The Physical Space

The Physical Space:

Week 13 - The Physical Space, how will we use it?

PLAN

Establish reasoning for chosen platform
Requirements for the space
How we plan to use it
Document understanding of 6m Cylinder
Methods of player input
Discuss idea of our own sustainable construction
Design our own space - briefly
Consider and compare different spaces.

Phase 4 - Project Proposal

On this section, I will be establishing our use for a physical space, touching on player input and designing our own sustainable immersive box!

The result of this documentation comes from my previous research pages here:

Technology Research

Immersion Research
Sensory Research

Prototyping/Testing Space

INTRODUCTION

I plan to begin this section by outlining our need for a physical space and why we'd like to use one. This should add up and the rest should follow. Organising myself like this means I can be more direct with conclusions and clearer within our final Project Proposal. For this page, I plan to think about the requirements of our space and lead this into what we know already, regarding the Cylinder and other Immersive technology.

Can refer to Prototypes/Testing Space to understand thoroughly how the space will be used.

OUR PROJECT

Our project involves an immersive safe space and supportive reflective application, designed to assist students with mental health, regulation and to also raise awareness around these topics. We are aware of the struggles of being a student and based our ideation what we believe students need and what would benefit them.

We have considered the interactions for this space and other game components such as sound and visual design. Based off our research into Music Psychology and regulation we have concluded that music and sound are the most important aspects of our design/development and therefore, should require the most attention. As established in my Sound and Visual Direction pages, the design of these components should evoke calm and relaxation in players, as well as regulating physical symptoms of anxiety/stress such as a fast heart rate. How? We studied a lot into the effects of soothing visuals and sound, specifically looking at composing our own unique soundtrack to do this.

WHY DO WE NEED A PHYSICAL SPACE?

How can a physical space help us with this? Well. We did a lot of research during Phase Three into Immersion and how this can be used in all media forms to engage users/viewers/listeners etc. We then wondered how we could implement immersion into our own design. WHY? Immersion is the 'deep mental involvement in something' which we established to be perfect for assisting regulation. I discovered that to become emotionally regulated, you must focus on the present moment and use grounding to do this. (Focus on the senses) This led to my research into existing immersive spaces and sensory rooms, which are used to do a similar thing. We then wondered, how could we create our own immersive space to promote well-being and support students during times of need?

A physical space can be tailored to achieve full immersion through projection mapping, surround sound, interactive elements and engagement. We had the idea of transforming spaces on school and university campuses into students very own 'quiet zone/safe space', but at the same time apply a Game Designer's approach to it. We plan for the overall experience to require subtle playful interactions but at the same time, provide players with an immersive space they can observe and listen to soothing music.

WHY THIS PLATFORM?

An immersive physical space allows us to combine both physical and digital worlds - giving players the chance to become self-aware and engage with their senses, but also be transformed to an alternative environment. This can help players focus and divert their thoughts away from something that might be causing them discomfort or other symptoms of anxiety, stress, overwhelm and panic. We considered the use of Virtual Reality, but established that the set-up of this would be a major inconvenience and requires too much preparation for those in need. The idea is that students can visit this space whenever they might need it. As well as this, we plan to implement subtle interactions in to the space, which encourage physical activity and focus. Using a physical space built for this purpose, allows players to use their physical movement to interact which would then be translated into the digital world. Methods of player input are yet to be discovered but we have an idea of what they could be.

ACCESSIBILITY

In terms of accessibility, we plan to design this physical space taking into account accessibility and inclusive design. (As well as environmental and ethical factors). We'd like this experience to be available for anyone to use including those who may need to adjust controls or use external hardware/controls - without the need to make adaptions or result in not being able to do something. We intend to include this in our Project Proposal because it is something we both focused on throughout this Semester.

OUR OPTIONS FOR THE SPACE

We were lucky enough to visit Digital Humanities and the Physics department and be presented with two immersive spaces which both use projection mapping and sound. After prototyping and evaluation in Phase 3, we came to the conclusion that 'The 6m Cylinder' offered us much more and would be more suitable for our project intentions. Throughout Phase 4, we have been prototyping different physical spaces including both the Cylinder and our own design. We came to the conclusion that the Cylinder was too big for our personal safe space (being 6m wide) so to overcome this we thought about building our own space as an alternative option.

Within this section, I will be outlining the features and set-up of both spaces and progressing from here.

