How do you apply VR Design Principles to different types of VR experiences?

360-degree photo VR refers to the integration of 360-degree photos within virtual reality (VR) experiences, providing users with an immersive and interactive visual experience from a single position. One can add UI hotspots on the images at several locations to trigger several actions like teleport to a new location/new 360 scene, pop-up text info, audio, or videos frace to provide more information. Design a user-friendly interface with intuitive placement of menus, controls, and hotspots to facilitate seamless interaction. Incorporating spatial audio techniques enhances immersion by matching audio cues with visuals and using directional audio to guide users' attention.

If we are designing for Interactive Simulations one should not miss out on the following design principles: 1) Consistency: Maintain consistency throughout the experience to avoid breaking the immersion. This includes consistency in visual styles, interactions, and user interface elements. 2) Natural Interaction: Design interactions that feel intuitive and natural to users. Consider real-world analogies and expectations to guide the design of gestures, movements, and interactions. 3) Emotional Design: Consider the emotional impact of the experience. Design elements that evoke specific emotions or create a particular atmosphere. Colors, lighting, sound, and narrative elements can all contribute to the emotional design.

When designing for Social VR experiences, these are additional key design principles that one should never miss: 1)Social Presence Indicators: Provide visual cues or indicators that reflect the presence and availability of other users in the virtual space. This helps users identify and engage with others, fostering a sense of community and encouraging social interactions. 2)Privacy and Safety: Implement robust privacy and safety features to protect users and ensure a positive social environment. Provide options for users to control their privacy settings, manage friend requests, and report inappropriate behavior. Moderation tools and guidelines should be in place to maintain a respectful and inclusive community.

One thing I have found helpful in designing VR experience is to consider the degree of realism of this VR experience. 360 videos represent real VR experience captured by a 360 camera. Thus, you need to demonstrate the same dynamics and interactions that are used in the real world without any exaggeration. On the other hand, the degree of realism in simulation games and social communication is less than 360 videos in terms of realism. Thus, design principles should focus on the ease of use (EU) element by working on designing an easy and functional UI experience.

There could be a hybrid possibility. A Self-Guided Interactive Simulation for VR. This way one can engage a user like 360 Video where the user experience the predefined guided mode but also has the option to exit the guided mode and jump into a self-exploratory mode of the interactive simulation. This could be an innovative way to tell a story as well as live a story by exploring by choosing different possibilities of a story. This approach provides users with a sense of agency and empowers them to shape their own experiences within the VR simulation. By offering choices and branching paths, users can actively engage with the story and explore different outcomes, enhancing their level of immersion and personal investment.