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BeachcomberVR: inspiring exploration: concepts in the production of a virtual reality game

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BeachcomberVR: inspiring exploration: concepts in the production of a virtual reality game

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University of Southern California
School of Cinematic Arts
Interactive Media and Games Division

BeachcomberVR
Inspiring Exploration: Concepts in the Production of a Virtual Reality Game
By Catharine Sybil Jones

A Thesis submitted to the School of Cinematic Arts in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
graduation with a Master of Fine Arts Degree

Degree Awarded May 2019

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Table of Contents 1
Acknowledgements 3
List of Figures 4
Key Words 4
ABSTRACT 5
INTRODUCTION 6
a. Relevant Terms and Literature 6
i. Virtual Reality 6
ii. Presence 6
iii. Metal Detecting 7
iv. Kinesphere 8
v. Proprioception 8
vi. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Gameplay 9
b. Comparable Experiences 9
i. The Legend of Zelda 9
ii. Leaf Blower Man 9
iii. Job Simulator/Vacation Simulator 10
iv. Mountain 10
v. Stunt Kite Masters VR 10
vi. Harvest Moon/Stardew Valley 10
c. Goals 11
MATERIALS AND METHODS 13
a. Equipment 13
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b. Production Methodology 13
i. Pre-Production 13
ii. Production 14
iii. Virtual Production 15
c. Narrative 16
d. World 16
e. Game Design 17
i. Core Loop 18
ii. Overarching Game Loop 20
iii. Other Features 20
RESULTS 21
DISCUSSION 22
CONCLUSION 23
Appendices 24
Bibliography 30

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Acknowledgments

To my Thesis Committee for their inspiration, generosity, and support:
Jeff Watson PhD (Chair), John Brennan, Peter Brinson

To my mentors: Richard Lemarchand, Jane Pinckard, Carl Schnurr, Laird Malamed, Jim
Huntley, Andreas Kratky, Colin Kelly, Margaret Moser, Tracy Fullerton, Paul Bellezza

To the Jones and Merritt-Jones families: Anna, Alice, Jon, Sabrina, Mom, Dad, Barney, Pat

To the USC IMGD MFA Class of 2019 - Cuahtemo Marquez, Nehemiah Westmoreland, Mari
Kyle, Crystal Chan, Ke$hav Prasad, Kelsey Rice, Raymond Liao, Satrio Dewantano, Daniel
Batista, Ken Egu, Wenzhao Li, Patrick Bender, Yaya Veerasilpa, Clarissa Joan Middleton

To Bethany, Gabbi, Tasha, and Delia for keeping me sane.

Special thanks to EA & Zynga for scholarship support.

TEAM:
Catharine Jones - Creative Director/ Designer /Artist
Parshav Kothary: Technical Director
Daniel Kim: Audio Lead
Patience Leigh Oliver: Producer
Curtis Chambers: Graphic Designer

For my Grandparents
Granna, Grandpa
Grandma, Grandad

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List of Figures
Figure 1: Illustration and description of early metal detector
Figure 2: Early mood boards for BeachcomberVR
Figure 3: Abridged production process visualized
Figure 4: Player controllers and controls
Figure 5: Core gaming loops
Figure 6: Screenshot of gameplay from point of view of player

Key Words
Presence
Exploration
Proprioception
Laban/Kinesphere
Intrinsic/Extrinsic Gameplay
Emergent Gameplay
Virtual Production
Virtual Reality

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“There comes a time in every rightly constructed boy’s life that he has a raging desire to
go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure.”
-Mark Twain
ABSTRACT
Inspiring Exploration: Concepts in the Production of a Virtual Reality Game documents
the themes, goals, and production of BeachcomberVR, a virtual reality metal-detecting adventure
game where players explore and collect lost relics on a strange forsaken island. The audio-visual
mechanics of the game, along with design patterns involving presence, proprioception, and
intrinsic and extrinsic reward systems, aim to create an emotional, spatial, and tactile experience
for the player. The core mechanics facilitate exploration and consist of traversing sand dunes
with a metal detector and shovel in hand, detecting objects, digging them up, then keeping or
discarding them. Players can then trade their found items to unlock new locations, narratives, as
well as beach-themed VR toys such as beach balls. Other features include a simulated beach with
weather patterns as well as day-night and tide cycles. The game aims to evoke calmness and a
sense of place, allowing players to access a deeper connection with their own reality and achieve
a feeling of self-actualization within their relationship to and influence on the environment, both
in-game and out.