REFERRING TO THE BEAT CHART

I used the industry technique of a 'Beat Chart' to demonstrate the features of each stage of our game. Using this I can look at what is necessary from the physical space and outline our requirements.

This can be found here: Game Overview

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SPACE

What is required from the space?

A 360 degree visual display to immerse players into their virtual surroundings
Projection Mapping to project our visuals onto display
Surround Sound system - to provide players with sound from every direction and achieve immersion.
Interactive elements - opportunity to link controller or other to the display to incorporate gameplay/interactions and mechanics into the experience. Also possibility to provide Haptics.
Suitable size for players - we established a 2.5m box would be appropriate.
Mobile - ability to transport to other locations.

THE 6M CYLINDER

The possibilities of this Immersive space

Now I have suitable requirements in place, I am going to look into the set-up and features of 'The 6m Cylinder'. This week, we were able to visit the Digital Humanities Department again and play around with its 360 display, which I have documented in my Prototypes/Testing page. James Baker also gave us a brief run through of the system and how we could adjust what was displayed through the PC in the department. I also used the 'Sharepoint' instructions to set up the projectors and air-con.

THE SPACE

Here are a series of images taken and my own 'SketchUp' builds of the 6m Cylinder to familiarise ourselves with what we're working with.

THE SET UP

I used the instructions on the share-point to turn on the Cylinder and set up its features successfully. This included 5 main steps.

1. Air Conditioning - The Cylinder becomes very warm when it's in use and requires air conditioning to assist ventilation. There is an air conditioning unit behind the igloo which you must turn on to begin.

2. Starting up the Igloo at the server - Switch on the PC monitor to the left of the Igloo. Open the following applications:

Igloo Warper

Igloo Playback

Igloo Capture

Igloo Home

3. Turn on the projectors - Using the BenQ remote control, I went inside the Igloo and pointed it at each projector to turn them on.

4. The software - Open Igloo Warper software which allows your image/video to warp to the 360 degree screen.

5. The Igloo player - open the Igloo player software which presents you with 50 different file slots and 8 different channels. This allowed us to drag and drop in our chosen files which would then display in the space. The display can be adjusted in terms of width, height and placement using these grey bars on screen.

We also had the ability to connect a mobile device/tablet to the space, but at this time we couldn't get it to work properly. James Baker informed us that if we wanted any more information we can contact him and get all the information we needed in Semester Two, regarding set up, display, sound, controls, unity etc.

Example of the mobile control in use can be found here: Technology Research

FEATURES OF THE SPACE

The main features of the display that are of interest to us are as follows:

360 Degree Visual Display
BenQ Projectors/Projection Mapping
5.1 Surround Sound system
Interactive controls

Product Info

USE OF THE SPACE

Taking into consideration our requirements and the features of the space, we can be more direct with how we plan to use it.

1. Set-up

How do we get our own visuals in the space? I am thankful that we visited the space again because it was an informative trip and we were able to learn a lot. The set-up of the space is easy and doesn't require too much thought for first set-up. After this, players will not have to adjust anything, all they do is turn up. We were aware of each step needed to take to set this up, using the instructions above.

Firstly, we needed to download our chosen files and add them to another folder. This had to be down with the application 'Igloo Playback' open - which synced the visuals to the space. We had different media options on the system already which I have documented in my previous Prototyping page. Using the bars you can see above (Igloo Warper), we were able to adjust the placement of the display in the space. We can use this to make sure we have our visuals projected in the right place and decide what players might focus on as soon as they enter the game.

Igloo Playback Software

Demonstration of Kiera removing media content and adding another

Kiera and I had downloaded a still image of the game 'Short Trip' to assess the effectiveness of this style in a Mixed Reality space - this prototype can be found here. In this clip, Kiera had searched for the file and managed to open it within the 'Igloo Playback' Software which let us display this within the Igloo. This set-up was fairly easy and now we are both pro's at using it.

HOW COULD THIS BENEFIT US?

This allows us to personalise whatever is displayed in the space. We also have the option to upload our own videos or search via Youtube. Next Semester, we plan to look into methods of input and understand how we can input a Unity file, to display interactive gameplay within the space. Set-up was basic and I am glad we were shown this, because it takes away a lot of time if we were to choose this space for our final deliverable. We only have 12 weeks to design and develop this project, so this is certainly the more efficient option.

