Lois He Explores Identity Through Reflections in Between Empty

I submitted this work because it represents a milestone where philosophy, design, and technology finally intersected in harmony. It’s not only a game prototype — it’s a metaphorical system that mirrors how we depend on external validation to feel real.

Winning this award affirms that introspective, emotionally complex storytelling still resonates deeply within digital art. Personally, it reminds me to stay fearless in blending poetic intent with technical experimentation.

The idea for Between Empty was born during a time when I felt disconnected — surrounded by images and data, yet unsure which reflections were truly mine. I began to imagine a world where beings made of mirrors could only feel alive when seen by others. From that concept came a gameplay system where “visibility equals survival.”

It represents the modern tension between self-perception and social reflection — a story about dependency, awareness, and liberation.

Our approach combined cinematic emotion with real-time interactivity. Rather than gamifying objectives, Between Empty treats mechanics as metaphors — each player action mirrors a psychological process. The design balances minimal interface and narrative symbolism. This synthesis of emotional storytelling and systemic design likely set it apart.

The biggest challenge was achieving the mirror-reflection mechanic in a way that felt emotional rather than mechanical. The light and darkness needed to interact softly — not as rigid reflections, but as living, breathing elements.

We experimented extensively with different rendering priorities and shader conditions to make the illumination feel organic and full of emotion.

It validates our belief that digital media can be both poetic and systemic. It opens new doors for the next project and also collaboration with other institutions interested in immersive storytelling. For HYZ Studio, it fuels our confidence to push experimental work toward large-scale, multi-sensory storytelling.

People often describe the project as hauntingly personal. The most touching feedback came from players who related the darkness mechanic to their own emotional struggles with validation and burnout. It reminded me how empathy can exist through mechanics, not just dialogue.

Don’t chase polish—chase honesty. Technology changes fast, but sincerity in how you translate emotion into interaction will always stand out. Start small. I’m still learning to follow this myself—it’s something I remind myself of constantly while creating.

We’re living through a shift where the boundaries between creator, audience, and machine are dissolving. The digital industry is no longer just about tools — it’s about perception design.

I see my role as building bridges between storytelling and consciousness — helping people feel through technology rather than be numbed by it.

If you wait until you feel “ready,” you’ll never submit. Growth happens through exposure and dialogue. Awards are not validation — they’re invitations to conversation.

Let’s keep redefining innovation as something that deepens our capacity for empathy rather than just accelerating performance. What we need are not flawless effects, but experiences that awaken emotional intelligence — works that invite audiences to reflect on their realities instead of escaping them.

This achievement belongs to our small but fearless team — Eric Zhang, Jimmy Qin, John Luo, Yi Wang, KICO, Jiayi Lee, and many others whose contributions we deeply appreciate. Their belief in the poetic potential of interactivity keeps our vision alive.

The experience takes place in a fragile world of mirrors, where existence flickers between light and darkness — sustained only by the reflections of others.

Our studio is currently developing along two parallel paths. On one side, we collaborate with museums and brands to create immersive installations and experiential marketing projects. On the other, we continue building our own original works.

We’re developing In the Skin Of…, a VR installation exploring sensory detachment and empathy, and Where the Island Was, a live performance where memories shift and distort through audience movement. Both projects extend our ongoing exploration of perception, power, and the fragility of human connection.