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INTRODUCTION
Relevant Terms and Literature
Virtual reality (VR) is an audio, visual, and haptic medium in which players use
electronic devices to place themselves into different computer generated (CG) environments of
their choosing. These devices consist of stereoscopic head-mounted displays (HMD)s, which the
player wears to procure a sense of three-dimensional depth and immersion within the CG world.
The player uses tracked hand controllers with various buttons to allow for interactivity within
these new and varied creative environments, although passive and 360° video VR experiences
also exist.
Presence is the notion of existing physically, mentally, or both within an environment or
concept. Just as persistence of vision and the phi phenomenon (both psychological theories of
perceived motion through rapid succession of images) ((History of the Motion Picture | History
& Facts) are important to understanding how human brains interpret film and animation,
presence, is one of the most important terms in a discussion of how one experiences VR. Many
elements in VR such as latency in graphics or designs that imply, but do not deliver, the
sensation of whole-body movement, can often interrupt a player’s sense of presence (VR LA,
2018). Sudden or unanticipated interference of presence can cause a range of negative symptoms
akin to motion sicknesses, such as nausea, vertigo, and even a form of anxiety referred to as
cybersickness. Indeed, some studies suggest a correlation between presence and cybersickness
(Ling, 258). This correlation varies from subject to subject. Some people find it easy to inhabit a
VR experience that interrupts presence while some are simply more prone to cybersickness and
its effects. The game’s design focuses on grounding the player and giving them a strong sense of
presence.
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Metal Detecting is the use of an electromagnetic field emitting instrument in order to
find otherwise unseen metal objects (METAL DETECTOR | National Geographic Science of
Everything - Credo Reference). Invented in 1881 by Alexander Graham Bell, he was recruited to
help US President James Garfield who took a bullet to his abdomen from a would-be assassin. In
an attempt to save Garfield’s life, he cobbled together a device to try and find the bullet. Bell
used elements of his previous invention of the telephone to detect the location of the metal
precisely, and to signal the location to the user through the emission of soundwaves. He wrote a
detailed report of the incident in question demonstrating the main function of his invention.

