DISPARITY
Exploring the gap between rich and poor
About
Medium: Maya, Blender, Unity, Oculus VR
Spring 2022
Esther Kim | Concept Design & 3D Modeling
Emma Riedel | Sound & 3D Modeling Assistant
Maxim Perov | Texture and Lighting
Miles Popiela | Programmer
Lenice Jackson | Programmer
"Sometimes when you enter a nightmare, you can't escape it. It is like you're trapped inside an endless loop of poverty."
Project Trailer
Introduction
Disparity contrasts the environments and experiences of the impoverished and wealthy in America. Through an immersive virtual reality experience that provides the opportunity to live in both worlds, players will be able to grasp and feel just how serious the gap between the rich and the poor is in our current world and ultimately reflects on the world we live in as a society.
Playthrough Experience
The playthrough contrasts the experiences of the wealthy and the poor in three main focus areas: food, healthcare, and money. As the player navigates through each of these phases, they are fully immersed in distinct environments that provide the opportunity to engage with the world around them. As the player progresses, they will transition between the worlds after a series of key interactions in each of the phases.
Interaction 1 - Food
→ RICH world - you get hungry and grab the apple to eat
→ POOR world - you are now in the poor world, holding a rotten apple, which is your only option.
→ RICH world - Once you eat it, you are brought back to the RICH world.
Interaction 2 - Healthcare
→ RICH world - Your stomach is upset from the rotten apple you just ate. You take a pill, along with other vitamins, and go to sleep.
→ POOR world - you wake up in the poor world, feeling worse. But you have nothing. Cold air, more coughs, feeling dizzy, expired medicine.
→ RICH world - The expired medicine brings you back to the rich world but it seems a bit different.
Interaction 3 - Money
→ RICH world - you drink from a bottle of wine and immediately lose consciousness
→ POOR world - you see an eviction letter and the door opens behind you for you to leave.
→ FINAL - Now, you are homeless. No matter what you do, it seems like you can never get out of this place. You are stuck.
Gameplay Video
