects. Growing and breeding plants in the game unlocks new species, allowing players to relax and concentrate while exploring the tranquil realm of botany. A sensation of serenity and focus are encouraged by the easy-to-understand mechanics, relaxing sound effects, and background music. Players may monitor their progress and see how their virtual garden is doing as they advance through the game, which gives them a sense of satisfaction and success. Overall, “Mendel” presents a distinctive and engrossing gaming experience that allows players to escape from the pressures and diversions of everyday life, making it a really meditative experience.

In the simulation game Plant Daddy, players are given the task of cultivating and maintaining a virtual garden that is home to a wide variety of plants. Players are required to properly tend to the needs of their plants, making choices that affect their development and growth, and adjusting as their demands change over time. With deep systems and mechanisms that reward careful attention to detail and strategic thinking, the game has a lovely graphic style that belies its depth and complexity. Plant Daddy delivers a complex and immersive gaming environment that is both engaging and demanding, accompanied by a sophisticated and ominous musical score.

A sophisticated simulation experience called Viridi raises the bar for virtual gardening. A rich virtual garden with delicate succulent plants is given to the players to maintain and cultivate. The gameplay is focused on making decisions that will help one’s garden grow and develop, and it necessitates a fine balancing act between strategic thinking and careful attention to detail. The game’s immersive and fascinating qualities are further enhanced by the minimalist design style and ethereal musical accompaniment, which together create a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere. Players have the opportunity to participate in a particularly satisfying and engaging gaming experience with Viridi that mixes elements of simulation, management, and strategy.

A smart and mindful gaming experience called Flower encourages users to interact with a lovely and tranquil virtual world populated by flowers. The wind is controlled by the player, who uses it to direct a petal across a variety of magnificent vistas while also unlocking additional flowers and learning about the world’s mysteries. Players are encouraged to focus on the present moment and let go of tension and distractions thanks to the game’s minimalist design, fascinating soundtrack, and simple controls that create a peaceful and immersive environment. Flower invites players to build mindfulness and improve their general feeling of well-being by offering a serene and quiet experience.

Abzu is a thrilling underwater adventure game that whisks players away to an alluring and mysterious realm. Players in this game set out on an expedition to explore the depths of a sizable ocean and discover the secrets of an ancient civilisation. A tranquil and otherworldly mood is created by the visually amazing images, which are accompanied by a haunting and atmospheric soundtrack. This environment encourages players to thoroughly immerse themselves in the game. Players may easily interact with the undersea world and the variety of marine life that inhabits it thanks to the game’s simple but elegant controls. Abzû gives players a distinctive and enlightening gaming experience that masterfully combines elements of exploration, adventure, and reflection, offering a break from the rigours of reality that is at once peaceful and energising.

A beautiful and illuminating game experience called Journey leads players on a meaningful journey to a far-off mountain. Players take on the role of a robed figure travelling over an expansive, beautifully depicted desert while coming across numerous obstacles and other travellers. Players are encouraged to take their time, reflect, and form relationships in the game’s tranquil and immersive setting thanks to its simple design and ethereal soundtrack. Journey places an emphasis on ambiance above traditional gameplay mechanics, providing a distinctive and enlightening gaming experience.

I already had a concept in mind, and my research has helped me focus my thoughts for gameplay. Given the benefits of virtual reality technology, I believe a meditative plant harvesting world exploring game would be a very fitting genre. 

Immersion: Virtual reality technology offers a level of immersion that is unmatched and is essential to creating an enjoyable and compelling gaming experience. As a result of the players’ complete immersion in the game world, their actions and interactions there are more natural and lifelike. As a result, there is a greater sense of presence and a closer connection with the game world.

Relaxation and Stress Management: This genre has the potential to be used as a therapeutic tool for stress management and relaxation due to the meditative and introspective nature of the game and the calming effects of virtual reality technology. This is crucial in today’s society, when stress levels are frequently high and finding strategies to reduce it is of the utmost importance.

Natural Interactions: The use of hand-held controllers, which offer a more intuitive and natural form of connection with the game world, is one of the defining characteristics of virtual reality technology. As the player is required to carry out tasks like gathering plants, exploring the game world, and engaging with the environment, this is especially pertinent in contemplative plant harvesting games. When these actions are carried out naturally and intuitively, they become more immersive and engaging, improving the player’s entire experience.

Aesthetic Appeal: Compared to typical 2D games, virtual reality technology enables the creation of three-dimensional, 360-degree environments that are more immersive and aesthetically pleasing. As the player can actually look around and explore the world, this improves both the player’s sense of presence within the game world and the environment’s capacity to believability. Further boosting the player’s experience, virtual reality technology may produce a sense of scale and depth that is challenging to reproduce in conventional games.

In conclusion, the meditative and tranquil qualities of a plant harvesting globe exploration game allow for a highly suitable pairing with virtual reality technology. An engaging and meaningful gaming experience may bring peace and tranquilly to an often chaotic world thanks to its immersive nature, relaxation and stress-relieving properties, natural interactions, and aesthetic appeal.

Mood Board:

A moodboard for video games is a tool that aids in defining the appearance and feel of a game. It consists of a selection of pictures, drawings, typography, colour schemes, and other visual components that are meant to capture the intended mood, ambiance, and artistic style of the game. A moodboard serves as a visual reference for everyone working on the game and helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding the desired design direction.

A video game moodboard can have a variety of aspects, depending on the particular goals and objectives of the game, but some of the more typical ones are as follows: • Pictures of locations, people, and items that reflect the desired art style and tone of the game. 

• Colour schemes that are meant to inspire particular feelings and moods as well as establish the tone for the game’s setting. 

• Text styles and typography that support the intended ambiance and mood. 

• Graphics that characterise the game’s aesthetic, such as illustrations. 

• Modeling after games, movies, novels, or other media that fit the desired tone and aesthetic of the game.

The components of a moodboard for a video game can change depending on The importance of mood boards for video games is multifaceted. 

A video game mood board offers a clear and succinct visual depiction of the desired look, feel, and environment of the game. 

Clarifies the vision: This makes it easier to make sure that everyone working on the game’s development, including designers, artists, and programmers, is aware of the desired design direction. 