Fig. 1. Illustration and description of early metal detector from: Bell, Alexander Graham. “Upon
the Electrical Experiments to Determine the Location of the Bullet in the Body of the Late
President Garfield; and upon a Successful Form of Induction Balance for the Painless Detection
of Metallic Masses in the Human Body.” Washington, D.C., Gibson brothers, printers, 1882.
Although Bell's invention worked, there wasn’t much it could do to save Garfield at that
point due to the poor sanitation and medical practices of the period. Nevertheless, in the years
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since, metal detecting has gone on to find numerous important uses, such as in security protocols
involved in safely uncovering hidden weapons and landmines. And, of course, many use the
invention purely as a hobby and a means for exploration and discovery; our game focuses on this
use of the technology.
The Kinesphere, an idea devised by Rudolph Von Laban as a part of his analysis of
movement describes the reachable space around a human subject as well as the extent and
quality of physical motion, can help interpret embodiment within a virtual experience. (Chan, 3).
This is important in designing for the player but for the potential space a player could occupy.
While VR gives the illusion of the player's kinesphere inhabiting a different place, the
player still occupies and interacts with three-dimensional space, allowing for embellishments
from outside the virtual world, such as wind, smell, feet haptics, and so on. Incorporating these
elements into BeachcomberVR game may give the player an enhanced sense of presence.
Proprioception is the perception of one’s body in space. Similarly to the kinesphere, this
concept of experiential movement can be applied to creating and using mechanics in VR, as it
describes both the body and the environment it interacts with. Since VR players are able to use
and feel their whole body and appendages within the virtual environment, they can still tell
distances between themselves and another virtual object. This is important to our game as
players are often scanning and reaching towards very specific locations.
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Gameplay address the different types of motivations that can be
utilized in game design. Intrinsic design allows players to find a feeling of achievement within
the interaction of itself. For example, many find the action of jumping in Super Mario Bros.
inherently enjoyable. Conversely, extrinsic game design encompasses doing in-game tasks for a
specific external reward. These concepts can be applied to metal detecting in a meaningful way.
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Metal detector hobbyists report feeling a strong desire to continue searching--that is, the intrinsic
goal--as much or more than the feeling they receive from finding an object, the extrinsic goal.
(Extra Credits, 2013). While these two theories seem to oppose each other, they can work well at
creating an enriching experience when balanced together in any particular game. The intrinsic
motivation combined with extrinsic reward possibilities, when thoughtfully designed, can create
a relaxing and meaningful play experience.
Comparable Experiences
Legend of Zelda (series, 1986-2018) Nintendo, (all Nintendo consoles)
This highly successful series of action-adventure fantasy games offers a variety of forms
of exploration, item collection, and progression for players. While the core mechanic involves
players engaging in combat to progress in the game, exploration and problem solving is also
essential to completing main quests. BeachcomberVR not only takes inspiration from the
exploration mechanics of LoZ, but from its use of whimsical fantasy aesthetics as well.
How to Induce Presence, Leaf Blower Man (2016), Portland Immersive Media, HTC Vive
In this indie-made action simulation game, players start out in a mundane suburban yard
with a leaf blower. The more the player explores and interacts with the environment by pointing
and blowing the virtual air at things, the wackier and more surreal certain encounters become.
The proprioceptive controls of a seemingly mundane object that end up causing unrealistic things
to happen is a major influence in the design of BeachcomberVR.
Job Simulator/Vacation Simulator (2016/2019) Owlchemy Labs, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive
These are both VR experiences where the player inhabits a physically realistic, yet
cartoony, comedic environment in which you can interact with most if not all the things around
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you. While many of the objects do certain things, the main core mechanic remains the same,
simply reaching out and grabbing an object with the trigger button.
Mountain (2014) David O’Reilly, Mobile
In contrast to many of the previous games mentioned, this game bases its design on a
passive play experience, where players can open the app and watch items collect on their own
