TREELESS
This project anwsers a simple question. Can virtual reality help educate about environmental issues and lead the change?
In Treeless visitors experience what would be left of their forest without trees. They can see how the lack of tree changes their perspective on everything in context of their favourite hiking spots.
Creative Direction and Production - Self
Video Content - Self
Actor - Max Bolczek
Virtual Reality Build - Self
Voiceover - Max Bolczek
Soundtrack - Diode Eins, Artlist.io content
Video Assistance - Simon Raaf
Category
Virtual Reality Installation
Date
April, 2022
Client
European School of Design
Tech Demo
While the focus of my finals project was Art/Creative Direction I knew right from the beginning it needed a working Demo. For me this offered the chance to explore the impact of such virtual experiences on players.
Instead of reading the shock news we're all used too, they get to experience it directly. While it is currently still working as a standalone Demo I might explore funding options to produce a working Extended Reality Experience at the location in the future.
Behind the Scenes
Map
The map uses 8km height data in the form of height maps and open source map data for all of the landmarks to recreate the environment as accurate as possible.
A heightbased shader is added ontop that draws heightlines every 100m to create a unique cartographic look resembling the woodrings of trees
Guiding the Visitor
An importan distinction between such projects and normal gaming experiences is that we cannot assume any prior knowledge from visitors. It is importan to keep entry barriers as low as possible and guide the player into the experience. Besides that a limited play area and border protect visitors from accidentally overstepping the boundaries.
3D Scans
As everything in in the Lookout needed to match the 3D space I used a LiDAR scanner to capture the entire location. This not only allowed me to rebuild it but also to have a reference to plan the Ambient Design Prop that guides the player into the experience
Drag
Media Coverage
