Pre-Production: Week 0 / Pitch & Prep
Week 0: February 25, 2024 - March 2, 2024 [Pitch + Frontloading]
After undergoing an introduction to the tech in the LIM and having multiple brainstorming sessions, we pitched to LIM staff and formally started our project this week. The team infrastructure, documentation, creative vision, game design, and tools were defined and set up for Production based on teammates’ backgrounds, interests, and research on monarch butterflies.
Production: Week 1 / Design
Week 1: March 3, 2024 - March 9, 2024 [Refine + Begin Development]
We further refined the creative vision and game design through fleshing out documents such as the Game Design Document on Google Docs and the Art Direction Guide on FigJam. Project management and pipelines were also established. Whiteboxing of the level design and asset creation started.
Production: Week 2 / Assets
Week 2: March 17, 2024 - March 23, 2024 [Asset Creation]
Whiteboxing levels and asset creation continued, with several 3D models and audio assets created or outsourced by the end of the week. Gameplay programming was in-progress in a test scene, and 2D art assets were being planned to reflect narrative. Plans for full technical implementation in the LIM began, which included block diagrams, testing multiple tools, and technical writing of LIM-specific processes.
Production: Week 3 / Technical
Week 3: March 24, 2024 - March 30, 2024 [Progress Check + Begin Technical Implementation]
We started technical implementation connecting Unity, QTM, and Resolume, which came with troubleshooting OSC messages and implementing mechanics that take account of the mo-cap specs. We also discussed with the LIM staff on how to approach implementing in-game audio in Unity versus in Ableton with the 360 audio system. After we were informed that our project presentation will be the AET Showcase, we decided to include fabricated elements and design the project with a public showcase setting in mind.
Production: Week 4 / MVP
Week 4: March 31, 2024 - April 6, 2024 [MILESTONE: MVP QA session]
During our in-house MVP QA session, we evaluated the functionality, level design, and digital and physical assets that we achieved so far. We performed more troubleshooting with OSC messaging, fixing bugs, and tweaking game design elements like modifying the scale of physical to in-game movement. All levels were whiteboxed, and most of the 3D models were in the process of being implemented. Texturing, physical lighting, and fabrication were still in-progress.
Production: Week 5 / Open Playtest
Week 5: April 7, 2024 - April 13, 2024 [MILESTONE: Full MVP open playtesting session]
We held an open playtesting session and identified that our project was engaging, enjoyable, and informative to those who playtested; however, we found that players needed more explicit information on how to play the game and that the level design was too hard because no one made it to the end of the map. Our progress at this point was about a week behind the ideal schedule, but we still gained a lot of insight and were determined to wrap up loose ends. From here, we worked on adding more in-game player feedback, developing diegetic game instructions at the onboarding table, and finishing needed assets like physical lighting, cutscenes, and direct OSC connections between our Unity, Ableton, and Resolume files.
Production: Week 6 / Showcase
Week 6: April 14, 2024 - April 20, 2024 [MILESTONES: Polish playtesting & AET Showcase]
We crunched, and we made it. At polish playtesting, we had a near-complete game and were able to connect Unity with Resolume through OSC messaging. Level design, aesthetics, and narrative were finalized and tweaked to create a cohesive experience leading into AET Showcase where we presented our final project to the public. We successfully implemented our full project in the LIM with all technical elements working smoothly alongside the themed onboarding that was facilitated through fabrication and game masters. And… we were chosen as the winners of the Immersive Media award by showcase visitors!
Post-Production: Week 7 / Reflect
Week 7: April 21, 2024 - April 29, 2024 [Documentation]
We performed more documentation of our final work, which included taking more photos and videos and building this team site that summarizes our project and process. Each of us also documented our individual contributions to this project in detail on our own personal sites. We are so thankful for the support from LIM staff, playtesters, and showcase visitors and are overall happy with the work we created together!
Our real-world inspired experience...
This project was designed based on real-world research about monarch butterflies.
References
Ashworth, J. (2022, January 24). Bees, butterflies and moths 'confused' by air pollution. The Natural History Museum.
Be Smart. (2019, April 9). Unraveling the great butterfly migration mystery [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBakLuH6kDY
Exploring By the Seat of Your Pants. (2023, November 21). The amazing monarch butterfly: A migratory journey that connects three
countries [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub6kcdVJV04
Grow Milkweed Plants. (n.d.). Select your Country. Grow Milkweed Plants. https://www.growmilkweedplants.com/map.html
Miller, K. (2016, October 4). New Jersey’s key role in the monarch migration. Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.
https://www.conservewildlifenj.org/blog/2016/10/04/new-jerseys-role-in-the-monarch-migration/
Nat Geo Kids. (2016, May 10). Monarch butterfly | amazing animals [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b87rwtXGzA
Programa Correo Real. (n.d.). Inicio. Programa Correo Real. https://www.correoreal.mx/
Rathmell, D. (2022, August 1). The monarch’s journey. ArcGIS StoryMaps.