personal mountains. The player only observes and has limited interactivity such as zooming in
and out and spinning the mountain in space. The author describes it as a” relax ‘em up” game, a
goal our game hopes to achieve.
Stunt Kite Masters VR (2017) Handy Games, PSVR, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift
This action-based simulation VR game contains the singular core mechanic of using your
hands to fly a simulated kite. This design influenced BeachcomberVR as it possesses a similar
beach aesthetic as well as simple two-handed motion controls. We hope to incorporate a kite
flying mechanic as one of the extrinsic rewards earned for detecting the beach.
Harvest Moon/Stardew Valley, (1996/2016) Nintendo/Concernedape
Another prominent explorative influence are the Harvest Moon games, its many
subsequent sequels and clones such as the Rune Factory series, as well as the indie-made
Stardew Valley. In these games, during the process of farming and managing tasks, the player
can simply dig in allotted squares with the chance of finding and collecting a random item.
Goals
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Our overarching goal is to have players to walk away from our game in awe of the
endless hidden items beneath their feet, questioning their own reality, and realize their impact on
the world both real and virtual. The game aims to enrich the player’s presence on a seemingly
deserted island with unexpected objects, and places that are supposedly mundane, when in fact
they are quite special, such as sand, a bottle cap, or diamond ring, a shell, the sky, or the ocean.
In this way, we hope to scaffold people into a greater appreciation of the richness of their own
base realities. We believe that VR, like many mediums, can provide opportunities for reflection
and personal growth when harnessed correctly.
Exploration, discovery, and working toward goals that are not stress-inducing or time-
based can allow the player to discover the storyline within their surroundings at their own pace.
By combining the simulation of the metal detector with fantasy narrative elements, we explore a
gameplay mechanic that links the physical actions of the player with their individual
imaginations and natural curiosity. This game requires and adheres to not only a grounding
presence but an enhanced state of spatial presence. That is, by allowing players to play for their
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chosen length of time, and by providing the opportunity for short but meaningful gameplay
sequences that lead into a larger story arc, we give players “permission” to feel comfortable and
grounded as they explore their environment. We want the player to feel welcomed by the
mechanic, as if it was meant for anyone. We believe that more people might be interested in
trying VR if they are offered the chance to experience the medium in the form of an
approachable and relaxing, yet expansive and story-rich game.
In addition to creating new and unique mechanics, we made the choice to use the newest
VR technology and headsets available. The graphically enhanced, and frequently less-nauseating
nature of these headsets have the potential to make demos like ours more usable for more people.
Another important design decision was creating a low stakes, laid-back, non-violent experience,
with a movement schema designed to reduce the potential for cybersickness. Again, the goal here
is to allow for a more accessible experience.
In contrast to first person shooter or spaceflight games that are popular amongst some
more seasoned VR players, many compelling examples of successful games exist that provide
the user with tension-reducing encounters. Designs akin those mentioned in the Comparable
Experiences section of this paper may appeal to people who are either inexperienced or hesitant
to try VR. Given that gaming as a stress management tool is both valuable and enriching, it
behooves developers to continue to meet the demand for these types of games. We aim to
provide this type of gaming experience with BeachcomberVR.
MATERIALS & METHODS
Equipment
In order to create a true room-size VR experience where players can freely alter their
kinesphere, we decided to invest in the HTC Vive Pro, the newest iteration within the Vive
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franchise. We picked the HTC Vive Pro because it offered more accessible features to allow
users to easily immerse themselves into a different environment. These features include
increased resolution, attached headphones, and a simple one knob adjuster for head size as well
as the ability to adjust the headset to the tenth of a centimeter for customization of the space
between the pupils of the eye. Our hope is that this will help be not only be immersive but
comfortable and grounding for many demographics of potential users. We were, in part, able to
purchase the HTC Vive Pro with generous funds provided by The Electronic Arts (EA) Endowed
Fund for Student Support program.

