Personal Reflection - Yashraj

Contribution to the group:

AR Project:

• Letters from U – Z

VR Project:

• Decoration/Lighting of the Escape Room

• Dart - Chest Puzzle

 

AR Project:

For the AR project, our team decided to create an interactive children’s alphabet learning book. The choice was deliberate—none of us had prior experience with Unity, and we wanted a project that would allow us to learn and grow while building something meaningful. The idea of blending education with Augmented Reality (AR) felt like the perfect way to add value to the end user while keeping the scope manageable for our skill level.

Getting started was not without challenges. Setting up version control was one of the first hurdles. Initially, we tried Unity’s built-in version control, but the limitations for a four-member team meant we had to switch to GitHub.

For my part, I was responsible for implementing the letters U through Z. I spent time carefully testing each model to make sure it appeared in the correct position, didn’t overlap with the images, and functioned as expected. While the process had its challenges—such as troubleshooting alignment issues and adjusting the visibility of models—it was incredibly fulfilling to see the result come together and work flawlessly.

Throughout the project, YouTube tutorials and Unity Documentation were my lifeline. Every step, from learning Unity basics to implementing ARTrackedImageManager for image-based tracking, was accompanied by a number of searches and video guides. For me, the most exciting moment was seeing the AR models for my letters come to life for the first time. It felt like all the effort and late nights were finally paying off.

After combining our work, everything functioned as expected; however, we encountered a strange OpenGL error, but we left it since it didn’t cause any issues. Also, when we combined our work there was this weird thing that happened, when we scan any image all the models would pop up and the textures would be a mess. But we later found a rather simple solution, by placing all the models in their respective folder instead of having them in one folder.

Reflecting on the theoretical aspects, I think our project really showcased the potential of AR in education. By using image-based tracking, we gave kids a tangible, interactive way to learn the alphabet, making it more engaging than a traditional book. Of course, there’s plenty of room for improvement—better image tracking, smoother interactions, and perhaps even integrating sound or more complex animations. But for a first project, I’m proud of what we achieved.

VR Project:

The VR escape room project was one of the most exciting and challenging endeavors I’ve worked on. From the beginning, our goal was to create an immersive and engaging environment that pushed our creative and technical limits. Despite our initial inexperience with VR development, we were determined to learn and experiment, and the medieval tavern theme became a perfect canvas for our ideas.

From the start, I focused on setting the right mood for the escape room. A medieval-style tavern served as the foundation, and I worked to enhance this theme by strategically placing furniture, books, and props that made the room feel alive and believable. Adding decorative lighting was especially rewarding—although it took a bit of time to learn how lighting works in unity and what different types of lighting can be use like baked or area in different parts.

One of the biggest challenges I faced was integrating decorations and puzzles into a cohesive experience. While adding decorative elements was enjoyable, I learned that too many interactive objects could overwhelm players. Striking a balance between aesthetics and functionality required careful planning and feedback from playtests. Another challenge was optimizing lighting for both realism and gameplay. Lighting adjustments often affected puzzle visibility or created performance issues in VR. This iterative process, though frustrating at times, taught me the importance of adaptability and precision in game design.

The dart and chest puzzle was one of the most intricate tasks I worked on and was designed to encourage exploration and observation. Designing this puzzle required a lot of testing to ensure the dart patterns were challenging but not frustratingly difficult. The room featured multiple dartboards, each with darts embedded in specific patterns. Once the puzzle was solved it opens a chest. Inside the chest was a UV flashlight—a critical tool for progressing in the escape room. The UV flashlight revealed hidden messages and symbols scattered throughout the room, adding another layer of complexity and immersion to the gameplay.

Looking back, my contributions to the escape room project were both a creative outlet and a technical learning experience. Each team member brought unique strengths to the table, and combining our efforts resulted in a polished and immersive experience. Whether it was solving technical lighting issues or brainstorming puzzle mechanics, every step was a learning opportunity. In the end, I’m proud of what we achieved as a team and grateful for the chance to contribute to such a creative and rewarding project.