Based on a true story
The peacock spreads out its magnificent plumage for a reason, and even the bird of paradise doesn’t dance for minutes just for fun. Many animals develop elaborate courtship rituals to impress a mate.
When researchers discovered large, circular patterns on the seabed, the question arose: which animal was behind them?
Functional abstraction
The briefing:
- Dramaturgically depict the courtship behaviour of any animal
- Highly reduced look: as few polygons (surfaces) as possible
- Animation under 2 minutes
I chose the pufferfish!
To simplify the pufferfish, I gradually moved from realism to abstraction. The 3D model had to be designed in such a way that it remains recognisable and, which is crucial for the animation, is not too restricted in its mobility.
Same scenario - but in VR
The aim of the following assignment was to bring the world of the pufferfish to life. And what medium is better suited to this than virtual reality?
In an immersive underwater world, the player works with the pufferfish to build the most eye-catching mating area possible in order to attract potential partners. The explorable 3D scenery includes a variety of plants and animals – some inspired, some imaginative, but always highly abstract.
Between caves and coral reefs, you get to know your spherical companion better and better and discover surprising things about him. This additional information adds an informal layer of knowledge to the actual mission.
