Wudang Mountain VR Experience Exhibition Guide Design
Wudang Mountain VR Immersive Experience Exhibition is benchmarked against the digital exhibition "Horizon of Khufu" by Excurio in collaboration with Harvard's Giza Project. We aim to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Wudang Mountain to a global audience through VR technology, with a focus on the unique allure of Chinese martial arts and Taoist culture. We were responsible for the VR space navigation design.
After experiencing the "Horizon of Khufu" VR exhibition, we identified its main flaw: weak player interactivity. The experience felt more like watching a 4D film, with a lack of engagement and difficulty in staying connected to the storyline. To address this, we aim to optimize the narrative structure, enhance the guidance mechanisms, and enrich character development to strengthen the player's immersion, facilitating a shift from being a mere observer to an active participant.
To enhance story immersion and reduce anxiety during the opening 3-minute wait, we designed a phone audio guide. It starts with a phone ringing, followed by a companion's voice: 'Why are you walking so slowly? We finally made it to Wudang Mountain, and now it’s pouring! I found a strange, ancient door near the visitor center. Hurry up and see it!' This audio pushes the narrative forward, drawing players deeper into the storyline.
The guide design for the target area incorporates the imagery of water, reflecting Taoist philosophy, where water symbolizes the unity of contradictions and boundless power. The concept "the highest good is like water" highlights water's noble virtues of nourishing all things selflessly. Additionally, Wudang Mountain's main deity, Emperor Zhenwu, is closely associated with water, as noted in the You Sheng Zhou mantra, which refers to him as "the essence of the moon, the spirit of water."
As visitors approach the walls, virtual wall prompts will appear in the VR world to ensure safety. These prompts, inspired by the game of Go, use its gridlines as wall indicators. The Taoist concepts of emptiness, virtuality, and yin and yang in Go align with our design philosophy. Additionally, historically famous Go games can be included for curious visitors to discover, adding cultural depth to the experience.
To enhance interactivity, we introduce a prop interaction mechanism. Players can summon props to fly towards them by performing a specific "summoning gesture." This gesture is taught by the little Crow Taoist, guiding players in a fun and engaging way to interact with the environment and the objects within it.
If a player crosses the boundary for more than 30 seconds, the character will begin to dissipate. A column of light at the Bagua formation's eye will serve as a visual guide. After 15 seconds, the little Taoist crow will give a verbal reminder: "My friend, my compass shows that you've been in the Land of Emptiness for too long. Please quickly return to the world of the cave through the formation's eye."
The following is the script we have written for the prologue (the tutorial and guidance chapter) of our VR exhibition. The core focus is to immerse the players in the scenario and provide them with the relevant interactive knowledge they will need later on.