VR Lab Session 1

VR Lab Session 1

Author: Radoslav

Hello and welcome to the first post in a three-part series exploring the development of what will (hopefully) become an VR escape room. In this blog, I’ll walk you through the foundational steps of creating the room, designing some interactive elements, and setting up the final door— the most crucial part element of the project.

Room Setup: Establishing the Scene

For our starting point, we decided to place players in a medieval-style tavern. The choice wasn’t tied to a specific aesthetic vision just yet—our focus was on experimenting with available assets to create an engaging space. This initial flexibility gives room for creativity as the project evolves.

The medieval theme lent itself well to the escape room format, offering plenty of opportunities for interesting props the player could interact with and some atmospheric details.

After a setting up the project and a few hours this is the current state of the room:

We decided to move away from teleportation beyond the development stage, ensuring a more immersive experience. This way, players would be required to navigate the space physically, encouraging them to engage deeply with the environment and look for uncover hidden details.

Setting Up Interactables: The Heart of the Gameplay

Props play a crucial role in our project, as they create opportunities for players to engage directly with the environment. Without them, the escape room would feel static and lifeless. After a bit of research we created a basic set of interactable props. Few pints and a set of chairs and a table. Initially, we noticed that interactables looked odd when grabbed—often floating awkwardly or snapping unnaturally to the player’s hand. To solve this, we implemented attach transforms, allowing us to control exactly how an object should align and behave when picked up. This adjustment made interactions feel much more polished and realistic, adding to the overall immersion of the experience.

To expand on our interactable system, we also created a socket interactable for an axe, adding another layer of engagement to the environment. The socket system allows the axe to be placed on top of the fireplace.

This interactable also plays a role in puzzles, such as revealing a hidden compartment or cutting through an obstacle. The socket ensures the axe snaps neatly into place when returned, avoiding awkward floating or misalignment.

The Bloody Door

The door is arguably the most crucial element of the escape room, serving as both a focal point and the player's ultimate goal. So we knew it was important for us to get started on it early. 

We used a Fixed Joint for the door handle to ensure it stays securely attached while allowing players to grab it. This setup makes the handle feel functional and responsive. The door itself is powered by a Hinge Joint, giving it a smooth swinging motion that reacts naturally to the player’s input.

However, we quickly realized that without proper limits, the door could swing too far—sometimes clipping into the walls or behaving unrealistically. To address this, we configured the Hinge Joint limits, restricting the door's to a realistic arc. 

Making the door interactable should be as simple as adding the XR Grab Interactable component to the handle. With this setup in place—BOOM!—we have a fully functional door that felt responsive and polished.

Next up: refining interactions and adding some puzzles :).