Since this is supposed to be the “grand poobah” of all projects to finish off our senior year with a bang, coming up with a original and new interactive concept has been proven to be difficult.
I’ve had a few concepts in mind, all based off of things I’ve learned throughout the years and things I enjoy doing. I’m hoping I will be able to execute one of my ideas within these next seven months – and execute it well.
- Interactive VR Storybook- Back in community college, a little over a year ago, I created a point-and-click video game for kids on Adobe Animate for my final project before my graduation. I really enjoyed making this video game, despite how rigorous it was to create within the span of just three months. So I’d like to create another type of video game for kids that’s more new and exciting, in a sense. My idea is to have an interactive storybook where kids can go on a fun adventure with Pillow the dog and her friend, Little Kitty – all through a VR headset. Some kids have trouble focusing on reading just a paperback book, but by making the book interactive, it’ll interest them more and let them feel like they’re a part of the adventure. I want to learn how to use a new video game design program and research how VR games are made, in order to create my interactive storybook.
- Interactive Piano- For about seven or eight years of my life, I took piano lessons. Back then, I wasn’t too fond of practicing everyday, but now I have an appreciation for it. I know very well that piano is not an easy instrument to learn, and I’ve had some friends tell me they’ve been wanting to learn. So, I was inspired by Dr. Nakra’s piano in the U-Lab to create an interactive piano. I could have a recording of a voice telling the student which key is which, how to do scales, how to play chords, etc. Each time a key is played, the voice will say the note and the key will light up with the name of which key it is (through a projection, possibly?)
- Interactive Stitcher- I had fun tossing this idea around. I am on the E-Board of TCNJ Stitches: Knitting and Crocheting Club, and recently, we’ve had a lot of new members with the new semester. It’s been proven difficult for many people in my club to teach a large group of people how to knit/crochet since everyone learns differently and sometimes it’s better to be able to work one-on-one with someone who wants to learn. I could create a VR or projection of how the needle/hook needs to be held and how to loop through different patterns (they can pick one of their choice). It would be easier to work one-on-one that way, I feel like. However, I have no idea how difficult this would be to create.
As we discussed in class, I think idea #2 has pretty much been done.
Interactive storybooks have been done, too, going back to CD-ROMS, but I don’t know what’s being done in VR specifically. Worth digging around to find out. As you suggest, some kids will be more engaged and perhaps learn more if they’re not expected to sit still and read a book. VR potentially opens up the story experience to kids with other learning styles… visual learners and kinesthetic learners: https://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/mineralogy/xtlsymmetry/kinesthetics.html
It would be especially interesting — and distinctive — if the “reader” revealed aspects of the story through full-body, gestural interaction.
I’m really intrigued by the knitting idea, thought I’m concerned it might be out of reach technically. As I said in class, it could involve motion tracking through a sophisticated camera like a Microsoft Kinect, maybe with bright, distinctively colored needles and thread that the camera could track with relative ease.
I think the idea of an immersive 3D VR storybook world can be quite the impressive project. In my mind, I imagine the story playing out in 360 degrees around the reader, getting them moving and involved in the tale. Of course, that’s just one way to go about it. It could be more like you have a virtual book in your hands that you can control with the controllers. This project sounds like it could get very ambitious because there are so many options in execution. Definitely need more brainstorming, but I think it is a solid idea.
For your 1st idea it’s very cute! One thing I would suggest is instead of making it a VR experience, maybe make it an AR one. VR headsets are expensive and not incredibly common, I don’t see parents going out of their way to purchase one so kids can read a book with them. Maybe make a physical book that has the VR elements you discussed seen through an app. A lot of kids know how to use technology and it’s more readily available. I have a fictional and actual things that might help you in your design process: the scene at the beginning of treasure planet where young Jim reads a futuristic book and the PS3 Wonderbook series of games.