Assignment 2 - VR Report

This application is a basic game where the user who has the phobia of Nyctophobia, the fear of darkness, must complete various tasks at night asap. This helps distract from the darkness, and encourages those who fight this phobia to avoid using the flashlight to complete choirs faster.

Description of App

This application is a simple attempt at trying to minimize the effects of Nyctophobia. It aims to distract the user from the darkness with a various bunch of tasks in a friendly home. The user has to complete all the tasks asap to finish the game. The main task in this prototype version of the application is a simple cleaning exercise, where the user picks up trash from around the house and throws it out in the quickest time.

This application's aim is to teach the users that distracting yourself could be a coping mechanism with this fear, and allows a safe space where they won't get hurt so they can deal with this fear in peace. A flashlight is used by the user to help reduce the effect of the darkness, however it can be skipped if the user wants a harder experience, although it is there for people starting to cope with their fear

Using VR, this allows the user to be almost fully enveloped in the dark, while also allowing them to be in the comfort of their own room. This allows a subconscious realization that you are safe, other than from potential jump-scares in which there are none. A flat-screen application will not envelop them in darkness, which makes it significantly less effective then a headset, as they can easily separate reality from fiction there.

Interface Design (30%)

The main interaction of the user is doing choirs at night.  The chores are both a goal and a distraction from the darkness. To make the night less scary, a flashlight is used to see, which also blocks one of their hands from being used. This version allows the user to drop the flashlight at anytime, allowing them to use both their hands to go twice as fast with the choirs, while also giving the user a chance to further fight their fears for an additional benefit. It was decided to keep the flashlight glowing when you dropped it so that it doesn't hurt as much for those users who got the confidence to drop it, but it also doesn't illuminate to the sides very well, making it a risk and reward type function.

Further development would include these features to make the application feel more whole. 

1) A more fleshed out house, to make the user feel more at home :) . In all seriousness, this will be alot more comfortable for the user, making them more able to take the risks of dropping the flashlight or abandoning it altogether.

2) A variety of different tasks, so that the user knows that just the act of distracting oneself could help alot (While finding something that is helpful for themself)

Technical Development

This application was prototyped using the Quest 2. Your task for this prototype is to grab all the rubbish in the house and chuck it in the bins. The flashlight exists to help out if you are scared of the dark and also acts like a risk and reward system because ditching it means you can do the task faster.

3D Models

A simple 2 story house with some minor errors. Built using ProBuilder (Unity's own thing now), which both dramatically sped up development time, and also slowed it to a crawl. Recommend an optional tutorial on this for future students.

Gest's set of draws and various assets. Sped up development, and gave a homely feel

Bed that doesn't look like a sofa. From AK Studio Art

The Fridge and Stove comes from the "Alstra Infinite" pack. They both look nice, but cannot be interacted.

Literal Junk from "Mess Maker Free". Couldn't get scrunched up paper, so this was closest. Scaled up to be easily visable.

Bin that looks really nice by Rodolfo Rubens

A flashlight meant to help you navigate throughout the dark. Made by Pixelburner

References

Assets

The Quantum Nexus. 2022. Mess Maker Free. [online] Available at: https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/modeling/mess-maker-free-213803<https: assetstore.unity.com="" packages="" tools="" modeling="" mess-maker-free-213803="">.</https:>

<https: assetstore.unity.com="" packages="" tools="" modeling="" mess-maker-free-213803="">Rodolfo Rubens. 2017. </https:><https: assetstore.unity.com="" packages="" tools="" modeling="" mess-maker-free-213803="">Trash Bin.  [online] Available at: </https:>https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/furniture/trash-bin-96670

Pixelburner. 2017. Flashlight. [online] Available at: https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/electronics/flashlight-18972

Alstra Infinite. 2019. Kitchen Appliance - Low Poly. [online] Available at: https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/electronics/kitchen-appliance-low-poly-18041

AK Studio Art. 2022. Bed PBR. [online] Available at: https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/clothing/bed-pbr-227070

Gest. 2017. Pack Gesta Furniture #1. [online] Available at: https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/furniture/pack-gesta-furniture-1-...

Video (Huh, it links automatically, neat. No reference needed I guess)