This week, we received our Halves presentation<\/em> feedback, which gave us many valuable directions for improvement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n -player identity\uff1a<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the key questions was \u201cWho are you?\u201d \u2014 referring to the player\u2019s identity in our experience. We realized that while the hiking mechanics and meditative tone are clear, the player\u2019s role in the world still needs definition. Are they a real hiker, a spirit, or part of the environment itself? At the same time, we\u2019re discussing whether clarifying this identity would enhance immersion or instead break the player\u2019s personal connection to the experience. We plan to explore this question further in the coming weeks to see what feels most natural for our project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n -meditative\uff1a<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We received feedback about how our technology connects to the meditative theme. Based on our current progress, we plan to further explore how tools like foot tracking and VR can influence the player\u2019s sense of calm and presence once we start testing. Through reflection, we believe that if the walking motion feels too intense \u2014 for example, resembling a high-knee or marching movement \u2014 it would break the peaceful and reflective atmosphere we aim to create. Our next step is to find a balance between physical interaction and a meditative rhythm. Another related question is how to design the ending to emphasize this meditative tone. Should it feel peaceful and complete, or leave players reflecting quietly after the experience? We\u2019ll explore different approaches to find the most fitting balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n -Sound:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The feedback reminded us that the meditative tone is not only about visuals but also about sound design and pacing. In VR, sound plays a major role in helping players feel truly immersed. So far, we haven\u2019t added many sound elements, but we plan to include more audio in the next stage of development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n -target audience<\/strong>\uff1a<\/p>\n\n\n\n We were also encouraged to think more about our target audience. We plan to go over this topic in more depth soon to define more clearly who our experience is designed for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n -what makes our project interesting<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We also received feedback asking what makes our project interesting<\/em>. Currently, our experience follows a fairly linear tour structure. In the coming weeks, we plan to discuss how to make the journey feel more engaging and less strictly linear. This might include adding small interactable elements or subtle choices in the path that give players a stronger sense of exploration, even within a guided experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n After the Halves presentation,<\/strong> our art team continued exploring the visual direction of the project. Our artists experimented some shaders in Unreal Engine to see how different material setups could support our stylized look. We also tested stylized textures in Substance Painter, and experimented with VFX elements such as waterfalls to bring more life and movement to the environment. In addition, we re arranging some parts of the environment layout. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/ascent\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3fb7cb69200dc953143dc3e0b2fe0d84-1024x799.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nArt progress<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/ascent\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/adabc83cf903ac8dc179f45301cb4886-1024x833.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTech progress<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n