Promotes communication: Mood boards can be shown to stakeholders, such as publishers and investors, to get their support for the project and to explain the game’s goal.

Enhances consistency: By using a mood board as a guide, game developers and designers can make sure that every element of the game—including the art, sound, and user interface—is in line with the desired tone and style. 

 Saves time and resources: A mood board can help to save expensive revisions and rework by identifying the design direction early in the development process. It saves time and resources that would otherwise be used to repair errors or make adjustments when everyone involved in the game’s production is aware of the desired style and tone.

Inspiration: The production team can find inspiration from a mood board for a video game. The components on the mood board might give designers and artists fresh ideas and inspiration for the game.

Design and prototyping

There are various advantages to prototyping a level for a virtual reality game before it is fully completed, including: 

Testing gameplay mechanics: Before devoting time and money to full production, the development team can test the game mechanics to make sure they are entertaining and engaging. 

 Recognizing technical obstacles: VR games frequently experience particular technical obstacles like motion sickness or tracking problems. The team can recognise and fix these issues early in the development process by prototyping.

 Improving user experience: Before the final game is created, a prototype can assist the development team in identifying any potential issues with the player experience and implementing fixes. with the player experience and make changes before the full game is produced.

Game design refinement: By using prototypes, the developer can improve the game’s layout and make changes in response to user feedback. This may result in a polished and pleasing end result.

For a variety of reasons, developing a glossary for a virtual reality game is crucial. 

 Consistency: A glossary promotes consistency in the vocabulary used in the game by ensuring that all players utilise the same terminology and definitions for important terms and ideas. 

 Clarity: A glossary explains concepts used in the game simply, assisting players in comprehending the environment and gameplay. 

Documentation: A glossary acts as a guide for upcoming game development and maintenance, assisting in preserving the game’s original goal and vision.

The player experience: Players who are unfamiliar with VR games or the particular genre can better grasp the game and the VR technology with the aid of a glossary. This can lessen irritation and enhance the entire gaming experience. 

Localisation: Localisation, or the process of customising a game for several locales and languages, can also be referred to in a glossary. By doing so, it may make sure that the right words are utilised across languages and that the translated versions adhere to the original.

Level prototype  :

White cuboid = Player

 Orange capsule = NPC

Green cubes: Trees 

Pink cylinder = Save point 

Purple half-sphere = Pickup object  

Black border = Sides of game  

Blue plane = Water

Light green plane = Walkable 

This is a 3D environment I have bought from the unity store, I think the alien garden environment is on theme, and the sense of otherworldliness also evokes a sense of stimulation.

For the following reasons, this venue could be a nice place for a meditation game: 

Aesthetic appeal: An alien environment’s distinctive and odd appearance can be visually appealing and engrossing, giving the player an immersive experience. 

Environment sounds that promote relaxation: The rustling of leaves and the chirping of insects can help to create a tranquil and relaxing environment that is perfect for meditation. 

The unusual plants and animals of the jungle can serve as a rich source of inspiration for the player’s imagination, luring them into a relaxed state of profound meditation.

Opportunities for exploration: The user can explore the alien area and find new species and environments, which can provide the player a sense of discovery and adventure and improve their meditation experience.

This is a leaf monster NPC I have bought. I think it would be a NPC because:

A leaf monster’s peculiar appearance adds a creative and visually interesting touch to the game’s jungle setting. This can enhance the game’s visual appeal and provide gamers a more immersive and interesting experience. 

Its inclusion in the game may act as a motivator for gamers to explore new areas. The leaf monster’s enigmatic and alluring appearance might pique gamers’ interest and compel them to explore the jungle in search of new flora. 

For instance, it can be challenging to catch and need a certain number of plants to be collected before it can be caught. This can give the gameplay a deeper level of complexity and present additional obstacles for players to overcome.

It may act as a narrative component in the game, giving players a stronger sense of immersion in the setting. It might play a part in the game’s lore or act as a quest-giver, opening up additional opportunities for players to explore the game’s universe and learn the truth about the leaf monster and the alien jungle. Players may feel more a part of the game’s universe and its characters as a result, which can increase engagement and interest levels.

 Game Mechanics

Game objective: Collect flowers and complete quests

Rules: Player has to play within given area, collect flowers, use save point, and speak to npc to gain quests 

Goal: complete quests and advance to next level when possible, play around and have fun!

Game Storyboard: Player goes to npc to retrieve a quest, listens to music emitted by each plant in order to collect plants specified by npc, goes to save point, then back to npc for the next objective.

When prototyping, a game storyboard outlining the game mechanics might be quite useful. It gives the game’s flow a visual representation, and it enables the developer to see how all the mechanisms work together. This can ensure that the final product satisfies the required aims and objectives and assist detect any potential issues early in the development process.

For the player to finish a mission, there are various steps in the game mechanics. An NPC (non-player character) gives the player a quest to gather a certain amount of plants in the beginning. The player must listen to the music that each plant emits in order to harvest the plants. According to the NPC, the music will influence what kind of plant the player should gather. The player must visit a save point after gathering the necessary plants in order to save their progress. The player then goes back to the NPC to get the next objective. This kind of feature incorporates exploration and resource management into the game by requiring the player to interact with the NPC, gather resources, and save their progress. 

Main functions

Initially the plants had been called flowers, as I was going to use a different 3D environment, but I’ve chosen not to change the script in order to minimise risk. Plants have an enum that determines the colour of the plant. I have implemented a flower manager that allows me to choose specific colour for the plant. I am also able to determine how many leaves each plant gives. These are later on used for quest purposes. Each plant has a script called ‘player detection’ which uses a boundary box that works by a trigger when the player is in range. This then plays a specific audio related to the specific plant. That allows the player to determine which plants are in the area.

Once the plants have been collected they are removed from the map (in this case they are being disabled and not deleted). This makes the player able to collect all the plants around the zone. This means the player has to take action in order to respawn the plants. For this reason I have created a ‘sleep’ script which is placed on a fire pit that is stationed on the map. When the player gets near to the fire, he is able to a button to sleep. This will use a fade out – fade in effect with black background indicating that the player is sleeping and waking up. After the player wakes up, all the plants will be respawned around the map, furthermore, alongside the set effect (fade out fade in) the audio is also played. The process lasts 1-2 seconds. 

