Exploring the Burning Ground

Immersive Experience about the Geological Survey

that set Yellowstone as the first National Park

“Experience alongside early explorers and witness the unspoiled grandeur that shaped America's vision of itself.“

It is a story about William Henry Jackson’s journey at Yellowstone in 1872.

Exploring the Burning Ground is a virtual reality experience that teleports users to the heart of the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871, an expedition that explored the wild landscapes of what would later become Yellowstone National Park.

Team:

Hao Zhong

Role:

Researcher

Storytelling

Unity Developer

Visual Assets Designer

Tools:

Experience Youtube Trailer

Target Audience 

  • High school to College Students

  • George Eastman Museums Audiences 

  • History Teachers 

  • National Parks 

  • Art Historian of modern photography

Notes to VR

Early Sketches

Precedents/Inspirations

Scene 2

Dawn

  • Storytelling of the geological survey

  • Using the camp to introduce the wagon, food, and team

  • provide music and ambient noise for t

Scene 4

Outdoor Film Lab

  • Pour developer solution to the plate

  • Stop the development process with water

  • Watch the film develop right in front of the users

Scene 1

Introduction

  • Tutorials of the four key steps of Wet-plate photography

  • MR for the purpose of familiarity and steps towards fully immersive

Scene 3

Canyon

  • Moving the Camera around

  • showing how the viewfinder is different from modern camera

  • showing the collaboration William Henry Jackson did with Thomas Moran

User Feedbacks

IDSC Computing Day, University of Miami

“Version Control is key during the development phase, any small issue might cause bugs for the entire progress.”

— VESL

“Even though the introduction scene is great, it is better to have more interactions, audios, enable pouring interactions, and explanations.”

— Capstone Professor

Interactive Media Annual Showcase, School of Communication UM

“Recording the trailer video in the VR headset is risky because any movement could appears to be a violent shake in the video. It is better to recording in the Unity rather in headset alone.”

— Professor

“In terms of context and history, it would be better to include the history national parks not only the beginning, but also the rapid development period during the 1960s and 1970s”

— Professor

“If this project aims to be educational and appeals to high schools and colleges, it would be better to create another version of the webGL. Don’t limit yourself with only VR. ”

— Professor

Game Value

  • History of the First national park 

  • History of Vintage Photography

  • Reveal unknown heroes

  • Explore new methods to curate objects in museums

  • Replicable Hands-on Experiences for mass audience

Next Step:

  • WebGL

  • More sites of the Yellowstone National Park

  • Other objects like Byzantine incense holder