Category: Digital Storytelling

Featured Project: Virtual reality to help refugees settle in the UK by Ploy Bunluesilp

Today we are celebrating the work of Ploy Bunluesilp, one of our recent graduates from Digital Media and Interaction Design.  For one of her year 4 project’s Ploy created a virtual reality project to help refugees settle in the UK.  She has written the article below to explain a little more about the project and how she is continuing to develop it after graduation.

“I wish I had this VR to help me when I first arrived in UK,” said one of the refugee users after trying the VR project that designed to help refugees and asylum seekers to settle in their new country by using virtual reality (VR).

The project was designed for the Visual Effects Storytelling module that using virtual reality, Unreal Engine (UE) and photogrammetry to see the potential of the technology on how it could help to create realistic world, storytelling and educate the users in enjoyable way.


Figure 1: The picture frame was created by photogrammetry.

The users can interact and listen to a story that introduces the characters and teaches the user how to register at a GP surgery and learn all the necessary information that will help them to prepare to start a new life in the UK.


Figure 2: The user has to follow the numerical order of handprints to hear the story. 


Figure 3: User is putting the book away.

In this project, the users play part of Amal who was a refugee that just arrived in the country and was put in the temporary council flat where she felt lonely and had no friends. Then her new magical friend Hope appeared to guide her through how to integrate with the new culture and what she needed to do to launch her new life.


Figure 4: When Hope appeared, the room went from being grey to being brighter. 

The project was formulated based on interviews with few refugees from Syria, Iraq and Thailand as well as secondary research which applied the technique from the Design Thinking module to understand the journey of refuges and their problems.

After understanding their problems, the first prototype was designed using the narrative of own innovative story based on the primary and secondary research.

The users had to follow the numbered handprints and instructions from the voice over to navigate the space and to learn the story of Amal with the help of Hope to connect with the world. When Hope appeared to the room, the room was turned from dull to brighter room. The users had to pick up all the necessary document and register them at the GP.  The goal is to give them hope and reassurance and enable them to navigate their new life.


Figure 5: User picked up the document that needed to submit to GP.


Figure 6: Interior of the room


Figure 7: Exterior of the Medical Centre


Figure 8: The user was using teleportation mechanism to travel the world

The first prototype was tested by the users and received well feedback that could see the potential that it would help the refugees and asylum seekers to feel more confidence. This VR education training allowed them to learn by doing, make mistake and gave them more chances to learn what the right way to do it.

“There is always stress when you forget something… But a great aspect is to have this safe space to explore and get more comfortable with the situation you’ll have to go through in real life,” said another refugee user.

After the first prototype has been tested, the second version was created to improve on different aspects to make the project looks and feel more immersive.

In the future, more episodes would be created to help the refugees to be familiar with different scenarios.

Figure 9: The computer screen showing different scenario that plan to create in the future.

On November 22, 2022, the project was shown at the Wealth of Nations Conference in Glasgow where businesses, community organisations and civic society in Scotland are supporting a Wellbeing Economy.  Some of the Refugee charities that attended the conference have been showing their interests on the project and would like it to be used to the refugees that just registered with them. The project will be continued developing as it has potential to make the world a better place.

Many thanks to Ploy for sharing her project . The Visual Effects Storytelling Module is run by John Morrison and Dr. John McGowan.

Featured Project : 12 Labours of a Time Traveller

In this project by Ashley, Eli, Khloe, Molly and Zak the user plays the part of a time traveller, learning about significant moments from Edinburgh’s history as they take part in an augmented reality location based game on their mobile device. The story is inspired by the 12 Labours of Heracles – some of the work from the group’s concept book showing how the story was developed can be seen below.

One of the character diamonds, with colour and backstory information
Items that users must locate within the augmented reality game
Concept images showing some of the different “Labours”

Designs showing some of the augmented reality and location based game elements.

This work was created for Digital Storytelling, one of the year 3 modules on the Digital Media and Interaction Design course.  The module is run  by Dr. Tom Flint and Fiona Stewart.  

Many thanks to the group for allowing us to share their work.

Featured Project: Interactive Oz

As can be seen from the pitch video, this project is a cross-media adventure that brings the Wizard of Oz bang up to date.  Toby, Alex, Darren and Ryan created media across several different platforms, encouraging their users to explore and piece together what has happened to the characters.

The images below show some of the media used to tell the story – sketches made by Dorothy, which were hidden within the records on website of the Emerald City hospital where she is being treated and a page from a diary.

Image from the Emerald City hospital website.
Sketches drawn by Dorothy, one of the characters in the story.
A page from the diary, allowing users to learn more abut the characters.

This work was created for Digital Storytelling, one of the year 3 modules on the Digital Media and Interaction Design course.  The module is run  by Dr. Tom Flint and Fiona Stewart.  

Many thanks to the team for allowing us to share their work.

Featured project: Murder on the Mile

The celebration of our student’s work continues with “Murder on the Mile” a concept created by Emma, Kirsty, David, Luis and Sean for their Digital Storytelling coursework.  Based on the story of Burke and Hare, the cross media adventure encourages users to explore Edinburgh whilst solving a murder mystery.

The team designed the interface to allow users to interact through their mobile devices.
One of the character designs, showing personality traits as well as visual design.

This work was created for Digital Storytelling, one of the year 3 modules on the Digital Media and Interaction Design course.  The module is run  by Dr. Tom Flint and Fiona Stewart.  

Many thanks to the team for allowing us to share their work.

Featured Project: The invisible Sixteen, game concept.

We are excited to share the pitch video for The invisible Sixteen – a concept for a game based on Burke and Hare that was created by Alan, Alba, Celina and James for their Digital Storytelling Coursework.  In the game, users must choose a character to play and then help to find missing people at various locations around Edinburgh. The team designed all aspects of the game, from user interactions and sound design to additional materials to help extend the experience.

Character selection – each character has their own attributes,

One of the characters makes some strange discoveries at Edinburgh’s Surgeon’s Hall Museum.

Character moving through the scene and his position in the game world shown in the inset.

The team created additional media to help create a buzz around the screen-based game and expand on the experience.

This work was created for Digital Storytelling, one of the year 3 modules on the Digital Media and Interaction Design course.  The module is run  by Dr. Tom Flint and Fiona Stewart.  Look out for more great work from our students soon.

Many thanks to the team for allowing us to share their work.

Featured Project: Flint, Interactive Talking Book

Flint is a concept for an interactive talking book that was created by Silvia, Kaia, Adam & Katie for their Digital Storytelling Coursework.  The project is (loosely!) based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Tinderbox.  The team produced a comprehensive range of concept materials to help visualise their project.   As well as their pitch video, you can see here an interactivity map, various concept designs and plans to include Braille to make the project more accessible.   They even managed to find an abandoned wild west town, right here in Edinburgh!

Flint Concept Book Cover

 Flint Interactivity Map

Flint Concept Book Wild West mood boardFlint Concept Book Braille example

This work was created for Digital Storytelling, one of the year 3 modules on the Digital Media and Interaction Design course.  The module is run  by Dr. Tom Flint and Fiona Stewart.  Look out for more great work from our students soon.

Many thanks to the team for allowing us to share their work.