Research and Innovation Blog
After discussing it in class I think I narrowed it down to either the VR Platform Rhythm game or the Children’s “Spook’ems” game.
I’m leaning more towards the Platform game though because although it does present a challenge, it would be awesome to see this idea come to fruition in some form. However, once research into the psychological aspects of the “Spook’ems” game is concluded I might refine the idea and compare the two to see which one I could execute better within the timeframe we have.
My first idea involves a collaboration with Andrew Clarke. We are in a class about the legendary Fred Rogers and we were inspired by his work to create this idea. It is an app that would help children overcome their fear of the dark and “the monsters in the closets”. We were thinking about creating a dark room environment that had certain creepy elements in it like just blinking eyes that kids might find scary but the cursor would be a flashlight that when shined on the element would actually be something cute and harmless like a funny looking creature that just wants a friend. It would involve 2D and 3D animations and we would put it on a mobile platform and on the computer. However if possible we would like to put it on the VR platform as well as that would be very engaging.
My second idea involves Virtual Reality and I would have to do more research in order to see if it would actually be executed. It is a VR rhythm game that includes instrumentals I would be making myself. A game that inspired me would be beat saber where the user has two light sabers that cut through boxes that are floating towards them. It would have elements floating towards the user as the try to dodge them by moving slightly to the left or right or by knocking them out of the way. Another way to implement this rhythm idea would be to have the user be a moving object on a platform with a demarcated path and have them turn left or right at the right time in order to not fall off the platform. Of course all this is contingent on me being able to actually create a VR environment within the time given to us.
This idea is something that is kind of a reach and I wouldn’t know how to go about it but again it would involve Virtual Reality. It would be a game/app that helps performers create their sets and practice their shows before they actually have to perform. It would be targeted towards music performers and give them options to recreate their stage and have a virtual audience that increases or decreases it’s reaction depending on whether or not the performer is on cue with the songs that they are performing. The user could design and plan lighting and sound effects to how they want it in real life for their show and then try to implement that onto their actual set if they have resources available to do so. Ultimately the app would be used to make rough plans for shows/performances before they actually have to plan them and for the average user it could be like a virtual karoake performance.
