Interaction - Bachelors

✦ Hyperdimension AR ✦ Interactive & Visual Merchandise

trophy Awarded

Hyperdimension AR is my piece of fan-work based on the ‘Hyperdimension Neptunia’ games that are a comedic parody of the video gaming industry. Taking inspiration after its pun title “Megadimension Neptunia VIIR” that features a Virtual Reality mode, the joys of both the virtual and physical world are packaged into interactive merchandise featuring animated illustrations. Scan the QR code and be transported to Virtua Forest! Tap and move your device around to experience many different sounds and animations!

Jessica Bui

✦ opening TRAILER ✦

Inspired by the opening cinematic of the first game in the ‘hyperdimension neptunia’ series, we are proud to present this trailer for the ‘hyperdimension ar’ product and process.

1min 46sec video

Song Title: Ryuusei no Bifrost by nao
[Japanese Lanaguage]

*If the video below does not play, then: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw_O76kxDBs

Proudly Made With Adobe

✦ In addition, Paint Tool SAI 2 for illustration.

✦ Why Merchandise?

“Designing for playfulness makes for Ludic experiences where curiosity, exploration and aesthetic enjoyment is fostered” — Mivielle, 2015 ✦

Through tangible media, we are able to explore engaging people through playful and physical interactions faciliated via merchandise. The image to your left are photographed samples from my own anime merchandise collection. These types of items are called ‘acrylic standees’, consisting of a standard base and feature character, these standees can also come in multiple parts to create a layered visual display. For example, a backdrop piece; foreground pieces and even, multiple characters (i.e. two) that are together.

Why Augmented Reality?

AR is a technology that integrates virtual information with the real-world. Elements may include text, images, 3D models, sound, video etc. that is applied live to physical objects or environments to enhance the user’s experience.

In what other ways can we enhance the delight in using and/or playing with such merchandise items? There is opportunity within this space. Many artists like myself who create catalogues for artist alleys to table at conventions are always finding ways to offer different merchandise to those who are fans of their favourite media. Acrylic merchandise is a staple and with everyone doing it, in what ways can you offer a unique and novel take?

The world of AR is a rich marketing tool that enables the space to craft valuable brand experiences. In that, it not only enhances consumer satisfaction and delight but also shapes their behaviour and increase companies’ recoginition and revenue. The increasing trend of web-based AR and AR apps to create novel, immersive and/or informative on-site and online experiences is due to the widespread ownership of mobile devices. Therefore, my chosen approach for this project that dives into fan-made content creation is to share my passion with like-minded fans and connect others through shared and gained mutual interests.

WHAT IS HYPERDIMENSION NEPTUNIA?

The ‘Hyperdimension Neptunia’ series is a comedic parody of the video gaming industry. It is primarily a JRPG (Japanese Role Playing Game) series but not limited to such, with spin-offs that each explore different genres of gaming. The franchise’s characters and its environments are direct references and personification of the gaming industry, companies and their products and consoles. Quite literally, the world these characters live in is called “Gamindustri.’ The antagonists of the games represent current issues within the industry that include piracy and discussion such as the rise of mobile phone gaming and how the type of outlet impacts home consoles. In recent years the games have come to reference more direct global issues such as the pandemic.

The image to your left is the cover of the first remake of the game, available on Playstation and PC (Steam). The acrylic artwork is inspired by such visuals, and features the characters who are on the cover from left to right: Compa, Neptune and IF a.k.a Iffy. Compa and Iffy represent themselves as Compile Heart and Idea Factory – the developer and publishing company for these games. So to speak, these characters are the companies’ mascots.

Samples of characters and what they are inspired by!

and more…

How the title came to be? It follows as a parody!

Hyperdimension AR, it’s full title, “Hyperdimension Augmented Reality”, takes inspiration after the titling of “Megadimension Neptunia VIIR” which features the Virtual Reality mode. ‘VIIR = VR. As a series that parodies the game industry, this felt like an open opportunity to base my project using this technology.

Other game titles include Neptunia U: Action Unleashed to parody the ‘Wii U’ and Four Goddesses Online (FGO) wherein its acronym can be mistaken for a different franchise ‘Fate/Grand Order’ (FGO).
Image attachment to scan the Adobe Aero QR code.

✦ Scan the Aero QR Code! ✦

If the code does not work, the link is as follow ✦ https://adobeaero.app.link/SnbOFBhEODb
Name
Please download the AR Illustration in order to locate it! You are free to print it also and put it on a wall-space (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
File Type
image
File Size
1 MB
Download File
Image of AR illustration to locate.

Too pressed for downloads?

Fear not! Adobe Aero can locate the image if you have it up on your PC screen; laptop screen; choice of device ~

FULL ARTWORK

✦ Illustration timelapse ✦

12-min youtube video

Interested in how it was drawn? This timelapse is a sped-up screen-recording of the rough planning + sketch and colour rendering of Neptune – the main character of this acrylic AR merchandise design!

SKETCH > LINEART > FLAT-COLOURS

GALLERY PORTFOLIO

samples of my other illustrations !

more @ https://pixiv.me/yitsunemelody

✦ — THANK YOU! — ✦

I hope you enjoyed reading about my project ヾ( ˃ᴗ˂ )◞ • *✰

Jessica Bui

Graduated from QUT with a Bachelor of Interaction Design minoring in Visual Communication and the Japanese language, Jessica’s interests heavily lie in digital illustration. She’s been drawing and posting her artworks online under her username identity ‘YitsuneMelody’ since 2014. This project continues to be developed and shared with the online community with new designs in progress to form a fan-merchandise line. Follow Jessica on social media for updates if you are interested in her style of work.