Project Overview

Target user: Indonesian young adults, 18-25 years old
Requirement: Master degree course project
Context: Education and culture
Timeline: 2 months (2025)
Tools: iPhone, Unity, VSCode, Procreate, Xcode, Blender

Mega Clouds is a gamified storytelling experience in augmented reality (AR) app about Mega Mendung Batik meaning where young adults can interact through mobile phone.

This development focuses on providing gamified storytelling of Mega Mendung Indonesian batik pattern meaning in augmented reality (AR) in the area of culture education. It aims to raise awareness of Indonesian young adults low interest in learning about Batik and show the pattern meaning for a further appreciation. It focuses on addressing the meaning of how a person stay calm in chaotic or anger triggering situations.

Inspiration or Problem Context

Based on research and data gathering, there is a low interest of learning of Batik making, while there is a high opportunity of interest of Batik recognition in a worldwide context and learning in a more engaging way using immersive technology (AR in this context) to add creativity for learning and appreciate cultural heritage.

As for the inspiration, I took the calm in every situation meaning of the Mega Mendung Batik as the foundation of the gamification. This process led me to extinguishing fire as my inspiration that represent handling various kinds of situations to reach the stability of one's state.

Storyboard and Workflow

Developed storyboard and workflow to analyze the detailed interactions and visualize the outline on how it will be shown in augmented reality.

1. Storyboard

Visualization of the interactions between user, character, and elements in the experience. There are two iterations considering the richness of interactions.

The first iteration focused on gamification stages and final stage to inform the goal of the experience with the detailed information. This iteration focuses on tap and slide interaction and from user.

The second interaction added more variety of interaction such shaking the phone. Furthermore, it also added more elements such as the progress bar and introduction explanation.

2. Workflow

Developed workflow for analyzing the detailed interactions between user and elements in the experience.

Elements Sketch

In the gamification stages, elements interaction by user is needed, so I did sketch the main elements: cloud (the Mega Mendung pattern), fire, water, wind, and explanation canvases. This will then translated to 3D and incorporated to the experience interactions.

Experience in action

Key takeaways

Did 2 technical testing to 2 users, one from Indonesian young adult and the other one is from UK for adding the insight from international/broader view. insights were taken from both users that they are agree the application is easy to understand and has a good potential for a more engaging Batik meaning learning.

Skills gained

Building Mega Clouds project made me learn more on simplifying tasks in augmented reality using mobile phone that keeps a simple interactions but rich in meaning and relation between elements interacted.

Need to improve

1. Limitation

   1. Cannot explore other type of Batik pattern

   2. Transition between scenes are not smooth

   3. Some interactions applied differently from brainstorming in terms of visual quality

2. Future recommendations

   1. Showing storytelling broader meaning part of Mega Mendung Batik, such as the leader protection

   2. Can see other Batik pattern meaning (showing options)

   3. Can be elaborated for museum experience and go broader age range participant such as kids (due to its fun interactions)

   
   

References

• Fahrezi, W.D., Sariyatun, S. and Sudiyanto S. 2025. The Need for Augmented Reality Batik Media to Increase Cultural Love for Learning, Drawing, Design, and Craft Production in Vocational High Schools. Social, Humanities, and Educational Studies (SHES): Conference Series. [Online]. 8(1), pp.708-716. [Accessed 20 April 2025]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.20961/shes.v8i1.99114

• Seasia. 2024. Destination Countries for Indonesian Batik Exports in 2023. [Online]. [Accessed 22 April 2025]. Available from: https://seasia.co/infographic/destination-countries-for-indonesian-batik-exports-in-2023

• Cahya M., Hestiasari R., Sritrusta S., Felix P. and Aliwarga, H.K. 2020. Preliminary Development of Virtual Reality for Batik Exhibition. Psychology and Education. [Online]. 57(9), pp. 2286-2292. [Accessed 25 April 2025]. Available from: https://psychologyandeducation.net/pae/index.php/pae/article/view/599