How can motion design create more immersive virtual reality experiences?

1 What is motion design?

Motion design is the art and science of creating movement and change in visual elements, such as shapes, colors, textures, typography, icons, illustrations, and images. Motion design can be used for various purposes, such as storytelling, branding, information, emotion, feedback, and guidance. Motion design can also be applied to different media, such as video, web, mobile, and VR.

2 Why is motion design important for VR?

Motion design is particularly important for VR, as it can create a sense of presence, immersion, and agency for the users. Presence is the feeling of being in the virtual environment rather than observing it from a distance. Immersion is the degree to which the users are engaged and absorbed by the virtual environment. Agency is the sense of control and influence that the users have over their actions. Motion design can boost these aspects by creating realistic and consistent animations that match the physics and logic of the virtual environment, as well as smooth and seamless transitions avoiding abrupt changes. Furthermore, interactive and responsive animations that react to user input and feedback such as gaze, gestures, voice, or controllers can be created. Finally, expressive and emotional animations conveying mood, personality, or intention of virtual characters or objects should be part of motion design.

3 How to apply motion design principles to VR?

Motion design principles are general guidelines that can help designers create effective and appealing motion graphics. Timing and spacing should reflect the weight, size, and speed of the object, as well as the emotion and intention behind the movement. Easing should start and end gradually to create a natural and smooth motion. Anticipation and follow-through should be included by preparing and concluding with a slight opposite movement. Overlap and drag should be incorporated to create a sense of flexibility and fluidity, while arcs should be followed for a sense of natural and graceful motion. Furthermore, staging should be clear and visible without being obscured or cluttered by other elements, in order to create a sense of focus and attention. When applied to VR, these principles must account for context, scale, perspective of the environment, and the users' view. For example, the timing and spacing must consider the distance and angle of the users' view; easing must be balanced between realism and comfort; while staging must be adapted to the users' head and eye movements.

4 How to use motion design tools for VR?

Motion design tools are software applications that can help designers create and edit motion graphics. Popular motion design tools include Adobe After Effects, Blender, Cinema 4D, and Unity. These tools can be used for VR by following best practices such as using the appropriate resolution, frame rate, and aspect ratio for the device and platform; the appropriate format, codec, and compression for content delivery; the appropriate lighting, shading, and texturing for the environment; the appropriate rigging, skinning, and animation for characters; and the appropriate audio, haptic, and spatial cues for feedback and immersion.