Explore the
depths.

Timeline

Spring 2019 (15 weeks)

Class

New Media Team Project

Faculty Advisors

Adam Smith & Sten Mckinzie

Problem

AR is just beginning.

AR is still an emerging field and we believe currently it’s not being pushed to its fullest potential. The power of AR comes from its ability to combine physical, digital, and social spaces.

Currently, most AR experiences are single player, restricting user movement and removing the ability to explore.

Inspired by childhood games like Hot & Cold and Musical Chairs, we asked ourselves “how might AR redefine the collaboration and teamwork skills encouraged by these games?”

Solution

Play and technology.

O-Whale is a collaborative AR game that combines nostalgic game mechanics involving movement and teamwork with the latest augmented reality technology from Google ARCore.

We wanted to encourage verbal communication and physical movement in the hopes of reshaping the future of play. To help bring our dream to life we need a little help from a friend.

Meet Walter

He’s a baby blue whale who loves shiny rings, but he needs help collecting them!

01.  Life isn't single player

And AR shouldn't be either! We’re using AR to bring people together and promote teamwork.

02.  Immersion on the go

Sometimes a simple solution is the best solution. No headsets or cables, just you, your phone, and a whale.

03.  Immersion on the go

A body in motion stays in motion so why not make a game that incorporates motion?

Rules

How does
it work?

Magical shapes floating across the ocean floor mark the path to a shiny ring. Players should work together to help Walter find the path hidden in AR space before time runs out.

When the path is found, explore the scene as Walter swims by to collect his ring!

Pipeline

The look and feel.

Maintaining a consistent visual style from the initial stages of design, throughout the game development, and in the final product required the establishment of a pipeline between designers and developers.

The design team created 2D conceptual assets to set the overall mood and feel. Once translated to 3D models and placed inside the Unity scene, an immersive underwater landscape was brought to life.

2D

3D

In-Game

Takeaways

We learned and we grew.

While our initial optimism and drive for O-Whale has never wavered, we went through some growing pains to get acquainted with the AR pipeline. Whether it was planar tracking or scene synching we worked with the limitations to build the game we wanted.

Along the way, we learned about the importance of playtesting, especially when working with new technology. Everything works in theory... until it doesn’t. Thankfully, in the end, it all came together into a game that we are proud to call our own.

We are O-Whale.

A team of 4 designers and 4 developers

Top Row (left to right): Luka Schulz, Bennett Schoonerman, Andy Kukielka

Bottom Row (left to right): Colleen Albert, Zoe Kniskern, Amanda Ho, Stephen Cerbone (not pictured, Rebecca Wengert)

Process