In the AR experience, participants are prompted to forage for leather jackets, only to discover that not all of them are retrievable due to their food being affected by insecticides. Additionally, there are optional touchpoints to learn more about how urbanization impacts the species, including insights into their bird vision, birdsongs, and information to understand their relationship with humans.

The Process film offers a glimpse into how we conducted our research, developed the narrative, and documented the creation of the AR experience.

For the story, we worked through storyboards to determine how to present the information we wanted to convey to the audience through interactivity. We also storyboarded the visual layout, carefully planning how elements would be placed in the environment.

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The visual storytelling was thoughtfully tailored to reflect how birds perceive their world. For example, the environmental assets were meticulously chosen to replicate specific species of trees and flowers commonly found in urban green spaces that attract starlings. Additionally, the information boxes in the user interface were designed to resemble park signboards, enhancing the thematic connection.

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Even the sound design of the AR piece uses spatial audio and UI sounds to help the user navigate the environment. When the user retrieves a leather jacket, they can hear the sound of a bird pecking to eat, and when the leather jacket cannot be consumed, a sound played in a minor key conveys that something is wrong.

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Spatial sounds like the starlings singing and music coming out of Mozart's piano are only triggered when the visitor goes close to these objects. This not only helps to simulate real-world objects but also adds another layer of interactivity.

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