Episode 9: LOCO-motion!

(Watch on Youtube)

Smooth or Teleport? Armswing or Joystick? These are some of the most contentious questions in the VR community, but as developers we have to know how to design content that works for all players. Listen in to hear how game developers think about how you move in VR!

Timestamps:

• 01:09 – Why do we need both Teleport and Smooth Locomotion?

• 05:26 – Exceptions to the rule

• 10:20 – Challenges of Teleport Locomotion

• 13:15 – Feature Idea: Edge-Aligned Teleport

• 18:10 – Challenges of Smooth Locomotion

• 30:06 – Designing for Both Methods

Things we mention:

• Futurama S2 E15

• Devin Reimer on Job Simulator’s dynamic space resizing

• Hybrid Locomotion – a really cool headbob-driven locomotion demo

Games we mention:

• Lone Echo

• FREEDIVER: Triton Down

• Tea For God

• Unseen Diplomacy 

• ARKTIKA.1

• Trover Saves the Universe 

• Owlchemy Labs games (Job Simulator, Vacation Simulator, Rick and Morty VR)

• Robo Recall

• STRIDE

• GORN

• Walking Dead: Onslaught

• Until You Fall

• Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners

• L.A. Noire

• VR Chat

• Moss

• Holoception

• Lies Beneath

• Westworld: Awakening

• Half Life: Alyx

• Space Pirate Trainer

Music:

Furious Freak by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3791-furious-freak

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Inspired by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Seriously, check out Hybrid Locomotion. The guy behind it is a total beast, pumping out lots of cool videos and demos. I’m not sure I agree 100% with his design paradigms, but there are great lessons to be taken from his innovative mechanics.