Lucid Dream

Manipulating the Imaginary Surroundings

Jonathan Cook
MLAUD 2023
Edith Xu
MAUD 2023
Sara Park
MAUD 2023
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1 This glowing orb beckons the user, actively repelling clouds

This project investigates a surreal experience in VR, entering a realm of imagination. It accentuates daily experience of interacting with the elements from nature, with added fantasy of manipulating its physics.

A game engine, Unity, was utilized to design this immersive and interactive experience. Through manipulation of force fields, collisions, light emission, and others, we were able to create two different environments with experiences extending beyond reality. Particle systems were used to create the floating elements, each with different parameters that represent nature. Combination of particle systems and VFX systems enabled dynamic graphics without overloading the CPU. Users experience the environment through the VR headset and controllers. With simple motions such as grabbing or using the joystick, they navigate through the rooms.

This exploration of manipulating environments through code can eventually lead to advanced reactiveness to something beyond our reality.

Project video
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2 Immersive installations craft surreal experiences
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3 Fireflies flee from manipulation
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4 Clouds react to hands
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5 Virtual interactivity leads to disembodied behavior