The ai character inside the game also has quest scripts implemented. When the user collects enough flowers indicated by the quest, the user should get in range of the ai and press the button to give back all the plants. Only the player is able to request another quest from the ai. If the user has not completed the previous quests they will be unable to have a new quest. 

The quest script has a variety of functions that it deals with. Firstly, it randomises the kind of plant colour the player has to pick up, this contains an equal distribution, the second step will determine using the plant colour information, how many plants the player has to pick. This is done due to the fact that there is a lot more green plants than red plants. This also means if the player has to pick up 100 red plants it will take hours to do so, for this reason, the balance has been implemented. The quest manager also keeps track of the amount of plants that need to be collected and given back, which also allows the player to give back flowers in batches. When the game starts the player obtains the first quest automatically, after that, the player has to meet the requirement of having to give back a certain amount of flowers before they can take a new quest. This is done on purpose so the game doesn’t automatically create a new quest for the player but allows the player to decide when the new quest should be started. Each time the player performs the action of giving the flowers back to get a new quest, the flower manager will send an update of the information displayed on the UI by changing the text and colour if needed. 

Another script known as inventory script has been implemented, which stores the information on how many plants the user currently has, starting from 0. The inventory listens to 2 different scripts, one of them being Questlogic which tells when certain plants should be removed from the inventory bag and how many. The second script is called pickup flower, within the flower manager which will tell the inventory how many plants to add and what type. 

Lastly, for easier implementation and working on the project workspace was designed without using VR but instead, a basic mouse camera was implemented. This allows the player to play the game in 3d rather than VR and helps in testing of any implementation performed without the need to plug in a VR headset which can be a health hazard for the tester when 100a of tests must be performed and the games have to be restarted multiple times.

Playtest

A playtest often consists of a number of actions intended to assess and enhance a game while it is still in the development stage. Depending on the game, the specific tasks required in playtesting may vary, however some frequent components include: 

User testing entails getting users to try out the game and give their opinions. Informally play sessions where players are free to explore the game at their own leisure or formal usability testing where players are required to perform certain tasks can both be used for this. Bug Testing: This involves finding and fixing any technical issues or glitches that arise during play. This can include issues with the game’s performance, such as framerate drops, or problems with the game’s controls or mechanics.

Testing for balance involves assessing the game’s level of difficulty and making necessary changes to make sure that it is both difficult and not frustrating for players. This may entail modifying the difficulty of specific levels, altering the potency of in-game skills or weapons, or tweaking other gameplay mechanics. 

User Interface Testing: This involves assessing the user interface of the game, including its menus and control schemes, to make sure that it is simple to use and intuitive. This may entail altering the design, including new features, or improving those that already exist. 

Gathering player feedback entails finding out what the players thought of the game overall as well as on the controls, visuals, sound, and other aspects.

For VR games, playtesting is essential for a number of reasons: 

User Experience: Unlike typical video games, VR games demand a special level of immersion. Playtesting ensures that the mechanics, controls, and overall design of the game are simple to understand and comfortable for players, lowering the possibility of motion sickness and other unfavourable side effects. 

Playtesting can reveal problems with a game’s gameplay mechanics, such as difficulty balancing, which might reduce a player’s pleasure of the experience. A better player experience can be achieved by making modifications to aspects of the game that may be too easy or too difficult.

Technical Problems: A variety of technical requirements, such as device compatibility and performance optimization, are frequently present in VR games. Playtesting aids in locating any potential technical difficulties, such as bugs, framerate decreases, or compatibility concerns, allowing you to fix them before to release. 

Level Design: Playtesting can give you useful information on the level design of your VR game, such as where the player might become lost, stuck, or run into other issues. This can assist you in enhancing the game’s general structure and flow.

User feedback: Playtesting gives you the chance to get immediate feedback on your game from players. In order to make sure that your VR game matches the needs and expectations of your target audience, this input can be immensely helpful in directing your development process.

Sources

3D Models:

NPC (leaf monster) –  https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/character/other/character113-leaf-monster

3D environment – https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/environments/sci-fi/alien-planets-vol-3-204886

Campfire – https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/bonfire-lowpoly-5bfbb9ff05fa4d139affb7af5fecee3f

Resources:

Configuring your Unity Project for XR

https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/configuring-project-for-xr.html

Set Up Development Environment

https://developer.oculus.com/documentation/unity/book-unity-gsg/

GETTING STARTED DEVELOPING FOR VR

Developing for VR with Quest 2 & Unity for the First Time – A Step-by-Step Guide

Control your camera to look around using mouse in Unity

Introduction to VR in Unity – PART 1 : VR SETUP

Unity VR Game Basics – PART 7 – Continuous Movement

Beginning C# with Unity – (Parts 1- 24 Watched) – Getting Started

Learn C# Scripting for Unity in 15 Minutes (2023 Working)

Full Unity Course – Learn Coding in C# by Building Games

Beginner-friendly script tutorials

Unity Tutorial for Beginners – C# Coding

Chatting with NPCS – GAME dialog – unity3d ink

How to Pick up and Drop Objects/Items! (First and Third Person, Unity Tutorial)

Creating An Inventory System in Unity

Unity INVENTORY: A Definitive Tutorial

Unity 5 Tutorial: Quest System #1 – The Quest Class (Videos 1-7 watched)

Music:

Clean Bad Soul Energy 417 Hz

Most Divine Frequency 963 Hz

Solfeggio Frequencies 852 Hz

639 Hz Connecting Relationships I Music to balance emotions I Solfeggio Healing Frequency

396 Hz Let Go of Fear & Guilt

Critical reflection 

Multiple issues were encountered when developing the VR game in Unity using C#. One of the biggest problems was the camera, which was used to navigate about the area but wasn’t made expressly for 3D or VR movement. The gamer found it challenging to navigate because of this. This issue may have been resolved by implementing a suitable 3D camera for testing.

One problem was the inverted keys, which caused difficult-to-navigate movement on the Z and X axes anytime the player changed direction. This was fixed by reducing the colliders’ radius, which made it simpler for the player to pick up single flowers.

