Zs Karam Arcade Experience

As LJMU students, we are driven by a passion for innovative design and a commitment to exploring cutting-edge technologies in our proposal for the Castle Street gaming hotel. Our enthusiasm for experimentation led us to harness a diverse suite of AI tools, rigorously tested across RIBA Stages 0–7, to create a vibrant, immersive urban destination. 

A 2D shooting game, born from the Alien Invasion experiment in this proposal, invites global players to explore Z’s Karam Hotel’s 170-sqm lobby. AI weaves The Great Hall magic with Space Invaders’ sci-fi and enemies, testing immersive designs that honor the listed ceiling’s ornate splendor.

The game embodies the hotel’s interior vision, where a BIM-crafted circular wall and alien spaceship framework spark gaming passion. Players battle beneath a virtual domed ceiling, refining spatial concepts non-invasively, ensuring the historic plasterwork remains a sacred canvas for creativity.

Gameplay marks targets as “enemy” or friendlies—Architect, Electrician, Designer—mirroring the design team’s harmony. Shooting friendlies deducts one of three health points, teaching precision akin to preserving the lobby’s intricate moldings in this listed sanctuary.

Extra ammo from enemies fuels gameplay, echoing AI’s iterative design surges. The 120-sqm cosplay arena’s VR zones, inspired by the game, blend mythic Hogwarts and alien thrills, with freestanding partitions guarding heritage for a global gaming audience.