Major Project:Desktop Pet

 Major Project:Desktop Pet


22.4.2024 - 26.7.2024 (Week 1 - Week 15)

HUAI YI/ 0351702 


Bachelor Of Design (Hons) In Creative Media

Subject: PRJ62304 - Major Project



INSTRUCTION


week1

We were told that we could choose our own project as long as it was relevant to our profession. Decided to make a table pet. Desktop pets as a virtual, interactive small program, not only provides users with fun, but also can add a warmth and companionship. Our project aims to develop a feature-rich and personalized desktop pet application


week2


Week 2: Project planning and theme selection
Objectives: Determine the theme of desktop pets, plan the project, and set up the development environment.


1. Project overview
What is a table pet?

Desktop pet is a small animated character active on the computer desktop, which can carry out various interactions and actions to increase the fun of the desktop. It can be a cute animal, a cartoon character, or even a small game character.

2. Selection of subject matter
The importance of choosing a subject matter

The theme of desktop pets directly affects the user's liking and interaction. Therefore, choosing an interesting and attractive subject matter is very important.

Subject matter candidate

When deciding on a tabletop pet genre, consider the following types:

Animal pets: cats, dogs, rabbits and other common pet images.
Mythical creatures: Dragons, unicorns, elves and other fantasy characters.
Cartoon characters: Classic cartoon characters or original cartoon characters.
Game Characters: Take characters from popular games and give them new interactive features.
Holiday theme: Based on the holiday design such as Santa Claus, Halloween pumpkins and other characters.


week3
Confirm instructor

week4
After meeting with Miss Li, we took her advice and conducted some surveys and interviews to better understand our audience. We found that women are more likely to seek emotional companionship, while men are more likely to be influenced by women to develop an interest in tabletop pets. To better cater to the needs of our audience, we decided to change the gender of the avatar from female to male

week5
Learn Live2d techniques

Understanding Live2D software: First of all, it is important to be familiar with the interface and basic tools of Live2D software. You can learn about the functions and operation of the software by reading the official documentation or watching the tutorial videos.

Draw character models: In Live2D, you can use vector drawing tools to create various parts of the character, such as head, body, limbs, etc. Make sure that each part is layered so that it is easy to animate later.

Adding Bones and Shapeshifting: An important feature of Live2D is the Bones and Shapeshifting Tool, which lets you make natural shapeshifting and movements on your character. Learning how to add bones and set their connections and range of motion is crucial.

Make emojis and actions: Master Live2D's emojis and actions to make your character more vivid. You can add a variety of expressions to your character and make simple movements like blinking, shaking your head, etc.



Creating Emotional Connections in the Digital Age: The Desktop Pet Project

In today's fast-paced digital world, the sense of loneliness among young people is on the rise, giving birth to a "companion economy" that is worth billions. This emerging market aims to provide individuals with virtual companions that offer emotional support, companionship, and even entertainment. The Desktop Pet Project is a pioneering effort in this domain, merging character design, psychotherapy, and action design to create a virtual pet that can alleviate loneliness and anxiety among its users.

Addressing Modern Issues with Virtual Companions

Alleviating Anxiety and Loneliness The primary purpose of the Desktop Pet Project is to provide a safe space for young people to express their emotions and receive support. By interacting with a virtual pet, users can ease feelings of anxiety stemming from various aspects of their lives, including academic pressures, career uncertainties, interpersonal challenges, and fears about the future. The project also aims to reduce feelings of isolation caused by the pervasive use of social media and the fast-paced nature of modern lifestyles.

Emotional Support and Understanding The virtual pet offers emotional support by engaging users in meaningful interactions. These interactions are designed to boost emotional security and self-esteem, promoting a sense of understanding and empathy. The pet's presence and responses are tailored to provide comfort and encouragement based on the user's emotional state.

Building Emotional Connections One of the key goals of the Desktop Pet Project is to foster strong emotional bonds between users and their virtual companions. Through interactive methods, the project seeks to create a sense of closeness and companionship, helping users to feel connected even in the absence of physical human interaction.

Enhancing Mental Health The project contributes to improving the mental well-being of young people by offering emotional support and education. By promoting positive coping skills and providing a platform for users to express their thoughts and feelings, the virtual pet helps combat anxiety and loneliness, ultimately enhancing overall mental health.

Innovative Features and Design

Virtual Characters with Emotions The Desktop Pet Project integrates artificial intelligence to create virtual characters that can exhibit emotions and engage in conversational interactions. Utilizing Live2D technology, the virtual pets are capable of smooth animations, including actions like waving, nodding, drinking tea, and reading books. These animations add a layer of realism and engagement, making the interactions more enjoyable and immersive.