The large colliders linked to the flowers caused them to be picked up too rapidly, which was another problem. The solution to this issue was merely adding colliders to the parent prefab, which was then applied to the bulk of the children, hence minimising the amount of manual work. However, not all flowers could be picked up since some of them were improperly unpacked when the asset owner first placed them on the map. To rectify this, manual work was needed.

Additionally, the accompanying music wasn’t playing, some plants may be picked up. This occurred as a result of improper flower unpacking, which prevented the collider attachment on the parent prefab from functioning on the particular child. 

New quests also had problems, such as the same task being delivered repeatedly and script communication problems that prevented the quest from updating or falling into negative values. This was fixed by modifying the system and enhancing script connectivity, which allowed quests to be accurately shown and refreshed. The likelihood of receiving the same mission twice was decreased for the new tasks.

Another problem included the NPC, where the collider was broken and the player and NPC’s conversation either never happened or happened after the player departed. Multiple colliders were made, one of which prohibited the player from passing through the NPC while the other served as a trigger to rectify this. Due to communication problems between the NPC and the UI, there was also a problem with the NPC not speaking to the player properly. This was resolved by adding a special action that activated the user interface (UI) as soon as the player approached the NPC and delivered a predetermined random text to the UI.

Due to the flowers being allocated to a separate parent with a different texture, unexpected things were also being picked up. By personally repairing the assets and checking every flower to make sure the right ones were being picked up with the right sound and texture, this problem was fixed. 

The simultaneous play of all sounds in the game made it challenging to distinguish between them. This was fixed by creating a range system between the player and the flower, which altered the loudness in response to the player’s proximity and improved the ability to distinguish between the sounds.

The size of the colliders and occasional errors also caused the player to occasionally fall through the map. This was fixed by conducting further research and testing on the map to repair the problematic regions.

I believe the following additions would improve the game: 

Animation: The user experience may be substantially improved by adding animations to the AI characters’ behaviours, plant growth, and other interacting items in the game. Animations for the AI’s inactive state, strolling, conversing, and responding to player activities can all be included in this. The plants’ growth and colour changes as well as those of other environmental elements like rocks, trees, and rivers may all be animated. The use of animations may assist make the game environment come to life and increase immersion.

Weather system: Including weather effects like snow or rain may give the setting a more immersive and dynamic feel. The weather system may use a random number generator as its foundation or follow a predetermined timetable. Different weather conditions might change how the game is played by lowering visibility, blocking access to some regions, or changing the auditory scenery. 

Day/Night cycle: Including a day/night cycle that changes the lighting, background music, and other game effects may significantly enhance the mood of the game. The lighting may be pleasant and brilliant during the day and eerie and black at night. This may have an impact on how the player travels through and interacts with the environment, as well as how the AI character and other NPCs behave.

Particle effects: I could improve the game’s quality by including particle effects for certain actions like picking up a plant or dozing off by the fire. The visual impacts of rain or snow can be improved by adding particle effects to the weather system. Particle effects may be utilised to improve visual appeal and give the gaming environment a more lively feeling.

Variable gameplay: This can involve including adversaries or other challenges for the player to conquer. Combat can be introduced gradually, beginning with easy foes and becoming more challenging as the player advances. As a result, the game will be harder and more interesting for the player. I would also think about including a wider variety of objects that are more challenging to obtain. For instance, there can be rare things that can only be located in particular places or objects that are more difficult to get because of barriers or adversaries defending them. The player will be motivated to explore more and the game will get more difficult as a result. The game will grow more sophisticated and interesting for players by incorporating both combat action and a wider variety of things, which can assist to maintain their interest and keep them playing for longer.

Inventory management: If I had a wider variety of objects, I would put in place a mechanism for classifying and arranging them so that players could simply keep track of the things they had amassed. Items can be arranged in this way according to kind, colour, or task. The player’s total quantity of goods gathered, the items they still need to collect, and the stuff they’ve returned to the AI character can all be seen on the inventory management system’s display.

NPC challenges: Adding more tough NPCs, such as one that pursues the player, may make the game harder and make it more replayable. The NPC may follow the player, assault the player, or make an effort to impede their progress, among other AI rules and behaviours. By presenting players with fresh obstacles to conquer, tough NPCs may make the game feel more exciting and dangerous and boost replayability.

Interacting with the environment may be made easier by including more interactive elements in the environment, such as trees, rivers, and rocks that can be scaled. Players may encounter fresh difficulties as a result of these things, such as dodging dangers, traversing rivers, or climbing up trees. Players may be given fresh options for exploration through interactive items, opening up fresh perspectives inside the game’s universe.

Save/load system: Including a store/load system that enables players to save their progress and come back to the game at a later time can increase the game’s accessibility and general enjoyment. The save/load system has the capacity to save details about the player’s present location, the state of the surrounding area, and the progress of any open missions. As a result, gamers won’t have to restart their game from scratch and may pick up where they left off. Since players may try out various play styles and techniques without having to start again, the save/load mechanism can also make the game more replayable.

I am pleased with the way the game came out. First off, gamers may have engaging dialogues with the AI character thanks to the carefully thought-out and planned speech and character scripts for the AI. The player’s input affects the AI’s replies, which are then decided by a random number created by C#, providing an element of unpredictability and increasing the game’s replayability.

The flower manager in the game works in conjunction with an enum to decide the colour of the plants. The player will have complete control over all of the game’s plants. Another clever feature is the player detection script, which uses auditory signals to notify players of approaching plants. It is clear that I have taken into account the player’s progress by allowing the opportunity to reset it, if necessary, by being able to remove plants from the map after they have been harvested and then resurrect them using a sleep script.

Players may complete a range of activities that are generated randomly using different plant colours and dependent on the existence of specific plants in the game thanks to the game’s robust quest system. The quest manager keeps track of the player’s progress and ensures that they are unable to start a new quest until they have completed the one they are presently on. 

The inventory system was carefully considered; to keep track of the player’s progress and inventory, two additional scripts—Questlogic and Pickup Flower—are monitored by the inventory script. Players must be able to keep track of how many plants they have gathered in order to finish the assignments.

