Deloitte University - 3D Environment Modeling Challenge

Calling all 3-D modelers!  Welcome to the Deloitte University - 3D Environment Modeling Challenge! In our last challenge we explored some design concepts for the initial screens of a virtual reality campus tour for Deloitte University using the Oculus Rift. Now we need your help to create the “home environment” for our Deloitte University Virtual Reality experience powered by Oculus Rift DK2, Leap Motion and Unity3D.  

In this challenge, we need you to take the design direction provided below and convert it into a full-fledged 3-D environment — a modelled, textured and lit 3-D scene delivered as a Maya, 3dsmax or FBX file. Speaking in traditional terms, this scene will serve as the “home screen” for our Oculus experience, allowing the user to launch other VR experiences, while giving them a feel for a “workspace of the future.”

We look forward to seeing your rendered 3-D environment for this challenge!

Round 1

Round 1 will focus on the 3-D environment model:

1) Home Environment

NOTE: See the provided design direction to understand the home environment and what is needed in the 3-D environment model. If anything is unclear, please ask for clarification on the forum and we will be happy to help!

Round 2

In Round 2, you will need to include the Round 1 3-D environment model (updated based on checkpoint feedback). 

1) Home Environment

NOTE: See the provided design direction to understand the home environment and what is needed in the 3-D environment model. If anything is unclear, please ask for clarification on the forum and we will be happy to help!

Primary Goals:

In this challenge we are looking for you to help us create the “home environment” for our Deloitte University Virtual Reality experience powered by Oculus Rift DK2, Leap Motion and Unity3D. Our ask is that you take the design direction provided below and convert it into a full-fledged 3-D environment — a modelled, textured and lit 3-D scene delivered as a Maya, 3dsmax or FBX file. Speaking in traditional terms, this scene will serve as the “home screen” for our Oculus experience, allowing the user to launch other VR experiences, while giving them a feel for a “workspace of the future.” 

We have provided the following to help with the design direction:
1.    Low-fi wireframes showcasing scene layout and basic components of the environment
2.    Concept art of the environment (showcasing greater design detail and the aesthetic we are going for) 
3.    A moodboard with our inspiration for this environment (serving as a resource to pull modeling details, lighting information)

Project Background:

The goal for this project is to build a virtual reality tour to explore the campus, content and rich media associated with Deloitte University. The client has decided to create this virtual reality tour for Deloitte University using Oculus Rift.  The Oculus Rift is an upcoming virtual reality head-mounted display (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oculus_Rift).  More details are available on the Oculus website (https://www.oculus.com/rift/).

Unlike traditional 2-D displays and input devices, there are really no set paradigms for visualizing and interacting with content in virtual reality. Luckily, Hollywood and science fiction have been captivating our minds with their unique take on this challenge, long before virtual reality became a viable piece of technology. We suggest looking back at such examples to rack your imagination. At the end of the day, we are looking for a captivating and intuitive experience that will dazzle the user and allows them to interact functionally with a variety of content, whether that be 360-degree stereoscopic video, 2-D HD content, 3-D infographics or 3-D models.

Think about what UI elements and controls that will be needed to explore and navigate within the 3-D environment. While the ideal goal is to provide hand presence to a user using 3-D sensors such as the Leap Motion, Structure.io and Kinect, all navigational concepts should be usable with a standard controller. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the technology and navigation concepts that Oculus Rift supports. The four defined gestures in the Leap Motion Library are circle, swipe, screen tap, and key tap. There are still chances to do a lot more variable gestures dependent on hand and arm movement. A good explanation of Leap Motion can be found here.

Challenge Goals:

This exciting challenge is focused on rendering the 3-D “home environment” for our Deloitte University Virtual Reality experience.  We have provided a detailed design direction document (attached) that includes wireframes, design inspiration, and details about what should be included in the 3-D “home environment”.  There will be no animation or interactivity coming out of this challenge - just the 3-D environment. 

The main goal of this challenge is to produce a modelled, textured and lit 3D scene and delivered as a Maya, 3dsmax or FBX file. Good luck, we are looking forward to reviewing your submissions! 

NOTE: If anything is unclear, please ask for clarification on the forum and we will be happy to help!

Challenge Requirements:

Overall:
- Follow the wireframes and design direction outlined in (see "Topcoder DU Oculus - 3D Challenge.docx"). Some design inspiration has also been included in this document to help you.
- Be creative! Think of the best user experience given the unique nature of virtual reality and a 3-D environment.

1) Wireframe (Top) — User facing table
In this image, the table will serve as the primary work area for the user. This makes use of the physical table present in front of the user in real life, giving them tactile feedback and an enhanced sense of presence. There are multiple floating displays in front of the user. The user will be able to interact with these displays by tapping on them. A button on this screen for example, would lift out from the screen and would be closer to the user in Z space.

2) Wireframe (Top) — User facing Radial Nav
If the user looks left from their chair, they’ll see this massive radial nav. This was inspired from game shows where you have a platform with different certain prize. In our case, each of these cylindrical platforms has some floating text, nav items, charts and visualizations. The user can use their hands to toggle through this radial menu and make a selection. The selected nav item would we the one closest to the user. Once selected, the user can grab and move these graphs/items on to the desk for closer inspection. The user can also bring up a miniaturized version of this nav on their desk.

3) Wireframe (Perspective) — Work Area
This wireframe illustrates the above mentioned pieces from a front perspective facing the desk. The earth visualization visible through the windows is a massive globe over which we can overlay multiple data sets. For our first release we will overlay pins of all Deloitte offices and chart flight paths of our practitioners who are visiting Deloitte University from their respective home offices. For the purposes of this challenge, merely focus on creating a realistic earth model and textures. You may put any placeholder location pins and flight paths, but focus on the components need to power this visualization. For example, a small model of an airplane that we can animate to follow a path. 

4) Wireframe (Perspective) — Radial Navigation
The wireframe above gives a closer look at the radial navigation, as described above. Please note the content itself is placeholder and you can feel free to user generic terms or lorem as placeholder text. While keeping the basic concept of the radial nav, feel free to impart a unique look to it. See concept art (in "Topcoder DU Oculus - 3D Challenge.docx ) for one such approach.