The project was developed as part of an academic course focused on 3D environment design and development. The experience is set in a section of the Craiglockhart campus, known as Dottyville, which was used as a war hospital during World War I. The goal of the project was to create an educational and immersive experience that allows players to explore the historical significance of the location while showcasing my skills in 3D modeling, environment design, and Unity development.
The purpose of the digital environment/game is to show the player what a section of the Craiglockhart campus (Dottyville) was like when it was used as a war hospital during WW1. It is an educational experience that allows the player to view first-hand the history of the building. The experience could be played using desktops or can be filmed as a walkthrough for the Craiglockhart War Poets exhibition. The War Poets exhibition's success shows there will be interest in the environment and will be a valuable visual asset to support the collection. The target audience for the project are people interested in WW1 history, poetry, and the evolution of the building itself. This is due to Craiglockhart having such a rich history, with influence on modern perception of war, from the war poets Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon. In addition, the unique history of the building itself, from a convent to a hydropathic hotel and then temporary war hospital. This project is intended for users with a basic understanding of online games and require no previous knowledge on unity or the history of the building. The experience fits into the entertainment and educational genre.
I was responsible for the 3D environment design and implementation in Unity. This included creating multiple assets in Blender, searching suitable textures and third-party assets, and integrating all elements into the Unity project. I also developed MENU system on the beginning (start game) and middle (pause menu + resume game) of the experience and.
Key tasks:
Started with competitive analysis of 8 health apps, followed by user interviews and contextual inquiry sessions. Created affinity diagrams to synthesize findings and identify common patterns across user behaviors.
Developed three primary personas: The Casual Tracker, The Data Enthusiast, and The Recovery-Focused Athlete. Each persona had distinct needs and interaction patterns that informed design decisions.
The simple story of the game/3D environment is you work at the hospital and you're going around collecting writings from the patients for the hydra magazine, the magazine that the patients of the hospital write for as one of the Doctors in the hospital suggested that writing would help their conditions. Apart from the premise there isn’t much story as it is mainly about viewing the environment.
In terms of narrative, the experience is designed to be exploratory and non-linear. The player can choose which areas of the hospital to explore and in what order. The narrative is conveyed through environmental storytelling, with visual cues and interactive elements that reveal the history and atmosphere of the hospital.
The user interface of the game/3D environment has been created to be as accessible for all audiences by making the design simple and non intrusive. There is limited heads-up display (HUD) which allows the player to see more of the environment.
Key tasks:
Built a high-fidelity interactive prototype with 42 screens and comprehensive component library. All components were designed with accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.1 AA) in mind.
The development of the Dottyville environment was carried out using (Unity verison - 2023.2.20f1), with the goal of creating a historically grounded environment with meaningful interaction.
Key development tasks:
Designed and implemented the pause menu and main menu system
This include:
Academic rating
The project was well-received by the academic staff and peers, achieving a high rating of 73.8%. The project demonstrated strong skills in 3D modeling, environment design, and Unity development. It was an excellent opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical setting and showcase my abilities in creating immersive 3D environments.