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Artstyle testing —— Spaceship

References:

DIE

Having studied the relevant concepts of embodiment, we concluded that switching perspectives too frequently within a limited timeframe would confuse users, leaving them insufficient time to immerse themselves in the narrative. This proves highly detrimental to conveying the story’s emotional resonance. Moreover, Embodiment theory cautions us against confronting users directly with suffering in VR narratives, as this positions them as “victims” – an outcome we wish to avoid. Consequently, we altered the narrative logic, establishing a permanent third-person perspective to observe the story, albeit with different narrators.

CVRPP

I started to do test on different art style.

Refrences: Stylized

Testing in Maya:

DIE

We endeavour to adopt a multi-perspective external approach, capturing the fate of this family—utterly rewritten in the wake of war—through the eyes of observers independent of its inner circle. We firmly believe this subtle approach—narrating indirectly through others’ voices—strips away overt emotional outpouring. It allows the sorrow, joy, and anguish hidden between the lines to resonate with quieter, more profound depth. Moreover, within this seemingly understated narrative, audiences may discern overlooked, exquisitely delicate details that strike a profound chord.

CVRPP

We finally decided which kind of game we are planing to build.

Game Overview:

The objective of the game is to cut the bamboo in order to form them into a

coherent word and read them correctly get scores. I want player to be tensed but

pleased during the game in order to have an efficiency while enjoying the game.

Audience

We think it is just people who want to learn English efficiently in an amazing way.

Similar games are like Fruit Ninja and the other English spelling games.

Genre

Serious action game

Gameplay

I. Core Logic: Linking Diverse Gameplay Through ‘Spelling’

Employing ‘spelling’ as the central trigger, this approach integrates classic game modes

across genres (fruit slicing, parkour, racing, etc.) with spelling rules. Spelling thus

transcends mere textual practice, becoming a pivotal element in advancing gameplay.

II. Branch Gameplay Design Concepts

1. Competitive Manipulation

◦ Cutting (Fruit Ninja): Target ‘misspelled letters’ as fruit-cutting objectives. Players

correct spelling by slicing erroneous letters, merging action mechanics with spelling

correction.

◦ Parkour/Racing: Integrate spelling tasks into parkour (corresponding to the ‘The

temple fled, and the thunder’ scenario) and racing gameplay. For instance, completing

spellings during parkour/racing unlocks levels or grants power-ups, merging textual

challenges with action-based speed.

2. Social Interaction

◦ Imitate: Players mimic each other’s actions, with the gameplay’s appeal lying in ‘making

movements more spontaneous and unexpected.’ Spelling instructions are transformed

into physical mimicry for playful interaction, de-emphasising competitiveness while

amplifying casual social engagement.

◦ Cooperate: Collaboratively solving ‘a little puzzle’ by using spelling as clues or steps

for cooperative puzzle-solving, emphasising player collaboration and logical interaction.

3. Gambling Thrill Category

◦ Bet → Devil’s Roulette: Links spelling outcomes to a ‘bet-gambling’ mechanism,

where spelling success or failure becomes the stakes, enhancing randomness and

excitement.

III. Design Objective: Balancing ‘Educational Value’ and ‘Entertainment Value’

All branches ultimately converge towards an engaging gaming experience: whether

through action mechanics (fruit slicing, parkour), social mimicry, or puzzle-gambling,

‘spelling’ transforms from a tedious learning activity into the game’s core driving force.

Simultaneously, differentiated gameplay designs (casual/competitive/social/gambling)

cater to diverse player preferences.

DIE

We defined that the core concept of our narrative crystallises into two key themes—war trauma and multi-perspective storytelling—while remaining anchored to the central theme of ‘anti-war’. In our overarching vision, we focus on an ordinary family. Through immersive storytelling, we reveal how the happy life of this small household is ruthlessly torn apart and crushed by the ravages of war. This vividly exposes the brutal essence of conflict: no matter how those in power may gloss it as glorious conquest, war is fundamentally nothing more than a meat grinder that devours lives and hope. To interpret this theme more profoundly, we employ a multi-perspective narrative technique, weaving together the profound suffering endured by this small family during the war through the eyes of different characters. From the generation who lived through the conflagration to the descendants raised in its shadow, the interwoven monologues and perspectives of characters across different ages and positions not only demonstrate war’s capacity to overturn individual destinies and destroy families, but also emphasise the intergenerational transmission of its trauma. This is never a sealed chapter of history, but a wound seared into the bloodline, an enduring ache that continues to affect generation after generation.

