Project available on Github Information below can be found on the Github wiki

This project is an interpretation of what the UIC SEO Grove can be utilized for. In this instance, the grove has been turned into a public space that promotes free play. The emphasis of the grove is a food-court style area, where people are able to order myriad food and drinks. Additionally, there is music and video games for entertainment.

How to Install and Set Up

The project is run on Unity with emphasis on VR. The project can be run inside the CAVE2, located at UIC, or on the VIVE. The files needed to run this project are available above. The folder containing all of the files is named “Chicago-UIC.” Additionally, the version of Unity will need to be 2019.2.11f1. Visit Unity’s webpage to look for older versions.

• CAVE2: To run on the CAVE2, follow the directions provided by the wiki page on uic-evl’s github page on how to run in CAVE2.

• VIVE: To run on the VIVE, make sure that your VIVE is properly connected and set up. Open the project in Unity. Under Omicron in the top bar, click “Configure for Vive.” After it is done updating, you can click the Play button and it should now be visible inside the VIVE.

How to Use

Inside Unity, execute the .exe file if you are running in the CAVE2, or click Play if you are running in the VIVE. The following is a list of things that you are able to do:

• Open the menu to interact differently with the scene.
  • If you go into System > and click Walk, you can freely walk around the grove instead of flying around.
  • If you go into Time of Day > and click Night or Day, you can manipulate the scene to be bright or dark with different effects.
  • If you go into Teleport > and click on any of the buttons, you can instantly teleport to that object.
• Approach different NPC (non-player character) objects
  • If you approach the benches, you will hear the NPCs chatter. This effect changes with night.
  • If you approach the stalls, you can hover over the NPCs at the stall for a sound effect. This effect changes with night.
  • If you approach the stalls, you can hear the NPCs waiting in line chatter. This applies to both lines.
  • If you click on the person right in front of the Default position, they will jump and make a sound.
  • If you approach the stalls, you can click on each purple register for a sound effect. Each will make a different sound.
  • If you grab the money, you will hear a sound effect.
  • If you click on the jukebox, you will start playing music. This can be paused. This effect changes with night.
  • If you click on the game controllers near the main lamp, you can grab these objects.
  • If you click on the game image in front of the CRT near the main lamp, you will start playing music. This can be paused.
  • As you walk around, certain other NPCs will walk through the grove.
  • The default soundtrack at Default location will change as you change from day to night.

Models and Data

The following items were generated through Blender:

Items:
  Cooler
  Drinks (Differing colors in scene)
  Ice Cubes

Items:
  Backpack

Items:
  Controller (Differing colors in scene)

Items:
  CRT
  Image of Super Smash Brothers Melee (Image taken from source below and adapted into a solid plane)

Items:
  Lamp  

Items:
  Main Lamp

Items:
  Money indicator
  Money

Items:
  Stall
  Cash Register

The following items were obtained online:

