Echoes Below
A personal project created to explore diegetic UI! Features a functioning inventory system and outlines on interactable objects, presented in a cohesive manner.
Concept
Prototype
Execution
Concept
I wanted to create a prototype version of a potential game to showcase frontend UI design - using a majority of my own original assets and technology. Mixing together some of my old 3D models I’ve made and the tech I’ve learned, I came up with the following idea:
An “escape room” type game, where the player uses a tablet to investigate and figure out a way to escape. The player is able to use their tablet as a camera to see objects of interest, and then pick up and add the items to their inventory to examine! They can also remove them to then place back down into key locations.
The environment would be taken from a library room I had modeled, and the player character is an underwater merman I had created as well. Combined, it inspired the setting to be underwater in a drowned room.
Prototype
I began the tech first - getting the foundations of the systems in place. This was a challenge for me at my current skill level, but I wanted to make sure all the systems for the GUI worked as intended before getting too far into their design. It was here I trimmed some of the fat, narrowing down my concept and simplifying the project as I figured out what I really needed.
While there were visual changes to be made, at its core the functionality was where I wanted it! From here, it was buffing up the visual design and adding tactile feedback for the player.
I then began the process of adding visuals - starting to implement the background for the showcase, as well as adding more visual feedback for the player to understand what they are doing.
Assets at this stage are still placeholder - some more finalized than others. I received feedback from peers to clarify certain areas of the design. Most text at this stage is still placeholder, as well.
Execution
Finally, this is the end product! A blend of all the elements described, with the hope of creating an immersive feel. I learned a lot of technical chops with this project, and really enjoyed being able to execute solid GUI that functions as intended and could be further expanded into a full-blown game if I wished!
Final art is in place, animations to the player character allow for movement and an enhanced diegetic feel, visual effects are applied to further imply immersion, and sounds are in place to do the same.