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Computer Augmented Virtual Environment (CAVE) Projects

This is a collection of CAVE projects from my time at the CMU ETC. These projects included programming a motion platform in time with a virtual world, programming DMX lighting, integrating interactive elements in the virtual environment, and incorporating special effects.

Spooky Shinies Experience POV

Team

Angie Mendenhall
Matthew Saenz

Technology

> Motion Platform
> DMX Lighting
> Unity Project Game and Show Control

"Spooky Shinies" Project

This was the final project for the "Dark Ride Design" class. Matt and I created this experience over the course of a month, while working on our own Motion Platform attraction. We evenly split programming the game mechanics, programming the motion of the platform, designing the track and level, and putting together the virtual environment. We used paid assets for the 3D models.

Experience

This interactive simulator attraction features guests being lifted/dropped via a moving bench, fans that turn on during "fast" portions of the ride track, DMX show lights, and interactive gameplay. Guests use their lasers to blast ghosts and collect crystals through a winding cave. The spookies and the shinies, if you will.

Gray Box Prototype

Before we put all the fancy 3D models into the game, we developed a gray-box prototype of our attraction. We used default Unity cubes to simulate walls and collectables/enemies, and tested out the track. We made adjustments to the show programming, track length/design, and environment in this easy-to-change level before putting our final cave assets in.

Motion Platform

We utilized the pneumatic motion platform found at the Entertainment Technology Center and programmed it with the skeleton Unity project provided to us by the class. It has a "balloon" in each corner allowing for four degrees of movement. Here is a video of our friend on the platform being lifted to showcase the motion of it.