Yingjie Liu_Portfolio

Overview

During the process of developing an interactive exhibition for the Variance Network museum, I created a time projector that allows users to explore the late 19th century and early 20th century by investigating the stories behind individual objects.

Timeline

Oct 2023 - Dec 2023

Role

Digital Designer

Design Process

Background & Research
Inspiration

DISCOVER

Design Strategy

Concept Development

Modelling Process
Exploded View

DEVELOP

Rendering Process

Model Optimisation

Interaction Design

DELIVER

Discover

Background & research

Background &

research

The late 19th and early 20th centuries in England, marked by the Industrial Revolution's peak and the trauma of World War I, brought profound social, political, and economic changes that spark diverse interests and call for engaging exploration.

Discover

inspiration

Sketches, illustrations, and pictures from the Variance Network (VN) depict an era of heavy industrialization, inspiring the idea that personal items like earrings, watches, or keys could unlock a "door of time." These unique belongings allow users to connect with the historical period in a customized way, using them as interactive elements to explore exhibits and gain deeper insights into history and culture, creating a more meaningful and personalized experience.

Develop

Design Strategy

I developed a concept for a projector that generates customized projections based on user interactions. Using 3Dsmax and Unity for 3D modeling and animation, the design emphasizes intricate decorations and textures, like brass, from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Users can place personal belongings (e.g., watches, necklaces) on the projector to explore associated historical periods and items, and manipulate buttons and dials to interact with the 3D projections.

Develop

concept development

concept

development

nspired by industrialization and World War I, the narrative centers on an advanced technician who, after losing his memory in battle, creates a device that generates projections of forgotten scenes from personal items, aiding memory retrieval. Discovered in a rusted suitcase at a secret Allied base, this device now allows modern users to explore historical stories by inputting their belongings.

Develop

modelling process

Ideas

Generating

Sketch

Develop

exploded view

Deliver

rendering process

concept

development

The internal structure cannot be seen. I tweaked numerous settings and eventually found a solution that placed a light source inside.

Sketch

Display

Deliver

Model Optimisation

· Adjustment of the material of the liquid and the inner material of the box

The hydraulic pump was not obvious enough in the first submission, so I added contrast by adjusting the transparency and diffuse colour of the liquid material again. Texture was added to the material inside the box to differentiate between the different components.

· Adjustment of the seam closure of the decorative pattern

I selected a circle of faces at the seam to be extruded inwards to make the effect of a gap and embedded the openwork pattern inside to solve the problem of unnatural transition.

· Adjustment of gear linkage structure, number of gears and radius

I selected a circle of faces at the seam to be extruded inwards to make the effect of a gap and embedded the openwork pattern inside to solve the problem of unnatural transition.

Deliver

Interaction Design

concept

development

For the interaction design, I first conceptualized the scene transitions, then planned the content for each section using Canvas, and designed content presentation with Animator, Timeline, and scripting. The interface features a clear information structure and high usability, with a black gradient background, bronze as the primary color, and classical-style fonts. The device is easy to use, with clear prompts guiding users to click, drag, and scroll. By integrating animation, lenses, and sound effects that vary with distance, the design enhances immersion and strengthens the interactive experience in the virtual environment.

Display