Class 7: Post-Demo Day 1-on-1 & Paper Draft Strategy
Week 7 - 1-on-1 with professor after Demo Day. Discussing feedback, project direction (8 locations with narration), paper diagrams, and draft deadline.
March 22, 2026
Demo Day Feedback Debrief
Harsh Critique as Valuable Input
One of the critics (Ahmed) was very adverse to VR and gave the hardest critique. Professor reframed this as useful: he represents the extreme non-VR user, which is actually the most valuable test case. Most faculty and students at least understand VR basics, so Ahmed’s resistance is a reminder to make the interaction as intuitive as possible.
Gallery vs. Immersive Storytelling
The professor noted that the first iteration, where you could touch moments that opened up stories, felt more engaging than the later gallery/grid approach. The grid format is easier for organizing information and making an archive, but it leans away from immersive storytelling.
That said, the archive direction came from valid feedback: at Demo Day, the audience didn’t know the creator and needed a reason to explore. Reducing to 8 meaningful locations is a good middle ground.
Project Direction: 8 Locations with Narration
Core Changes
- Reduced from many locations to 8 key locations, each deeply meaningful
- Adding spoken narration to each scene (some with voice, some with just ambient sound)
- Examples of locations kept:
- First NYC apartment: connected to coming to NYC for the master’s program, and to the thesis project itself
- Family temple: visited every year
- Sunset scene: ambient sound (waves, wind), with lighting that reacts on hands
Hand Tracking & Lighting
Using hand tracking so the audience sees their own hands in the virtual world. In the sunset scene:
- Orange light from the sun angle on one side
- Slight blue tint from the shadow side
- This creates the feeling of actually being in that moment
The professor loved this and called it “spatializing” the experience.
Narration as Warmth
For the sunset scene, the plan is to narrate about feeling warmth from the sun. Even without physical warmth equipment, the combination of visual lighting + spoken narrative can make the audience feel the warmth. The professor confirmed this is a powerful approach.
Poetic vs. Straightforward Narrative
The professor suggested two possible narrative styles:
- Straightforward: explaining the memory directly
- Poetic: more impressionistic (“sun rises, light hits my skin, feeling the warmth…”)
Both are valid. The choice shapes the tone of the entire experience.
Presentation Reminder
Always start with what the project is about. During Demo Day, being deep in the making process led to jumping straight into the work without the one-sentence framing (“this project is about three-dimensionalizing a memory”). One critic happened to click on the one location with only a single vantage point and assumed the whole project lacked spatial depth, when in reality the other locations were fully 3D. Starting with the high-level concept prevents this kind of misunderstanding.
The new narrative approach will naturally solve this, since the audience will hear context before entering each memory.
Paper Progress & Advice
Current State
- Abstract, introduction, and research sections: done
- Workflow section: in progress, expanding as project develops
- Currently around 10 pages
Two Key Diagrams
The professor recommended two diagrams that would significantly clarify the paper:
- Experience perspective diagram: shows the user entering the space, branching into 8 storylines. This is from the audience’s perspective, not technical.
- Technical system diagram: shows the pipeline (Unreal, coding, ML training, etc.). Lets readers understand all the systems at a glance without needing to read every detail.
Writing About Iterations
Don’t need to document all 10+ interface iterations step by step. Instead:
- Write one paragraph about the iteration process
- Include one grid figure showing different iterations
- Focus detailed writing on the Demo Day version and how it evolved into the final version
Writing About Vibe Coding / TypeScript in Unreal
The professor encouraged writing about the discovery of using TypeScript in Unreal via PuerTS:
- A year ago, vibe coding Unreal was impractical because C++ requires compilation
- Finding a plugin that allows TypeScript/JavaScript (no compilation needed, live updates during runtime) changed the development workflow significantly
- Write about what the discovery was and how you landed on it
Formatting
- Keep APA format (already started with it, stick with it)
- Don’t forget: list of figures, vita, page numbers, title page
- Paper will be mostly standard written format, not an art book style
Paper Draft Deadline
- Submit draft between Friday (03/27) and Sunday (03/29) 6pm at the latest
- Submit via Google Doc or Word Doc (professor needs to give inline feedback)
- Strategy: get as much done as possible by Sunday rather than perfecting only the first four chapters
- Professor will start reading as drafts come in
Next Class (03/29)
- Everyone shares current project state
- Professor wants to try the VR headset (didn’t get to at Demo Day)
- No need to rework the narrative, just bring it in its current state
Key Takeaways
- Ahmed’s harsh critique was actually the most useful feedback for making the experience intuitive for non-VR users.
- 8 meaningful locations with narration balances immersive storytelling with manageable scope.
- Hand tracking + lighting creates powerful spatial presence, especially in the sunset scene.
- Two diagrams are essential for the paper: experience flow and technical system overview.
- Write about the TypeScript/vibe coding discovery in the technical section.
- Paper draft due Sunday 03/29 at 6pm. Get as much done as possible, don’t just polish early chapters.
- Always lead with the one-sentence project description in any presentation or demo.