- Role: designer, Writer, and Producer
- Platform: PC
- Development tool: Unity
-Development time: fifteen weeks
-Client: CMU Libraries
Frankenstein: Become is an interactive VR experience that takes guests through the Monster's memories as he relives key scenes from the original Frankenstein novel by Mary Shelley. The project was a semester long and was commissioned by Carnegie Mellon University Libraries to be included as part of their Frankenstein Bicentennial celebration exhibit in Posner Hall.
Client Testimonial
The Installation
The installation went through many iterations throughout the design process, per feedback from the client and our faculty. We wanted to immerse guests in the space, making them feel like they were really at Victor Frankenstein's lab and personal writing desk. We also had to make the desk experiences as intuitive as possible, as there wasn't always an attendant available to facilitate the experience.
Below are some of the initial design sketches for the installation:
The VR Experience
The Mirror Room
Below is an initial design sketch that I completed for the mirror room in the VR experience. This is the room that the experience begins in, and it acts as an interlude space between scenes. Guests, in the role of the monster, look at themselves in a mirror that transitions into various memories from the novel. For the design of the mirror, I went with a gothic aesthetic, to evoke the mood and time period of the novel. The design of the mirror was maintained for the final product, but we went for a quieter floor, so as to prevent guests from being too distracted by it.
Victor's Lab
Below is an overview diagram of Victor's Lab. To scope down and save time on 3D modeling and asset creation, the team came up with the idea of having only the immediate vicinity be visible to the guest. The dotted circle in the diagram is the visible space created by an overhead light. We found that this design choice enhanced the experience aesthetically, as it created a dark and brooding mood within the lab.
The Cabin
Below is an overview diagram of the cabin scene. I decided to adopt a similar lighting method to the lab, this time using light cast from the fireplace, to focus guest attention on the old man while also cutting down on art assets.
The Diary
Below are brainstorming notes for the diary experience. I brainstormed a lot of different ideas for the diary portion of the experience, but eventually the client and I came to the agreement that the diary experience best served to fill in narrative gaps that we didn't have time to create in the VR experience. The diary is composed of entries chronicling key events in the story as well as some of the monster's most profound and disturbing musings.
Below are some excerpts from the diary. I am using the digital version of the diary for readability. The physical diary was printed on stylized paper to look like worn parchment and was painted with green tea to give it a wrinkled look.
