FIT2098 Virtual and Augmented Reality

S1 2025

Assignment 2: VR Interactive Moodscape [40%]

BRIEF

Using Unity, you will create an environment (e.g. a cave, office building, island, moonscape, etc.) that users can explore using room-scale VR and navigate via teleportation. This environment may be exterior, interior or a combination of both. As the user explores your world, they will discover a number of interactive objects that will progress some form. of basic narrative. Importantly, the environment and narrative will evoke a specific “mood”, either calming or energising.

The environment scene should be a ‘closed world’, meaning that there is a finite area to explore, surrounded in all directions by scenery, terrain, or other objects. The environment should be large enough to include some hidden areas that are not visible from the starting point but may be discovered during exploration. Also, some areas will not be accessible until some form of interaction is performed (e.g. placing a ladder against a wall to climb it, extending a bridge over a chasm, etc).

The world does not need to be overly detailed, you should focus your modelling efforts on interactive objects and important features that help your chosen mood and narrative. A low poly or simplified art style is recommended for this reason.

You will be provided with a starting Unity project pre-configured with a VR rig.

This assignment is split into two parts. Part 1 will require you to research and prototype your environment using techniques taught to you in lectures and tutorials. Part 2 will require you to develop your virtual scene, document the process and deploy a Windows build to record a demonstration video.

Audio can only be sourced from Freesound (https://freesound.org) as long as you reference the creator and sound file in your documentation. Additional resources will be made available on the Moodle site in the assessments resources section.

Please note: any external 3D models and materials downloaded from the internet will be considered as evidence of plagiarism. You may not re-use 3D models or other assets developed in previous assignments as this is self-plagiarism. If you have any questions, please ask the teaching team!

REQUIREMENTS

Part 1: requires you to submit a PDF document detailing your process to research and prototype your world. This will include research into environment design, themes and genre, specifically how you can use them to evoke a mood. Planning your assets, interactions and how they progress your narrative.   Researching art styles and determining what art style. you will use. Creating a 2D sketch, layout diagram or physical creation to prototype the world. Creating a 3D blockout in Unity with a VR rig and basic teleportation to test navigation.

Part 2: requires you to implement at least 5 interactive objects that may or may not progress the user  (some interactions may be a useless but fun distraction). Implement some form. of UI or similar feature that informs the user of their current progression. 3D model and texture assets to build your environment. Make use of timeline animations, ambient audio, particle effects, lighting and   post-processing to support your chosen mood and narrative.

In your documentation, include the research and prototyping performed in part 1 and if applicable, discuss any changes you made. You will also describe the development process and highlight the key approaches you used to create your environment and interactions (models, textures, lighting, effects,  etc) and how they relate to your chosen mood and narrative. Include references to any online tutorials you used and reference any audio used in your project.

The final demonstration video will showcase your VR experience. This should demonstrate all interactions and show how to progress through and complete your scene. This is your folio piece!

DELIVERABLES

Part 1: will require you to submit the following item:

(a)  Research and prototyping PDF document

Use images and descriptions in this document to demonstrate what you have learned and how you will apply this when building your world. You are not required to submit the Unity  project at this stage or any additional files.

Part 2: will require you to submit the followings items:

(a) Unity Project Folder

You will be provided with a starting Unity project, this will come pre-configured with a VR rig and post-processing stack.

(b)  Project Build

The executable output of your project build. This is a Windows build for OpenXR (i.e. it will play through the VR headset when executed).

(c)  Documentation as a PDF document

Include all research performed in part 1 and any changes made. Also illustrate your working process with screenshots and descriptions of your project and how this creates a cohesive   world design and moodscape.

(d)  Demonstration Video

A demonstration video of your VR experience using a VR device showing all implemented features.

Submission is via Moodle. ALL submitted items must be named in a clear and logical way and compressed into a single .zip file, which should be named with the assessment number, and your name. The maximum total file-size for this submission is 500MB.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Your submission will be graded on the following categories, a detailed rubric can be found on Moodle: Part 1: Research and prototyping [15 Marks]

●    Environment, genre and mood research (3 marks)

●    Planning assets, interactions, narrative and art style. (3 marks)

●    2D sketch, layout diagram or physical creation (4 marks)

●    3D blockout in Unity with VR rig and basic teleportation (5 marks)

Part 2: Project, documentation and demonstration [25 Marks]

●    Interactive scene elements (5 marks)

●    UI progression feedback (2 marks)

●    Environment and other 3D assets (3 marks)

●    Animated objects, audio, lighting, particle and post processing effects (3 marks)

●    Good VR practices and level design (5 marks)

●    Accompanying documentation, approaches, methods and changes (5 marks)

●    Demonstration video showing all implemented features (2 marks)

LATE PENALTIES

Any submission received after the due date without a prior arranged extension will receive a 5% reduction to their available mark per day late, for a maximum of seven days. Submissions received more than 7 days after the due date without a prior arranged extension will receive a mark of 0 and no feedback will be provided.

PART 1: DUE DATE                                          11:55PM, Friday Week 10

Ensure that part 1 is submitted to Moodle on time to allow your tutor time to provide feedback for part   2 development. Feedback will be provided during class time, so ensure you turn up to your tutorial.

PART 2: DUE DATE                                           11:55PM, Friday Week 14

In person consultation sessions will be arranged in weeks 13 and 14 to test your projects and record your demonstration videos. Ensure you have your assignment project and build ready to deploy for these weeks.