Target Audience The Desktop Pet Project is designed for a wide range of users, including working professionals, students, individuals with mental health needs, and gamers. By catering to these diverse groups, the project aims to provide relaxation, entertainment, and emotional support to those who need it most.

Main Functions

  • Virtual Pet Interaction: Users can interact with their virtual pets through activities such as feeding, playing, and greeting.
  • Emotional Support: The pets offer comfort and encouragement based on the user's emotional state.
  • Task Reminders: The pets can remind users to complete tasks, such as taking breaks, drinking water, and exercising.

Design and Development Process

Character Design and Animation The design process for the Desktop Pet Project involves creating characters with a cute and friendly appearance, typically in a cartoonish style to inspire affection. Using Live2D technology, the characters are designed with layered images, allowing for independent manipulation and deformation of each part. Keyframes are set for each layer to define the shape and position of the character in different states.

Behavioral Design The virtual pets are programmed to carry out a variety of actions and interact with the user's inputs, such as mouse clicks and keyboard strokes. They express emotions through facial expressions and body language, helping users perceive and reflect on their own emotional states.

Market Research and Target Audience Extensive market research and interviews have identified a higher proportion of female participants who invest more time and money into virtual avatars. As a result, the project has tailored its character design to appeal to this audience, ensuring that the virtual pets resonate with their preferences and needs.







Virtual Character Design Project to Alleviate Anxiety and Loneliness Among Young People

Project Background and Purpose

In modern society, young people face immense pressures and challenges. Academics, careers, relationships, and uncertainties about the future can all contribute to anxiety and feelings of loneliness. Our project aims to design a virtual character to provide emotional support and companionship for young people, helping them cope with these emotional struggles.

Main Objectives of the Project:

  1. Alleviate Anxiety: Through interactions with the virtual character, we aim to provide emotional support for young people, helping them relieve the pressures of academics, careers, and other aspects of life.

  2. Reduce Loneliness: In an era where social media is prevalent and fast-paced lifestyles contribute to feelings of isolation, our project provides a platform for young people to connect and share through interactions with the virtual character.

  3. Provide Emotional Support and Understanding: The virtual character can enhance young people's emotional security and self-esteem through interactions.

  4. Promote Emotional Connections: By designing interactive methods, we strive to establish emotional bonds between young people and the virtual character.

  5. Improve Mental Health: Through emotional support and education, our project promotes young people's mental well-being and helps them develop positive coping skills.

Virtual Character Design

Character: Berney

Berney's Concept and Design Inspiration

  • Berney-Puppy: Berney is a homeless puppy that the player brings home.

  • Berney-Boy: After feeling the player's love, Berney transforms into a cute boy with dog ears.

Design Elements

  • Appearance: Berney's design is inspired by the Bernese Mountain Dog, including its ears, eyebrows, and the white patterns on its chest. The design also simulates fluffy dog fur and adds a name tag and denim fabric to enhance the fashion sense.

  • Colors and Details: The choice of colors and attention to detail make Berney look more vivid and approachable.

Design Process

  1. Initial Sketches: Begin with sketching the character to determine the basic image and style.

  2. Refinement: Refine the sketches, adding more details such as facial expressions and clothing.

  3. Coloring: Add colors to the character to make it more lively.

  4. Layered Drawing: Draw different parts of the character in separate layers for subsequent animation.

Animation Design

Animation Designer: Huai Yi

The animation design uses Live2D technology, allowing 2D characters to move in 3D space, achieving more realistic interactions.

Animation Design Process

  1. Preparation:

    • Install Live2D Cubism, VTube Studio, and Live2DViewerEX software.

  2. Layering Stage:

    • Use Photoshop or Clip Studio to draw different parts of the character's head, torso, limbs, hair, etc., in separate layers.

  3. Creating the Animation:

    • Skeleton Building: Add skeletons to the character to control the movement of each part.

    • Deformation Settings: Use deformation tools to adjust the shape of each part, achieving changes in expressions and movements.

    • Timeline Editing: Add keyframes on the timeline to set animation effects.

  4. Export and Application:

    • Export the completed Live2D model and convert it into formats suitable for different application scenarios (e.g., .moc3).

    • Import the model into VTuber software, game engines, and other applications.

Interactive Animations

  • Puppy Animations: Additional interactive animations, including expression changes and interactions such as feeding and head-patting, were added.

  • Interactive Animations: Added head-patting and feeding interactive animations to enhance user experience.








Project Summary

Through the virtual character Berney, our project not only provides emotional support and companionship for young people but also enhances user experience through interactive animations. We hope that this project can genuinely help those who need emotional support, allowing them to feel care and understanding, and improve their mental health.

Thank you for your attention, and we look forward to bringing warmth and support to more young people through this project.


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