Designing a Puzzler VR Application

Introduction

The first assignment of the Udacity VR Mobile 360 Nanodegree was to develop VR Puzzler Game. This article summarizes the design process which led to end product.

Puzzler is a simple mobile VR application for new VR users which challenges them to solve a familiar type of puzzle (Simon Says) in a new way. The player is put in old dark mystifying building in the middle of the desert where he needs to repeat the precise sequence of magical illuminating orbs to finish the game. The game was created in Unity 3d.

Early version of orb atmosphere.

Outcomes

Udacity gave us the game assets, scripts and instructions how to deliver the end product (video below). The scripts were writen for us, so we could focus purely on design of application. I gave my Puzzler a bit of a back story and extra motivation for the player. The only way out of the cursed desert valley is to solve a puzzle. I added some Unity asset store flame effects and a skeleton for 'better' atmosphere.

Story of the process

Target audience 

Firstly we had to describe who is the target audience for the play and come up with target persona.
App is intended for VR newbies.

Scenery

Then we were asked to sketch the scenery of the play. After deciding with which of the variations to go with, I started building the environment, trying to get the right scale and to get the right mood with the lighting. I also fine tuned the size of orbs and location of the player.

The idea I decided to work on in Unity.

Initial layout.

User interface

Sketches of UI.

Third step was designing user interface which needed to clearly present the instructions and the result of the game. The letters needed to be clear and comfortable to read, I adjusted the panel size, transparecy and location and added a bit of backstory.

I tried the simpler UI first.

Audio

For more immersive environment we added spatial audio which I adjusted so that it is clear which one has priority on which location.

Movement and game mechanics

We explored different movement tecnics and decided which one to use in this game. The adjustments were made so that the player doesn't feel simulation sickness or any awkwardness at all.
The next task was to add game mechanics for which the code was already written, the tricky part was to make the game mechanics clear to player with graphic and sound.

User testing and iteration

Throughout all the steps of the design process I used user testing and iteration. My husband was a volunter for independent user. He was asked mostly open and non leading question. The decision for design changes in game were made on base of his answers. I wrote only the answers that led me to make changes.

 

User test 1

Lighting, mood, comfort, distance

How is the scale? The door seems to be just over my head.
How would you describe the mood? Dark, but not scary.
How is the distance? Well, the orbs seem to be to close, I have to move my head too much to point at them.
How is the experience? All in all it's nice.

Findings: The scale needs to be a little bit larger, the mood needs to be more mistical (more light sources, maybe fire), orbs are too close.

Changes made on base of user's answers:
1. I changed the scale of dungeon building units from 1.25 to 1.75.
2. I put the camera approximately 1 unit further away from orbs.
3. To mistify the environment I changed the global lighting from 0.5 to 0.2 and changed it to sunset color.
4. Instead of point lights I used prefabs for torch fire with particle and lights.

User test 2

UI

Do you see a panel, how big is it, can you tell what it s for? Yes I see it, it seems to notify me to start the game. But I can't see what is behind it. Shame. The text could be smaller.
What do you think it happens if you press button? I think I will go to the puzzle.
Do you miss something in UI? Yes, a bit of backstory maybe.

Findings: The panel needs to be more transparent and smaller. The backstory will be added.

Changes made on base of user's answers:
1. On the start panel I added backstory - the only way out of the valley is to solve a puzzle. With more text I needed also to downsize it.
2. I tried to move the panel above door, so that you can see inside and more of the building.
3. I made the panels transparent (alpha 120), so you could see what is behind it and still see the text clearly.

User test 3:

Motion

How is the motion to the puzzle? A bit too fast.
How is the motion from restart to the start? Moving backwards bothers me.
Do you hit something on the way - is there difference of height? No, nothing else bothers me.

Findings: I will slow down the first motion and use teleportation for the restart to start position.

Changes made on base of user's answers:
1. I put the time of moving to the puzzle to 5 seconds.
2. I changed motion to teleportation from restart to start position.

User test 4:

Audio, game mechanics

What do you think of the audio? Well, it really adds to the atmosphere, but I would like the outside noise to be more quiet when I am in the building.
What do you think of the game mechanics? Fine, the speed of sequence is ok.
What do you think about the game in general? Nice, It ' s all logical and comfortable, the mood is nice, I like that you added skeletons, but you should put it in the area that are more noticable, maybe also the barrels.

Findings: The audio needs to be adjusted. Some gameobject need relocation.

Changes made on base of user's answers:
1. I put the level of  outside noise down and also noticed that I forgot to spatialize the sound in audio source - that made a big difference. I used Resonance audio, because I got notifications that GVR Audio Spatializer is deprecated.
2. I put the skeleton and some of the barrels in the area that player can't miss.

Breakdown of final piece

Start of game.

Puzzle game.

Game finish.

The end result the player is at the start put in front of an old building in the middle of the desert where he finds out that the only way out of the desert is to correctly solve a puzzle. He presses start and is moving toward orbs (Simon says puzzle). After the orbs show the sequence the player needs to repeat it correctly. In case he doesn t the orbs show the sequence again. When player succeds he is moved out of the building where there is a panel congratulating him.

Next steps

 

Based on the user testing I think I would add another UI panel next to the orbs, because the player was a bit confused and didn't know he has to pay attention on the sequence of flashing orbs.

Conclusion

 

Before the course I was thinking it will have emphasis on other matters and I am happy it didn't. Althogh I hope we will cover optimizing in detail later on. The task gave me the insight why user testing, iteration and documenting is important in the designing any kind of application not just VR. In the task itself there was enough room for creativity. I did have troubles with deprecated components and bugs, but that is common it this type of work and I need to get used to it.
All in all I learned important rules for designing games:

The user is not like you.
Your design process should be deliberate.
You should be going in early and often.

Acknowledgements

 

Beside Udacity game assets I used for this game:
KBH Toon Skeleton by HUSHKAL PANTS STUDIOS
Unity Particle Pack 5.x by UNITY TECHNOLOGIES.