Alleviate stress away from COVID-19
Animal Village
The last semester, I decided to research a popular topic which is Virtual Reality (VR). This is amazing and immersive experience for people who are able to interact with virtual world. I am going to implement design methodologies in terms of game design and test. Next, using cutting edge technology which is Oculus Quest create a virtual environment so that users are not only capable of living immersive virtual world, but they are also able to do more engagements.
Project Overview
The Objectives
My projects are the main focus on immersive experience with advanced technology in VR to support players to release relieve stress, do exercise anywhere and make players interested in the playful game by a variety of challenge design which contains to save animals, defeat enemies coming. A group of audiences is focus on ages between ages 20s to 35.
Concept
The project encourages people to play the game; thus, when they do exercise with high motivation and engagements environment to active them. I design VR experience more playful by adding animals and interactive elements to play with them.
Scope
Building on Oculus Quest, I might need to develop an interactive game. However, I need 3D assets to support my project within two months time limitation and pressure.
Resources & Tools
- Unity3D to Develop a VR App with Oculus Quest
- Sketch for Moodboard, Design Interface and wireframe
- 3D assets from Unity3D Store
Team Members
Ting Chieh Lin — Design & Develop
Trend
Virtual Reality is a huge and highly grow market every year. Advanced technology has been used a variety of areas, such as education, training, traveling and medical industries. According to Digi-Capital (2017) reports that VR/AR market size is dramatic increasing to at least $1500 million more.
Moreover, VR motivates players to explore unknown elements. Therefore, users are able to be curious about trying something new and do more engagements with interactive experience.
More fun, No Stress!
People stay home and might have been suffering from depression due to the novel coronavirus. I decided to make a game in order to make people laughs. The Animal village includes playful and encouraged game design elements; thus whenever players enter a virtual world, they feel relaxed and release their pressure from work during the novel coronavirus.
Hypothesis
- How might we design hilarious reactions and interactions in the game?
- How might we provide playful design elements so players continue to play the game?
- How might we assist people who are suffering from depression by a variety of interactions during the game?
- How might we encourage people to challenge by themselves in order to achieve high results and play the game again?
Story
Jay is born in quiet and peace countryside. He got a part-time job in the farm to take care of naughty animals. Someday, wild animals invade their farm. Jay is brave to defend the farm against ferocious animals using a number of left weapons to get them out away from farm.
Theme
The picture represent how the gamer play Animal Village.
Moodboard
The theme is not complicated and casual game so the style is designed for low-poly texture. Fresh trees are located around the farm. There are a number of straw and crop are surrounded.
Game Concept Design
You are in the intensive time and excited game to save animals in order to avoid enemies invading their village.
How a gamer defend an enemy
You pick a weapon near the environment to beat enemies so that they are able to wing arms to do exercise.
Grab an animal
When you save animals, you are also to see different hilarious behaviors to present in front of players.
The player starts from the main menu and is ready for the village.
Animals appear around the player, scattered across the farm.
The player uses the left controller to move to a destination.
The player grabs an animal to bring it to safety.
Animals get placed safely in the zone, awarding score.
Opponents appear and try to disrupt the player's progress.
The player grabs a weapon to defeat enemies.
Swinging the weapon defeats incoming threats.
Within the time limit, the result is shown — and the player can retry.
Goal
The player have to save animals by grabbing them into safety area within limited time. As a result, they can gain different score.
A gamer defend enemies by hand weapon or gun to block more enemies coming.
Rule
Within 12 minutes, the gamer protect their home from enemies killing their animals. The player can use different weapons or guns to defeat them.
Level Design
There are many upcoming waves depending on time and difficulties.
- Wave 1: Only 5 animals around character to grab them into the house.
- Wave 2: The player is able to see the weapon and pick it up to beat an enemy. 5 × Animals, 2 × Wolves.
- Wave 3: The player feels excited when they see two enemies coming and has to grab animals back to home. 5 × Animals, 3 × wolves.
- Wave 4: With a strong weapon which is a gun. 5 × Animals, 2 × Wolves, 2 × Bears.
- Wave 5: Challenge level — either weapon or gun. 5 Animals, 2 × Bears, 2 × Gorilla.
Grab
The theme is not complicated and casual game so the style is designed for low-poly texture.
Movement
The left controller has two ways of moving. The player presses joystickto switch “formal” or “Teleportation”.
When they are not satisfied with score, they can press Menu button to play again.
Brief
Animal Village contains playful and encouraged game design with visual effects to resolve my research problem related to people who stay home for relaxation.
People are glad to experience grabbing animals and feel playful. I believe Animal Village is able to help people who are suffering from depression and fear of the novel coronavirus.
Next Plan
In the future, I hope to add multi-player elements so players can help each other deal with challenges, making the game ideal for families and parties.