Devlog

2022-09-19 by Johnny Zhonghao Liang

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Museum of Post-Civilisation, a VR interactive experience showcasing 3 digital installations, is a tribute to and inspired by the science fiction novel The Three-Body Problem.

Application Description

With the help of VR technology, players are able to experience the science fiction content associated with The Three-Body Problem novel through the app. With Meta Quest 2, the app presents a visual representation of the sci-fi universe where players can interact with the scenes and deepen their visual perception of The Three-Body Problem.

Virtual Interface Duality

The virtual reality technology (via the Meta Quest 2 device) brings an immersive visual and interactive experience to the player, with more intuitive manipulation behaviour and highly accurate player response, providing a better gaming experience. In this application, players are able to enhance visual feedback through gestures and controller interaction, effectively enhancing the immersive experience.

Use case image generated with ERNIE-ViLG (Prompt: A man in VR headset)

HCI Design Process

Problem

The Three-Body Problem is a highly acclaimed, world-selling Sci-Fi novel, and because of the sheer size of its story, there are few animations, films or games related to it. This requires the reader of the novel to have a strong visual imagination while reading it. The lack of tangible visual content means that many of the novel's most interesting elements (post-civilisation, alien technology) can only be imagined by those who really enjoy the novel. Many people, even if they have heard of The Three-Body Problem, will rarely be able to imagine the visuals.

Solution

Inspired by the content of The Three-Body Problem, three distinctive parts of the installation were visually created in the form of 3D models, which were transformed into interactive indoor/outdoor virtual reality installation art and game scenes. By navigating through the scenes and interacting with the installation, players will have an immersive visual experience and a more intuitive understanding of the underlying visual language of The Three-Body Problem.

Technologies

Assisted by Meta Quest 2's device technology, the app is suitable for people of all ages, interested in The Three-Body Problem or Sci-Fi genre fiction.

Gameplay screenshot - The button for interactions

Interactions

In this app, the player is able to navigate through the scenes by tapping the Index button in the Quest 2 controller through the Locomotion system in VR. In each of the 3 main scenes of the app, there is a physical button for the player to interact with. The player's hand gestures while holding the controller simulate real-life button presses by the human body. After pressing the button, the player receives real-time visual feedback from the device in the scene, further enhancing the overall virtual reality experience.

Asset Descriptions

The following 3D digital installations (except the humanoid meshes and the robotic arm mesh) are all built and designed by Johnny Zhonghao Liang.

Render image of 'Lighthouse of Death'

Lighthouse of Death

"Death is a lighthouse of eternity, no matter where you sail, you will eventually turn towards it, everything will pass away, only death will be eternal."

The installation is a reversal of the conventional lighthouse architecture, with the lighthouse marked by a ring whose beginning is the end, a symbol of infinity and eternity. While the infinite circle is only the age and civilisation, the endless is the lighthouse of death.

Render image of 'Dark Forest'

Dark Forest

"The universe is a dark forest in which hell is other people, an eternal threat, and any being that reveals its existence will soon be destroyed."

The installation is based on the laws of the Dark Forest, with the heads of separated beings fixed to the installation to show the tragic consequences of breaking the laws of the forest, alluding to the core law of the Dark Forest that "Hell is other people".

Render image of 'The Sword Bearer'

The Sword Bearer

It is both a wall-facer and a wall-breaker, even can be a forest hunter facing far above its own civilisational hierarchy without falling apart. This installation presents a first-perspective view of a direct confrontation with the alien and the higher civilisation behind it by way of a stairway to the sky, giving a more visual and oppressive sensory experience.