In addition to this, the visuals will be accompanied by a 5.1 Surround Sound system. The surround sound will provide depth to the experience as players will hear our uniquely composed soundtrack from every direction. This helps to engulf players into the experience and engage their sense of hearing. More into what it might sound like can be found here: Sound Direction. Lastly the interaction, within my Technology Research and first visit, we were informed that this space has the ability to link to our mobiles or other controllers. If we can set up Unity in this space, then essentially we will be able to use gesture control or touch controllers to be in control of the surroundings. We have spoken about the convenience of Touch Controllers (Oculus) because this increases physical activity and requires a focus on body movement and motion. (Good for regulation!)

EXPERIMENTATION

Demonstrations of the space in use

360 DEGREE DISPLAY

VIEW FROM OUTSIDE

DEMO OF ENTRY

EXAMPLE OF DISPLAY WITHIN THE SPACE

IMAGES/VIDEOS WRAP COMPLETELY AROUND THE SPACE

These images demonstrate what players will see once in the space. It's possibilities are endless and using its 360 degree screen eliminates the need for us to purchase projectors or construct our own box/screens etc. It saves time and set-up! Players would essentially approach the space and be able to walk straight in - that's if it's not occupied.

METHODS OF INPUT

How might players interact with this space?

Providing players with interactions is an extremely important part of gameplay and overall Games Design! Without it, it's more like an immersive exhibition or gallery - which we do not want to make. I did a lot of research into the basic rules of games design, player engagement, UX and player agency. It reminded me of the importance in player interaction and providing them with control over their virtual environment. It not only links back to this, but our main focus is regulation, which underlines being in control and focusing on the moment. Incorporating player interactions into our experience will help us achieve this. We also outlined this to be one of foci within our Essential Experience.

In Semester two, we aim to spend the first few weeks refining gameplay and thinking about how players will interact/what they will do in the space. We have touched on a few ideas such as adjusting visuals or being able to add/take away features to enhance the environment. But what we have to think about is how they'll do this. Our options are limited because we must think about our Target Audience and the limits to the space we use.

WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS?

What are we considering and why?

Touch Controllers - provides haptic feedback to stimulate senses and realistic interactionns. Can increase and encourage physical activity and body movement/motion.
PS5 Controller - provides haptic feedback also and can be used in Unity.
Gesture control/motion sensors - can allow players to interact using their physical bodies but without the need for additional set-up.

INPUT MOOD-BOARD:

REASON BEHIND CHOICES

The reason for these choices is simply because it makes interaction for players easier and doesn't require an understanding of controls. We want players to go in and feel at ease throughout - touch controllers and motion sensors do a great job at providing players freedom with how they interact. A PS5 controller is a little different but we can still test its effectiveness. The motion-based controls will encourage physical activity, and if we keep actions/mechanics slow and gentle, this will assist physical regulation.

REFLECTION

In my Phase 3 technology research, I eliminated the option for motion tracking because this requires set up. The worst thing would be asking a student to wire themselves up with this in order to play, during a fragile time where they may not want to communicate or may become frustrated. To make a final decision regarding this, we will conduct tests in Semester 2, to evaluate which form of input people found easiest. We should do this once we have our interactions and gameplay in position. For now, I believe we have a clear idea of what we can use, and have based this off what we know regarding what does and doesn't work in the Cylinder.

OUR OWN CONSTRUCTION

A more sustainable approach

In comparison to 'The 6m Cylinder', Kiera and I have thought about a more sustainable approach and considered the construction of our own space. Within this section, I will be considering the requirements for our XR box and sourcing the most eco-friendly resources to build it. This should include projectors, surround sound and suitable dimensions. To finalise this page, I will then compare the two spaces which will give us a little insight into the one we might choose next Semester.

SPACE MOCK-UPS

I have used Sketch-Up to create my own XR box in comparison to an average size User. Kiera and I established the dimensions for this space to be 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.5m as a result of her VR prototype and tester responses.

SketchUp: https://app.sketchup.com/app

XR BOX FRONT VIEW

COMPARISON WITH AVERAGE USER

RED TO REPRESENT POTENTIAL INTERACTIONS INTEGRATED INTO VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

WHY HAVE WE CONSIDERED BUILDING OUR OWN?

