Final Project: Exploring the Universe

Work Progress Description:

Over the past two weeks, I’ve constructed a solar system using models from Sketchfab, alongside basic shapes and particles. I animated each component to simulate orbiting motion using code for flexibility. Subsequently, I incorporated interactions such as explosions, floating, and random rotations, complemented by buttons and VR controls for user engagement. I sought assistance from ChatGPT to streamline most of my interaction coding, finding it both easier and faster. Despite encountering challenges in implementing complex interactions and enabling object interaction on click, as well as integrating player movement controls as intended, I successfully achieved my primary objective of creating a functional solar system with a few interactive elements. During the project presentation, it was also noted that it was not intuitively obvious of the interactions and what to do, as there was no clear goal and the buttons were not as direct in indicating their functions. For the IMA show, I modified the button descriptions to specify which planet and interaction each button controlled. However, for future iterations, I plan to enhance user experience by making the buttons more obvious in appearance and the interaction responses more distinct. Additionally, I intend to implement a visual cue such as a connecting line to indicate which planet is being affected by each button.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1k1W0_X2byyruSCzOhTYTWsE7DKVOsKd7?usp=sharing