E2i Creative Studio | Virtual Reality and Exposure Therapy
This project is centered around treating patients with PTSD. The experience is designed to help patient cope with trauma with the assistance of therapist. The Project was a collaborative group project developed by the Intern Team at E2i Creative Studio. This piece used sensory research to help desensitize patients with PTSD.
COnTEXT
Role
Project Manager
Conceptual Designer
Environment Artist/Texture Artist
Project type
Virtual Reality
Usability Testing
Goals and Objectives
Studies have shown, in Exposure therapy has been found to effectively address the symptoms of PTSD. When a person experiences a traumatic event they may show symptoms of avoidance behaviors, which is a common safety mechanism when confronted in stressful situations.
The main objective of this simulation is to have patients interact in a populated environment and work through crowded places, with crowds both of people and of building spaces, as they would in the real world.
At the same time giving a sense of fantasy of a world that the user can still feel comfortable and able to control
Concept Inspiration Board
(These images are used as inspiration from the games The Witness and Overwatch.)
Scene Progression and Activities
The simulation begins in a train station, which also serves as a “safe space” that can be returned to at any point in the experience. The patient is transported to the port market by interacting with the train, and has the ability to be transported back by interacting with the boat on the other side.
Once in the port city, the patient interacts with fish on the dock. Upon completion, an audio trigger will play, and fog around the area disperse, allowing the user to move on to interact with the fountain. They will find hidden, but obvious, coins, and throw them into the fountain. An audio trigger plays, fog moves, and they find a lighthouse to fix. This is done by traveling to past areas and collecting 3 large parts in the rest of the port.
Reward System
By using all the tools to move onto the next task, the end goal is to make the user feel as if they have a sense of accomplishment for themselves.
The final task of piecing together a broken lighthouse, all fog should be dissipated and there will be the changing world that would give them that sense of affirmation.
Stationary and interactive components
• Fishing Boat
• Barrel
• Fountain
• Lighthouse
vr immersive experience
Roles: Project Manager, Conceptual Designer, Environment Artist, Texture Artist
Software used: Maya, Unity, 3D Coat, Photoshop
