VR Game Design
During my academic Journey at Stanford, I've had the opportunity to explore my interest in game design and VR/mixed reality UI!
Stanford Course: CS 11
SaplingProject
Two VR Horror puzzle games set in liminal spaces.
Responsibilities
Context
Tools
Outcomes
VR Game Design
Rapid Prototyping
Scripting
3D Modeling
1 Designer
2 Engineers
Duration: 10 weeks
Unity
Blender
OpenXR Toolkit
TextEdit
Developed Playable Demo
Received 4/5 rating overall
Receive 5/5 rating for design
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Part 1
Sapling 0.0
You wake in a forest too beautiful and bright to be real. The sky is an unnatural ocean blue, the leaves glow an exaggerated vibrant green, and a rainbow stretches overhead, each of its seven colors starkly distinct from the other. While it seems abundant, there are three things missing:
There is no wind.
There is no life.
There is no exit.
Stumbling deeper in, a garden sits where seven empty glass globes rest within. A wooden sign to your left bears a single command to "smell the flowers".
A loud persistent tune plays in your head. Everything feels like an illusion and its playing with your head.
You need to get out.
Part 2
Dark Halls
The walls around you oppressive and the hallways are dark. You can't see anything without the torch that rests on the ground. There are many useless doors around you and vile growths around you that seem to despise fire. The hallways are a maze. The screams in the distance don't quell your dread.
You must find a way to escape.
Take-aways
Skills in VR Game Design and Development
As one of my first times creating VR applications, I learned how to build sets and scripting in Unity 3D. I learned shortcuts and tools to make the process more quickly and streamlined. As it was also my first time using a OpenXR toolkit in Unity, it was
Skills in 3D modeling
Taking ownership of the project pushed me to strengthen my skills in Figma, from wire-framing to prototyping, and gain confidence in making design decisions.
Rapid Prototyping
Designing SpinSync for college students was key to its success. I chose a non-traditional visual approach with vibrant colors to capture attention and create a fresh, engaging experience. This bold design choice balanced usability with intuitive navigation, specifically tailored to meet the needs of our busy, on-the-go user base.
Next Steps
Keep Making
Conduct more rounds of user testing with a diverse group of students, ensuring it works well in different dorm setups and laundry room environments.
Thanks for stopping by! Let's Chat! 💬
Let's talk design, UX research, and meaningful solution
Or email syan204@stanford.edu