[G6] - Hackbeam with "Yes, and..."

Stage fright
First mockup in ShapesXR
Slot Machine "SlotTwister" for prompts
Scene "Ocean"
Singing with MX Stylus
Scene "The Cab"
Theming your Environment

Inspiration

The idea originated even before the hackathon. Lily and Jonathan regularly perform improvisational theater, which has visibly improved their communication skills, stage presence, and confidence. However, since this hobby isn't accessible to everyone, the team set out to create a guided improvisational theater app that allows more people to step onto a stage in the comfort of their own homes, free from pressure and judgment.

What it does

The XR app "Yes, and..." allows you to build skills in improvisation, acting and overcoming stage fright while playing improv theater with your friends in your living room as a hobby. A slot machine called "SlotTwist" provides you prompts - a location, a role and an emotion - to kickstart your scenes. 3D props can be placed in your environment to enhance immersion, but your imagination remains key. Once you have your prompts, you jump into your roles, challenging and refining your spontaneity. In this game, there’s no room for "No"—only "Yes, and..."

How we built it

At the beginning of the hackathon, our team started by brainstorming ideas on Miro and gathering relevant information to support the project. We built our first mockup in ShapesXR, where we sketched out objects and scene ideas. Quickly realizing the need to keep things simple, we reduced complexity and streamlined our approach. Tasks were defined and divided: one team focused on building the MVP of the slot machine in Unity, while the other worked on target audience research, storyline development, and trailer production. After finishing the storyboard and filming the initial scenes, we revisited our approach, adding features like object interaction and creating improvisational scenarios with a custom randomizer that generates combinations of a location, a role, and an emotion. We carefully selected the most engaging combinations for our project. When technical difficulties arose, we concentrated on making our vision as tangible as possible.

Challenges we ran into

We successfully prototyped the multiplayer colocation features, but couldn't integrate them due to internet issues at the venue. Similarly, we faced challenges with integrating data-intensive online services like LLM for prompt generation and 3D model creation on demand. As a result, we focused on refining and presenting the core concept.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We presented a unique idea and a prototype that clearly communicated our vision. We iterated on our idea as much as possible, to make sure that we all fully support it.

What we learned

The XRHack was a great opportunity to try out our team composition in a serious but fun setting. We learned that we are a highly creative, dynamic, and efficient team capable of working together. Nevertheless, we want to continue to expand our skills in the various fields such as video editing, app development and task management.

What's next for #6 Team Hackbeam

Our plan is to integrate more of the proposed features into the prototype, further develop AI support, and incorporate the MX Stylus as a multifunctional tool with haptic feedback, like a magic wand or microphone. To ensure "Yes, and..." is user-centered and marketable, we plan to conduct user surveys, market research, and product testing.