This week was a whirlwind of creativity, problem-solving, and preparation as we gear up for our 1/2s presentations next week. From insightful feedback to tangible prototypes and a polished demo, here’s what we’ve been up to:
Demo Video
In anticipation of our 1/2s presentations next week, we created a demo video showcasing the Magical Moment of our experience.
This involves our new 3D-printed physical prototype (described further below) connected to Brian’s ESP32 controllers.
Meeting with Jesse and the Dream Narrative
On Monday, we had the opportunity to meet with Jesse Schell, who provided invaluable feedback on our current design direction. Jesse pointed out two key concerns with our plan:
- Potential for Creepiness: If the physical pet looks like the virtual pet and occupies the same space, it could feel unsettling—like touching the “corpse” of the pet or watching a ghost leave its body.
- On the other hand, if the physical and virtual pets don’t look alike (e.g., a genie and its bottle), the interactions between them might feel confusing or disconnected.
Jesse suggested two potential solutions:
- 6DoF (6 degrees of freedom) Tracking: Using a 6DoF tracker for the position of our physical plush would enable full overlay of the virtual pet onto the physical pet. This would return our design to the “Holy Grail” described in Week 2.
- Physical Pet as Controller: Treat the physical pet as a controller for the virtual pet, creating a clear distinction between the two.
After discussing Jesse’s feedback with our faculty advisor, Derek, we landed on a new narrative that addresses these concerns with our current technology. Here’s the idea:
- The physical pet is asleep, and when the user puts on the headset, they can see their pet moving in its dreams through touch interactions with the physical pet.
- This narrative not only resolves the “creepiness” issue but also sets up our fully immersive mode as stepping into the pet’s dream, creating a magical and cohesive experience.
The new technological designs Jesse suggested remain open possibilities for the future of our design, but to enable fast prototyping right now, especially as we prepare for 1/2s, we will keep our current technical solution with the new dream narrative.
3D Printed Model for Playtesting
To prepare for physical interactions and ensure our design feels intuitive, we 3D-printed a model of the physical pet. Sophie created the printable model of Joy’s character. This prototype allows us to playtest and refine interactions before the final plush is sewn and completed.
This step has been crucial in helping us visualize and demonstrate the user experience.
Next Week
With 1/2s just around the corner, we’re focused on finalizing and rehearsing our presentation. Besides that, we’re planning the new features and interactions we will add to our experience after 1/2s, building on the foundation of our demo.
We’re thrilled with the progress we’ve made so far and can’t wait to share our work with everyone next week.
Comments are closed