North Carolina Museum of Art

Engage in Battle Like a Samurai

Project: Samurai: The Making of A Warrior
Client: North Carolina Museum of Art
Role: UX/UI Design, Animation, 3D modeling & texturing, Game Development
Results: Successful launch of Interactive Exhibit at the Museum from Oct-Feb

the prompt

Interactive Samurai Battles

To bring Samurai warriors to life in a way that complements an exhibit without overshadowing it, we focused on creating an immersive and interactive experience. By integrating interactive storytelling, visitors can engage with the Samurai's rich history and culture.

Grayscale wireframe of the do chest armor selection screen, from Triptych's NCMA samurai interactive

Grayscale mockup of the kabuto helmet confirmation screen in Triptych's NCMA samurai exhibit

Wireframe of the kabuto helmet picker with annotations, from Triptych's North Carolina Museum of Art work

Wireframe of the survival odds results screen for Triptych's NCMA samurai battle interactive

Grayscale mockups of the armor selection screens.

The Process

Planning the Battle

We began by sketching each screen, with NCMA providing substantial groundwork in their planning. They detailed how each piece of armor would perform against various weapons and combinations. They also supplied the descriptions and phrasing to be used throughout the experience.

Our task was to craft an engaging experience that was concise enough to maintain a smooth flow through a popular museum. This required intense planning and wireframing to ensure an immersive and easily repeatable experience.

Kids entering the NCMA samurai gallery past real armor, where Triptych's interactive awaits

Kids pointing at the armor select screen of Triptych's samurai interactive at NCMA

Walking in past the real armor, and discovering the screen.

Is your armor battle ready start screen for the NCMA samurai interactive designed by Triptych

Prepare

Start The Battle

An engaging intro screen welcomes you into the experience. A subtle animation shows the Samurai in a resting pose, with light environmental elements floating, creating an inviting atmosphere for museum visitors.

Select

Choose Your Armor

Select your armor, including the Kabuto (helmet), Mempo (mask), Do (body armor), and Suneate (shin guards), then choose the weapon your Samurai will wield in battle. Each choice leads to unique outcomes.

Samurai survival chance results screen at 38 percent, designed by Triptych for NCMA

Engage

See How you did

The results will then be displayed to the visitor, showing the percentage likelihood of success for the armor they selected against the chosen weapon. Visitors can share these results or replay the game.

Boy configuring his samurai's armor on Triptych's touchscreen interactive at the North Carolina Museum of Art

Kids reacting as their finished samurai reaches 100 percent in Triptych's NCMA exhibit

Building a warrior, and meeting the result.

CRAFTING History

Modeling The Past

Each piece that was give lent to the NCMA was accurately modeled, textured, and lit by our team to the exact specifications of the team of curators at the museum. We then modeled period accurate weapons, provided sound engineering, and brought it all together in an immersive experience deemed worthy by the groups of kids that visited the museum.

Sepia concept sketch of a Japanese temple courtyard, environment art Triptych made for NCMA

3D kabuto helmet with antler crest and face mask, modeled by Triptych from NCMA's collection

3D kabuto helmet with gold horned crest, recreated by Triptych for the NCMA samurai exhibit

Two of the kabuto, modeled from museum reference.

We meticulously recreated each piece of Samurai armor displayed at the North Carolina Museum of Art using high-fidelity 3D models and environments. This allowed visitors to explore and select their armor and weapons, enhancing their interactive experience.

Color texture atlas for a samurai armor model, painted by Triptych for NCMA

Blue normal map for samurai armor plates, part of Triptych's NCMA texture set

Base color texture sheet of lacquered samurai armor pieces, from Triptych's NCMA models

Grayscale roughness map for a samurai armor model Triptych textured for NCMA

Black and white metallic map for samurai armor, from Triptych's North Carolina Museum of Art build

Roughness texture of samurai armor lacing and plates, created by Triptych for NCMA

Diffuse texture of wood and leather samurai armor parts, painted by Triptych for NCMA

Green and blue packed material map for samurai armor in Triptych's NCMA exhibit

Channel-packed material texture for samurai armor, from Triptych's NCMA texture work

Lavender normal map of samurai armor lacing detail, baked by Triptych for NCMA

Normal map atlas of small samurai armor fittings, part of Triptych's NCMA models

Grayscale height texture of samurai armor pieces, created by Triptych for the museum

Black and white mask texture for samurai armor details, from Triptych's NCMA build

Colors Connect Heritage

Crafting for accuracy

We crafted models, materials, and surfaces that met the museum curators' standards. Using normals, UV maps, displacement maps, metallics, and lighting, we integrated everything into a web-based, three.js experience available on the museum's touchscreen displays.

Full 3D samurai armor with red crest, modeled by Triptych from the NCMA collection

3D samurai half armor with a feathered helmet crest, recreated by Triptych for NCMA

Full 3D samurai armor with gold kuwagata crest, modeled by Triptych for the NCMA exhibit

Three samurai armor configurations built for the selection screen.

3D matchlock firearm with brass fittings, modeled by Triptych for the NCMA samurai interactive

3D naginata polearm modeled by Triptych for the North Carolina Museum of Art exhibit

3D samurai arrow with fletching, a weapon model Triptych built for NCMA

Weapon models, a matchlock firearm, a naginata, and a bow and arrow.

NCMA samurai gallery with armor on display, home to Triptych's interactive exhibit

Samurai armor on display in the museum gallery.

the Result

The perfect interaction

In the end, the exhibit was a resounding success for NCMA, captivating audiences and sparking interest in real-world artifacts in ways previously unimaginable. The interactive elements not only educated visitors about the intricacies of Samurai culture but also provided a dynamic platform for them to connect with history on a personal level.

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