Category: LookingOutwards-05

What I like the most about Lucid Trips is how the game takes advantage of the VR’s hand-tracking abilities to sync with its movement. In an ideal world, VR experiences can be experienced in an infinite space where you’re free to walk around — but that’s obviously not the case for most people. Lucid Trips simulates an “underwater feel” and makes the primary movements be directed by the player’s upper body gestures. Contrasting with VR experiences that relies on body movement or input controls, I believe this creates a more immersive experience because of its clever design.

This is a VR experience in which viewers can experience what its like to be inside Modigliani’s 1919 studio at the Tate. I was really impressed by the amount of historical accuracy this project tried to achieve. For example they tried to get the exact texture of his actual paintings, so they had someone do forensic analysis to determine the exact type of paint was used and to get the correct topography on the painting based upon the way the canvas was stretched. I also think using the concept of VR to help understand the past or another person’s though process is really interesting. When I watched the video, I felt like I could understand why he made his color choices.

The pieces depicted in this video are actually 2D photographs and works by the artist Sarah Meyohas. The photographs are taken from the artist’s Speculations series and depict infinite reflections composed of mirrors and an array of props such as flowers, rope, and the artist’s body.

I thought it was interesting that this piece was in the VR playlist since it doesn’t involve any VR. The appearance of the 2D images does suggest a 3D environment that can be explored by walking through and zooming in. When I imagine these photographs as 3D environments, they have a quiet, thoughtful, surreal quality that I like.

https://wassermanprojects.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Fall2018_Release_FINAL.pdf

I’m really fascinated in Tilt Brush, where users are able to create amazing VR sculptures and spaces that come to life before your eyes. I think this project takes visualizing a project to a whole another level, where one is able to view exactly what the prototype looks like in the VR setting and can assist in a more accurate and refined way of creating VR work. I really enjoy the simulation of sculpting from hand, as I think there are times when the interface of programs such as Unity contain setbacks in having the user fully acknowledge a 3d-modeling experience. With Tilt Brush, many users regardless of background will be able to construct in 3D  in a more natural way and simulates enhanced real-life modeling.

I also found this project to be special and interesting in the way an emotional story could be told through VR by rendering 3D characters solely through lines which enhance the effect of memories and flashbacks. I really enjoy the artistic direction and risk-taking element of capturing a narrative with beautiful and delicate people that are abstracted through lines; sometimes more expression can be done with less, and in this case, a face of beautiful lines can be more expressive than a realistically rendered face.

In this project, by speaking or singing, you produce objects that fly outward from your mouth. This is entertaining in the context of the pandemic as a visualization of possibly disease-carrying objects flying towards others from your mouth. Otherwise, I think it is a nice investigation into the power of speech, singing, and the voice. It’s kind of like the abracadabra thing—speaking things into existence. It also reminds me of what I was thinking about before with sweetmail: the idea that saying the words “I love you” is vastly different than typing them. Perhaps this is a hyperbole of that act of speaking.

This project is called Notes on Blindness. I chose this project because it demonstrates how VR can provide a new perspective to people who have not considered other points of view. In this case, the visualization of sound and the experience of it when one is blind is extremely profound. What I like about this project is that it puts a keyhole in front of the reality of non-blind people. What is interesting is that by seeing less, you see more, which is really powerful. One part of the project that I really enjoy is the visual take on the human voice and how it fills a virtual space differently than footsteps, for example.

Coco is definitely one of my top 3 movie that I cried my eyes out in the movie theatre (when that was a thing :”’/ ). I find the beauty of VR in creating this virtual space that you have imagined to be in and to be with the characters that you love. Just imagine having this virtual space to be in when you don’t feel like yourself or you need some of those positive energy from your favorite fictional characters. I think this would be great for mental health when its usage has an appropriate limitation because I do see the potential of people getting addicted and never wanting to get out of this virtual reality. But I am really debating if I should get a VR headset now!

The video I choose is a music video by Beatie Wolfe of her single “As You”. The video takes on youtube’s format for VR videos and you can navigate in any direction you want as the video plays. The scenes change and you can explore the transforming landscapes. I’m familiar with the youtube’s VR format, but previously I haven’t been a fan of the interaction. There’s no zoom button, so the user is stuck moving left to right and it’s difficult to get a picture of the entire scene. Wolfe’s video was beautiful and I really enjoyed this one scene where the constellations move to the rhythm of the music. I like how they kept the visuals simple, so the VR can really shine. This helped convince me that there is a way for youtube VR videos to look amazing and I also want to see if there’s better ways of implementing this.