Blog Post 3: Challenges with Early Concepts and Blockouts
With some initial ideas in place, we moved on to creating early blockouts, hoping to translate concepts into tangible layouts. We initially envisioned separate elemental worlds like Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Spirit, each offering unique challenges. However, once we visualized these environments in basic 3D form, disappointment quickly set in.
The early blockouts felt fragmented and uninspired. Navigation paths were unclear, environments lacked personality, and the player’s purpose within each world seemed forced. Worse, we realized the sheer amount of work required to build multiple distinct worlds could overwhelm our small team within four weeks.
Seeking solutions, we held a deep brainstorming session in the university library. Here, we openly critiqued our designs and discussed the project’s core challenges: lack of player engagement, inconsistent scale, and complexity beyond our production capacity.
Although difficult, these discussions proved invaluable. We agreed that a major pivot was necessary; we needed a stronger, unified environment concept that would focus our efforts and better leverage VR’s strengths.
Despite frustrations, the team spirit remained high. Having recognized the problems early, we set ourselves up for a creative breakthrough soon after.