Inspiration
What it doesInspiration
This project is inspired by the atmosphere of live theater—where performers use their entire bodies, light, and sound to create an immersive experience for the audience. I wanted to bring that same feeling of “being on stage” into VR, where the player becomes the performer, physically defending themselves from a storm of arrows coming from all directions. Instead of watching a performance, the player is the one moving, reacting, and acting in real time.
How It Was Built
The core idea was to design a VR defensive experience that feels almost like a dance. The player must move their body naturally—turning, raising, and swinging a shield—to block incoming arrows. The gameplay is constructed using Unity’s XR framework, with support for both controller-based input and experimental hand-tracking.
The game focuses on clean motion feedback, intuitive interaction, and the sensation of performing on an invisible stage. Arrow patterns are designed to promote rhythmic body movement, encouraging the player to respond fluidly rather than mechanically.
The project is structured around:
A 360° arrow-spawn system
A physics-based shield interaction system
Visual and audio feedback for each successful block
Iterative tuning of difficulty, timing, and comfort
Challenges Faced
Several significant challenges emerged during development:
- Hand Tracking + Shield Collision
I attempted to display and use a shield through hand tracking, but reliable collision detection proved difficult. Fast-moving arrows coming from 360 degrees exposed limitations in hand-tracking precision, motion jitter, and collision stability. Ensuring a consistent defensive experience without controller input remains a key challenge for future iterations.
- Arrow Speed and Game Balance
Balancing the speed, density, and frequency of arrows was harder than expected. Fast or numerous arrows create excitement but can quickly overwhelm the player or impact comfort in VR. Ensuring that the game stays challenging without becoming unfair required continuous testing and adjustment.
Plans for Future Improvements
Future updates will focus on:
Improving hand-tracking stability for shield interactions
Introducing optional MR passthrough modes for enhanced immersion
More visually expressive hit effects and sound cues
Adaptive difficulty systems based on player performance
Performance optimization to maintain 72–90 FPS on Meta Quest devices
The long-term goal is to elevate this into a polished, theatrical VR experience where movement, rhythm, and survival merge into a single expressive gameplay loop.
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