Q3 – Into the Void
Q3 is an experimental combination of VR tracker and projection.
The setup consists of a 2 x 2 x 2 m cube into which the player enters. This Cube is also the projection surface. We have dedicated ourselves to the exploration of movement in interaction design. The result: four levels, four experiences, four colour worlds.
Q3 – INTO THE VOID is mainly about the experience, less about a game mechanic.
Our goal was to create an immersive experience that uses principles that are not feasible in VR. Q3 simulates immersively and intuitively the movement through the space we design by placing a VR tracker in the respective direction moved. The closer the tracker is moved to the edge of the cube, the faster the movement becomes.
Client
4th Semester Project Game Design B.A.
Project Date
2018
Category
3D-Design · Development · Games · Installation · Projection
CONCEPTS + EXPERIMENTS
DEVELOP CONCEPTS FOR INTERACTIVE PROJECTION AND TEST EXPERIMENTAL WORK
Unlike conventional projection experiences, with Q3 we combine immersive projection with interaction. The focus is on locomotion in space and this via a self-evident form of control.
In Q3 the player moves in virtual space via the movement of an HTC Vive Tracker, which is displayed immersively via a 4-sided projection. The original concept also provided a mechanical means of rotation in space, but in the course of the first tests we integrated an exclusively linear movement (representation of the cube or virtual world does not rotate based on the interaction with the tracker). Our goal was to create a rich and novel experience for the players in which classical playful elements are secondary.
STRUCTURE OF THE CUBE
8 CUBIC METERS, FRAMED BY A SEAMLESS CANVAS
The wooden construction is a 2m x 2m x 2m cube, which is equipped on four sides with thin canvas is stretched. The frame (the suspension of the ceiling beamer) consists of scaffolding rods with clamps and various connecting pieces.
Both our professors and a civil engineer helped us with the construction planning to ensure the safety of the construction.
The wood is professional construction wood (veneer laminated wood), which hardly warps. A special feature is the special covering of the sides, which is seamless. The cube took three days to set up.
TECHNICAL SETUP + THE DEVELOPMENT
FROM KINECT WITH ARDUINO CONTROLLER TO VR
First we built a prototype of the box to get the proof of concept. When the box was built, we tested control principles on the one hand, but primarily the mapping and thus the correct display and interaction of the projections were an essential part of the setup.
After the decision for a control form was made, we began with the technical implementation of the SteamVR in conjunction with HTC’s Vive system. SteamVR required a connected Vive Had mounted display to run correctly in Unity. However, the previous system already required all 4 outputs of the graphics card to drive the 4 projectors. After further research we found a way to redesign the driver of steamVR for the Vive system so that no HMD has to be connected.
Instead of the normal driver for the HMD, steamVR loaded a zero driver.
This is a driver that declares that no HMD has to be connected for the services of steamVR to work. This was the solution and made it possible to use it for a different purpose.
THE FINAL SETUP:
HTC LIGHTHOUSES + HTC VIVE VR TRACKER
Through numerous test games we found out that the division of the control into body movement and movement of the cube leads to irritations and negatively affected the playing feeling. After further research on how we could develop a control that provides both position and rotation data within the cube, we came to the conclusion that Lighthouses of the HTC Virtual Reality System Vive in combination with the corresponding HTC Vive Trackers offered the perfect solution for our project.
CONTROL EVOLUTION
The control should first be done by a self-built cube controller. This was able to measure its rotation in space. The heart of the controller was an Arduino microcontroller. A chip with a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor was used to determine the rotation in space. The controller sent the data to the PC via Bluetooth. Power was supplied by a 9V block battery, which was later replaced by a small powerbank for longer runtime and reusability. However, this was no longer necessary.
As the project progressed, the position of the controller in the room became important. Originally the position of the player’s head (tracked by Kinect) was to be used, but this was discarded as it was not well implemented. Using the accelerometer, it would also have been possible to determine the relative position of the Arduino controller with some effort. However, this data would have contained unacceptable errors, which is why we switched to the Vive Tracker system. For the development we used the Arduino IDE as well as Fritzing and Unity.
GAME LEVELS
DOWN THE RABBITHOLE
The Rabbithole is a speed ride through a winding tunnel system. Intuitively, the player moves along with the tunnel while trying not to collide with obstacles or shoot off the track at high speed. The focus is on speed and skill. Unlike for example in VR, speed is well tolerated in the box setup (no motion sickness, no dizziness) and is really fun. The level is divided into 3 sections, speed, relaxation (free floating) and again speed. The change provides a short recovery and then again action. Guidance is given through the tunnel, which is bordered by colliders. In the free movement section, the player sees a snitch that shows him the way to the goal. The colour world is freely designed after Alice in Wonderland.
LABYRINTH
The level is structured like a labyrinth, where there are three paths leading to the same destination. The level has no dead ends and it is impossible to lose. Glowing snitches serve as a guide in the game. The goal of the game is to find the running snitch three times on the chosen path and catch it at the end of the level. The labytinth consists of transparent tunnels and large, closed rooms. While driving through the tunnels, the player has the opportunity to explore the level and the background. In the larger rooms he can, conversely, view all the projections before he moves into the desired path. Square shapes of the level complement the shape of the box and support the signposting. The further the player moves in the direction of the target, the larger the rooms become and the brighter the colours.
MANDALA
The MANDALA level is based on a fairly visual Level design approach. The basic idea was to display all screens in the most convenient order. For this purpose, the snitch should be caught, one snitch on each screen. They should then stay there and embellish the screens as a whole into a mandala. Since blocking screens makes little sense for our game, this idea was later discarded. The change follows a pleasant order for the gamers: Front, left, front, right, up and back to the front. A screen change always takes place, if one has caught a snitch. The caught snitches also show the players the way by sliding out. There are four snitches to catch (one snitch = one screen). The color effect is less relevant in this level than the placement of the shapes, which must both cover and open paths. The general direction of the level is underlined by an animated environment.
3D MODELLING
For the design of the levels we wanted to create a system of 3D models that could be used in as many ways as possible. With this we wanted to make it possible for us to design the levels according to quite adjust differently structured levels and still maintain the same tone.
For this set, we used the cubic form language of the wooden construction and, for example, in the level ORIENTATION we used a scaffold-like, modular construction. For the level RABBITHOLE we wanted to show the paths clearly directed and use energetic forms, which is why we decided to use a tube-like construction.
Mixed languages of form can be found in
MANDALA, because diversity of shapes and colours was important to us at this level.