Production Methodology
Pre-Production
When investigating possible new VR mechanics, the concept of exploration and the
outdoors was the central theme to the initial pre-production. This notion acted as the primary
constraint in order to give the project direction. The project was originally conceived as a kind of
“VR summer camp” This and other early design concepts were generated through ideation
techniques such as mind mapping and creating mood boards containing images from American
painters N.C. Wyeth and William Merritt Chase, and other beach scenery and colors.
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Fig 2. Early mood boards for BeachcomberVR from: Catharine Jones. 2018.
Production
The main theory of design we implemented in our production was concentric game
design. This theory states that the design begins with the central player mechanic, and all
subsequent operations and features should build outward from that base mechanic. This
production method proved useful because it allowed us to focus on developing, testing, and
polishing the experience of metal detecting as a core mechanic. Another important concept we
implemented concerning production was a modified version of Scrum, from Agile methodology.
Scrum tends to consist of daily meetings where the team will “stand up” and address their current
progress on a task, identify blockers, and assign new tasks. We abridged this process by
combining sprint review and sprint planning into one session to meet once per week and testing
iteratively. We met our own planned production deadlines of Alpha, which contains basic
functionality, Beta, which is feature complete, and Gold Master, which is a polished shippable
version of the game.
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Fig 3. Abridged production process visualized from: Catharine Jones, 2018.
Virtual Production
Virtual production describes the use of virtual tools in which to implement traditional
creative techniques from mediums such as film, design, animation, and architecture. Directors
can utilize the immersive qualities of VR and the presence it provides to create in these
mediums, particularly animated and CG films, from within a spatialized story environment.
Virtual production benefits creators as it allows them to participate more wholly, intuitively, and
collaboratively (VR LA, 2018).
As we prepared for the exhibition of BeachcomberVR, we engaged in some virtual
production of our own. Shooting a trailer in VR was an unanticipated part of the production
process, yet we felt it was essential for communicating and marketing the game to a wider
audience. Similar to the “SIMULCAM” originally created for use in the production of James
Cameron’s Avatar, we decided to use a camera and capture footage in real space, lined up with
the virtual space (Scot Rubin, 2010). To make this happen, we experimented with a few different
third-party software packages that allowed for ways of capturing VR gameplay and ended up
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using "VR Capture" created by RockVR, available through the Unity Asset Store. This software
allows players to hand hold a “camera” (as controlled by a hand controller) and shoot video
within a virtual environment.
Another challenge related to virtual production involved the need for a mixed reality
streaming setup. As above, this kind of setup would allow us to communicate the game
effectively in both a trailer and in live demos by showing the player embodied within the virtual
space and streaming this content to an audience, physically or online.
World
The visual and environmental themes of the project are influenced by where much of my
time was spent growing up on the beaches and dunes of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
BeachcomberVR takes place on a mysterious lonely island in the middle of an unknown sea that
despite its relative emptiness holds many secrets. I wanted to create a nonexistent fantastical
landscape to convey the feeling that the player is in a place out of time and space. The world is
the basis for a sandbox style of game, defined the open world in which player can approach any
available interactions in whatever order they wish.
Narrative
We hope to implement a sandbox style narrative that can be accessed by the player
through exploration. Sandbox style games including many installments of The Legend of Zelda
series, provide nonlinearity but through enough exploration, also provides subtle guidance for
players on where to go and what to do next. Randomly spawned items will be accessible in any
order to the player and can provide endless opportunities for narrative and emergence. For demo
purposes, we stuck to a simple narrative goal. As of right now, the story is as follows:
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Washed ashore after a storm on an island of lost memories, dreams, and objects the player
approaches a lone lighthouse. Upon speaking to the keeper, they reveal that the key to the
lighthouse is lost and asks you to help find it and gives you the metal detector. You will find
many other things along the way, but the main goal for the player will be to unlock the
lighthouse. Unlocking the lighthouse allows the player to go to the top, giving them a new
perspective of the world.
We hope the story elements and characters that are relatable can give an emotional
impact to the game and a strong sense of accomplishment to the player. In the future, we hope to
implement a myriad of quests and small situations that can be accomplished within a singular
play session but has the player wanting to return for more play.
Game Design
The metal detecting mechanic feels like a natural and intuitive way to utilize VR and
motivates the whole project's design. The shape of the HTC Vive hand controller even resembles
modern metal detectors and mimics the proprioceptive quality of holding one as well. In
addition, it is a tool that extends the player's kinesphere, giving them a new sense of presence in
the space. Partially based on simulation and partially based in fantasy, this unique exploration
maetool has not been seen or experienced in the VR market yet. While able to direct a
perspective that is objective but not limited by reality itself, our game aims to simulate and
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enhance the overall experience that real metal detecting can provide.

