Mixed Reality

[jixu0313]

PROJECT2-FINAL VERSION

Link：https://gallery.styly.cc/scene/09186a07-8d98-4e01-a0a8-0ccb19adb727

Artwork Analysis

This piece is inspired by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil from the Bible. According to the Book of Genesis, this tree represents the duality of good and evil. We have creatively expanded on this idea in our VR painting.

The vibrant green and serene blue represent the good aspects, while the fiery red and ominous black symbolize the evil. This contrast aims to convey the duality of existence and the eternal conflict between good and evil.

Sound Design

The sound design for this piece is also special. The two sides of the tree play different words. One side features words praising humanity, such as ‘wisdom’, ‘courage’, and ‘creativity’. The other side features common stereotypes about humans, such as ‘greed’, ‘selfishness’, and ‘laziness’.

Demonstrate the sound design by playing audio clips from both sides of the tree.

This sound design aims to let the audience experience the complexity and duality of humanity through both visual and auditory senses.

[jixu0313]

PROJECT3 Sound Strategy

the sound strategy, we've chosen the biblical context of Genesis, which is about God's creation of the world and his commitment to the tree of good and evil with Adam, the human being.

LINK：https://www.o-bible.com/cgibin/ob.cgi?version=hgb&version=kjv&version=bbe&book=gen&chapter=2

In our vision, when the audience moves to a designated location, there will be a voice to tell the story here. Therefore, we divided the 2,000-word text into seven chapters according to the props and site characteristics, put It in a different position.

I used Microsoft Azure, whose sound studio provides a huge library of voices from which I selected a male voice as a sample

We wanted to put it in a different part of the scene so that the audience could hear something close to it

[jixu0313]

PROJECT (3) EXPORT

I drew my tree in the open brush, and I chose a more realistic style to represent what I thought were good and evil trees. It was lush and thriving, and it took me a few days to perfect it.

When I was done, I started thinking about exporting the model. In our original idea, we wanted to render a model animation, so I looked at the open brush manual to see how we could do it.

VR Headset：Meta Quest 2 Wireless Headset

Software： Open Brush 、 Goole Drive

Method 1: draw the camera path in the open brush and export the video directly.

“If you are using a version of the software that is run directly on a stand-alone headset such as the Oculus Quest 2 or 3 headsets, then there are limitations on some video functions because standalone headsets cannot process the video without being tethered to a PC. Steam VR allows the PC’s processors to handle the heavy lifting that is required to record Video in VR. This can be done with either a wired or wireless connection between the PC and the headset.”—— Open Brush Website

When I was using this method, found that not all the helmet models and PC side can be smoothly linked, he has certain requirements for computer configuration.

And in this operation, there may be the risk of losing some material.

Method 2: Export to glb file, Create a camera path in Blender and export the video.

The downside of this approach is that it takes a lot of time to render the animation.

[jixu0313]

VR PAINTING-OPENBRUSH

I tried to choose the VR painting software，I found open brush is more easier to use, for kinds of brushes.

For my first try，I use different kinds of brushes to draw the brunch，in order to make it looks more real.

When I start building the main trunk of the tree, I find it necessary to narrow down the space. Then, while enlarging on one side and sketching on the other, I can create a towering tree that commands respect without losing its intricate details.

Furthermore, by using different brushes, I can capture more details. For instance, when drawing tree branches, I need to choose a brush that can create a more three-dimensional effect. On the other hand, when drawing leaves, I can opt for a brush with a linear style since leaves are inherently flat.

However, at this time, a problem also arose. When I used brushes in OpenBrush that have built-in blinking light effects, I couldn't export models with this effect.

[jixu0313]

PROJECT 2 (2)

WEEK9

Group member: Maggie、Aerrow

Considered the ideas and techniques we learnt until now, we decided to use the idea About time.

There has several developments of this idea.

Beginning point: time - apple tree - hanging things

Innovation:

Inspired by the artwork The Land of Milk and Honey, we decided to cut our tree into two sides, to illustrate the sense of difference. And after researching "a tree divided into two parts" and "life", we found a tree called "tree of life" which is connected to Kabbalah which we think might be too sensitive as a topic. Then we found "The tree of knowledge" which is mentioned in bible, and has a famous story about Adam and Eve. We reckon this will be an interesting concept to explore. Also, this tree is considered as a tree divided into two parts.