A basic mouse camera was used to construct the project workspace rather than employing virtual reality, which streamlines the testing process and removes any potential health dangers for testers. Additionally, it removes the difficulty of playing the game in VR for some players and makes it simpler for them to play in 3D.

In conclusion, creating the VR game in Unity using C# was a difficult but worthwhile effort. Although there were initially issues with the camera, movement, colliders, and flowers, the development team was able to fix these problems and enhance the player’s overall gameplay experience. The addition of the AI voice and character, mission scripts, and inventories gave the game more complexity and engagement. The testing procedure was made easier and more productive by using a standard mouse camera rather than VR. The result is a relaxing and aesthetically pleasing game.

When building the game, I was unable to move around the scene once it was in VR. This is maybe because the references and Standard provided by the Unity Team have not been working properly, possibly due to the version of Unity or software within the Oculus Quest device. Here were the settings used:

Week 1

In the first class, when I learned about computer vision, I began to consider how AI art may employ it. I believe my essay theme will be AI art. I have found out that because computer vision is a branch of AI that studies how computers can interpret and comprehend visual data, there is a direct connection between computer vision and AI art. AI art frequently uses this technology to produce images, movies, and other types of media that can react to and interact with their surroundings. AI art, for instance, can be used to make interactive works that react to the presence of people or to produce whole new pictures or films each time they are seen. AI can also be used to produce art by leveraging the technology to make original pictures or films that aren’t reliant on previously collected information but rather on the output of the AI model itself.

Weeks 2 & 3

Since AI art can be used to produce visual elements that may be used in visual storytelling, such as photographs, videos, and animations, I started to draw connections between it and visual storytelling after the lectures on the topic. AI can also be used to analyse and interpret visual content in order to better comprehend and advance the narrative. A video can be analysed using an AI algorithm to find critical frames or sequences that are important to the plot, or it can be used to create new visual elements that will create dynamic visual narratives.

Week 4

I realised that AI art might be regarded as a form of simulacra after learning about Baudrillard’s theory of simulacra and simulation. It is a representation or imitation of something that is real or imagined. Instead of using traditional art-making methods, AI art is created using computer software and algorithms, and it frequently imitates the look or aesthetics of works of human-made art. Additionally, AI art can be utilised to produce brand-new types of artwork that aren’t conceivable using conventional techniques as well as to imaginatively alter already-existing works of art. AI art is a type of simulacra because it may imitate, produce, or manipulate art in ways that are challenging or impossible to do with conventional techniques.

Week 5

I have decided that my essay will be on whether AI can be considered real art. I plan to discuss the various grounds for and against the use of AI in art as well as the controversy over whether such art is actually art. I also want to outline how AI can be used in novel and creative ways, such as a tool for art creation.

Week 6

This week Schemata theory jumped out to me. I feel like it may be utilised to guide the development of AI art-generating algorithms. Schema theory, for instance, might be used to direct the creation of AI algorithms that produce art that is more accessible or relatable to human viewers by understanding how individuals absorb and understand visual information. Researchers may be able to better understand how people view and interact with AI-generated art by using schema theory to examine the cognitive processes that take place when people watch it.

Week 7

In this week’s lecture, the topic of Constructivism was covered. In that algorithms and computer processes are used to generate the artwork rather than more conventional human-centred methods like drawing or painting, AI art can be seen as a sort of constructivism. AI art comes within the constructivism movement, which stresses the role of the artist as a constructer rather than a creator. This is because the artist uses computational tools to create the artwork. The interaction of technology and art, as well as how new technologies can be employed to generate new forms of artistic expression, is another topic of interest for constructivism and AI art.

Week 8

After learning about Mimesis in this week’s lecture, I have deduced that AI employs technology to duplicate or imitate some characteristics of human creativity, it might be viewed as a type of mimesis. AI can be used, for instance, to create new music or visuals that mimic works by people. Some AI artwork is made explicitly to imitate the styles of well-known painters, while other AI artwork is made using more abstract or experimental techniques. Although it’s important to remember that not all AI art mimics human creativity or reality; some AI art is produced utilising more unconventional and non-representational techniques.

Week 9

I worked on my essay more. I have the full argument structure outlined, and I’m now embellishing my arguments by inserting sources. Since the field of AI art creation is relatively new, it was quite hard to find sources pertinent to my specific essay. Therefore the majority of my inferences within the essay were mine alone, however, I doubt they will be heavily contested since they are simply concepts within AI art creation that have been taken to their logical conclusion.

Week 10

After learning about Semiotics, I’ve found that although artificial intelligence and semiotics are two distinct disciplines, they can be related in the context of art produced by AI. The study of signs, symbols, and the meaning they convey through communication is known as semiotics. Semiotics can be applied to the context of AI-generated art to examine the signs and symbols present in the work and to decipher the meaning or message the artwork is trying to convey. On the other side, AI may produce art utilising techniques and algorithms like computer vision, generative models, and neural networks. Based on patterns and guidelines they have discovered from a dataset of existing art, these AI models can be trained to produce photos, movies, and other types of art. The meaning that the artwork expresses and the ways in which the algorithm reflects that meaning can be understood by analysing AI-generated art using semiotic techniques.

Essay Process

A formidable issue while writing my essay was a lack of focus and direction. This is because I knew roughly what I wanted to focus on, however, I had not clearly defined the main purpose of the essay. This meant that at first I included a lot of irrelevant information and went off-topic frequently. For example, I wanted to include what I had learned from each lecture and linked to AI art creation. After many tenuous links to each lecture topic were made, I ultimately decided that this was compromising the clarity of my essay. I realised that to overcome this, it is fundamental to have a clear essay title in mind – this would aid me in staying on topic and provides direction and purpose for the remainder of the essay. Having clearer guidelines also would have helped, to serve as a road map and assist my thought and concept organisation, as well as guarantee I only had details relevant to my line of argument.

