Interactive Virtual Reality Touring System: A Case Study of Shulin Ji'an Temple in Taiwan

Abstract

Most current tour guiding methods for Taiwanese temples employ graphic webpage frameworks combined with captioned pictures for introduction. This type of tour guiding lacks interactive presence. In addition, the audience may not be able to focus on browsing webpages or learn essential information from the introduction. This study adopted the Delphi method to evaluate the current developed system. This system was aimed at designing VR-based interaction that differs from conventional tour guiding methods to aid users in viewing the display space from their viewpoints. Users cannot only control camera view angles but also select the paths and guiding information as if they were walking in the temple. The analysis results revealed that, in general, the users perceived VR tour guiding as convenient and easy to use. The display and content of the tour guiding system presented clear information to the users, aiding them in gaining further understanding of the introduced item. Finally, the study results can serve as a reference for design research on VR applications in tour guiding.