Fig 4. Player controllers and controls from: Catharine Jones, HTC 2018.
Core Loop
We focused on developing the core mechanic first. This includes the actions of using the
hand controllers to traverse the landscape, use the metal detector, dig up items, and keep or
discard those items with a focus on building suspense and release in all parts of these gameplay
mechanics.
For navigation and traversal within a VR game, three forms of movement exist.
Teleportation, where the player picks a point on the landscape and is brought there by pressing
an input; forward motion via input, similar to games with joystick movement, where the player
only needs to push a certain direction and will "walk" in the game but not with their body; and
real physical walking (or rolling for seated players). Upon testing the forward movement
approach, the team felt it was too jarring. This player feedback led us to decide to combine real
walking with teleportation lead. We are happy with this approach, but it is not without its
challenges. For example, it was hard to encourage player movement when they knew they could
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just teleport into another zone. Nevertheless, of the available options, the combination of real
walking with teleportation seemed the best choice for our project.
The next important element was creating the metal detector - the main instrument for
exploring the island and its contents. We learned through testing that adding audio and visual
embellishments is key to creating the feeling of control and to the development of tension around
finding objects. This led to some more fantastical elements such as colorful VFX indicators
coming out of the detector, as well as the detector modulating the music of the world itself. In
general, we found that the metal detector controller and interface help to create a feeling of
presence and awareness of one's surroundings.
Items were the next important aspect of our core mechanic. There are two types of items.
Refuse, which includes mostly trash items such as cans, bottle caps, can tabs, and so on and
relics or treasure, that is, unique items that connect the player to the landscape and forward the
narrative--such as a key, or a lost ring. Further, the items are distributed semi-randomly around
the island. This randomness allows for emergent gameplay moments, where players can project
their own meanings on objects, giving them a sense of freedom and accomplishment.
The last element of the core mechanic is the fanny pack, which serves as an Inventory
System. This is UI and extends from the player’s hip allowing them to carry the items they've
found with them on their person. This allows players to hang on to items for later use.
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Fig 5. Core gaming loops from: Catharine Jones, 2018.
Overarching Game Loop
As described above, core game loops encompass the essential piece of interaction that
player will be interacting with most (Game Element: Core Mechanic « Karl Kapp). The core
loop of exploring and collecting is nested within the overarching game loop. This item collection
activity allows players to take the next step of trading at the shack so as to get new VR items to
play with, as well as unlocking the lighthouse (and perhaps a surprise), if they find the key.
Other Features
We used day-night and tide cycles to give the world of the game a sense of dynamism
and life. The tides are particularly important to metal detecting as they can reveal and wash up
items, creating a transient type of landscape. Further, day and night have different music, and
weather patterns will also be added to give more depth to the environment.
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Fig 6. Screenshot of gameplay from point of view of player from: Catharine Jones, 2019.
RESULTS
Due to the project being within its final production stages, going into the “Gold Master”
phase of production, it is still to be seen whether this game gives the player a greater awareness
or presence in one’s personal reality--or if any marketing of the game will be a success. We did,
however, complete two formal playtesting sessions getting useful information as to where to
point the direction of the mechanics of the metal detecting as well as other interactions. As this is
an ongoing development project that hopes to earn funding for future development, we believe
continued iterative testing is essential in order to create the best possible product.
When testing BeachcomberVR, players reported feeling calm, and none of the players
who tested the game reported cybersickness. Many players reported positive feelings of
excitement when using the detector although some encountered minor confusion with the
controls. We learned that the player experience can vary greatly depending on the items a player
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finds, and that the interpreted meaning of every object could greatly differ to each user. This and
all other data can be viewed from our playtest survey question results, included in the appendix.
The general results of the limited testing we have done so far show that people generally enjoy
the landscape of the experience, and do not find it too difficult. Some more specific feedback
from testing was that we should make the experience even easier than a true simulation would
allow for.
DISCUSSION
As in-home virtual reality headsets become cheaper and more accessible, the future of
VR can be expected to be characterized by a wide variety of experiences, interfaces, and
methods. We believe our team was successful in creating what we set out to do--that is, creating
the only VR metal detecting game in existence that has inherently motivating gameplay as well
as rewards for the player--although we recognize this work is probably best considered as a
starting point for more opportunities. For example, another application for this type of simulated
exploration mechanic could be to educate and train people in metal detecting and landmine
removal before they are sent out into the field. Other possibilities for the BeachcomberVR game
itself include distributing the game on Steam or having it shown at live events hosted by places
like Two-Bit Circus or Dreamscape Immersive. Another potential feature that may work well in
this game is a social or online mode with features allowing people to find and share objects with
each other.
Many exciting opportunities also exist for exploration in VR as new technologies are
developed, such as the motorized omnidirectional treadmill known as the "Omnideck"
(Omnifinity, 2014), as well as omnidirectional sneakers that let one to walk in place and provide
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haptics on the ground under your feet. We hope to incorporate technology such as these in the
future and would like raise funds for further development, support, and publishing.
CONCLUSION
Hunting for treasure holds a special place in the human imagination, for we are naturally
curious creatures that love to discover secrets. With this game it is our hope that the more you
explore, collect, and discover in the game, the more you will be motivated to be similarly playful
in the real world. Ultimately, BeachcomberVR forwards the medium of VR by blending an
uncommon new mechanic with a highly accessible room-sized experience beckoning those who
might be apprehensive to try virtual reality experiences.