Pattern of Expression:

using VR headset + drawing softwares - draw the strcuture of the tree

style : drawing style, close to real trees

things hanging on the tree: 3D scanning

interesting point: half & half - drawing seperatly

background: half & half - light & dark/ day & night/ sun & moon

sound: story telling - story of Adam & Eve, low male voice over

Potential Problem:

combine two part into a whole tree, technical issue

place of sound - one spot/ could adjust several sound sources

publish platform - how audience experiencing it

[jixu0313]

PROJECT2 TREE

I want to talk about a tree from the Bible. I'm sure you've all heard the story of Adam and Eve, how God created them and they grew up in the Garden of Eden. They broke their promise to God and ate the forbidden fruit. This fruit came from a tree called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

In the story, it's just an ordinary tree, but it represents the idea of humans breaking their promise and trying to have their own ideas of good and evil, which involves a lot of philosophical dialectics.

Take a bitten apple, for example. For insects, it's food; they might see it as a gift from nature, feeling goodwill. For humans, a bitten fruit is wasteful; they might see the insect as a pest.

Our project is inspired by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. We're creating a model of this tree covered in items. Visitors can wear a helmet to experience and explore this space.

We'll use VR painting to draw the tree's trunk, and the items hanging on it will be scanned with smartphones and assembled into models. The visual style will lean towards graffiti and hand-drawn styles.

The tree will be placed at the boundary between day and night, visually conflicting. Half facing the sun, it will be lush and green; half facing the night, it will have dry, bare branches. For the day-night boundary scene, we plan to use styly and blender to create the environment, although we might encounter technical issues that we'll need to solve.

In terms of production, we'll work together on the tree's trunk, while the scanning and production of the items on it will be split between me and my partner.

For the sound, we'll look for a deep male voice to recite excerpts of the story where Adam and Eve broke God's promise and stole the forbidden fruit.

[jixu0313]

《RED LINE》 360 degree video

STATEMENT：

By creating multiple lifelike spaces and visualizing the connections between people with red threads, we aim to demonstrate the fate and ties between individuals. In Eastern culture, red threads always symbolize an invisible fate and destiny between lovers. This theme can be seen in many works, such as the anime film Your Name. by Shinkai Makoto, which uses red threads to illustrate the connected fate between protagonists. Artist Chiharu Shiota also utilizes lines as the medium to express the connection between life and death. Inspired by these ideas, we aimed to retain the sense of connections that exist everywhere in our daily lives, and we made it visible in the space we created via 360 video. In our world, we hope the threads could connect not only love but also friendships and other relationships, even those that are considered bad connections.

The spaces I aim to capture are multidimensional and multifaceted, offering exploratory visual and auditory experiences that evoke sensory perceptions in humans.

Sound Strategy：

My partner created a poem inspired by the theme of the red thread. We recorded a voice-over and created two audio tracks, also adding keywords from the poem into the visuals, allowing space for people to imagine.

One challenge we encountered was initially wanting to conceal the tripod legs. However, we later discovered that we could use Photoshop and After Effects to erase the traces of the tripod legs.

[jixu0313]

Virtual Reality Documentary 《A Clever Label》

WEEK6

Trailer Link：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CArK_rcomg

《A Clever Label》is a virtual reality documentary. 

The host prompts viewers to explore hidden links between anti-equality lobbyists, senior Australian politicians and international organisations. Its format is different from the usual documentaries. It pays more attention to interactivity, breaking the fixed narrative and one-way communication of conventional documentaries, and placing objective facts in front of the audience as much as possible, so that the audience can jump freely to the time node and unlock the conference process.

I think its form is very novel and gives the documentary more development. On the basis of authenticity, documentaries increase the interactivity and thinking, which can attract more people's attention. However, in terms of content and vision, more picture information can be added, or the plot in each time node can be visualized, so that the audience has more visual impact.

But in addition, I think this work still has a lot of advantages, interactive Settings, network of reference routes can also be used to tell the development of a complex event/social issue/news event. For example, the following documentaries, dealing with war, migration, and animal migration, can add similar interactive Settings to more truly restore the timeline.

My Home, Shatila - VR Short Documentary - 6K 360 Video

Link：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-EvkPs4Jwo&list=PL_XjA2Ooy1ZKn5bFP3jyKaLPQE4R6TYPV&index=2

Murchison Falls: A Wildlife Adventure (short) (VR) Documentary Film - 8K 3D 360

Link：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEOAFherIzY&list=PL_XjA2Ooy1ZKn5bFP3jyKaLPQE4R6TYPV

Refugees 360 VR documentary - Awarded Best Independent film by Scopic

Link：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9HEGHOk5hM

[jixu0313]

River-360 degree video

week5 3.19

As I rowed in a forest park far from the city, my mood became extraordinarily peaceful. Without the Internet, I can focus more on the scenery along the banks, and any small movement in the grass or branches can attract my attention.

The scenery is very beautiful, there are many branches shot down by lightning, casually fell in the river, I shuttle among them, as if back to the forest of the Jurassic era.

Birds chirping, lizards diving, insects chirping and paddling create a very unique environment.

