Workshop Web VR As Explorable {WorkshopWebVRAsExplorable}

Initial result : minimal narrative with direct result to explore and boundaries.

Issues following the 1st attempt (13 February 2017)

• text, even if illustrated, seems not to be engaging enough
  • lot of skimming then unable to figure out the "next" step e.g. end of the page and moving to another one
• gap between interaction visuals and code
  • could make exercises that modify the code visually that also modifies the visual result
  • https://pumpula.net/foolproof-html
• unable to directly manipulate visuals
• mostly interesting for non developers
  • see potentially Object.getOwnPropertyNames(AFRAME) below
• difficulty with assets
  • cf http://learnwebvr.xyz/upload/ as potential solution

See also Object.getOwnPropertyNames(AFRAME)

Note that Object.getOwnPropertyNames(AFRAME) is not interactive for now. It could be changed by e.g. looking at a component enables it on the last selected entity.

Know issues

• impossible save so trying in VR on another device (e.g. Cardboard) will not work with the new values
• impossible to drag the object around (could be done via the Inspector but then hides the narrative) and see the slider be updated accordingly

Motivation as a tweet https://twitter.com/utopiah/status/829256814780874757

Using own past work

• https://vrlab-brussels.info/wiki/HackLeague/Challenge1
• WorkshopICONOctober2016
• PotentialImprovements
• VRHackatonUtrecht2016#VRInceptionSchool
• Landscape of concepts (existing demo)
• Principle
• modified inspector with inspector and code saving
• In VR scene selection and path debugging presented during ViveDevBXLSession1

and "explorable" movement

• @explorables
• @algoritmic
• https://conceptviz.github.io
• http://explorableexplanations.com
• /r/explorables/

to make a WebVR explorable

• with VR controllers
  • via 2D widgets with visible parameters https://github.com/mflux/aframe-datguivr
  • via 3D widgets https://github.com/caseyyee/aframe-ui-widgets/
  • via direct object manipulations https://github.com/wmurphyrd/aframe-super-hands-component

as workshop material.

Potential solutions

• In VR scene selection and path debugging presented during ViveDevBXLSession1
• grabbable box with editable coordinates displayed and constantly updated
  • visually distinct spaces the box can be moved in
  • lot less intuitive without room scale controllers
  • difference with the position exercise of VR Inception School?
• navigate in a landscape of concepts (cf Tweet), gather concepts in a backpack as reusables items
• escape room

Criteria, what makes an explorable an explorable

• guided pedagogical result?
• controllers giving the ability to explore beyond the expected outcome?
• visual result?

See instead http://worrydream.com/MediaForThinkingTheUnthinkable/ :

• showing the behavior of a system
• seeing all variables at once
• multiple representations for the same behavior
• directly interacting with behavior

Own need to better learn about explorables

• VR curriculum oriented explorables
  • e.g. geometry, linear algebra, ECS pattern, etc

See also

• https://vatelier.benetou.fr/MyDemo/VRInteractionWorkshop/ done Thomas' workshop at MIT Media Lab