Immersive Worlds: Involving Players in the Process of VR Game Development
Observations from Beryl Wang, Theme Entertainment Creative Designer and Researcher, on the trends and practices of how to better conduct testing in VR gaming and entertainment.
Over the past few years, VR has found widespread applications in the entertainment industry. Despite the ups and downs of VR adoption across various sectors, gaming and entertainment have consistently remained key areas of focus. The release of Meta Quest 3 (2023) and later Apple Vision Pro (2024) has once again brought VR/AR/MR technologies back into the public spotlight.
VR games such as the VRChat and Beat Saber have been featured in various VR arcades and events, allowing players to engage in competition, rhythm-based actions, or socialize in virtual reality. Vader Immortal offers Star Wars fans the opportunity to wield a lightsaber in immersive combat scenarios.
Motion-based interactions make VR gaming more dynamic. When combined with full-body tracking devices, games like Half-Life: Alyx provide deeply immersive gameplay experiences.
Beyond gaming and film, VR has gradually expanded into Location-Based Entertainment (LBE). Multiplayer VR gaming spaces have emerged in multiple locations across the U.S. In December 2017, Disney World in Orlando launched The VOID, a themed VR attraction in Disney Springs. Similarly, Universal Studios Japan introduced a VR ride based on Attack on Titan in 2022.
From VR Game: The Void
How to conduct user testing for VR games？
In VR game development, user testing plays a critical role in ensuring product quality and a positive user experience. During my thesis project, Utgard Castle: How Interactive Design Connects the Queue to a Location-Based VR Simulator, I gained valuable insights from testing products with users. For traditional UX design, the process involved developing the virtual space from a basic white model to a high-fidelity prototype, conducting focus groups, A/B testing, and gathering feedback through questionnaires. However, VR user testing requires special attention to certain unique factors that set it apart from conventional testing on PC or mobile screens.
1. Consider spatial factors to ensure safety and prevent disruptions
In VR, users can rotate their heads and move in multiple directions, as well as walk within a limited space. Before testing, testers should wear the goggles to ensure there are no obstacles within the testing area and that everything is safe.
During testing, facilitators must closely observe the participants. If any potential hazards arise, researchers or designers should promptly remind the participants.
For example, in VR combat games, users may become so immersed in the fight that they lose awareness of their physical boundaries. This can lead to accidental collisions with objects such as tables and walls, resulting in injuries. Additionally, stepping outside the designated play area can cause certain features to malfunction, or the designed flow can be interrupted.
2. Provide initial interaction guidance to ensure user readiness
Before starting VR testing, users need assistance in putting on the goggles and adjusting the focal distance. Since many people lack experience with VR devices, they require guidance to enter an optimal testing state. While this may not be the primary focus of the test, it significantly affects efficiency and usability outcomes.
For most participants, VR testing is their first encounter with a new medium. VR designers often introduce novel interaction methods and movement mechanics. Even when using standard controllers, users may need to learn the function of each button from scratch.
It is essential to allocate time for an adaptation phase or a prototype stage. For instance, Painting VR allows users to paint in virtual space using controllers, helping them gradually adjust to the interaction style. But even when playing the mature game, people learn for 5 minutes from the tutorials.
3. Prioritize user comfort to ensure a safe and positive VR experience
Due to technological limitations, VR products still present various comfort-related challenges, such as image latency, motion sickness, device weight, and cable management issues. However, these factors may vary from person to person, making it necessary to analyze their impact across different user types. When recruiting and analyzing the results, researchers need to consider demographic factors including age, gender, physical ability, and health conditions.
During testing, user comfort should be carefully monitored. Facilitators should encourage participants to stop the test, if they feel excessive discomfort to ensure a safe and positive experience.
4. Capturing multiple layers of information requires a collaborative team effort
In VR environments, participants need to account for physical actions such as hand movements, body positioning, and facial expressions, which can all give insights that affect game design. These interactions require more careful tracking compared to the static input methods on 2D platforms.
The use of controllers or motion sensors for interaction in VR also introduces additional variables, including gestures and spatial navigation, which can influence how users engage with the content.
When doing VR tests, you need to cast the view in VR goggles on a screen for team observation and data record. The team is required to compare what the user sees and their reaction in real life to conclude their information.
Attention span also varies, as the immersive nature of VR can either increase or decrease user's focus on specific tasks. As a result, VR testing requires a larger support team to monitor multiple aspects of the experience.
VR gives users exciting ways to game and socialize, providing immersive experiences and higher quality content. User testing in VR is essential for ensuring the quality and effectiveness of these experiences, but it requires a more user-centric and comprehensive approach, with careful monitoring of both physical and virtual user behaviors. As the VR technologies continue to mature, it’s crucial for gaming studios to actively involve users in early stages of game testing and adapt to the distinct needs of this immersive medium.
Author: Beryl Wang
Editor: Suchen Huang