However, whenever I immersed myself in it, I would find traces of human beings, such as tourists on foot on both sides of the bank, boats tied to the grass on the shore, and the roar of cars and motorcycles in the air.

The landscape in the river is also under human intervention, such as this yellow yellow, which is considered to be an invasive species. On our way back, there are staff holding pesticides to spray, and the yellow flowers will no longer be visible next week

This river is like a land that humans do not care about, but will take care of slowly, he is not completely natural, and his corners and corners also hide the traces of humans.

All in all, I am attracted to this place, whether it is human footprints or trees or the sun shining through the leaves, I feel peaceful.

I thought it might be amazing to shoot it in 360 video and let people put on a helmet and feel the full range of scenery up close.

I used a tripod and fixed it to my seat belt, so it was stable and the view was very special.

I shot a lot of footage from under the fallen trees, and in the visual effect of 360 video, it gives people the impact of the collective picture, as if the branches of the tree are passing over your head.

[jixu0313]

《Kayak VR: Mirage》 Research

week4 VR

While researching nature-related topics, I came across a Kayak vr game called Kayak VR: Mirage.

It includes many attractions in the real world, such as Costa Rica with a bit of tropical flavor, the quiet Norwegian Bear Island, the spectacular King Canyon in Australia, players can use the handle to simulate two OARS, rowing, the experience is very real, the boat body will swing with your body, the depth of the paddle into the water will also affect the speed of the boat.

The parameters can be adjusted, which makes the experience very strong for the player.

In the game boating summary, you can also meet a lot of wild animals on the way to add a lot of fun. Not only that, players can also adjust the scenic spot day and night mode and climate, it is highly recommended to try the late night storm mode, experience the ruthless power of nature, and then with three-dimensional environmental sound, it is really experienced.

Trailer：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxlRZYqLZWE

[jixu0313]

《The land of Milk and Honey》

Week3 360-degree video

Link：https://vimeo.com/463230673

Blending time-space borders, Lisa Birke presents different seasons and settings in a mesmerizing composite, produced with the use of a 360-degree camera and green screens. In each direction of The Land of Milk and Honey, the viewer finds the protagonist facing various tasks and situations: seductive, confounding, wintry.

When I used vr to look at this work, I found that it was placed in a certain position from the ground, and the underground was a lawn, covered with pine cones, fruits, and bees were foraging.

In front of her is a woman holding a red umbrella upside down and behind her is a windmill with blue gloves.

As time progresses, there are three different scenes in which the woman takes honey and milk and pours it on herself; Another scene shows a couple.

The man takes a balloon and gives it to the woman, who stuffs it into her stomach. The third scene is a person in the sky overhead who keeps throwing fruit into it. Because of the vr headset used. The scene overhead was terrifying, suffocating.

The three scenes of milk, honey, balloons, and rotten fruits have a very rich symbolic, as if they were telling the theme of pregnancy.

The viewer is able to navigate this immersive and disorienting environment where borders—between physical spaces/psychological states, action/inaction and performance/reality—collapse.

I was very interested in this green-screen composite video, it blends well and doesn't feel out of place. I think this format can also be used more for 360 video in the future

[jixu0313]

Psychogeography: a way to delve into the soul of a city

WEEK2

Psychogeographic Map of Venice - Ralph Rumney

Psychogeography focuses on the impact of the urban landscape environment on human psychology, emotion, and behavior.

Some scholars have proposed that through the "dift" way, to get lost in the city. dift is a means of restoring discovery and helping to re-establish an understanding of the city.

In time and space, free from the shackles of artificial and perceived commoditized society and the material world. For example, google map/gps location.

Enhance your own presence in the environment and develop a critical understanding of life and the world. Through the five senses of humanity, you can re-understand the city and receive more feedback from the city.

Use the chance and spontaneity of "drift" to transform the familiar streets of everyday experience into something unexpected.

I like this work very much, it shows a very strong dynamic with the breath of life. Through these measurement records, we can see that people's actual use of the building may not be as the architects and landscape architects originally thought. At the same time, the blank space that has not appeared on the architectural drawings and the negative space that appears in the architectural design have been occupied and intervened by residents to a certain extent, and many places have been transformed.

This reminds me of an architect I once interviewed. The architectural society pays special attention to the practicality and application of architecture, they will design a lot of human sports, leisure interaction Settings, but the reality is that no one will use those installations in the community.

But someone placed a chair between the two buildings, and it became a utility.

When the weather is good, people will stay here to cool off, and the chair will also be upgraded by people's spontaneous actions, such as becoming two backchairs and becoming a single sofa.

In my opinion, people can use this way to show their observation and thinking about the environment, and create more interesting and design works from a more unique perspective.