Ozythra

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  Butterfly in the room

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  Butterfly on hand

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  Flower in the room

Inspiration

Ozythra was inspired by a simple question: What if technology could feel natural? I wanted to create a world where futuristic cities grow like trees, light behaves organically, and stories bloom around the user. Mixed reality felt like the perfect medium to reconnect people with nature using the language of future technology.

What it does

Ozythra transforms any physical room into a living story-world where nature and sci-fi coexist. Users interact with holographic creatures, energy-seeds, and evolving environments using only their hands,no controllers. The experience blends passthrough, spatial storytelling, and gesture-driven interactions to make the user feel like they’re stepping into a conscious ecosystem.

How we built it

Ozythra was built using the Unreal Engine 5 using mixed reality passthrough, hand tracking. Soft occlusions allowed virtual objects like seeds, butterflies, to blend smoothly behind real-world surfaces, making the mixed reality world feel grounded and believable. Shaders bring the sci-fi & nature aesthetic to life, while blueprint systems control story flow, character behavior, and environment reactions. The entire world adapts to the user’s real space, transforming it into a dynamic narrative environment.

Challenges we ran into

Blending real-world passthrough with stylized holographic elements. Performance optimization for MR devices while maintaining visual quality. Designing intuitive interactions that feel “natural” but still futuristic.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Creating a compelling mixed reality story experience that reacts to gestures and presence. Achieving a unique hybrid aesthetic: part nature, part sci-fi. Building a fully functional prototype with high-quality visuals, smooth interactions, and a memorable emotional tone.

What we learned

Subtle visual language (glow, motion, scale) is critical for guiding user attention in MR. Passthrough storytelling requires a balance between realism and fantasy. Mixed reality experiences must adapt to unpredictable physical environments.

What's next for Ozythra

Expanding the world into a multi-story hub with characters, portals, and new narrative experiences. Adding user-generated interactions and simple world-building tools. Introducing more creatures, seeds, and nature-driven puzzles. AI-powered real-world object interaction.

Built With

• metaquest
• mixedreality
• unreal-engine