The Digital Room
During my second year of university, my programming skills were put into practice. I was given the task of using my programming skills in any way I wanted outside of basic HTML and CSS through any medium I wanted. I knew from the start that I was interested in creative coding and immersive narratives, and that was the start of the creation of "The Digital Room".
The Digital Room is a website created using HTML, CSS and JavaScript. The main website has the purpose of explaining ADHD to users using facts to inform people of how the condition can affect those afflicted. It was the second part of the project however that was the focus. An interactive 2D room created using C# in Unity where the user would interact with objects within a digital room to gain an explanation from an unnamed character about her thoughts and feelings about them. The project aims to showcase ADHD in a subtle but realistic way. It has the purpose of going against stereotypes about the condition and displays the different ways people with the condition can experience it. I have linked this project below:
Research
Using academic studies and official websites such as those from the NHS, I was able to find a lot of information about ADHD alongside how it is treated and diagnosed. Furthermore, I had my own experiences to base the room on as someone afflicted with the condition, allowing me to create a project based on academic study and personal experiences.
The Creation
During my time at university, I learned not only how to code, but the different ways that code can be used to create digital products. One of these methods was creative coding, which allowed people to create interactive art projects through a variety of coding methods.
After experiencing this type of coding, I knew I wanted to use it for my final project. My favourite coding language to use is C#, so I decided to research how this language could be used in this way. With help from the platform Unity, I was able to create the Digital Room. I used C# to allow the user to explore the room and have the objects interact when they are selected. I made sure that each object had its own unique dialogue to emphasise the point of the website and even added the option to play music within the room for narrative purposes.
After the room was created I used HTML, CSS and JavaScript to create a website to host the project on. The project was exported from the website Itch.io to be hosted on this website and I used past design knowledge to create a website that was visually appealing and interacted with the player through buttons and text animations.
The Experience
The experience of creating this project was an emotional one due to the personal reasons behind it. However, I enjoyed using my technological skills this way, and I believe that this project has helped me develop important skills in creative coding and how users can interact with digital technology.