There are a few important factors to support our reasoning for this decision, one of which including the size of the 6m Cylinder. This can take away the personal feel to the game and we don't want players to feel isolated or alone as this is the opposite of what we'd like to achieve. (Comfort and safety) We also considered the rigging/construction time for the Cylinder which we know can take between 3-5 hours with trained professionals and the presence of a technician. Considering we aren't professionals and do not have a technician, this would be difficult to transport with us to the arcade event in the Summer. We would also have to consider supplying all schools/universities with this kit which they may not want to put money into! We have considered the use of our own pop-up space or something more durable. Another important factor of this is sustainability - we aim to create an eco-friendly space and source the most sustainable materials we can use to do this. It will be fun to construct next Semester, and we know we can do it with the help of our Fine Art Department.

In addition to this, I did a lot of research regarding environmental, ethical and social factors of design. I looked into ways the Games Industry can be more eco-friendly and one of the most popular responses was packaging and energy consumption. With this in mind, we can design our own space with a lower energy consumption compared to other physical spaces and hardware, as well as considering the materials we use to make it.

INSPIRATION

Link: https://www.snoezelen.info/room-designs/

Link: https://www.snoezelen.info/snoezelen-installations/

A main source of inspiration for me within Phase Three was 'sensory rooms and multi-sensory environments'. I did a lot of research regarding what these were and I came to discover that they are immersive rooms, full of interactive products/gadgets tailored to suit customer needs and struggles. They are often used for those with autism and to encourage stimulation. I also learned that the company 'Snoezelen' provide a list of products for those thinking of creating their own sensory room and they also offer customisations in rooms at home/workplaces etc. On their website, they have a page full of products which I listed in my Sensory Research and it inspired me to think about the kind of interactions we can have in the space. Some included light and music, suitable for both kids and adults - extremely versatile. I plan to look back at this research during Semester 2 to explore alternatives for interactions in the space but for now, would like to focus on the construction of it.

What I will be using to fuel my inspiration for this space is their 'Room and Space Design'. We can think about how we might transform our own space and begin designing our own. They begin with an image of the room they'd like to transform, then create a 3D mock-up and put together the real thing. Before this, the 4 most important steps are measuring, manufacturing, toolkit and installation. I plan to begin thinking with Kiera about how we'd like to set up this box including projectors, surround sound and the user.

OUR OWN CONSTRUCTION

Where do we begin?

I will begin by documenting inspiration for the box, including structures and frames that already exist. During my 'Lux Exhibition' visit, I became aware that they use wooden frames for the main structure and insulation to keep the sound in.

QUIET SPACE/BOX/ROOM MOOD-BOARD:

Link: https://pin.it/3wjRr5Y

THE DESIGN

Kieras prototypes allowed us to think about the dimensions of our space and thought about this in comparison to our users. I will begin by thinking about what we need in the space, and then source the most eco-friendly options to fulfil this. Using my space mock-up and inspiration mood-board I can begin to sketch the space.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE SPACE (what does it need to function)

Rigid structure
4 Walls
A door - 2.03m high
Projectors (in this case 4) and projection mapping software
Surround Sound
A device to link projection to - mobile or PC
Ability to interact - yet to be discovered
Dimensions - 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.5m

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS

I did a deep dive into the internet and searched for the most eco-friendly products reagrding our components for the space. I documented them all within a mood-board and annotated each product:

RESOURCES

MATERIALS FOR STRUCTURE

Frame - Sustainably sourced wood for the frame, the main structure of the box. This might include timber or pine.
Insulation/walls - Kiera recommended recycled plasterboard walls. However, similar to the 'Lux Exhibition' we can consider sound proofing and materials needed to keep the sound within our space. Alternative - clay boards.
Paint - Low or ZERO VOC paint for the walls. The inside will be painted black as projection mapping works best on dark surfaces. This also prevents toxic fumes.

SOFTWARE

'Sparck Projection Mapping Software' - I documented a Projection Mapping guide within my Technology research which can be useful. This'll allow us to map our projection over any object. Additional software may be needed to project our chosen dimensions.

HARDWARE:

BenQ TW535 Eco-friendly projector - Has a lower energy consumption compared to other projectors. We will need 4 of these.
MASS 5.1 Surround Sound System - more sustainable than other options and uses less energy
PC for our visual projections which will then be linked to our BenQ projectors. This must have a lot of power and ability to project something like this.

