Feb 13 – Feb 17
Written by: Alyssa Tang
Posted by: Qiwen Lei
This week, our team diligently focused on planning for the midterm milestone. We set up ambitious yet achievable milestones, and meticulously broke them down into detailed tasks for each team member to accomplish. Our goal was to ensure that we stay on track and meet our deadlines.
During our meeting with instructors on Monday, we discussed UI/UX and design changes, specifically the user flow and the low-fidelity design. We showcased our tech progress, including a tech demo at ETC downstairs.
We received several feedback points from our instructors, such as resolving technical issues, including finding wide-open places for the point of view. This issue was especially critical for the boat model, which needed to be placed below the bridge. Additionally, we discussed the possibility of putting models on the other side of the river since the experience would be primarily from that viewpoint.
UI/UX Prototype
We received feedback on using particle systems as an interaction indicator and minimizing the amount of text. We also discussed the importance of accurate GPS spots to ensure the view was correct, the possibility of resizing models to make them tiny representations, and showing the user’s real-time location on the map (a stretch goal).
Tech Progress
For tech part progress, we recorded a tech demo showcasing the GPS model in action at the spot, with real-world physical scales. Added guidelines to the spots to lead the users through the journey. This was a crucial step towards our ultimate goal of creating an immersive experience for our users. After having this prototype in place we’ll work on refining it further.
Gameplay Design
Regarding UI/UX progress, we made some changes to the gameplay design. We decided to propose a puzzle game as the starter of the model hunting. The initiative was still to have users collect all the models set up in the scene. And by dragging the puzzle pieces in place, the model will be revealed. We were expecting the change to make the overall experience more engaging and exciting for our users.
Storytelling
For the storytelling part, we conducted detailed research and went on on-site field trips to the trail route. As a result, we had the first version of the script ready, along with a suitable time frame for each journey between the viewing spots. We received feedback on the tone of narration and will continuously work on iterating the script.
