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HYBRID WORLDS

Designing hybrid spaces for virtual worlds and video games

Nikaki Anna

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Presence Immersion and Ιnteraction

We experience the world around us though the human body → receiver

-It is important to include the right stimuli to activate all senses

We connect with a space / environment by

  • navigation
  • interaction

The senses activated, can affect:

  • the type of virtuality
  • how interactive a world is
  • the immersive world
  • + offer different experiences to the participant.

a small reminder..

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  • Including more than 1 sense

How can we maximize immersion ?

  • Adding interactions
  • main senses: ( sight, hearing, smell , touch & taste) .
  • . sense of temperature (skin) 2. sense of balance, 3. pain , 4.senses of body position and gestures, 5. η kinesthetic perception.
  • Cognition in the real world is “multisensory” -

  • Including many senses in an immersive environment--> higher amount of presence, memory and presence.
  • Haptics

  • physical elements

.body

  • Types of interaction / examples

1. Exploration, through touch

2. Navigation,through vision

3.Manipulation, of object

4. Edition (alterations in the environment)

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Types of virtual reality in architecture and exhibitions

An experience can being created based on the kind of virtuality used

→ according Hilary Mclellan we have more than one category of virtual reality .

1. Immersive first person που accomplished with head mounted displays HMD, gloves & secondary equipment.

2. Augmented Reality .

3. Το Desktop VR through a PC/ laptop ( gamers)

4.Mirror- Projected realitly.

5. Το Waldo world. real time animation

6. Chamber world.CAVE

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2.2 EXAMPLES - APPLICATIONS

Machine Concrete Transmoderna & Fondation Beyeler 2021

Huit Phases de L’Illumination Palais de Tokyo, 2015

Type : installation . virtuality :Immersive first person immersion: imaginary world with real world elements

interaction : none ,the participant is only receiving visual world -senses : vision, hearing & balance .

1 : Immersive first person

type : installation . kind of virtuality :Immersive first person immersion to digital world,interaction : not direct but accomplished through our immersion to virtual world .

senses : sight, hearing & balance, parts of body

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Thresholds, National Science and Media Museum Bradford UK

WATER | ÁGUA, Cantoni Crescenti 2010

type : installation . virtuality :Immersive first person immersion tp a digital world. through back journey to past.διάδραση :100% similar to one in the physical world ( navigation, exploration, edition). senses: vision, hearing, kinesthetic, balance

1 : Immersive first person

2 :Augmented Reality

type : installation . virtuality :Augmented Reality immersion underwater world. interaction : through touch + body. senses: vision, kinesthetic perception, hearing, touch.

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→ Fresh water pavilion Spuybroek

Light Cycles,Adelaide 2021. Moment Factory

Water Pavilion, Spuybroek - Oosterhuis, 1997

τύπος : architectural installation. virtuality : projection - AR. immersion : iceberg. ( created with projection ) , architecture following world, reflective materials interaction with water and projections senses : vision, hearing,kinesthetic

2 :Augmented Reality

type : spatial with smaller installation . virtuality :Augmented Reality immersion in an imaginary atmospheric world augmented to the one that already exists. interaction : navigation , viewer , senses:vision,hearing,kinesthetic

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Anti-gone, Onassis culture 2020 , Theo Triantafyllidis

Biorama , Montreal Biodôme. Moment Factory

5 : Waldo world

type : immersive play immersion in an imaginary world based on the comic interaction : audience 0, performers complete gesture freedom / movement manipulation . senses : vision ,hearing (audience ) player: +,kinesthetic

+touch

6 :Chamber world

type : installation . immersion κόσμο φύσης-ψηφιακή αναπαράσταση. interaction : Installation,navigation. διάδραση με τον εικονικό κόσμο γίνεται ως θεατής παθητικός δέκτης. αισθήσεις: όραση, ακοή, κιναισθησία

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Arkhe, Contemporary Istanbul 2019, NOHLAB & DECOL

6 :Chamber world

type : interactive installation . immersion elements of nature ninteraction : touch screen , manipulation senses : vision, hearing , touch

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HOW DO WE DESIGN AN ENVIRONMENT FOR HYBRID GAMING ?

  • EXAMPLES of HYBRID ENVIRONMENTS for GAMING

The way that participants interact with the virtual worlds in the game./ ,behind the IMMERSION in a video game.

What are the PRINCIPLES, CONDITIONS and SPATIAL SPECIFICATIONS required when designing a successful immersion experience ?

  1. Internal elements

2. External elements

(graphics, missions, plot, controls, environment)

(way the gameplay is conducted, interaction, stimuli from the environment)

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→ A) Game-play using VR headsets + touch

→ B) Game-play in space !!!

(an environment ) .

external elements 2 (

gear for:

-simulation of movement

-touch (haptic glove)

- interaction ( props, controllers)

Virtual Arenas : gaming in a predefined / limited space using VR headsets and additional equipment . Designed to use movement, and the body for action .

Hybrid environments : designed to map 1-1 the real world to the virtual. because of that they include many more interactions with the physical world.

cons:

1.gesture limitation , movement with the body in space, interacting κnavigation within the physical space

https://www.pocket-lint.com/ar-vr/buyers-guides/playstation/137973-best-playstation-vr-games-and-must-play-psvr-experiences-to-buy-and-download

Virtual Arenas

Hybrid Environments

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“The sandbox VR”

Virtual Arena

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THE VOID

Hybrid Environment

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Determining spatial specifications for Hybrid Environments in gaming

It can be achieved by creating mechanisms based on the 3 categories of simulating an gaming experience :

A. Movement simulation / support

B. simulation of weather conditions (atmospherical ) .

Γ. Touch simulation, ( texture and materiality) .

Category Α . Movement. Terrains !!!

some of the most common movements the players do in video games are: running (1) , climbing a mountain, hill , (2) , climbing stairs (3) . Category A , activates kinesthetic perception and includes body stimuli. The player is actively participating in the game through their body.

Sketch 1 : Simulating non stop movement - running walking

Sketch 2 : Simulating climbing ,( hills, mountains )

Sketch 3 : Simulating climbing stairs

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Includes all of the elements that simulate the climate , weather and elements of the atmosphere of the virtual environment.

More senses - triggered resulting on increasing the presence in the virtual world.

Sketch 1 . simulating a warm environment Sketch 2 : simulating a cold environment. Sketch 3: simulating rain. Sketch 4: simulating humidity. Sketch 5: height .

Category Β. Simulating weather conditions

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Category C :simulating the virtual environment , interaction with Touch - textures - materiality

The senses that are being activated are : touch , smell , vision , sight.

Includes many materials, textures and all objects that the player is interacting with.

as well as the sounds + smell

Diagram 1 : Simulating materials of the ground +2. textures from the environment of reach

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category A ( movement )

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ca

design solution

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Designing mechanisms for each movement , identifying patterns and researching the movement of the player.

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Designing mechanisms that will support jumping in different levels and into the water

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Designing mechanisms that will simulate the different materials of the terrain

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solution : Hydraulic terrain

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vs simulating a hard surface ( wood )

simulating a soft surface ( sand )

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material simulation - touch

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Category B

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Final Hybrid set-up ! ( terrains , interactive elements and facilities / mechanisms for simulating weather + other conditions

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