Sharing multi-user VR spaces

Abstract

In shared virtual reality (VR) spaces, users can appear and disappear without transitions, in a pop-in, pop-out style. This solution to entry and exit might be an acceptable solution for certain settings, but produces uncertainty in more intimate settings. Our research explores alternate entry and exit paradigms for shared VR spaces. Based on anthropological studies of entry and exit rituals in physical homes, we created a user journey map for entry and exit that differentiates the roles of host and guest in the shared VR space. We iteratively developed Unity prototypes that allowed a "host'' to invite a "guest'' into their virtual space, engage them in simple interactions, and invite the guest to depart. We define exvitation as a critical stage in the guest's departure - a social permission for a guest to depart the host's home. We identify exvitation prompts that were salient to our users and report of how these prompts were received by participants in our playtests. Future work on our user journey map as well as our exvitation prompts can aid in the expansion of playful experiences possible in VR.