"The Dancing Wall VR" is an innovative virtual reality game that draws players into a world where music, movement, and strategy merge into an enthralling dance. As players sync their dance moves to the rhythm, they face the challenge of navigating through a series of dynamic walls. Each wall presenting a unique silhouette that players must match with accuracy to avoid collision.
"The Dancing Wall VR" combines rhythmic gameplay with dynamic obstacles, inviting players to transcend reality and immerse themselves in a dance that demands skill and creativity. This game is not just an entertainment platform; it's a journey where your body becomes the brush and the virtual world becomes your canvas. Elevate your gaming experience with the perfect fusion of challenge and artistry.
The primary objective is to create an immersive and engaging experience that extends beyond the confines of traditional gaming. Users are encouraged to feel fully absorbed in the virtual world, maneuvering through challenges with elegance and precision. The VR environment wraps around the players, fostering an intense state of flow and enjoyment.
Designed to captivate a wide audience, "The Dancing Wall VR" appeals to those who relish immersive experiences and rhythmic gameplay. Fans of rhythm-based games and various musical genres will particularly enjoy the unique choreography offered within the game.
Designed to captivate a wide audience, "The Dancing Wall VR" appeals to those who look for an immersive experience from the world with rhythmic gameplay. Fans of the rhythm-based games and various musical genres will particularly enjoy the unique choreography offered within the game.
"The Dancing Wall VR" leverages the VR environment to provide a profound sense of spatial presence. Dynamic and interactive settings respond to user interactions, crafting a rhythmic gameplay experience that introduces an additional layer of challenge and engagement.
Maintaining immersion is paramount, with a focus on game elements such as the moving walls, the player's silhouette, rhythmic gameplay, and music synchronization. These immersive components enhance the connection between the player's body and the virtual world, creating a seamless and enthralling experience.
The development process began with creating a proof-of-concept prototype in Unity, starting as a non-VR version. Components included moving walls, a playable character, and collision detectors. The transition to VR required the creation of a fully rigged body, optimization of the city environment, and resolution of challenges with collision detection. The team gave priority to core gameplay functionality over narrative elements to ensure a delightful gaming experience.
The development of "The Dancing Wall VR" involved intricate programming to bring the immersive dance experience to life. Here's a closer look at the technical aspects, scripts, and problem-solving strategies employed during the programming phase.
1. Development Process Overview:
The programming process comprised three main components implemented in Unity to create a proof-of-concept prototype. Initially, a non-VR version of the game was developed, including moving walls, a playable character, and collision detectors. Once the prototype was successful, the components were transitioned into a VR project. Key to this transition was the creation of a fully rigged body to capture hand movement and enable a more immersive experience.
2. Rigged Body Implementation:
Creating a fully rigged body was a critical step to enhance player interaction in the virtual environment. The body rig captured hand movements while automatically adjusting elbows. The legs were designed to bend up and down, providing a fake stepping animation synchronized with the player's VR headset movement. Adjustments were made to ensure the body's responsiveness, addressing issues such as slow movement and unresponsiveness.
3. City Environment Optimization:
The city environment, sourced from an online prefab, underwent optimization for optimal performance. Individual meshes and lighting elements were adjusted or removed to create an environment that seamlessly integrated with the rhythmic gameplay.
4. Script Descriptions:
Several scripts were developed to manage different aspects of the game. Here's a brief overview of some key scripts:
Several pages of logic were developed to manage different aspects of the game. Here's a brief overview of some key scripts:
PauseMenu: Controls game pausing during playmode and manages resume, restart, and exit functionalities in the pause menu.
WinTrigger: Switches the scene to the "WinScene" when the player successfully beats the level.
GameOverTrigger: Initiates player damage upon collision with the wall.
PlayerHealth: Manages player health, subtracting lives on collision and handling the transition to the "GameOver" scene.
ScreenFlash: Creates a screen flash effect for a set duration after a collision.
SceneLoader: Programs the start button in the main menu to load the main scene.
CountdownTimer: Displays the countdown at the start of the level.
MoveForward: Controls the steady movement of walls throughout the song.
TouchableObject: Allocates points to the player for successfully passing through the walls.
The development of "Dancing Wall VR" was a rewarding journey for me as it pushed me to innovate within an emerging environment. Creating a game focused around full-body immersion and reactive elements required me to have a strong level of technical understanding. Many of these concepts ranged from understanding gameplay optimization all the way to rigging and implementing gameplay mechanics which I have slowly learned throughout the years of my degree.
The design process allowed me to provide an easy way to piece out the rhythm gameplay mechanic, its audio, as well as the visuals and haptics which have created a heightened effect towards the players immersion. Observing playtesters losing themselves in the experience became the motivation for me to complete the game.
In the end, embracing rapid prototyping, continuously incorporates user feedback, and prioritizing creative VR-immersive interactions has allowed me to develop a game that I am proud of. Moving forward, I seek to explore even deeper into the VR ecosystem as well as to learn more around the worldbuilding and the overall social experience that are showcased inside a metaverse environment.