LINKS TO RESOURCES

FRAMES: https://www.mercerexhibitions.co.uk/eco-friendly/

PAINT: https://earthbornpaints.co.uk/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=consumer_demand&gclid=CjwKCAiA0KmPBhBqEiwAJqKK4zjsqS6Ttl5vM_OsomASS0Vrz9dzxkLuQmVi0qftcTLB7q56LdT-phoCeB0QAvD_BwE

CLAY BOARDS/WALLS: https://www.backtoearth.co.uk/products/clay-boards-and-plasters/

PROJECTORS: https://www.backtoearth.co.uk/products/clay-boards-and-plasters/

SURROUND SOUND SYSTEM: https://www.monitoraudio.com/en/product-ranges/mass-surround-sound/mass-5.1/

ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS

Kiera and I then drew up our final designs for the space, taking into consideration the dimensions of hardware as well as the dimensions for the space and the door. Using architectural/isometric paper we were able to get our dimensions fairly accurate and look a little professional. I took into account the different perspectives of the space which we can share with the Fine Art Department if we were to take this forward.

EVALUATION

In my architectural drawings, I included the dimensions of the box, the door andtthe projectors. We can use these estimated dimensions to pass on to the Fine Art Department if we were to get this built for our final deliverable. You can see from my drawing the projectors should face each of the four walls and be placed in the centre however, we will have to look into the appropriate software to ensure that we project our visuals to fit the entire wall. From my Quiet Room prototype, you can see that because of the limitations in distance between the projector and the wall (due to such a small room) it was unable to project bigger than half the size of the wall. To overcome this, we will have to install the necessary software.

The outcome of this space if we were to go through with it, depending on the resources we can access. Our course leader Adam Procter spoke to us about lending us a few of the universities projectors which will differ to the ones we have integrated in our design. I am sure during the design stages there will be many more factors like this that we will have to revisit and refine.

BENEFITS

Our own construction

The benefits of our own construction is that it is a lot more sustainable in comparison to the 6m Cylinder. As a result of the materials we chose, it will have a lower energy consumption an overall be more eco-friendly. We'd like to make it clear that we considered environmental factors in our design and this would be a great way to showcase that. As well as this, we have the ability to set-up the space exactly how we'd like it, with the hardware that we need. We can also transport this space to our arcade event and make it portable so that it can be taken to schools/campuses. If we set-up our space the way we intend, we can achieve full immersion in the space and enhance player engagement, therefore, fulfilling our project goals and essential experience.

DRAWBACKS

Our own construction

The drawbacks of this space include the price of our products and time management. We will have to speak to our course leader and university about sourcing these materials and it could be that they're inaccessible at that time. In addition to this, time will not be on our hands! We have to consider our plan for next Semester and think about how much time we have to design the space and then pass it on for manufacture. We only have 12 weeks to design and develop this project, and building our own construction will eat into the design phases of this project. However, there are more important aspects to focus on such as gameplay interactions, mechanics, visuals and sound! Using the Cylinder however, will reduce this time needed to focus on the space or need to source any additional equipment.

A QUICK COMPARISON - FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICS

The 6m Cylinder vs Our Sustainable Construction

I have input all the information I know regarding the two spaces in a table to compare the two. Along the right hand side I also colour-coded the boxes dependant on which one has the better outcome for features. For example, I have highlighted our own construction to have the better set-up in comparison to the time it would take to set up the Cylinder.

REFLECTION AND EVALUATION

To summarise, I have explored the uses of both spaces and evaluated their features. From what I know, I believe next Semester it would be most beneficial to take further the use of 'The 6m Cylinder'. It's conveniently placed on campus meaning we can test further with this space and use it when necessary. Our own construction would be the best option in terms of sustainability but will also take a lot more design and planning. The Cylinder is set-up ready for use, so the only elements we would need to prepare for this project will be our visuals, sound, interactions and control. We would spend our time evaluating how exactly we would input our interactions into the space, but the rest would be fairly easy. As we already know how to set it up, this bit will hopefully be a breeze! It will be a lot harder to implement interactions into our own box and finding the necessary programs to do this.

Both spaces will allow us to achieve a sense of immersion and player engagement through gameplay and other features, which is exactly what we aimed for. During Semester two, it will be important to consider how we picture of game at the arcade event, because we must be able to transport it to multiple locations in order to showcase what we have been working on. Because of this, the physical space we choose must be extremely mobile and require a simple set-up.

Next Semester, we will conclude our options for the space through user testing and evaluating what is most feasible and effective. For now, I believe we have the appropriate elements to form our Project Proposal therefore, we should begin piecing this together with all the necessary information.

SKETCHES (can be found on page 71 of my sketchbook)

Using these options for sustainable materials, I sketched ideas for the structure of the space with its decided dimensions and hardware.