• UIC Grove
  • Uses:
    • The given base code was provided for interaction with Unity and the CAVE2.
    • Additionally, scripts for clicking and hovering for sounds and effects were adapted from the given base code example files for Cube World Example.
• Chicken Piece
  • Uses:
    • The Chicken Piece was used at the benches to show food consumption.
    • The Chicken Piece was used above a stall to promote that stall sells the product.
• Sushi
  • Uses:
    • The Sushi was used at the benches to show food consumption.
    • The Sushi was used above a stall to promote that stall sells the product.
    • The Sushi plate was used at the benches for plating purposes.
• Coffee Shop
  • Uses:
    • The Coffee Shop drink was used at the benches to show drink consumption.
    • The Coffee Shop dessert was used at the benches to show food consumption.
• Pizza
  • Uses:
    • The Pizza was used at the benches to show food consumption.
    • The Pizza was used above to a stall to promote that stall sells the product.
• Jukebox
  • Uses:
    • The Jukebox was placed near the main lamp to play music.
• NPC Still
  • Uses:
    • The NPC Still was placed at the benches to show communication and food consumption. Sound was added that alters in the night scene.
    • The NPC Still was placed near the stalls to create a line for purchasing food. Sound was added.
• NPC Animate
  • Uses:
    • The NPC Animate was placed in front of the Default camera position. This NPC is clickable for sound and jump effect.
    • The NPC Animate was placed in front of each of the stalls with a wave effect. Hovering over each NPC elicits a sound that alters in the night scene.
    • The NPC Animate near the stalls to create a line for purchasing food. Sound was added.
    • The NPC Animate was placed throughout the grove to promote multiple people walking around. These NPCs will move whenever the player moves.
    • The NPC Animate was placed in front of the cooler with a pickup effect.
    • Additional animations for NPC Animate were adapted from the original Simple Movement and utilizes the provided animations.
• Smash Melee Image
  • Uses:
    • The Smash Melee Image was appended to the CRT as a plane in Blender to show that is the game that is being played.
• Crowd Talking]
  • Uses:
    • Placed onto NPC to facilitate conversation at benches
• CS is a lot
  • Uses:
    • Placed onto jukebox
• Closing time
  • Uses:
    • Placed onto jukebox
• I’m hungry
  • Uses:
    • Placed onto NPC to facilitate conversation at stalls
• Kids talking about food
  • Uses:
    • Placed onto NPC to facilitate conversation at stalls
• Retro Game Sounds
  • Uses:
    • Added to NPCs where appropriate. Example: Coin sounds added when clicking on Cash Registers
• Kaching
  • Uses:
    • Placed onto money when grabbed
• Action RPG Game Sounds
  • Uses:
    • Placed as ambient sounds

Contrast Between CAVE2, VIVE, and Reality

CAVE2:

The CAVE2 creates an immersive, full, surrounding environment without the need for use of any large headgear. This helps provide a good experience where you can use the controller to move around, move your head in different directions, and play around with your surroundings. For my project, the benefit to this is that as you move around with the controller, it is easy to constantly be seeing around you for a full view.

In comparison to being in the actual grove, one issue that I have come across is environmental influences, such as wind and physical contact with the ground. Addition of both of these would certainly give the CAVE2 a more realistic feel. Additionally, with the CAVE2, to move around the space, it is easier to use the controller to simply move in the desired direction. While you are given a full view, it lacks the temptation to walk closer or farther to an object to approach it, rather than see it.

I can see the CAVE2 being very useful for wanting to look at an object or scene from a “surround me” scenario, where the player or user wants to always be cognizant of all of their surroundings in a 360 field of view. This is partially denoted in previous papers inclusive of the original CAVE, where it was mentioned that they can have an inside-out perspective of objects. Where I see the CAVE2 struggling is when you want to interact by physical interaction.

To improve my project towards the CAVE2, I would like to include more objects or interactions that give a surrounding experience. For example, if by clicking on an object in the full field of view, other objects begin to move around. With the CAVE2, I would clearly be able to see all of the objects move around me without having to tilt my head and lose vision of any other objects.

VIVE:

The VIVE creates a forward focusing view by use of a large headgear. The advantage of using the VIVE is that it helps remove external influences because it is heavily visually focused on what is immediately in front of you. Utilizing the controller to walk around is possible, but it is also possible to walk, turn and move my head to search and notice my surroundings. For my project, the benefit to this is that it makes you feel much more like you are actually walking through a grove since you can influence where you are in the project by physically moving.

In comparison to being in the actual grove, one issue that I have come across is that the VIVE is heavily focused on only what is in front of you. Because of this, it does not give an immersive experience, since I can only observe what is in front of me and not what is necessarily around me. I will have to move or adjust my head in order to look at different things. While this is true in reality, we do have a much larger field of view than what is provided in the VIVE.

I can see the VIVE being a strong candidate for use of physically-interactive projects, such as gaming. In video games, there is a desire to be connected as the player to the surroundings, and most times the field of view is already narrow (think TV screen field of view). The ability to move the arms to interact with objects and also physically move across areas is highly beneficial to this. Where I see the VIVE struggling is situations where you need a larger field of view, or moments where you may require less movement space and so walking around is harder, reducing the experience.

To improve my project towards the CAVE2, I would like to focus more interactions directly in front of the player or user. For example, the animations of the other people walking around the grove is essentially lost when using the VIVE since I am unable to see the majority of them also walking around. A more linear set of interactions is then needed, such as when you click on the NPC Animated in front of the Default location, it elicits a jump directly in front of you.