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/science/medical/sci-fi-operation-table
https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/architectural/architectural-street/cyberpunk-city-scene
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:
- 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 🙁
- NPCs walk along waypoints in a loop
- There is a UI telling the player to find the sad existential NPC in the cyber city
- When the existential NPC says her audio, she touches the player with the mixamo animation ‘petting.fbx’
- After she touches the player, the glitch shader I made is applied to everything in the scene and the game ends
- All scenes have post production effects such as colour grading
- The cyber scene is is fully textured and has no grey materials
- The scene also has more building models
- 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)
- The 2nd scene with the orange tanks has a textured roof.
- The first scene with the computer has a black background
- 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
- The whole project is organised, with everything in their correct folders
- There’s a longer audition the orange tank scene.
- 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.