Designing a VR Experience in SpaceDraft
Introduction
We sat down with ARCH REBELS' Amy Louise Doherty, to understand the existing challenges associated with current methods of planning a VR experience and how SpaceDraft has helped her process.
We sat down with ARCH REBELS' Amy Louise Doherty, to understand the existing challenges associated with current methods of planning a VR experience and how SpaceDraft has helped her process.
Overview
Amy has been in VR for the last five years. Prior to that, she worked in film and TV. Amy is a decorated VR developer and is currently developing a number of games under ARCH REBELS, a creative studio. She has been using SpaceDraft as the pre-production planning on her latest project, GHOST CAM - a virtual reality game where you look for ghosts at your own risk!
Planning a virtual reality experience can be a consuming process. Consideration needs to be given to not only the digital production and physical limitations, but also to intangible elements such as sound, depth, touch, and emotion. Unlike flat screen productions where there are limitations to viewing area and interaction, virtual reality places the user inside a simulated world with which they can interact. Creatives must orchestrate the digital content and experience based on user interactions to the VR narrative.
Using SpaceDraft as a pre-production planning tool for VR means creatives and developers are able to...
Easily refine the choreography of the VR experience.
Clearly demonstrate the sequence of events along a timeline.
Share plans and designs with key stakeholders.
Existing Challenges
Before SpaceDraft I was planning for VR narrative interactions in word docs and found not only was it difficult to plan the timing and progression of elements with those tools but tricky to share and collaborate those logistics.
Not being able to plan the timing and sequence of elements and events for virtual space meant a lot of trial and error and building the experiences, which caused production delays.
These flat documents also made it difficult to share complex plans and designs with both members of the team for collaboration, and members of the public to give them an idea of what to expect during the experience.
Sequencing events for a virtual space.
Trial and error causing production delays.
Accurately communicate and collaborate on designs.
Solutions
With SpaceDraft I’m enjoying designing and refining the choreography of the VR experience through showing the sequence of events along a timeline, as well as controllers and other info helpful for the team or the public.
Refine the Design
SpaceDraft allows users to hone in on the individual elements that go into creating a truly immersive VR experience.
From Planning to Public Facing
Pre-production documents become multipurpose in SpaceDraft with plans for VR controllers being utilised to onboard users and staff.
Experiment at No Cost
SpaceDraft’s sound feature means creatives are able to experiment with dialogue and audio when choreographing the experience, prior to professional recording.
The ability to add voice recording and audio on the fly is extremely helpful. It allows me to experiment with dialogue within the context of the scene and decide on what works before undertaking professional recording. Saving time!
Results
Redesigning the onboarding and tutorial on how to use the controllers in SpaceDraft has already helped in refining what we want in 3D and the timing involved. Also looking forward to using SpaceDraft to convey info about what to expect in GHOST CAM for people waiting to jump into VR and explore.
What’s next for you?
I’m looking forward to releasing GHOST CAM and having a public launch for people to explore our spooky VR world and see how good they are at capturing ghosts! Especially now when I can share internally and with people waiting to have a go, what to expect and how best to be prepared in VR to navigate the mysterious experience that is GHOST CAM.