Throughout the writing process, one thing I think I excelled in was idea generation. I had a lot I wanted to say, and at first I was 1000 words over the word count. It was sad to have to delete things I was quite proud of. Despite the lack of publications relating to AI art, I enjoyed the fact that this gave me the freedom to come to my own conclusions surrounding the topic. To form my arguments I adopted a process called ‘freewriting’ this is a technique where I wrote down whatever came to my mind for a predetermined amount of time, without caring about grammar, punctuation, or organisation. This helped me generate a lot of ideas in a relatively short amount of time, as well as ignite my creative thinking ability.

Another problem I had while writing this essay was time management, which has been a recurrent theme throughout my academic experience so far. It most often comes about when I’m so confident in my ability to do something efficiently and to a good standard, that it envelops me into a false sense of security – I start to feel as if I’ve already finished my work before I’ve even started it. Although in this project I made an effort to overcome this. This was through the means of making a schedule that dictated the routine for writing the essay. This worked quite effectively up until Christmas when I decided to take a break for a few days. Very pleased with my progress so far, I allowed a break of a few days to turn into a break of a few weeks – they say old habits die hard.

In conclusion, time management and lack of focus and direction were the main difficulties encountered while writing this essay. It was discovered that having a distinct essay title and instructions made it easier to stay on subject and gave the essay a purpose and focus. Freewriting was additionally a useful tool for coming up with ideas and sparking my imagination. However, time management proved to be a persistent problem, and attempts to address it, including

developing a schedule, was successful but not fully implemented. Overall I am happy with my essay and look forward to the feedback I will receive.

I initially started by manually copying and pasting red spheres in the fountain, but I quickly realised that this was an inefficient use of my time and that there had to be a more effective way. Following some investigation, I came to the conclusion that I could make use of the particle simulator.

After placing a particle emitter in the scene, I activated the game to see what it would do. The output consisted of small particles, so I altered the shape to make them into spheres and then altered the particle size because they were excessively large.

After observing that the balls were coming into contact with one another, I activated the’self collide’ setting.

From this angle, the balls would fill up the fountain, but a good number of them would bounce off and go in different directions. This was something I did not want because the lifetime of the particles was infinite, and there was no way for me to get rid of them. In an effort to find a solution to this problem, I played around with the settings pertaining to collision strength, friction, and stickiness in search of the optimal combination of these three factors.

As soon as I realised that the water feature in the middle of the fountain was the primary source of my issues, as it was causing the balls to bounce off of it, I made the decision to temporarily remove it from the fountain. to reintroduce once I had completed everything.

After that, I used some keyframes to ensure that the fountain appeared to be full while simultaneously concealing the emission source.

I started off by constructing a couple of Spanish townhouses, one of which featured the traditional window bars, and the other featured some small balconies. I began by extruding what would become the platform, after which I inserted some edge loops so that I could make the balconies.
On the other hand, I was experiencing some difficulties with the extrusions.

I was having trouble inserting edge loops; however, for this particular part, I had to insert each edge loop individually. For other parts, I had no trouble inserting a single edge loop. After doing some research, I discovered that this was occurring because certain edges were not connected to one another.

When it came to one of the components, I was unable to insert an edge loop at all. To work around this issue, I decided to delete the faces of the part that I was unable to insert the edge loop into, fill the hole, then extrude and attempt to insert the edge loop once more. However, I was unable to patch up the gap for some unknown reason.

For one part, I couldn’t insert an edge loop at all. To get around this I decided to delete the faces of the part I couldn’t put the edge loop into, fill the hole, then extrude and try to insert the edge loop again. But for some reason I wasn’t able to fill the hole. 

By moving two edges I realised I had accidentally made them overlap with other edges, and therefore couldn’t fill the hole in the traditional way, as I couldn’t use mesh>fill hole, and the bridge feature required equal numbers of boarder edges to be selected. 

To overcome this I selected mesh tools > create polygon, held down V, and selected the points I wanted to make in order to form the polygon to fill the hole. Then reversed the face as it came out black.

While making a house, I put a door texture on it but it showed up very zoomed in. To get around this I extracted the door and selected UV > Automatic. 

However the texture was still not in the right place, so in the attribute editor and changed the UV coordinates.

I acted similarly for the other UVs in my scene.

For my windows I used the same image but experimented with the translate and coverage settings in order to make it look like different types of windows with different window pane styles are on the buildings. I think I was quite successful with this.

Since the festival I’m basing my animation on is about tomato throwing, I wanted to create tomato splatters  around the scene. At first I had the idea of cutting a splatter shape out of a flat plane. But after researching other options I realised I could achieve a more detailed effect if I put a PNG image of a blood splatter onto a plane and then duplicate it and place it around my scene. I wanted each splatter to look a bit different so I rotated and scaled them accordingly. 

For the animation, I chose to have Tomatina fall down, exhausted, and traumatised. I feel like this animation is rather fitting, since she has just witnessed ‘La Tomatina’ festival in full force – essentially a

genocide of her people.

While animating I added a skydome light and started doing some test renders with the Arnold renderer since I had used aistandardsurface materials. To my surprise, the tomato splatters would show up with a black background – confusing since I had used a png and supposed the background of the image would appear transparent in the render. 

I started researching what could be causing this but ended up more confused than I already was. On Maya help forum chats people recommended using TIF as the render format, however this did not work. I ultimately decided to move on and not waste anymore time trying to fix it – It could have been something I could have come back to if I had the time, but in end I didn’t.

I added a picture of a blue sky to the skydome light, but when rendered a blank image plate would appear.

 In my quest to get rid of it I pulled out all the stops; trying to find it in the outliner, changing the light photo, deleting it in the hyper shade editor, only to still have it haunt me, and even grouping all the objects in my scene and  exporting them to a different one yet the image plane still plagued my scene. This problem was the most annoying of all, as it was very visible and distracting. In the end the image plane bested me and I admitted defeat.

To add some more brightness, I changed the exposure setting under the camera’s shape node in the Arnold section. I did this rather than add Arnold lights because I wanted the general scene to be brighter, not specific areas.

I checked the Arnold render settings, made sure it was using the right camera (perspective), moved to find the right angle for the scene, then hit render sequence.

I first made Tomatina by starting to model hands attached to a normal sphere, my tutor told me that I needed to use a quad sphere for the sake of the topology. 