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Appendices
A. Playtest Questionnaire and Results:

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B. Concept Art

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C. Player Walkthrough

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Bibliography
1. “History of the Motion Picture | History & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica,
https://www.britannica.com/art/history-of-the-motion-picture. Accessed 31 Mar. 2019.
2. VR LA. VRLA 2018 – From Today’s VR To Ready Player One - A Roadmap. YouTube,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=19&v=MCPSZOKUV1Q. Accessed 31
Mar. 2019.
3. Ling, Y., Brinkman, W.-P., Nefs, H.T., Qu, C., Heynderickx, I. Effects of stereoscopic
viewing on presence, anxiety, and cybersickness in a virtual reality environment for
public speaking. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments. 2012;21(3):254-267.
doi:10.1162/PRES_a_00111
4. METAL DETECTOR | National Geographic Science of Everything - Credo Reference.
https://search-credoreference-
com.libproxy1.usc.edu/content/entry/ngeongse/metal_detector/0?institutionId=887.
Accessed 31 Mar. 2019.
5. Bell, Alexander Graham, and YA Pamphlet Collection (Library of Congress) DLC. Upon
the Electrical Experiments to Determine the Location of the Bullet in the Body of the Late
President Garfield; and upon a Successful Form of Induction Balance for the Painless
Detection of Metallic Masses in the Human Body. Washington, D.C., Gibson brothers,
printers, 1882. Internet Archive, http://archive.org/details/uponelectricalex00bell.
6. Chan, MA. Analysing Movement, The Body and Immersion in Virtual Reality. Screen
and Cinema Studies, Department of Media and Communication, Swinburne University of
Technology.
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7. Game Element: Core Mechanic « Karl Kapp. http://karlkapp.com/game-element-core-
mechanic/. Accessed 31 Mar. 2019.
8. Scot Rubin. Demonstration of the SIMULCAM Invented for Filming James Cameron’s
AVATAR. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyHa_0yJBlw. Accessed 29 Mar.
2019.
9. Game Element: Core Mechanic « Karl Kapp. http://karlkapp.com/game-element-core-
mechanic/. Accessed 31 Mar. 2019.
10. Omnifinity. Omnifinity - Omnideck 6 at I/ITSEC 2014. YouTube,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPffziOrE6Y&t=5s. Accessed 31 Mar. 2019.

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Cultural-specific mechanics (Case study: Agave VR): can mechanics in games reflect cultural values?

PDF

CODA: the making of a team reliant first person shooter game

Asset Metadata

Creator Jones, Catharine Sybil (author)

Core Title BeachcomberVR: inspiring exploration: concepts in the production of a virtual reality game

School School of Cinematic Arts

Degree Master of Fine Arts

Degree Program Interactive Media

Publication Date 05/01/2019

Defense Date 05/08/2019

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag emergent gameplay,exploration,intrinsic/extrinsic gameplay,kinesphere,Laban,OAI-PMH Harvest,presence,proprioception,virtual production,virtual reality

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Wixon, Dennis (committee chair), Fullertom, Tracy (committee member), Watson, Jeff (committee member)

Creator Email catie@catie-jones.com,catiejones.in@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-164044

Unique identifier UC11660534

Identifier etd-JonesCatha-7377.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-164044 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-JonesCatha-7377.pdf

Dmrecord 164044

Document Type Thesis

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Jones, Catharine Sybil

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA