Post date: Aug 19, 2014 5:56:25 AM
So today I visited a meetup of VanVR, a group of Virtual Reality enthusiasts, and went away wondering about the social aspects of virtual reality.
I noticed that of the five demos running at the meetup, only three had an external video display mirroring the view of the VR goggle user. After inquiring, I learned that the two demo units that did not have a mirror display were using the Oculus Rift DK2, which had drivers that did not support mirroring.
"So does this make development and demos more difficult compared to the DK1?", I asked.
"Well", the developer replied, "it would be nice to see where someone is, like the DK2, so that I can guide them".
From my perspective, though, ease of debugging isn't the only advantage of having a mirror display: the display also captured my attention, drew me to the demo, and kept me interested while I waited for my turn. An external display lets other people around the VR user join in and share the experience, I observed. Without it, it's like listening to music from headphones - not very inviting.
Most other forms of entertainment are conductive to sharing. On Outdoor Education bus trips with classmates, we were able to enjoy - and (badly) dance in our seats to - the music played over the bus speaker. I enjoy watching the Super Smash Bros experts perform acrobatics as they battle on the television in the common room. In both cases, the observer is entertained in addition to the person controlling the device. In addition, some entertainment devices are designed to allow an observer to easily become a participant and join the fun. On the Nintendo DS, multiplayer is very easy to set up: one simply presses the "Download Play" button, and a list of games in the vicinity appears.
Similar approaches are being experimented with for VR. One of the leaders of the VR group detailed two approaches to making VR more social: one gives the observers a better view by projecting the mirrored display with a 3D projector so that people watching can also see the 3D effects, and the other is a VR chat room where people wearing VR goggles can discuss their experiences in a virtual room. Another social approach was outlined by the developer that explained to me about the DK2: he pointed out that they were working on a multiplayer mode for their demo; that way, users can interact with each other, and the developer can guide the user through the virtual world, a more direct approach than giving directions while watching a mirrored external display.
Finally, perhaps, like headphones, VR's ability to isolate oneself may be an asset. People use headphones to avoid distracting others, or to avoid distractions. VR software may also used this effect to create novel experiences: one demo is designed to be relaxing, with the user flying above a peaceful pond alongside gentle birds. The VR goggle tunes out visual distractions, and a pair of headphones tunes out audio distractions.
With the advent of consumer level VR gear, I think it's important to develop ways to allow people around a VR user to participate and join the action. Who knows, maybe one day I'll be watching the same people who used to play Smash Bros in the common room fight virtual battles in a virtual world instead.