Multiplayer VR Game

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In this project, we explored the possibility to create a VR application where 3 players could play simultaneously along with each other in a limited physical space. The game should also be constructed in a way so that these 3 players will have to communicate and share information to stand a chance in completing the game. The idea was to give the 3 game characters individual special powers providing them with abilities that the other characters did not possess. In this way the hypothesis was that it would be possible to show that interdisciplinary knowledge and multi-disciplinary teamwork is the key to solving society’s toughest challenges.

Design process: Theory - Pilot study - Ideation and conceptualization - Production and testing - Result - Evaluation

Conclusion from group interview:

- Possibility to play in teams

- Several levels/maps

- Have a clear goal from the beginning

- Learn things "without thinking about it"

To be able to create a VR game we needed a deeper understanding of VR Game; what are their biggest advantage compare to computer game and board game? How important is the quality of the game? How do you move in the game? How do you grip objects? How much of the environment have to be interactive?

KJ-analysis from the group interview and workshop. Helped us get a clear overview of the targets groups thoughts and opinion about VR, education and heating.

To easier build the narrative we divided the game into 'Main goal', 'Sub goal', 'Clues', 'Interactive artifacts', and 'Non-interactive artifacts'. We also chose three characters; hunter, gatherer, and shaman who we wanted to have some special powers. The main goal from the beginning of the project was to learn children how the fire was "invented".

One benefit of VR games is that you can allow characters to view the same object but see different things. Just like an Escape room, where a mix of people from different backgrounds and competence creates the best teams, we wanted to nudge this behavior of collaboration by adding different powers to the characters. For example, the shaman is the only one who can understand the cave painting and the hunter is the only one who can make an axe.

Before building the game in Unity we needed to have a clear view of every possible outcome and who can do what. We created several three diagrams like the example above to get hierarchies we could proceed from.

One of the biggest technical challenges we faced in this project was to sync reality with the visual representation in VR. In this picture, two of the team members are showing how they are physically touching their controls in the real world while their avatars in the virtual worlds also touch each other's hands. It was an extremely important aspect of the game that this functionality worked correctly. We did not want the users to collide with each other in the physical space and possibly get hurt because the movements of their virtual representation (the avatar) was off.

The creation of the characters turned out to be more complex than we ever thought it was going to be. The biggest problem was to make the body somewhat realistic without using too many polygons which would slow down the game in Unity. This pipeline that we later used is probably not the easiest way of doing it.

GAME CHARACTERS

The Gatherer: This character is curious, innovative and moves effortlessly around the terrain.

Special power = gathering supply and being able to distinguish between wet and dry wooden material.

The Shaman: This character is spiritual, mysterious and can see in the dark.

Special power = Communicates with the spirits and has a way of seeing and understanding things that are not visual to others.

The Hunter: This character is strong, brave and faithful always putting his tribe first.

Special power = Knows how to create weapons and tools necessary to survive in the wilderness.

Final Design

The game starts with all the players gathering in front of an animated visualization that introduces the players to the game concept and sets the atmosphere. Here the players should understand the aim of the game, the importance of understanding how to make fire.

When the introduction has ended all players are prompted to walk into a circle to collectively be transferred to the game scene.

Now the players have entered the game scene and here they will find a cold and dark environment where their goal is to figure out how to light a fire to bring light and warmth.

In the game players can find a couple of game objects that they can use in their mission towards inventing fire. The picture displays a spire, a basket, a stick, two flint stones, and a pile of dry bits of peat.

The essence of this game is to solve problems by identifying clues and throw collaborating with the other players to find the right path forward. One important step in the game is to figure out that the stones and the stick can be combined to make an ax. This ax should then be used to cut down the bushes covering the entrance to a secret cave. Entering the cave takes the players into a new setting.

Inside the cave one of the players, the one playing the Shaman, will be able to discover a cave painting on one of the cave walls. This painting is the key to understanding how fire can be made.