Napture

Inspiration

After closely reading the topic, our team discussed what we could gain from the outdoor activities. We had totally different perpectives, one was an indoor person, while the other loved going out frequently. We argued beside why one is not pleased to walk around and why the outdoor is so pleased. We debated why one person don't enjoy walking around while the other found outdoor activities pleasurable. Eventually, we came to the conclusion that everyone experiences joy in their own way and perceives the same objects differently. We all enjoy finding unique meanings and collecting them in our minds. However, the common was we enjoy to find unique meaning and collect them in our mind. Since everyone's focus and perception of the world differ, we wanted our AR project to be more than just a monotonous static experience, which can be differ by person. We aimed to create something meaningful based on the user's current location and what they were observing in that moment. Therefore, we chose the "tree" and “bench” as our main objects, prompting users to closely examine and find their own meaning of common object that is often overlooked. Trees are ubiquitous, yet each tree has a distinct shape and has existed in one place for a long time. With this in mind, we envisioned a narrative story revolving around these elements.

The title of our project, "Napture," is reassemble of the words "Capture" and "Nature." It is also derived from parts of Sunderland in the UK, where it means to steal something, might has an aspect of encouraging deep contemplation.

What it does

We set the starting point as a bench who believes as itself as a tree. A poster on the bench seeks a creature that can move around with their two legs, unlike the immobile tree or bench. And when the user curiously scan the QR code on the poster, the experience starts. After that, user can scan the poster as an image tracker, the bench speaks to the user and explains its encountered problem.

The user's task is to help the "bench," which sees it is a tree, throughout its journey. In the process, users can explore the surroundings and find their favourite tree. By capturing the tree with the augmented 3D object, users get a special picture of their chosen tree. We envision this picture functioning as a social media filter for the tree.

How we built it

We gained inspiration from various sample projects on 8th Wall and learned from their technical aspects and artistic approaches.

Primarily, we utilised the "Image target" to access our project and used the same image for the image tracker. With A-Frame, we were able to manipulate 3D models easily.

Our team member created the 2D visual design and 3D models, such as the bench and flag (shaped like a bench), using Maya and Blender.

Challenges we ran into

Initially, we started with the ambitious attempt to create multiplayer content to allow people to gather together. We also tried to convert captured images into 3D objects, enabling users to create a garden with their collected favourite trees. The idea of collecting and sharing observations in three dimensions was fascinating.

However, we encountered numerous difficulties, including time constraints and technical challenges. These obstacles hindered the implementation of the desired features, as well as the fundamental technical aspects. As our artistic background influenced our focus on narrative and storyline, we were unable to fully realize the intended journey of the experience. Despite our efforts to grasp the coding language, our understanding fell short of our aspirations. Consequently, we managed to include most of the elements in the scene, however, in a non-sequential manner which is critical to our core focus.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Firstly, we are proud of the originality of our idea. We spent significant time ensuring that the experience was unique and not just a "wow" factor. Given the time constraints of the hackathon, we felt it would be more meaningful to create a narrative-based experience that resonates with people.

Additionally, we are proud of our notable achievements considering that neither of us had prior experience with JavaScript, A-Frame, or even HTML. The fluent example projects provided by 8th Wall and the platform's user-friendly approach allowed us to learn these unfamiliar languages quickly.

What we learned

We gained valuable experience from this event. Participating in a rushed, short-time project was a new experience for us, and we believe we learned a lot. We acquired learned effective time management, coding skills, explored philosophical ideas such as different values held by people, refined our brainstorming process while maintaining a clear focus and more. These experiences have provided us with a solid foundation for enhancing our knowledge and approaching problem-solving with greater wisdom.

What's next for 'Napture'

Our top priority is to complete the process and see our idea realized as planned. We are eager to bring our vision to life. Additionally, we remain committed to achieving one of our primary goals: fostering engagement and enabling users to share their experiences. While we faced constraints during the event, we are determined to implement these features in the future, ensuring a more interactive and collaborative experience for users.

Built With

• 8thwall