The menu of my game took quite a bit of work, and a bit changed from Pre-Production to the finished prototype.
The consistent factor between all versions was that it was always meant to take place in a cell. Our narrative originally had the player character be there due to them being a patient of a mental hospital, but as the player soon changed into a CIA Agent, we then justified keeping them in a cell to hide from the Zombies.
I originally wanted to have the player have an option on each of the four sides of the room, but then I recognised how inconvenient that is for the player to navigate with their head, especially if they were using a wire. This then led me to then decide to condense the UI into instead fitting into the frame of the player’s beginning viewpoint.
In creating the level, I first needed to sort out the idea of “VR Widget Interaction”. This involved setting a Widget in the DefaultSceneRoot of an actor, and setting the debug pointers on for the Pawn, so the player can see where they’re pointing at.
From here, I blocked out the first idea I had of my level. At the start, I felt it still was very inconvenient to reach the “Exit” button, and that the room wasn’t as streamlined for the player’s accessibility as I would have liked.
To change this, while not removing the bed from the room, I instead made the exit a dug hole, as that allowed me to put the “Exit” widget in a larger variety of spaces without tying it to a large object such as a bed. I then rearranged the room so the player could easily navigate it, and that they have a clear view of both the Scores and Options Menu.
Quit Game
Options
My original idea for an options menu was to take the Static TV and disorient the player in a creepy room reminiscent of that. However, the execution was very poor, as the attempt at disorienting the player instead came at causing eye strain and a sickness at the constant static in the background.
I instead then tried a new idea and modelled the menu after the menu of an old CRT TV, and felt this was far more effective. This was from the perspective of the player instead looking at the TV, and I felt this was far better in not using unnatural attempts at disorienting the player and instead creating a sense of immersion within the room, with the blood-curdling aesthetic being created through the rustic environment.
As for the options, the player can determine the audio, as well as the Texture Quality. The player can also delete all save data, which will remove all saved scores, as well as reset the data of the player having found the easter egg. Exit will take them back to the Main Menu Screen.
Scores
In addition to the options menu, I wanted the scores menu to also be part of the room itself in furthering the diegetic User Interface of this level. To do this, I created UI that was on a green background, that was put as a UI Actor. I put this over a model of a clipboard to create the illusion of this being a page. I also put a page at the side to give indication if the player has reached the requirements needed for the Easter Egg. Through bindings given to the player's scores, the scores will then display on this menu. Additionally, there will be a page showing wherever the Easter Egg has been unlocked or not.
In terms of angle, I tried to rotate the player slightly in positioning themselves so that they don’t need to bend their neck and cause them physical discomfort in looking down at the desk.
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