Misfit Dollz: Wonderverse Thesis Process & Progress

Re-vamping the Misfit Dollz Universe

This week, I focused on building my Misfit Dollz Universe in Unity and begun to plan my thesis paper. For world-building, I decided to redo the layout and changed the perspective from a 3rd-person to a 1st-person since I felt it was more immersive. The animated Misfit Dollz models would be a part of the environment rather than the “player”. I also begun to scan the items from the previous showcase to add as 3D models in the Unity project. The items consist of toys I had collected from dollar stores ranging from ‘make believe play’ props, such as a cash register, a toy doctor set, and knock-off power ranger figures. Something that came to mind as I was scanning my objects is their design and the objects themselves. One concept that I plan on further exploring in my research is how these items are marketed and how they perpetuate and reinforce gender conditioning and how this can result in negative self-image and distorted views on gender and gender expression.

Toys serve as cultural and social signifiers, and to have symbolism such as the toy mentioned previously introduces harmful body image that has lasting negative psychological impact on individuals into adulthood, especially within the queer community where such products are usually exclusive and limited in the gendered expressions they embody. Another example that comes to mind is how baby dolls were marketed to young girls in order to condition them to motherhood or the how the design of an easy-bake and its purpose was also directed towards this concept of gendered products and domesticity. While the symbolism and marketing found in these toys and accessories, can reinforce negative cultural or gender stereotypes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, many adults, especially queer adults have revisited their childhood toys and collect them as a form of therapy or healing. Some view it as a means of reclaiming the narrative surrounding toys and their symbolism. Community and nostalgia are core aspects of this project as the purpose of this thesis is to not only address the issue of gender-typing in toys in a satirical and experimental way, but to also create a community that is healing together through their shared experience and an activity that engages their self-expression and joy.

Back to Progress!

I first created a new space, and created my own assets for the shelves lining the entry point of the space. Using Polycam, a photogrammetry app, I then took some 3D scans of my objects and uploaded them to Tripo to refine and correct them. I used Multi-image –> 3D and exported them into Unity. I than began placing them in my space as a part of the environment. I also thought about what objects I just want as a part of the space and what objects I want to be interacted with. I know that I plan on adding a 3D model of a retro TV with the Misfit Dollz commercial embedded to add context to the project, but I still need to see what I interactions I actually want in the space. To get more guidance and feedback, I will be asking my peers as well as friends or acquaintances that fall under the primary demographic this project serves.

Moving Forward

Moving forward this week, I plan to scan more of objects, collect more objects from dollar stores that I feel embody the symbolism addressed in my research and add the Sprite Rendering & Scanning functions to this new Unity file. In terms of the participant scans and sprite rendering, I also want to have them render in the main environment to connect the two components of the installation and perhaps, rather than people drawing, I cut out parts for paper dolls people can mix-and-match. I think this may be a better approach because it wont take as long as a drawing if I have people participating live, and it may also better align with the aesthetics of the project.