Shadows of Combat

Shadows of Combat is a high-res prototype developed by Dominique Vyborna, Pablo de las Cuevas, and Yihan "Sherry" Du with Industry Partner and Artist, Farhad Berahman, for the VR Storylab module of the 2022 cohort of the MA Virtual and Extended Realities at the University of the West of England. The prototype was created using Unity, Unreal Engine, and Gravity Sketch.

The narrative of Shadows of Combat had the initial intention of demonstrating the experience of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) flashbacks from combat trauma and the impact on the quality of life of a person living with this disorder. Despite a focus on the statistics that are often quoted by news media in relation to PTSD from combat trauma, our team felt that the narrative that we originally created followed a path that was a slippery-slope, at best, with the protagonist experiencing alcoholism and eventual homelessness.

In future iterations of the project, it is suggested to create a narrative that would demonstrate the difficulties associate with healing from trauma, while also highlighting the pathway back to a regulated nervous system, with support and effective treatment.