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3daa957c4da44d4b8a9e8f69919ca964
The Monarch Joint Venture. (n.d.). Migration. The Monarch Joint Venture.
We credit the following creators whose public assets were outsourced by our team in developing this project:
Game Art
Low Poly Forest
by I'm blendin in
from Sketchfab, CC attribution 4.0
Forest-sided, a peaceful place to live: Diorama
by Cleuza Costa
from Sketchfab, CC attribution 4.0
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/low-poly-forest-0a28a6a333174bc794a048bb32dc8707
Used for previsualization in Pre-Production with slight modification in texturing to make trees a darker green.
Used fir trees for previsualization in Pre-Production.
Low Poly Forest Pack
by Jaks
from Itch.io, creator stated free for any use
https://jaks.itch.io/lowpolyforestpack
Used in Mexico environment, only modifications were scaling up/down.
Free Low Poly Forest
by purepoly
from Sketchfab, CC attribution 4.0
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/free-low-poly-forest-6dc8c85121234cb59dbd53a673fa2b8f
Used for Mexico scene and only used the mountains. Deleted all prairie items and moved the mountains, scaled up and down.
Low Poly Lake Scene
by EdwiixGG
from Sketchfab, CC attribution 4.0
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/low-poly-lake-scene-5fa5d2f996ef472fa41baafe79f64ec2
Used for previsualization in Pre-Production where trees were deleted to use the lake by itself.
LOW POLY - DERELICT FACTORY
by Colin.Greenall
from Sketchfab, CC attribution 4.0
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/low-poly-derelict-factory-4e033f90eaaa4e68931af60f0309f537
Deleted the building in order to use smoke stack model only.
Pack - Low Poly - 22 Building [ Interior ]
by Islide
from Sketchfab, CC attribution 4.0
Separated all the buildings to use each one individually, and scaled it up accordingly, deleted all extra windows.
CITY package
by 255 pixel studios
from Unity Asset Store, Standard Unity Asset Store EULA
https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/environments/urban/city-package-107224
Some streets were modified.
Blend.shader
by Bailkk
from Unity Forums
https://forum.unity.com/threads/fading-between-two-textures.511066/
Used shader to blend two textures (grass and concrete). Used for all 3 locations.
Unity shader : Burning paper
by Shaders Laboratory
from YouTube video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FSZNDZ7znE
Used shader to blend two textures (grass and concrete). Used for all 3 locations.
Dirty concrete ground
by Apoorva Joshi
from ManyTextures, CC attribution 4.0
https://www.manytextures.com/texture/79/dirty-concrete-ground/
Used as texture for terrain for all 3 locations and was modified by blending with a grass texture.
Stylized Low poly Car Free
by slvpnk
from Itch.io, creator stated as free
Low Poly Fence Pack
by Broken Vector
from Unity Asset Store, Standard Unity Asset Store EULA
Low Poly Bridge
by Akshat
from Sketchfab, CC attribution 4.0
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/low-poly-bridge-6528689b437942b0b1df901bf8d68288
Used in Mexico scene. Modified by flipping the texture of road over to fix orientation and combined multiple highways together to make a long highway.
3LE Low Poly Cloud Pack
by The Fallout Nerd
from Unity Asset Store, Standard Unity Asset Store EULA
https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/3le-low-poly-cloud-pack-65911
Scaled up and tinted slightly in color.
Low Poly Bridge
by Akshat
from Sketchfab, CC attribution 4.0
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/low-poly-bridge-6528689b437942b0b1df901bf8d68288
Used in Mexico scene. Modified by flipping the texture of road over to fix orientation and combined multiple highways together to make a long highway.
Bézier Path Creator
by Sebastian Lague
from Unity Asset Store, Standard Unity Asset Store EULA
https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/b-zier-path-creator-136082
Edited to move along road paths in-game.
Direction Arrow
by Alihan
from Sketchfab, CC attribution 4.0
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/direction-arrow-6ef46718c7b242e39fcad7f27ee858a5
Scaled in size, animated, and tinted various colors.
Fonts
Hatch Sans
by Måns Grebäck
from Adobe Fonts Library, free for personal and commercial use
HVD Edding 780
by handdrawn
from FontSquirrel, CC attribution 3.0
https://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/hvd-edding-780
Used in 2D game art.
