The Ocean Machine
Summary:
The Ocean Machine is a hybrid physical and digital installation that uses a real aquarium tank as the boundary for a simulated ocean ecosystem. I am creating it to explore how game design systems can make a world feel alive, and how observation and containment change the way we relate to nature. I will build the tank environment with 3D printed and hand-painted ruins and artifacts, then run a small 3D simulation inside or behind the tank using projection or a screen, with a couple secondary displays that cycle sensory views and system data. My goal is to create an exhibition piece that feels like a living game world you can study through glass, and that communicates both wonder and control in how we represent the ocean.
Concept:
This project treats the aquarium as more than a container. The tank becomes an interface: a literal boundary that separates viewer from ecosystem while also inviting curiosity. The physical environment (ruins, artifacts, aquascape composition) builds a believable world, while the simulation adds life, behavior, and change over time. The work sits between art object, exhibit, and game system.
Visitor Experience:
A viewer approaches the aquarium like a normal exhibit, but quickly realizes something is different. The installation is designed to feel like a “living museum display”:
- The tank functions as the physical stage and boundary.
- A screen or projection shows the simulated ecosystem in relation to the physical world.
- Secondary displays cycle through different viewpoints, including sensory overlays and system data.
-The ecosystem evolves over time, encouraging viewers to stay and observe patterns.
This is primarily observational rather than game-like, but still built with game logic and systems underneath.
What Makes It Feel Alive:
The “life” in the installation comes from systems rather than scripted scenes. The simulation is built to support:
- creatures/entities with behavior and priorities
- environmental change and signals
- sensory perception and response
- scalable organization of space and data
The goal is for the world to feel like it’s continuing whether anyone is watching or not.
Physical Components:
Real aquarium tank as the boundary/interface
3D printed structures (ruins, artifacts, fragments)
Hand-painted finishing for realism and visual cohesion
Aquascape-like composition (depth, layers, silhouettes, swim-through spaces)
Mounting and display setup designed for an exhibition setting
Digital Components:
Real-time 3D simulation displayed inside or behind the tank
Screen and/or projection testing to find the best presentation method
Secondary displays that cycle:
sensory views (how the ecosystem “perceives”)
system views (data, logic, states, behaviors)
observational “museum” views (clean, cinematic)
Presentation Approach:
The installation will be tuned for clarity and reliability in a gallery setting:
the primary tank view provides wonder and atmosphere
the simulation view provides motion and life
the secondary displays provide context and reveal the hidden systems
The project balances immersion (watching a world) with transparency (seeing the systems that generate it).