I started again and chose to enhance Tomatina by extruding arms, legs, feet and fingers. This time I had the foresight to slice the sphere in half to then mirror it later, so the model is guaranteed to be symmetrical. 

After mirroring I smoothed the mesh and added eyes, to make eyelashes I first tried scaling a cylinder to be pointy then bending them with the bend non-linear deformer to them manually place on the eye. However this was very time consuming and I couldn’t space out the individual lashes equally. I then decided to select vertices on the sphere, to them chamfer and extrude from them, this worked really well and ensured the lash spacing was equal. 

I tried a lot of different ways to do the lips, I started making some realistic ones, but in the end I decided to be true to my original design and opted for some cartoon-like ones. I got a pipe then added edges, selected vertices, and manipulated them into the shape of lips. The big challenge was attaching the lips to the character, as in the end the lips were straight, not curved – which they needed to be if there were to fit round Tomatina. I first used the bend tool, which didn’t work, then the shrink-wrap tool which didn’t work with the distance threshold 

Even when I changed it to ‘closest if no intersection it didn’t work’  

I then thought to go to the cloth simulator and see if it would help. I smoothed the lips to give them some real geometry, made them an ncloth, then made Tomatina a passive collider. I gave the lips a burlap preset and changed the gravity direction to +X rather than -Y, which would make it fall to the floor and not onto Tomatina.  

At first there was some collision distance, I learnt that when we put a collider on something, as a default it’s not going to match the object’s skin exactly, there will be some space as a buffer around the object. To get around this I turned the collision thickness down to zero but I got clipping problems, so I changed it to 0.01. I then changed the playback speed in my preferences to ‘play every frame’ as a remembered that the physics would work best when calculated frame by frame. I also changed ‘max payback speed’ to 24 fps so if there’s processing left over, it will be capped off at 24 fps as otherwise the process would speed through the timeline too fast. 

I then deleted the history of the lips to destroy the residual cloth physics and deleted all the ncloth things from my outliner.

When it comes to rigging, I am aware that traditionally, we are to begin at the pelvis bone because it is the root joint, and everything emanates from there. This is something that I am familiar with. First, I performed an x-ray on the model and masked the lips and hair in case they came in the way of the planned centring interpolation. I also masked the hair in case it got in the way of the predicted centring interpolation. When I reached the foot, I decided not to put a joint in the bend in the foot as my character because she is wearing high heels, which would be stiff, meaning that there would be no need for a heel roll. When I started rigging my character normally, by making new joints and parenting them, I reached the foot and decided not to put a joint in the bend in the foot as my character because she is wearing high heels. I made an effort to position myself as precisely as possible so that the skinning process would go off without a hitch. I was aware that rays would be shot at each vertex to determine which aspects of the mesh are to be controlled the most and the least, so I wanted to make sure that my positioning was as precise as it could be.

As soon as I rigged the first leg of my character, I started thinking more about the character’s adaptability. I realised that having my character bend her back would not look natural and “tomato-like” if it contorted, so I moved the pelvic joint up to have one bone right in the centre of the model and started a joint chain on the arm. 

I named it and then made a copy of it, but then I noticed that I had already made a copy of the root in the middle of the rig. After that, I realised that I would need to pick each joint separately before making another copy of it.

I then began the process of inverse kinematics such that when I moved a single end joint, the complete chain would also move along with it. I started by making an IK handle, and then I chose the hand joint and the shoulder joint so that the IK constraint would go up the arm. As I attempted to move the arm, I became aware that its joint was situated too far forward, which caused the elbow to bend in the incorrect direction when I bent it. As a result, I unparented the elbow joint from the shoulder and hand on both sides, then used shift selection to move both elbow joints back slightly before reparenting them. After moving the chain once more, I noticed that the elbow was moving all over the place. As a result, I made the decision to add a second constraint or pole vector in order to regulate the direction in which the elbow is pointing. Because the pole vector and the join chain got too close together the first time I tried it, the join chain inverted itself to point at the locator. To accomplish this, I used a locator as the signpost and placed it in the joint. After that, I pulled it back so that there was some distance between the pole vector and the join chain. After that, I limited the pole vector and the IK, and the elbow began moving in a more regulated manner; as a result, it was closer to the way an elbow would be pointed in real life. After that, I came to the conclusion that the bones had, for some unknown cause, become displaced. The pole vector was to blame for this problem. After that, the pole vector and the chain’s handle were limited, and the pole vector was adjusted downward in order to align the fingers.

After that, I began to work on moving the finger joints to make them appear more natural. To do this, I first unparented the joints at the fingers, and then I lifted the centre joints so that the IKs could flex. I began by adding IK handles to the fingers, then after that, I added pole vectors to the IK handles themselves.

After that came the part where you add the animation controls. I decided to use a circle as the controller for turning her hips and head, so I made one and attached it to the central joint in the main body of the character. I paused the changes, produced a copy of it, then rotated and sacredd it. After that, I snapped it to a shoulder and made the main body controller its parent. I repeated those steps with a second circle in order to construct the controller for the wrist. As a visual representation of the hierarchy, I made the shoulder controller significantly larger than the wrist controller.

During the process of attaching an animation controller to the thumb, I came to the realisation that I should have modelled it so that it was parallel to the fingers and the direction the body was facing. This is because when I freeze objects, the pivot reverts to the world’s base, but the thumb was sticking out at a 45 degree angle. I turned the controller to try to match the direction that the thumb was pointing, and then I pushed control g to make a null object. This was my attempt to get around the problem. Then, I parented the null to the wrist, and then I parented the left thumb to the null. Finally, I snapped the empty null object to the thumb, rotated it so that it aligned with the controller, and parented the null to the wrist. Because of this, when I froze the transformations of the thumb, the axis arrows remained relative to one another. This is because freezing transformations causes the object to orient itself relative to its parent. In the event that there is no parent, it will be aligned with the global axis.

After that, I chose the wrist controller, followed by the IK handle wrist, and then I went to confine the wrist. I then went on to complete it for the fingers by recreating the same process with the finger controllers and IK handles and choosing the constrain > point option each time. After that, I attached the IK handles for the fingers to the wrists of the respective hands. After selecting the controllers and then the wrist to constrain>orient, I switched on’maintain offset.’ I then followed the process with the other animation controllers, for example, selecting a parent constraint for the main body controller. This allowed the wrist to spin correctly. After selecting the controllers, I first created a group and then cloned that group. Next, I went to the channel box and typed -1 into the box labeled’scale z.’ This allowed me to copy the controllers across to the opposite side of the body.

