In my previous blog post, I discussed the concept of designing a virtual reality (VR) game experience centered around the theme of an apprentice in a garage. Today, I will delve deeper into the storyline and provide additional details on the gameplay elements. Additionally, I will address the valuable feedback I received from Birgit, highlighting the importance of making the experience more exciting, particularly for teenagers who have shorter attention spans.
The Storyline:
Imagine stepping into a virtual garage as an apprentice mechanic. As soon as you put on the VR goggles, you find yourself surrounded by tools, car parts, and an inviting menu screen. A friendly avatar, your supervisor, appears to greet you and provide an introduction to the world of automotive mechanics. This avatar becomes your guide throughout the game, offering insights into the various tasks and challenges you’ll encounter.
To ensure a comprehensive understanding of the apprenticeship, the avatar presents you with a choice between diving straight into the game or obtaining more information about the apprentice experience. This decision empowers players to tailor their journey based on their preferences and level of curiosity.
Choosing the game path leads you into an immersive adventure where the avatar explains the main task at hand and provides instructions for accomplishing smaller subtasks along the way. Let’s explore a brief example of the story through a storyboard:
Enhancing the Gameplay Flow:
After sharing my progress with Birgit, she raised a valid point about the gameplay potentially feeling too linear, which could lead to boredom, particularly among teenagers. She emphasized the importance of maintaining their engagement throughout the experience. Taking Birgit’s feedback to heart, I recognize the need to inject more excitement and intrigue into the gameplay.
My Next Challenge:
Moving forward, my primary objective is to brainstorm creative ways to make the VR game experience more thrilling and captivating, especially for the target audience of teenagers. This will involve integrating elements such as unexpected twists, timed challenges, and rewarding achievements to keep players motivated and immersed in the virtual world. By addressing this challenge head-on, I aim to create an experience that not only educates but also entertains, ultimately fostering a genuine interest in the world of mechanics.
In my next blog post, I will delve deeper into my research and experimentation phase, sharing my ideas and progress in making the gameplay more exciting and captivating for players of all ages, with a special focus on engaging the teenage demographic.
