EcoDive: Enhancing Presence and Ambient Environmental Awareness in a Virtual Reality Experience for Underwater Marine Debris Collection

This paper presents a VR-based serious game. The game aims to raise awareness about ocean pollution by immersing players in a virtual underwater world where they collect trash to prevent coral bleaching and save marine life. Despite their efforts, players inevitably face game over, highlighting the futility of merely collecting trash and underscoring the need to prevent waste from entering oceans. The game uses various diegetic feedback mechanisms and enhanced user presence features to deepen emotional engagement and promote pro-environmental behavior.