PhotoSpheres

& 360 Videos

Functions:

Photospheres give the users a chance to see actual video footage of a location. A 4k 360 video often offers greater fidelity than the photogrammetry, as well as offering movement and realistic visuals of a set location. This can be useful in giving the user a sense of what the space is like when it's busy with people, or for showing off scripted reenactments of events from the location.

The photosphere is textured with a set panoramic thumbnail. To interact with the sphere, the user places the controller into the sphere and presses the trigger button to grab hold of it. Placing the sphere over the users head causes the video to begin, which can be quit at any time by pressing the trigger button again. If the user releases the photosphere before putting it on their head it will glide back to it's original location.

Things you need:

  • Any PhotoSphere prefab.
  • PhotoSphere With Pillar prefab (optional, but recommended).
  • The 360 Video and 360 Video Floor prefab, found in Assets/Prefabs/PhotoSphere.
  • Ensure the controllers possess the VRTK Interact Grab script (the [VRTK] prefab provided already has this)
  • Desired high-def 360 video.
  • 360 video thumbnail image.

How to use:

  • Drag the PhotoSphere or PhotoSphere with Pillar prefab from the Prefabs/PhotoSphere folder onto the scene and place it in the appropriate position.
  • Within the PhotoSphereVideo component of the photosphere:
    • Drag your desired 360 video clip to Video Clip or Movie Texture depending on your clips format.
    • To add a thumbnail to the PhotoSphere, create a new Material and change the shader to Unlit/Texture. Then attach this material onto the PhotoSphere.
    • Drag in the 360Video prefab from into the location for the 360 video GameObject. (this prefab allows the photosphere to construct the 360 video environment).
    • Drag in the 360 Video Floor prefab into the location for the Floor Prefab GameObject, and toggle whether you want there to be a floor while viewing this 360 video or not.
  • To finalize, make sure the PhotoSphere with Pillar GameObject is set to the PhotoSphere tag, and the pillar model child GameObject set to TeleportIgnore. Also make sure the PhotoSphere itself is set to the PhotoSphere tag and the Ignore Raycast layer.

Pro tip!

If you wish to have multiple PhotoSpheres that can be used without complication, duplicate one of the PhotoSphere prefabs already in Assets/Prefabs/PhotoSphere and change around the PhotoSphereVideo component!