Group Meeting and Notes:
The VR students showcased their midterm critical PowerPoint they intended to show their lectures with all or progress to date on it. The Unity environments have been developed and showed us their city/ beach developments. The storyboard script was also adapted to a finalised point.
Personal Goals this Week:
. VR Storyboarding
. Adjusting any models
VR Storyboarding
Following on from Week 2’s research, in order to effectively plan our gameplay sequence in 3D space, the members of the MA VR course set up a tilt brush for our use again to draw the characters in key elements of gameplay interaction. During this process, both I and Marianna (alongside Cal from MA VR) effectively utilised the 3D space in order to plan spatially and aesthetically the character interaction which not only gave us a clear outline of how the VR headset works but also gave us a more up-close insight into how the characters will look and move which will help with the animation process later on in the project.
While in the context of non-linear narrative storytelling tools, when approaching the storyboarding for this project, we went in with the mindset of an unconventionally structural plot, in which “effects are the direct result of causality” (Bucher, 2018, P.84). This engaged us and challenged us in a different way as it meant that the key elements, while able to follow a chain of differing triggers which allow space for narrative structure, ultimately have to make each sequence make sense on its own. As stated by Bucher, as many VR experiences rely on this non-linear narrative experience, they often include elements of traditional storytelling such as the introduction of empathetic characters (Bucher, 2018, P.84). This element in itself helped Marianna and myself translate our own storyboarding experiences based on a character-driven plot into several, broken down sections that build an overall narrative arc. The viewer engagement with these interactions, reward or cultivate the incentive to continue following the narrative, rather than gameplay elements, adding a uniqueness to the project’s artistic form.
Researching more into the world of games to get a better understanding of how this is multisided, there are several examples of non-linear narrative-heavy games that depend on player engagement such as the Life is Strange (Square Enix) series and TellTale comic adapted games. A key example of this is the recent Life is Strange: True Colours (Square Enix, 2019) which gives the player multiple options that change the overacting narrative of its very narrative-heavy story, which gives a strong implication of the intensive story development that went into it that is perhaps even more thought out than an entire animated film. Elements of this game is particularly brought to attention the different ways narrative can be explored in a more option, non-linear fashion such as interacting with objects in the worlds such as journals, letters, text messages and even NPC characters which help add depth and development to the world in a way that is entirely dependant on the individual’s personal engagement. Taking this into consideration for gameplay aspects for future projects, as a computer animation artist I think is important to think about all the different ways experience and story can be created in the realms of 3D.
Drawing in 3D Space
Taking traditional artistic elements into three-dimensional space has proved to be something very educational and thought-provoking in the technological progression. As stated by Schkolne incoperating the “unfiltered physicality” of sponatiously hand drawn art, into a traditionally indirect and mathmathtically enveloped world add a human element and create a more artistic impression in technology (2002, P.1). This particular element of the VR world particularly drew my interest and has helped me engage more with the medium.
The capture of Final Storyboard
Below is the final VR storyboard, and its progression of different narrative segments that build up the overall story, depending on player engagement and triggers. This includes the integration of key objects such as beachballs, sticks, fries and ice cream, which are all created with the intention of being interactable for the player.
References
Bucher, J 2017, Storytelling for Virtual Reality: Methods and Principles for Crafting Immersive Narratives, Taylor & Francis Group, Oxford. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [5 April 2022].
Schkolne, S. (2002) ‘Drawing with the Hand in Free Space: Creating 3D Shapes with Gesture in a Semi-Immersive Environment’, Leonardo, 35(4), pp. 371–375. doi: 10.1162/002409402760181132.