Virtual reality escape room
What if learning about cybersecurity felt more like an action movie than a boring lecture?
When Ernst Bouwman, Managing Director of Infosequre, approached me with the challenge of revamping disengaging training formats, I saw the chance to make a lasting impact. The core idea was simple: people learn better when they're having fun.
Role
Creative lead
User Experience
3D Design
Design Process
1. Concept & Mood Development
Initial Concept & Vision: I envisioned a 360-degree VR experience where users don’t just learn—they participate. This approach required merging compelling storytelling, interactive puzzles, and realistic scenarios to maintain engagement and encourage retention.
Moodboard Creation: The moodboard was the foundation for the entire visual and experiential tone of the project. It aimed to capture the thrill of cyber-thrillers, with influences from some of my favorite movies like Tron, The Matrix, and Blade runner.
2. Asset Creation & Environment Design
3D Design: I led the 3D design phase, conceptualising a VR space where users could solve puzzles and interact with clues as if they were on a high-stakes mission, I designed models of computer terminals, servers, and cyber environments. Below are a few of my favorite scenes.
A key challenge in developing this experience was balancing visual quality with performance, especially for mobile devices. To achieve this, I applied a little trick: using cubemaps to create a 360-degree scene. This technique involved placing images mapped to the inside faces of a cube, which collectively formed a seamless environment that felt fully immersive.
3. Development & Refinement
I oversaw the outsourced development using a detailed functional design document. This guided integration of the player path, environments and interactive puzzles. Continuous user testing informed iterative refinements.
Outcome & Impact
The result was a VR experience that combined gamified learning with real-world cybersecurity practices. Clients reported significantly higher engagement levels and better retention of the experience compared to traditional methods. But don’t just take my word for it—hear what this guy has to say...