After I had finished skinning and weight painting my character, I ran into issues with the rig, as it kept detaching from my character and causing me frustration. The first three times this occurred, I unparented the character, repositioned the joints, then reparented and skinned it. However, after this kept happening, I realised there was only so much I could do to fix it.

Another troubling thing happened that I was unable to resolve. When I would bend Tomatina’s legs the slightest bit, her main body would be effected, looking like she was ripped when rendered. This was very confusing to me, as I had weight painted each leg to what I thought was a reasonably high standard.

I had no clue what was going on, and despite my best efforts couldn’t fix it, as google had no answers.

La Tomatina festival held in the Valencian town of Buol, in the east of Spain, in which participants throw tomatoes and engage in a tomato fight solely for entertainment. The assignment brief was to make a character for a game that would be based on a festival and I think La Tomatina lends itself to a game rather well. If we were to apply the theory that rounded shapes are more cute appealing, I would say that the shape of a tomato would make people think my character is approachable and friendly, that’s until they get to know her personality.

I am taking inspiration from the festival ‘La Tomatina’ in Valencia. My thinking was that a tomato called ‘Tomatina’ would could make a simple yet striking design, and would be recognisable and engaging to children. Her round shape will be fitting with a the ‘cute’ brief and bright red colour striking and distinguishable from other characters.

However I want to differentiate my character from others in different ways. In some way, looks and personality wise she won’t be the archetypal female cartoon character. Typically male characters are the plain ‘default’ and women the accessorised variation. This is can be illustrated by Pac-man and Ms Pac-man and Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

As a standalone character, Tomatina will be the ‘default’ however that will not meant she will be plain. I want to satirise the accessorised female character by exaggerating their typical attributes. My character Tomatina will be an instagram influencer, the often ridiculed profession, stereotyped as undertaken by vain, image obsessed women. I will not be breaking down stereotypes in this instance, in fact I will be playing to them. Tomatina will have her nails long, her lips pumped full of filler, and a face full of makeup. I don’t personally identify with any of these attributes, nor am I trying to make an overtly political statement, in fact my decision stemmed from my encounter with the term ‘Yassification”.

The definition and origin of the term can be found here:

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/yassification

In essence, I wanted to create a Yassified tomato because I think it’s funny.

My next post will contain my designs.

The editing phase went really smoothly; however, I did notice that there were a few quotes that could have benefited from being segmented and paraphrased for more clarity; therefore, I did both of those things. I also recognised that I had committed the error of writing contractions throughout the entirety of my essay (such as can’t, it’s, don’t, etc.), which created the appearance that the writing was written in a casual manner. In order to make everything more clear, I went through and updated all of the abbreviations to their proper forms.

I I also became aware that I had gotten the citations for the Harvard style a bit mixed up. I amended the issue by looking up the proper way to cite sources on Google, after which I corrected everything and remembered to arrange my references in alphabetical order.

After going back over my conclusion, I realised that I had not connected the metaverse to the simulacra in an adequate manner, so I went ahead and established that connection. Because I also believed that it would be a good approach to tie the example of my pizza to that of Disneyland, I did so.

I thought that increasing the spacing to 1.5 might make the text easier to read, so I made that adjustment. This is only a reflection of my own preferences, since I find it fairly difficult to read texts with narrow spacing, whereas writings with wider spacing are significantly simpler to read.

In addition, I discovered a number of mistakes, the presence of which I was very much surprised not to have seen earlier but which, on the other hand, I am relieved to have discovered in advance of the submission deadline. I went back and fixed them, and then went back over my document a couple more times to look for anything that I could have missed. I believe that in order to stop anything like this from happening again in the future, I will ask one of my friends if they would be willing to read my essay. This is because fresh pairs of eyes are more likely to identify any issues.

In the end I couldn’t decide which route to take as I felt I had so many good options so I chose to go with Bauldrillard’s theory of hyperreality and how it related to the metaverse. I am currently reading Simulacra and simulation, I quite honestly find to be badly written. I think the vast majority of individuals, and especially those who enjoy reading postmodern or deconstructionist literature, mistake obscurity for depth. As is typical of many (post)structuralists of his heritage, Baudrillard inundates the reader with obtuse statements and proclamations that are devoid of any importance that can be directly observed such the fact that we live in a world that is saturated with media; the proliferation of images that are constantly around us is made possible by technological advances. Baudrillard establishes a supposedly comprehensive system of semantic conceptualisation centred on the very original, “nothing means anything.” This is in place of an interpretation of this reality that is cohesive and clearly defined. Reading it is the perfect activity for nihilists and academics who take pleasure in self-reflection and circular reasoning, but not for a university student desperately searching for a clear, logical meaning so that she may write a somewhat coherent essay. I believe he was ahead of his time despite the fact that I find his discoveries both obvious and sometimes partially difficult to grasp. It is too reductive to note that his findings are obvious after reading them, but it is more difficult to form that judgement on your own.

Due to the fact that I am currently writing said essay, I regret reading the whole book. I wanted to have a comprehensive understanding because I thought that it would make the process of writing an essay simpler; however, I now realise that my pursuit of that understanding was completely worthless and has, in fact, slowed me down. When all I needed to do was analyse the argument’s primary points, suddenly I find that I have a lot to say about it. Because of this, I have inadvertently gone over the word limit by a total of 500 words. In all candour, I brought this upon myself because I naively forgot to activate the word count, so now I have to deal with the consequences. Now, in order to make my essay easier to understand, I have to eliminate sentences that I am quite pleased with. 

In spite of this, I’m very satisfied with the way things are moving, and I’m rather delighted with the way my writing style is unfolding. It’s almost as if I’ve discovered a new form of superpower within myself; instead of second-guessing everything I write, I’m giving myself permission to let the words just come out of me freely. I’m hoping that the end product will be a piece of writing that is is remarkably consistent and easy to follow.