Virtual Reality Creation
I’m a game designer with a passion for VR’s immense power as an empathetic and transformative medium. I create experiences using Unreal Engine that transport us to realities that stretch the limits of imagination. My maxim when creating VR is to maximize awe while eliminating friction. I’m a member of the Oculus Launchpad cohort of 2020, a Fulbright alumnus, and the founder of the VR studio Dogū.
Isle of Pan (2023)
Team Size: 1. Duration: 4 years.
I used my decade of experience as a professional photographer to recreate the joy of instant photography in the form of a supernatural walking simulator. Isle of Pan combines the creature photography of Pokemon Snap, the immersive exploration of Myst, and the high strangeness of a David Lynch movie to create a new type of VR experience.
The game was built almost entirely out of blueprints in UE4. While being the first photography adventure game for VR, it pushes technical bounds in VR games by making use of real-time shadows, an open world, and a persistent preview screen for the player’s in-game camera.
Document your exploration of a mysterious Nordic island in this open world photography adventure. Guided by your compendium, find and take photographs of the strange inhabitants to unlock pages and learn more about them. On your journey you'll come across pocket portals hidden across the island. Open them to be transported to dreamlike experiences filled with even more creatures. Take your time and embrace your creativity on a imaginative trip through mythological realities.
100+ Creatures
I designed and built 100+ creatures in the game that can be photographed and read about in your book. Utilized complex behavior trees and animation blueprints to add distinct behaviors and reactions in response to player engagement.
VR and non-VR
Switch between VR and desktop mode at runtime. Designed originally as a testing tool, I decided to implement it into full release to provide more accessibility. Each interaction had to be designed to work in VR and non-VR mode.
12 New Worlds
In addition to the open-world island that the player explores, there are 12 smaller worlds the player can find. Each one presents a completely different environment and feel.
Customization
The player can customize the book with their favorite photo of each creature, hang photos on the homestead wall, or share photos with the real world by exporting the photos to desktop.
Player Tools
The player can shoot off fireworks, create rainbows, and change the time of day with tools that allow the player to get creative with their photography.
Collect
To add more rewards and encourage exploration, new camera models (for VR) and player skins (non-VR) are unlocked as more creatures are photographed.
See what the Press is saying about Isle of Pan:
Screenshots
Oneirogen (2018)
Team Size: 1. Duration: 18 months.
My first project, Oneirogen, was built during my graduate studies at the University of Minnesota and served as part of my thesis investigating VR creation in studio art practice. Oneirogen is a dreamlike circular journey through the depths of my subconscious. Inspired by the writings of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, this surreal experience was made for room scale VR from the ground up. Flow from one interactive environment to the next as you experience a magical trip through mysterious realms. It was released on Steam for use on the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift.
Oneirogen was set up in a gallery space amongst an installation of 3D prints and photographs inspired from the experience. A thermal printer was set up that printed out user’s decisions as they played the game. The user then was able to take home a receipt of the journey, a physical manifestation of their virtual experience.
The supporting thesis paper is available to download from the University of Minnesota.
