What makes us curious? Is it ingrained or is it an urge that happens after a trigger? Curiosity has often led to change in the world and will continue to help shape the future growth in society. By invoking this feeling in a game, developers have been able to help guide progression via visual cues and level design (Game maker’s Toolkit, Why Nathan Drake Doesn’t need a Compass). However, this type of simulation has yet to reach a significant point where it can be considered anything but entertainment, no matter how this type of experience ends, it is still a “game”.

This project aims to test and identify the core of what makes a player want to explore an environment and how they then choose to interact with it. Using Ed Key’s (Proteus) model for game exploration, I will be creating a prototype immersive environment similar to a light installation. This experience is heavily inspired by works such as TeamLab and Nonotak in how they focus on visual cues for navigation in a gallery space.