Down the Bayou

Inspiration

I was born and raised in New Orleans and I still live here. I’ve always loved the magic of a crawfish boil at sunset, vibing with your friends and family. South Louisiana has a special sort of charm and I wanted to share that with folks.

How we built it

Down the Bayou was built using the AI asset generator in the Horizon Desktop Editor. I am super excited about the possibilities when you blend VR and AI and I’m privileged to be able to showcase that here. We added code block scripting and sound effects for a bit of lagniappe. Lagniappe (pronounced LAN-yap) is a Louisiana French term meaning "a little something extra" or "a bonus".

Challenges we ran into

As I am new to the desktop editor, learning to navigate it was certainly a challenge! Using VR editing for the positioning and sizing is extremely helpful (and fun, since you can edit with friends) so I very much hope that remains a thing. VR editing and desktop editing together are a powerful tool!

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I’m extremely proud to able to share my little slice of South Louisiana and New Orleans charm with people from all over the world. I see people gather here and reminisce about living here or visiting and the fond memories they have. I’ve also been told that the background sound effects provide a relaxing atmosphere.

What's next for Down the Bayou

Next, the Bayou will be celebrating Essence Festival in July. The real life Essence Festival is an event in New Orleans celebrating Black culture and featuring performers and events that showcase this. In the VR version, Down the Bayou, we will have different areas offering education on influential and important Black folks in New Orleans and the South Louisiana area’s history.