Fairplex Narrow & Wide
by Zuzana Licko
from Adobe Fonts Library, free for personal and commercial use
https://fonts.adobe.com/fonts/fairplex#fonts-section
Used in 2D game art.
Responder P
by Petr van Blokland
from Adobe Fonts Library, free for personal and commercial use
https://fonts.adobe.com/fonts/responder-p
Used in 2D game art.
Anca
by Ján Filípek
from Adobe Fonts Library, free for personal and commercial use
https://fonts.adobe.com/fonts/anca
Used in 2D game art.
History Sheeter
by Niskala Huruf
from dafont.com, creator stated personal use only
https://www.dafont.com/history-sheeter.font
Used in 2D game art to create the game title.
Alibaba Sans
by Alibaba
from Adobe Fonts Library and Canva, free for personal and commercial use
https://fonts.adobe.com/fonts/alibaba-sans
Used in printed posters designed in Canva.
Audio
Poof
by audiohero
from VIDEVO, royalty-free including commercial and editorial use
https://www.videvo.net/sound-effect/poof/693651/#rs=audio-download
Used for butterfly death SFX.
Magic poof
by Epic Stock Media
from Uppbeat, members free to use
https://uppbeat.io/browse/search?query=poof&type=sfx
Used for milkweed collection SFX.
Car honks
by [missing author metadata]
from Freesound
Used in Ableton SFX 360 immersive soundscape.
distant_storm_05.wav
by matucha
from Freesound, CC Attribution 4.0
https://freesound.org/people/matucha/sounds/115250/?
Used in Ableton SFX 360 immersive soundscape.
Pack: Factory machine
by AudioPapkin
from Freesound, CC Attribution NonCommercial 4.0
https://freesound.org/people/AudioPapkin/sounds/712025/
Used in Ableton SFX 360 immersive soundscape. Modified in pitch.
Programming
Qualysis Unity SDK
by Qualysis and 8 other contributors
from Github, MIT license
https://github.com/qualisys/QTM-Connect-For-Unity
Used in the Unity editor to connect Qualysis motion capture with Unity gameplay.
OSC Jack
by Keijiro Takahashi
from Github, The Unlicense
https://github.com/keijiro/OscJack
Used in Unity scripts in the Unity editor for OSC messaging between Unity, Resolume, Ableton, Touchdesigner, and Qualysis motion capture.
Misc
orange buttefly
by Suzanne D. Williams
from Unsplash, Unsplash License
https://unsplash.com/photos/orange-buttefly-mC2mAodvrws
Used in previsualization of and elements incorporated into final project promo image used in AET Showcase voting form.
close-up photography of monarch butterfly on flower
by Erin Muniskin
from Unsplash, Unsplash License
https://unsplash.com/photos/close-up-photography-of-monarch-butterfly-on-flower-LGaneK6yG9M
Used in previsualization of project promo image only, did not make into final image.
a monarch butterfly hanging from a tree branch
by Joshua J. Cotton
from Unsplash, Unsplash License
https://unsplash.com/photos/a-monarch-butterfly-hanging-from-a-tree-branch-8yZNQY3c6co
Used as photo reference for drawing in Professor's journal.
monarch butterfly perched on pink flower in close up photography during daytime
by Joshua J. Cotton
from Unsplash, Unsplash License
Used as photo reference for drawing in Professor's journal.
grid paper pattern thick
by Rotaru Virgilius
from Canva, Canva Free License
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGCUyn0v3o/GgzUCm71mqqMNDi5mqemBA/edit
Used in printed headtracker poster design at onboarding table, scaled and tinted.
Butterfly Insect Silhouette
by Liliia Polos
from Canva, Canva Free License
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGCUyn0v3o/GgzUCm71mqqMNDi5mqemBA/edit
Used in printed LIM poster design posted on door, scaled and slightly edited.
Red Wildberries Floral Botanical Border Frame Element Autumn Themed Linocut Stamp
by sparklestroke
from Canva, Canva Free License
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGCUyn0v3o/GgzUCm71mqqMNDi5mqemBA/edit
Used in printed Professor M. letter at onboarding table, tinted a different color and scaled.
DSLR Camera free icon
by Freepik
from Flaticon, Flaticon License
https://www.flaticon.com/free-icon/dslr-camera_83574
Used in printed informational posters posted around LIM space.
Lightning free icon
by Freepik
from Flaticon, Flaticon License
https://www.flaticon.com/free-icon/lightning_2024098
Used in printed informational posters posted around LIM space.
Audio icon
by Freepik
from Flaticon, Flaticon License
https://www.freepik.com/icon/audio_58532
Used in printed informational posters posted around LIM space.
