Peace is a VR experience that simulates common fears, helping users overcome these fears using visual and audio stimulation. It will consist of real-life footage shot on a 360-degree camera and pre-recorded audio and background noise clips. The experience will be as though the person is looking through their own eyes, experiencing their fear.
This blog will document the process of making Peace week by week.
Week 1 - Forming groups and Design Brief submission
Lucy, Chontel and I decided to form a group as we were all interested in phobias' psychological aspect. From here, we used Lucy's background knowledge of Psychology and her previous research of this idea to develop it even further.
Gantt chart 1
Firstly we decided to plan out how we would approach this project. To do this, we used a Gantt chart.
Project approach
We then decided to decide as a team what methodology we should use when tackling Peace.
We decided to conform to Scrumban as we agreed with many aspects of the methodology. Mostly, we liked how the Scrumban allowed for fair distribution of roles. We can play to our strengths but also try new tasks and help others where needed. Another reason why we chose Scrumban is that it is reactive to change. We thought this would be important as we design for a specific target user that we don’t typically fall under. It is also our first time creating VR; Scrumban allows us to make mistakes and then solve them.
Week 2 - Asset requirement, wire frames and research
This week we decided to each focus on one location to wire frame. My job was also to research assets required to form our VR and look into fears that are most relevant to teenagers aged 15-17.
Wire-frame
This is the Ocean wireframe that I have been working on. This room was chosen as I found that fear of ocean water was very common among late teenagers. The vision that I have for this room is that someone is able to walk along the beach and gradually be able to come in contact with the water.
There are a few challenges that I have faced this week. As I have never made a VR before, I was struggling where to start on these wireframes. After doing research, I was able to get a grasp on what VR games look like and a structure that could work for our virtual rooms.
Week 3&4 - Filming footage, script writing, updated Gantt chart
What we've been working on
As we are following the ScrumBan project approach, we decided to all together for this stage of the assignment as none of us have experience in crafting a VR. We decided to meet up and film footage that would be used for our VR. We received help to understand what software to use and how to potentially craft the VR. The last thing we have been working on is the voice-over script.
Gantt chart 2
These weeks we faced a few more challenges. Firstly, that it may take longer than we think as more assignments are popping up from other classes. We reviewed our Gantt chart and decided on something that may be more achievable with our other commitments. We also had many technical difficulties and asked the technicians who were able to help. We also decided that it may be best to focus on one specific fear room as we thought it may be too time-consuming otherwise.
Week 5&6 - Testing and trialling softwear
These past weeks we have scripted and recorded out voice audio and tested using unity with skybox, premiere pro Insta360. We got it working in unity, however, we were struggling with how to get it into VR from there. From here we decided on a different option and put our 360-degree footage on to YouTube. We were able to edit and upload a test prototype to YouTube which we will use going forward.
Gantt chart 3
Next, we will join all aspects of our VR we can have a full running video on Youtube for Google Cardboard. We will finish off background music and export it.
Week 7&8 - Finalising and testing
These final two weeks we have been finalising our prototype and editing it for submission. Thankfully after figuring out how to upload a 360-degree video to YouTube we have had no struggles editing and exporting the final version.