🏴‍☠️ ➡️ 🧕🏻 Errors in designing the VR interface, VR for interface designers 🍳 🤟 🛋️

Error # 1. Small or far away items

While the beam from the joystick in VR is as thin as the tip of the mouse cursor, it may seem that the interaction in VR can be “point”, up to pointing the letter to text (like pointing to a link on the web, for example). In the case of VR, this is not so.

In VR, interactive objects are more likely to interact with interactive objects in mobile interfaces by the way they interact. They have “minimum sizes” at which it is still convenient to aim at an object. This is due to the fact that the hand with which we point the VR joystick trembles and with a very small interactive object it becomes difficult to point the gun at it. Those. for convenience, even with the visible small size of the interactive object or its remote location from the character, there should be an “invisible” object wrapping this interactive object. This will allow you to increase the interaction zone without increasing or approximating the object itself, with which you can interact.

That is, in VR, as in the development of mobile interfaces, it is necessary to make a large transparent wrapper of a small interactive object interactive, rather than the object itself. In the design of mobile applications, this is the so-called bounding box. I tap on which the click on the “icon” or link is emulated. They often significantly exceed the actual size of the icons or text. Designers or front-end developers think through this so that the user is comfortable clicking on them while maintaining the visual aesthetics of the interface itself.

Fig. 1. Example of the interface to "thin" the elements of

Fig. 2. The interaction zone of the interactive “thin” element is highlighted by a cube with gray faces

Error # 2. Horizontal scrolling

Do not avoid, as on the web. Why doesn't horizontal scrolling work?
The average European person, as you know, reads from left to right from top to bottom. This means that the sequence of movement of the eye is approximately the same as that of the letter Z, when viewed briefly, it is similar to F. And with a large number of elements, viewing is most likely to be fluent. And the expected end of the eye movement, respectively, below. And the beginning of a new element is at the beginning of the line.

Fig. 3. Vertical scrolling. Just understand where to start viewing

. 4. Horizontal scrolling. You need to carefully monitor where was the last item reviewed

When we scroll horizontally - this forces us to follow the element that was the last. Those. when scrolling horizontally, we are forced to do the additional work of tracking the last element we saw so as not to miss new elements from the list we are viewing. This complicates the action of viewing items.

In vertical scrolling, we simply return to the beginning of the line and look at the portion of new elements.

In addition, many over the years of using the technique have developed patterns of interaction with lists, product cards, etc., which are worth sticking to in the virtual world, as they have proved their viability and convenience.

Mistake # 3.Interface elements behind the scope

I draw your attention to the fact that in some applications and games for VR there were interface elements beyond the scope. Not for nothing, the game or application first asks you to stand literally in a specific place so that the menu appears and the game moves on. This is also necessary so that the developers know for sure that all available controls are visible to the average user and further interaction with the game will not be difficult. It is worth following this and thoroughly testing everything.

Error # 4. The need to turn your head

As it becomes clear from the previous paragraph, it is also found that not all important functions are placed in the player’s field of view. There was a need to turn his head. Yes, during the game process, to provoke turning the player’s head is normal and even necessary. But, when the player is in the settings interface, not related to the game process, few people expect that you will need to turn your head. Few people want to turn their heads when they need to adjust the color scheme or brightness in the application. Because of this, the first negative associations with the application may occur. Therefore, you must again carefully test and monitor so that all important functions are visible on the screen.

Error # 5. Interactive elements do not respond

Why is the comparison with the web in the case of the interactive response? Because in VR there is also a “cursor” that you point at objects. To understand whether it is possible to interact with the object or not, there must be some response. For example, on the web, if you just hover over plain text, nothing will change on the screen, while if you hover over a link or some button, there will be either a color change or some other visual response that tells us that you can click on this item. The same should be in the interface of augmented and virtual reality. There are objects with which we can interact, and there are objects with which we cannot interact. And some should be distinguishable from others. In cases of augmented and virtual reality, there is much more opportunity to do this than on the web.And it’s worth using the available opportunities.

Also, in the case of VR and AR, the response, when hovering over an object, will help to better identify which object we will interact with now if there is no visible fly for any reason.

Error # 6. Flashing on the screen of interactive elements

Lingered on the element and only then it should be animated. On the web, from time to time, customers received a request to solve a problem related to the fact that elements with which you can interact, when you quickly move the mouse (and the user’s cursor often moves after the look for convenience) and their direct location next to each other, creates a cacophony of animation . Even if these animations are pleasing to the eye in a single case, in such large quantities, they begin to annoy. In the case of the web, this moment was decided by the fact that a small “delay” was added after which it was believed that the cursor was hovering over the interactive object. This delay was added only when there are several interactive objects located in series. For example, viewing product cards on a site.No one has ever added such a delay to a single link. In any case, a large number of moving objects activates the human nervous system and creates a slight feeling of stress, this should be used when you need such a reaction, and not when the user selects the brightness settings for a comfortable game.

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#7.

The web does not accept audio interaction effects, since it does not require such a great immersion in the atmosphere. Even more than that, always when you insert sound on a site, there must be a mute button. Sounds are also not welcome in mobile applications. they can be a strong irritant and sound at an uncomfortable moment.
In VR, you should add sounds. This greatly enhances the immersion of the user in the application or game. Add unobtrusive sounds of switching elements in the interface, clicking buttons. Sound is one of the most powerful ways for a person to receive information, therefore it is important for accepting the surrounding virtual world as the one we are in now. There is no absolute silence. Otherwise, total discomfort and desync will be felt with what is happening visually.

Sound is a very important way to immerse the user in an application or game. Properly using this method is important.

Unfortunately, I was not able to experiment with VR for a long time. Hope the above will be helpful.

A useful article on VR, much of which is still relevant:
A Practical Guide to VR Design

Errors in designing the VR interface, VR for interface designers