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The Death of Toby
VR Suspenseful Narrative
Synopsis
The Death of Toby is a suspenseful and interactive VR experience that educates on environmental issues. It combines interaction and narrative to reveal how human-caused marine pollution is affecting Antarctic ecology. The story revolves around the mysterious and unexplained suicides of penguins in the Antarctic, adding an element of suspense and intrigue.
Players engage with the narrative through various interactive elements, such as investigating clues, solving puzzles, and making choices that influence the storyline. The characters in the story are anthropomorphized, allowing players to connect more deeply with the environmental message.
In narrative technique, uses narrative misdirection and visual misdirection to lead players through layers of mystery, gradually uncovering the truth. This approach transforms potentially dry educational content into an engaging and profound experience, as players uncover the dark secrets behind the penguin suicides and the broader implications of human impact on the environment. The interactive components ensure that players are not just passive observers but active participants in the unfolding drama.
Screenshots
Suspenseful Design
The project skillfully employs a phenomenological approach to deepen engagement, using perceptual elements to shape participants' experiences. Drawing from Merleau-Ponty's concepts, it goes beyond traditional storytelling by integrating tactile feedback, auditory cues, and visual drama into the narrative. This complexity enhances engagement, guiding participants through plot twists and identity misdirections.
· The Dual Identity of the Characters
To enhance suspense, the VR project uses dual-identity character designs, adding intrigue.
The six main characters—Priest, Anonymous, Security Guard, Food Vendor, Architect, and Muscular Man—each claim innocence in Toby's death. At Toby's house, participants find Anonymous brought toxic gas, the Security Guard relies on coffee, the Food Vendor's hot dogs are toxic, the Architect's house is unsafe, and the Muscular Man encouraged Toby's suicide.
Confronted with evidence, they all confess.
The Priest then reveals he is Toby and a penguin. Anonymous symbolizes ocean rubbish, the Security Guard the damaged ozone layer, the Food Vendor poisoned fish, the Architect cracked sea ice, and the Muscular Man is Tillikum, a killer whale. Toby explains that pollution and environmental damage led to his suffering and suicide. Ultimately, the players realize they are the real culprits.
The anthropomorphism not only allows participants and ecological elements to engage on equal footing but also creates plot twists that enhance the suspense.
· Visually Deceptive Level Design
In designing a suspenseful environment, the arrangement of space plays a crucial role in shaping the participant's experience.
Instead of placing the five suspects in separate cells or scenes, level design positioned them around the participant in the same scene. Lights were manipulated to focus the players' attention on each suspect individually, preventing distractions. The design choice to have suspects surrounding the participants emphasized their perceived authority. Players are central in these scenes, able to observe suspects easily. When characters speak or important props appear, the area darkens, and a spotlight directs focus, enhancing narrative efficiency. This setup intensifies the feeling of surveillance and subtly underscores the theme of human dominance over nature, positioning the participant as central and in control.