Mind mapping.

Once a theme of the project is established it is great to carry on visual research to find inspirational images or an aesthetic that reflects our style or intrigues us, or something that we want to challenge.

One of the elements I was researching, as I mentioned in my previous blog post, was visual representation of the sound and music waves. I recently enjoyed listening to the “Running up that hill” (KREAM Remix) by Kate Bush. Watching the video clip accompanying this remix inspired me to think how the music can be visualised. Even though the above song is not really related to the train or London tube, thanks to the popular Netflix series it was used in, it awakens unconscious associations with time travelling in my brain. I therefore, started looking for some music waves images that could be incorporated into the project.

Where I actually started gathering my thoughts was an online space where I created a digital mind map. It included connections with all the inspirations I have had until that point: VR in pain management, London underground idea, concepts for mechanics and basic interaction in the experience. It helped me to look at the way the project has developed, from thinking about the idea for the VR experience to getting to the actual theme and narrowing it down to the concept I want to build.

Another sketches of the Time Train elements and mind maps presenting the ideas for specific actions or big moments in the experience were created a bit later, after I have had some time to think about the development of my project, as well as having chats and tutorials with Abel and Eric, who are supporting us this academic year.

Further steps include working in Unity, where I want to create some concept scenes including a representation of the assets, along with the code for the interactions.

One of the drafts include Queen Elizabeth II boarding on the train, sitting down, next triggering some interactions with the player-patient in VR. The famous Queen’s handbag could be included in that scene. The Queen could potentially get off at the Green Park station to go home. The element of the Queen getting older on the train could also potentially be included, but would have think more about implementing that concept.

Next, I want to work on the particle effects that are going to represent the sound in a visual way, as mentioned at the beginning of this article.

There will be more sketches and Unity scene captures soon, as the project will move from the planning to designing and building phase. I am really looking forward to that!