Introduction
Within is an immersive VR experience that explores the psychological weight of claustrophobia through shrinking spaces, ambient sound, and subtle interaction.
Inspired by research on spatial phobias and perception, the project guides players through confined environments that shift in size, sound, and light. A distant voice offers quiet instructions—not to solve, but to soothe. This is not a game of escape, but of awareness. As players learn to recognize what remains still, they begin to understand how fear moves through space, and through the body.
VR immersive experience with perception & puzzle-solving
Project Goal
Exploring how spatial changes evoke claustrophobic tension in VR.
Core Concept
Players explore shrinking spaces, uncovering clues to progress.
Project Walkthrough
Part 1 — The Room
Doctor’s Guidance
Dear Oliver,
I hope you're doing well! I wanted to share my excitement about creating websites with Framer's intuitive no-code platform.
Let's explore it together!Looking forward to discussing more about our design adventures!
Dear Player,
You’re safe now. Just stay calm and listen carefully.
I know the room feels like it’s shrinking — but that’s only part of the illusion.
Focus on something that never changes. That’s your way out. You’re doing great.
Just breathe.
Dear Player,
Hello, can you hear me okay?
Listen carefully — you’ve gotten over claustrophobia before.
Keep breathing steadily. Remember the tricks inside.
Focus on finding something stable, something that will never change — and you can do it.
Dear Player,
Take a breath. You’ve made it.
The walls are gone — and now you’re standing in the open.
What you see is a reflection of your strength.You faced the fear.
Claustrophobia may return someday. But you can rise above it.
Part 2 — The Elevator
Doctor’s Guidance
Dear Oliver,
I hope you're doing well! I wanted to share my excitement about creating websites with Framer's intuitive no-code platform.
Let's explore it together!Looking forward to discussing more about our design adventures!
Dear Player,
You’re safe now. Just stay calm and listen carefully.
I know the room feels like it’s shrinking — but that’s only part of the illusion.
Focus on something that never changes. That’s your way out. You’re doing great.
Just breathe.
Dear Player,
Hello, can you hear me okay?
Listen carefully — you’ve gotten over claustrophobia before.
Keep breathing steadily. Remember the tricks inside.
Focus on finding something stable, something that will never change — and you can do it.
Dear Player,
Take a breath. You’ve made it.
The walls are gone — and now you’re standing in the open.
What you see is a reflection of your strength.You faced the fear.
Claustrophobia may return someday. But you can rise above it.
Part 3 — The Forest
Doctor’s Guidance
Dear Oliver,
I hope you're doing well! I wanted to share my excitement about creating websites with Framer's intuitive no-code platform.
Let's explore it together!Looking forward to discussing more about our design adventures!
Dear Player,
You’re safe now. Just stay calm and listen carefully.
I know the room feels like it’s shrinking — but that’s only part of the illusion.
Focus on something that never changes. That’s your way out. You’re doing great.
Just breathe.
Dear Player,
Hello, can you hear me okay?
Listen carefully — you’ve gotten over claustrophobia before.
Keep breathing steadily. Remember the tricks inside.
Focus on finding something stable, something that will never change — and you can do it.
Dear Player,
Take a breath. You’ve made it.
The walls are gone — and now you’re standing in the open.
What you see is a reflection of your strength.You faced the fear.
Claustrophobia may return someday. But you can rise above it.
Ideation
Ideation 1: “Time Canvas”
Explore time as a tool to uncover hidden stories and solve puzzles.
Ideation 2: “Perspective and Perception”
Shift viewpoints to break conventional perceptions and find solutions.
Research
Research
Why claustrophobia?
This specific phobia is an extreme fear of confined spaces, and may feel symptoms of gradual space reduction and suffocation in certain environments.
Experience
In the United States, the lifetime prevalence of claustrophobia is about 12.5%
Iteration
The patient experiences a strong sense of “being squeezed” in a confined environment.
the room becomes smaller
But it didn't quite feel like a claustrophobic perspective.
The whole room started to shrink
Scenes Showcase
Why these scenes?
We chose vintage interiors over modern ones to evoke a heightened sense of psychological tension.
The classical style
It creates a timeless, narrative-rich space that emphasizes emotional weight over realism.
