At seeper
we use creative technology for live events and installations and VR is an odd
one for us. On the one hand clients are interested in the novelty and immersive
experiences we can create with VR. On the other hand, once wearing a VR device the
physical venue matters less if at all - and arguably undermines our client's
business, which is to offer destinations that are worth travelling to - whether
that be a visitor attraction like a theme park or museum, or an experiential
event for a brand. At my Develop:VR talk I'll explore this in detail, and look
at technical and creative solutions. For this post I wanted to flag up five of
the challenges we face:
1. Disconnecting
your senses from the real world.. in public.
We’ve
evolved to use our senses for matters of life and death. We may not be in
danger of being mauled by a sabre tooth tiger while enjoying a VR experience in
a natural history museum but we might just be in danger of having our handbag
swiped! There is something disconcerting about surrendering our awareness of
what is happening around us in a public space. We need to mitigate this…
2. Bumping
into things!
VR systems
that allow you to move around present problems at home too, but in public
spaces the additional fear of walking into walls or into total strangers is
heightened. I recently had this experience at Bjork Digital, when pairs of
guests wandered around in an enclosed space and we were all distracted
wondering whether we were about to clatter into one another.
3. Interacting
with hosts
Pretty much
any live VR experience requires some guidance from support staff, whether that
be practical advice on adjusting focus or helping users navigate an interactive
experience. This presents problems for both the user and the host in
communicating and for the host in understanding what is going on.
4. Interacting
with products
We’ve
looked a number of times at how a brand’s product, typically drink brands it
seems, can be incorporated into a VR experience. The challenge is how to enable
a VR user to pick something up, or even to place something in the hand without
mishap.
5. Interacting
with other visitors
The
destination experiences we create are for groups, and often families. Immersion
in the virtual can mean disconnection from the shared experience. On a thrill
ride, part of the fun is exchanging excited thoughts as the ride starts to
move, or watching the reaction on a friend’s face.
Come by the
talk at Develop VR where I’ll be sharing the solutions we’re developing at
seeper.
Ed Daly is managing director seeper and is a speaker at Develop:VR. His session 'Immersion doesn't have to mean isolation' will take place at 16.45 in room 2.
