Oculus Rift Experience
Software
Unreal Engine
Company
Oculus
Timing
However long you want to explore, you can return every day.
Instructions UX
At the beginning, a robot gives you instructions on how to move in the space, how to collect items and take pictures. The instructions also require you to do the steps (active learning) and use holograms to show the information.
Narration
There is a robot that helps you understand how to move about. Up in the space station, there are other characters whom the robot talks with. To learn about the world, you select the object/character and the robot and holograms appear to tell you more.
Subtitles
No subtitles, only text given to be more like a guidebook in virtual space or a hologram to look as if a program was received.
Story Arch
It’s an exploring experience. The first bit is a tutorial on how to explore and move in the space with some tasks, the mission is essentially that you go around and learn about the space station. Farlands is a research mission to a little alien planet you can visit every day.
Framing
The shots were full environments, you have hands, but no body. What was incredible was the moving in space, you could select and jump to different locations, or have an above view (think google maps) and drop yourself off at a location on the island. This above view was great for understanding the entire area of exploration, seeing everything together and deciding where to go further on land.
Color Palette
It was in color and realistically rendered as good as possible.
Composition
You are given tasks and explore all the spaces, it’s based on the well defined alien place, so there was a gaming location kind of setup (different environments, nooks and crannies). The spaceship that you go inside was also incredibly well done. All were designed to the maximum.
Point of View
You are the protagonist, a researcher of these alien environments, you move in the space and are given instructions to collect, interaction, scan and store items. You can explore as you please which is nice, but I got bored a bit after feeding an animal and not having any more fruit to give so I couldn’t continue to the next. I ended up going back and trying to figure out what went wrong, but gave up since I felt useless.
Looking Around
You look all around and use your body. It was highly immersive and visually stunning. When you selected to move in space, glowing arrows illuminated the path for selection.
Storytelling
You go at your own pace, the exploring is entirely up to you.
Sound
It was immersive voice over sound, sound effects were mapped and placed in the space which encouraged me to turn and look around. There was music to underscore this which was nice.
EEL VR Storytelling Research 