CARAMBOLA

Carambola is a VR serious game that blends immersive storytelling, puzzle-solving, and cultural education to promote cultural awareness through the stars. Designed for the Meta Quest 2 & Pro, Carambola invites players into an escape room-style experience where learning is woven naturally into gameplay.

Step into a beautifully crafted virtual world where you'll explore constellations and myths from different cultures, using your acquired knowledge to solve progressively challenging puzzles. Each level is designed to enhance knowledge retention, using a mix of riddles and interactive environments to engage players on a deeper cognitive level.

Carambola is built on the principle that games can teach, and VR is a powerful tool to foster immersion and understanding. As players advance, they’ll encounter puzzles inspired by real-world cultural traditions, encouraging problem-solving and critical thinking through an engaging, story-driven experience.

Key Features:

• ✨ Immersive VR Escape Room Gameplay – Designed exclusively for Meta Quest Pro 2, immerse yourself in an atmospheric world that encourages focus, discovery, and exploration.

• 🌍 Explore Cultural Constellations – Learn about mythologies and constellations from various cultures around the world.

• 🧩 Puzzle-Based Learning – Solve riddles and cultural puzzles that reinforce knowledge through interactive challenges.

• 📚 Progressive Level Design – Move from a guided tutorial room to problem-solving challenges, culminating in a deep dive into Chinese cultural astronomy.

• 🎓 Designed for Learning First – Education is at the heart of Carambola, using intrinsic player motivation to build cultural awareness and knowledge retention through play.

Whether you're a fan of VR puzzles, educational games, or are simply curious about the stars and stories of other cultures, Carambola offers a unique experience where learning becomes an adventure.

Brought to you by Team Carambola,

TsungHan Yang - Creative Lead

Caroline Chou - Producer/Art Director

Nikhil Medanki - Gameplay Engineer

Lance Mendoza - Instructional Design Researcher

Collaborators:

Kai Jacobs - 3D Modeler

Siddharth Subramanian - U.I. Designer

Mohesha Bajpai - Design Assistant

Special thanks to Scott Durand for music, Vishwaas Khare for 3D assets, and Samantha Conde for research guidance.