Velum is a first-person 3D puzzle/exploration game set in a timeless version of the Boston Public Garden. The project’s narrative framework and aesthetics are based on one of the Garden’s most prominent features, the Ether Monument, which commemorates the 1846 discovery of diethyl ether’s effectiveness as a medical anesthetic. A sequence of nine abstract challenges is rewarded by a progressive revelation of the player’s mysterious identity and purpose. The puzzle design was informed by the use of crowdsourced playtesting involving 300+ volunteers, combining standard data telemetry with AI-based facial image analysis capable of mapping player emotions to gameplay events.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Chaput, Nicholas Stephen

Contributors

• Thornberg, John
• Zhang, Kelly
• Szpunar, Matthew
• Cerini, Eric
• Voorhis, Michael

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042717-131400

Advisor

• Whitehill, Jacob Richard

Year

• 2017

Date created

• 2017-04-27

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Computer Science

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2023-12-05