CVRPP

To date, our approach to gameplay has yet to be definitively established. As things stand, we currently have the following broad directions:

1. Tabletop card game

2. Player versus player —- Pulling pranks on each other （asymmetry）

3. Player versus environment —- Fun cooperative play

DIE

We got a feedback from tutor, and we may need to focus more on the realationship between the family ranther than the pohotographer.

CVRPP

Basicly we need to do some work about mindmap to finger out what kind of game we are really intrested in.

DIE

The perspective itself is integral to the narrative, rather than a mere technical choice. We have shifted from a single viewpoint to multiple perspectives, no longer confining the audience to a single character. Instead, they observe the family amidst war through diverse lenses—that of a child, a photographer, a postman, and a mother.

We have abandoned linear narrative structures in favour of multi-perspective storytelling. I believe presenting this story through multiple viewpoints enriches its depth and complexity. Moreover, through subtle, indirect depictions, I feel we can amplify the emotional resonance across most scenes. However, we must carefully consider how to strike an appropriate balance, ensuring audiences can readily embrace these shifts in perspective.

CVRPP

Even after I presented several examples, our progress remained stuck at the stage of discussing gameplay mechanics, and we were unable to arrive at a solution in the immediate term.

DIE

However, I personally feel that some of the current narratives are somewhat thin, so I wish to incorporate something different to enrich the story’s layers. Consequently, I have turned my attention to multi-threaded storytelling. We can introduce multiple characters and multiple perspectives, presenting the story to the audience through these varied viewpoints. Moreover, I believe that the emotional impact generated by multi-perspective narration will be significantly more potent.

CVRPP

This week, Zhenhe Wu and I finalised the initial concept. I gathered mechanics from several card games to progressively develop the gameplay framework. The card games and mechanics I researched include: Kobayakawa Cards and Devil’s Roulette.

My vision is to develop a tabletop game incorporating elements of gambling, where players experience heightened stakes through VR technology.

DIE

 This week, we disscused about some basic idea of our script.

These are some foundational elements we’ve tentatively decided upon following our discussions, such as the theme and key characters. However, these remain merely preliminary concepts at this stage and will require ongoing refinement.

The child yearns for love

* The mother receives love from the father through letters

* As the father departs, love gradually diminishes

* Ultimately, the father passes away, leaving the mother bereft of her source

* Love returns to the child—transmitted through the pendant / keepsake

At this stage, Toy Soldier’s essence was:

> A story centred on the ‘child,’

> experiencing temporal shifts and emotional loss within the domestic space.

Your primary concern at the time was:**How do we express ‘love fading away’ through space and interaction?

CVRPP

This week, our opinions diverged. In my view, a card game would serve as an excellent medium, whereas zhenhe contended that card games might present numerous technical challenges requiring careful consideration. Consequently, after deliberation, we decided to alter the game format to resemble a mutual object-throwing game.

DIE

This is our brief ideal:

The toy, story begins during the eleventh soldier recruitment drive. Father leaves home to enlist. Before departing, he gives his young child a small toy soldier. Mother quietly fastens a protective charm around his neck. The child is too young to comprehend the cruelty of war. His world remained filled with his mother’s care and the companionship of toys, while outside lay bombs and chaos. In his father’s absence, the child played with the toy soldier, imagining his father as a hero. Occasionally, letters from the front brought comfort to the family. As time passed and the conflict intensified, the child clung steadfastly to the little soldier. Ultimately, the war concluded with a ‘victory,’ yet the father did not return. Only the dust-covered, worn amulet came back. The mother clutched it tightly, while the child embraced the toy soldier. The house fell silent, signifying that war brings no reunion, only loss and endless waiting.

Child’s Perspective → Innocence and Purity:

Core Concept Points

Mother at home, father on the front lines, the child growing up between them.

War forces the child to mature without familial warmth.

Through the child’s eyes, the contrast between innocence and cruelty becomes starkly clear.

War is nothing but a political game.

Time: World War II

Perspective: First-person view of the child, mother at home, father at war.

First tutorial, Ana gave us a few questions to consider about:

CVRPP

Discussing Gameplay I found my teammate —- Zhenhe Wu and shared some initial ideas with him. Based on personal interests, I’m keen on creating a board game that can be realised in VR.

DIE

In this week, we took a group meeting and we made a brainstorm, in this meeting we build a series of concepts and ideas.