A Warm Little Pond

Motion-based interactive projection
Spec
12-minute interactive game
24000mmx3000mm projection
Unity3D
Azure Kinect
Client
National Taiwan Science Education Center,
Taipei, Taiwan
Opening
Aug 2021
My Project Role
● Project Manager
● Game Designer
● Level Designer
● Scriptwriter
● User Testing
Project Overview
The motion-based interactive projection, "A Warm Little Pond," invites the audience on an immersive journey through a virtual magical world. It begins in a dark cave and takes them to the seabed, across grasslands, into the sky, and eventually into the far reaches of the universe.

During this journey, players can control virtual characters through body movements, interact with fantastical creatures, and trigger various scientific reactions. By creating this fantastical world, our goal is to create an intuitive and imaginative experience, stimulating players imagination and fostering curiosity about science and the origin of life.
Inspiration
Every living thing has gone through changes since the beginning of time.
But how did it start?

"But if (and oh what a big if) we could conceive in some warm little pond with all sorts of ammonia and phosphoric salts, light, heat, electricity &c. present, that a protein compound was chemically formed, ready to undergo still more complex changes, at the present day such matter would be instantly devoured, or absorbed, which would not have been the case before living creatures were formed."

—— From a letter written by Charles Darwin to Joseph Hooker in 1871 which included some of his speculations on the spontaneous generation of life in some 'warm little pond'.

Game Design

When you walk into any of the illuminated sensor zones, your presence will be detected by a motion-sensing camera and a mysterious character will be projected onto the screen as your avatar. Maximum two players for each sensor zone. Once you leave the zone and POOF!, your avatar will also vanish.

By moving your bodies and walking around, you can try to interact with the game environment, triggering mysterious scientific phenomena!

Character Design

During the interactive experience, you will be turned into three unique creatures in the game, adapting to different environments. As you pass from the underground cave to the seabed to the grassland, sky and greater universe, your appearance will gradually change.

Scene Design
Scene 01 : A Dimly Lit Underground Cave

In the deep, humid and dark underground cave, special clusters of mushrooms are growing. They all emit mysterious fluorescent light. If you get too close or touch these colorful fluorescent mushrooms, they will make you glow too!

Scene 02 : Surprising Encounters On the Seabed

Arriving in the colorful ocean, your body has adapted for swimming. Wave your arms up and down and see what differences occur when you wave at different speeds. Let's explore what will happen when you encounter different creatures!

Scene 03 : A Lively Lush Grassland

When you arrive at the lively lush grassland, your body will transform into a fruit shape. Walk around to meet the different plants thriving here. You can kick any fallen seeds to where you'd like them to grow into trees.

Scene 04 : A Constantly Changing Sky

Ever-changing clouds are floating in the sky. Wave your arms and move sideways, and you'll find yourself moving freely among the clouds! Try to touch the clouds, they generate lightning, snow, rain, and even hailstones!

Scene 05 : A Pulsating Universe with Melodies

In this mysterious universe, you'll transform into a planet, floating among the stars. Wave your arms to change how high you float, and move around to touch other stars, asteroids and star clouds. Listen to the special noises they make! Join in to make a unique orchestral sound.

Working Process
Prototype & Play-tests

Projecting and testing the actual UI for iteration allows us to ensure the correct production direction before we get into the installation and fine-tuning testing process.

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