National Geographic Explore VR is an educational VR experience. You capture photographs for the National Geographic magazine in two of the most iconic locations on the planet! Antarctica, where you kayak, climb a massive ice shelf and survive a raging snowstorm, and Machu Picchu, where you get immersed in amazing digital reconstructions. 

I worked on National Geographic Explore VR for the Machu Picchu update. I joined the team when most of the environment had already been created through amazing photogrammetry, and gameplay implementation was just starting.

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At the start of this adventure, I began working on camera prototypes. The Machu Picchu experience primarily focused on photographing the stunning environment, aiming to provide players with the feeling of being a professional photographer for National Geographic.

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After the design was validated through the prototypes, the final implementation was handed over to the tech team for a more robust and performance-friendly camera. This presented an interesting challenge in terms of communication.

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During this project, I was introduced to the "Act out" workflow used at Force Field. This involved a quick UX flow design on paper, acted out by the design team, and tested on players. This cost-effective and rapid approach helped identify pacing and script issues and ensured that players understood how to navigate the experience.

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Accessibility was a significant focus for this title. It served as the showcase for friends and family looking to explore what VR has to offer. It was also the experience I used to introduce my friends and family to the world of VR. All design decisions for this project were made with this level of accessibility in mind.

I truly enjoyed working on this incredible project, and delving deeper into Inca culture was a fascinating bonus.