As part of XRTerra’s ARVR Visual Design course, I was tasked to create a VR experience. I decided to try and redefine what it means to be a ‘digital storefront’ by pushing the boundaries of what the user actually experiences, rather than trying to simply mimic a real store. I think that VR experiences can help users interact with brands on a deep, intimate, and memorable level through great environmental storytelling. But, it has to be crafted with that goal in mind. In this project, I built a prototype digital storefront for BAPE - designed to appeal to streetwear enthusiasts and fans of the brand. And what do they like? They like Hip Hop. They like Japan.

[Procedure]

I spent a lot of time on the planning/discovery phase of this project. From the beginning, I knew I wanted to make something that felt like a ‘long journey’ without actually being long. So I collected inspiration from other pieces of media that instilled that feeling in me! Something I found in common between all of them was an emphasis on vast nature - large fields and scenic landscapes. I make it a goal to really capture that feeling throughout the project. I didn’t want to stop there though - I wanted to give the users a feeling of power and purpose in being in the environment, rather than simply observing it. By creating ‘impossible feats’ for the user to complete before accessing the digital storefront, I can simultaneously contribute to the storytelling while adding a layer of interactivity to the experience. For the prototype, I chose cutting an impassable boulder. Referencing the Japanese legend of Ittoseki, it’s samurai as heck, pretty badass, and super memorable. Since I needed to complete the project within the given timeframe, I settled on just building out those aspects for now. After a bunch of asset collecting, it was time to get to work. Using the Oculus hand mesh as a start, I animated ‘grabbing’ so that the player could grab & hold the sword. Making a mesh cuttable took a lot of code, but I was able to get it to trigger only when the sword was swung at a safe but intentional velocity. It’d be really lame if you just rubbed the sword on a boulder and it broke. Using mixamo, I was able to get 3d geishas and samurais animated to breakdance (Samurai Champloo fans rejoice)! After making significant adjustments to the environment, all that was left was to tie it all together.

[Aftermath]

I think I captured the feeling of the project excellently within the project, but there are a lot of things I’d like to include later.More points of interactivity, audio tweaking, vegetation optimization, NPC proximity interactions - all of these can go a long way in taking this project to the next level. I can’t wait to build this out further.