Roark Island
A spatial interaction and game design prototype exploring AR/VR affordances, 3D environments, and rule-based user behavior.
Gameplay UX is driven by perception and embodied interaction rather than explicit instruction, using spatial tools, gesture, and viewpoint to reveal information within the environment. Feedback is delivered through environmental response such as light, material change, and object behavior, requiring players to verify what appears correct rather than simply complete tasks.
Showcased how immersive design and storytelling could increase engagement by blending narrative with gameplay.
Pushed the boundaries of AR/VR prototyping — tested puzzle-based interactions, environmental storytelling, and emotional immersion.
Served as a proof of concept that design can connect technology, narrative, and user engagement in new markets.
Impact
Context
As AR/VR platforms matured, there was a growing need to demonstrate how immersive experiences could move beyond novelty.
Roark Island explored how puzzle-based gameplay and emotional storytelling could keep users engaged while showcasing what future consumer experiences might look like.
Problem
AR/VR products often fail at balancing entertainment, usability, emotional connection, and engagement.
Many experiences felt like tech demos, visually impressive, but lacking retention or narrative depth.
Thought Provoking Gameplay
Solve puzzles in an environment that isn’t what it claims to be.
The environment begins to reward imitation over understanding, compliance over clarity. What once felt purposeful becomes disorienting. Signals are inconsistent. Progress appears possible, but only for those who already fit an unspoken pattern. You begin to question your perception, your instincts, and eventually your sense of self.
Created a story-driven prototype that combined love, loyalty, and mystery with puzzle mechanics.
Used moodboards and character studies to define an unforgettable aesthetic.
Designed gameplay interactions (exploring, collecting, unlocking puzzles) to keep players engaged.
Tested environmental cues (lighting, color, sound) to guide immersion without breaking flow.
Solution
Immersive Worldbuilding:
A VR island that unfolded through exploration, interaction, and narrative choice.Puzzle-based Progression:
Challenges tied to story themes, reinforcing emotional engagement.Distinct Visual Identity:
Art direction that blended surrealism with realism to make the world memorable.Prototype Demo:
Built with Unity/Styly to validate storytelling-driven AR/VR mechanics.
Story
You play as Élise, exploring a puzzle-driven jungle that presents itself as meaningful and solvable.
Along the way, she encounters Luc, a nice and helpful boy, who seems tied to the world’s logic, always just ahead. But is he helpful or working against you?
The progress of the game depends on learning how to verify what the environment shows you, using tools that distinguish alignment from truth. The game asks the player to decide how to interpret the world and their role within it.
You win by learning how to see. If you lose, the world does not end. It reshapes you.
How To Play
Players learn system rules by observing how orientation and movement affect outcomes, reinforcing interaction-driven understanding over explicit instruction.
Roark Island is a spatial puzzle experience where players manipulate, choose the right floating orbs and stone fragments in 3D space using hand gestures.
Prototyping with Unity
The prototype was implemented in Unity to validate spatial logic, interaction timing, and player feedback loops.
Working directly in Unity helped ground design decisions in real engine constraints, rather than speculative mockups.
Learnings
Immersion needs emotion: Users stay longer when experiences are tied to the narrative, not just visuals.
Design bridges tech + story: AR/VR succeeds when it’s more than a demo, when mechanics serve the narrative.
Proof point for modern skills: Demonstrated ability to design with AR/VR platforms and create cross-disciplinary experiences that resonate with today’s tech trends.