Ok, so it’s time to reveal what this game is about. So I noticed that I have made quite a few VR games during my recent game jams. I wanted to explore something new while also making something a bit unusual and physical. VR is a good choice for this, because it takes the player out of the physical context and allows for a lot of freedom regarding what it will look like in reality. However, the player is also very exposed as people can only the see the players actions out of context and without the players consent or awareness.
For this jam I wanted to explore creating a small, physical shelter which a player enters such that others cannot see what goes on inside. There were several possible ways to go, it could be a small escape room for instance. After this year’s theme, “what home means to you”, had been announced I was certain that I wanted to go for another approach though. The player would enter a head and the game would then be viewed through the eye sockets of this head and controlled with buttons and levers inside of it.
We have been a team of three persons this jam. I’m the only seasoned jammer, but both of my team mates are very skilled and drive in their respective ways so we have been able to do a lot (especially in light of the project being experimental and me also having organizer duties to tend to).
Currently, the player is pushed into the head on a wheeled armchair. On the arm rests there are joysticks and the virtual game is viewed through the head’s eye sockets which have screens attached to them on the outside. Tomorrow I’ll have to work alone, but I’m hoping to only add a head tilting function as well as expand on the virtual world which the player explores. Should be feasible…