My project, The End is Near, is approaching the final stages of its development. The interactivity it in place, allowing the user to navigate from one point of interest to another. Additionally the viewer has the option to select each point of interest, revealing a brief description of the object and its significance. Some points of interest also include a rotatable 3D model that gives the viewer a closer look at the object. I’ve also added a border around the events taking place within the scene. This border suggests that the viewer is seeing the events of the scene through a screen using technology of the future. There is also a UI element added to assist the viewers understanding of which buttons to press to cause certain actions to occur. I also added a music track to aid in setting the tone for the piece.

I received some valuable feedback from my professors during the review that I plan to implement over winter break. One thing I am planning on changing is the UI element that indicates which button should be pressed. I plan to move the arrows to both sides of the screen to aid the viewer in understanding the use of the right and left analog stick to move from point to point. Additionally I plan on using the full controller layout to show which button does what on the X Box controller. I also plan to include a version of the mask that is rotatable in the final product, which will be placed on the screen that describes the masks and their purpose. Additionally, I will alter the dialogue to sound more like what an archaeologist might say for every point of interest. This will include using more scientific language for the descriptions of each point of interest. One thing I am also considering based on the feedback I have received is to include a version for each object of how that object looks today. There is an implication that the viewer is seeing the objects how they were when they were pristine and new. Giving the viewer the option to toggle how it looks in a more decayed state would imply further that the object should be viewed from a historical context. I plan to implement these additional features based on the feedback I received over winter break.

Here is an image of how a viewer would interact with the work in the gallery. The work would be projected on a screen and be controlled by the viewer using a game controller.

Here are some screenshots of the work in its final form.