BACK

japanese

practice street

2025

VR DESIGN

PROTOTYPING

HIGH DISTINCTION

TEAM

Myself + 3 Team Members

A (virtual reality) metaverse that immerses Japanese learners in a cultural and fun language-learning experience.

RESUME

EMAIL

LINKEDIN

FRANCHESCA SAMONTE 2025. LAST UPDATE: MAR 2026

INTRODUCTION

What are some of the challenges Japanese learners currently face?

Complex Language

Complex Language

Cultural nuances, honourifics, and situational phrases are deeply embedded in Japanese communication.

Intimidating Conversations

Intimidating Conversations

Practicing real-life conversations and situations can be intimidating.

Practicing real-life conversations + situations can be intimidating.

Lack of Immersive Practice

Lack of Immersive Practice

Textbooks and apps lack the immersive experience needed to build confidence in everyday interaction.

OUR SOLUTION!

JAPANESE PRACTICE STREET

JAPANESE PRACTICE STREET

A virtual reality demo video of Japanese Practice Street. Created in and powered by Unity.

PROTOTYPE FEATURES

USER JOURNEY

The user journey follows a story line for an engaging experience - simulating a typical day spent in Japan. This aimed to provide users with relevant practice and teach them about Japanese culture, which then they can easily apply in real-life situations.

The user journey follows a story line for an engaging experience - simulating a typical day spent in Japan. This aimed to provide users with relevant practice and teach them about Japanese culture, which then they can easily apply in real-life situations.

BUS STOP

Introduction to the experience

BUS

Listening

MAIN STREET

Room selection, converse with other learners

KONBINI

Reading, listening

IZAKAYA (PROPOSED)

Reading, speaking

In each main location are a set of tasks which focus on developing language skills - listening, speaking and reading. Just like what you'd normally practice on Duolingo.

In each main location are a set of tasks which focus on developing language skills - listening, speaking and reading. Just like what you'd normally practice on Duolingo.

IMMERSIVENESS

We aimed to build environments as accurately as possible to simulate real locations in Japan, adding fun, distinguishable details. We enhanced its immersive-ness by utilising environmental sounds.

We aimed to build environments as accurately as possible to simulate real locations in Japan, adding fun, distinguishable details. We enhanced its immersive-ness by utilising environmental sounds.

BUS

KONBINI

INTUITIVE UI

Accessibility options and intuitive UI aimed to cater to different learning styles and abilities. We ensured that the UI consists of onboarding to guide learning activities, is learnable (familiarisation) and is embedded into the environment (which was a challenge for us).

Accessibility options and intuitive UI aimed to cater to different learning styles and abilities. We ensured that the UI consists of onboarding to guide learning activities, is learnable (familiarisation) and is embedded into the environment (which was a challenge for us).

METAVERSE

What's a metaverse if you can't interact with other users?! Although not wholly implemented, we proposed a multi-player feature wherein users are able to practice their Japanese skills with other learners along the street or at the different locations. This constitutes to a social and supportive learning environment, and makes immersive Japanese practice easier and more accessible.

What's a metaverse if you can't interact with other users?! Although not wholly implemented, we proposed a multi-player feature wherein users are able to practice their Japanese skills with other learners along the street or at the different locations. This constitutes to a social and supportive learning environment, and makes immersive Japanese practice easier and more accessible.

DEVELOPMENT

Slide 1

Environment sketches

Diorama prototype

My friend testing out our prototype!

Blender assets I made!!

A FEW THOUGHTS…

It was really interesting to see how interactions differ between the virtual and real world, but the same overall design process applies. You have to think more deeply about how to incorporate intuitive interactions in a virtual world - often embedded into the environment. But this also means there is limitless potential for how you might go about that! Overall, I absolutely loved this unit as it was super fun and different to other projects I've completed!