A Methodology of Design For Virtual Environments Clive

A Methodology of Design For Virtual Environments Clive Fencott Sp. IDERStudio School of Computing University of Teesside Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Introduction • Methodology – Particularly content modelling – Integration • Problems and further research • Sp. IDERStudio • Strange Agency Limited Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Me • • • Idle waster Poet and performance artist Formal Methods Integration research Virtual Environment Theory Entrepreneur Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

What is the problem? • Designing VEs is difficult and time consuming • Have to reconcile engineering and aesthetics • Need methods and tools • That’s why we’re here … Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

What is a Method? • • An underlying model A language A process model Heuristics (Kronlof, 1993) Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

A VE Process Model Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

What Underlying Model? • Turing Machines, Lambda Calculus not expressive enough • Interaction Machines • Semiotics Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Semiotics • The study of how people find meaning in the world around them • Signs made up of: – Signifier – Signified • Huge body of theory built up from this basic insight Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Semiotically Closed Interaction Machines Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

What Language do we use? • UML on the engineering side • Can Semiotics help us on the aesthetic side? • Yes, but it needs to be adapted for interaction • Do they work together? Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

• A chair looks like a chair: Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Interactive Content • but it might also be: – Something to stand on – Something to fight with – Something to buy and sell – A symbol of status, a throne for instance • The meaning paradox: – A chair doesn’t function as a chair – It does function as interactive content Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Content Modelling • Theories of: – The meanings people make of interactive content – The types of responses they make as a result • Has to be: – Multi-levelled – Multi-faceted Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

VE Aesthetics • Agency – Intention – Perceivable Consequence • • Narrative Potential Co-presence Transformation Presence Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

The Problem with Agency Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

• Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Perceptual Opportunities Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Method Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Now and Future • Object Aesthetics – POs as OO attributes of content code • Agency at the heart of all VR – Tools don’t support the design of agency – Most tools make implementing agency very difficult at best Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Sp. IDERS • Semiosphere: Interactive Digital Environment Research Studio • Semiosphere: – An ecology of meaning in which differing languages and media interact • Yuri Lotman, a Russian semiotician • Semiotics: – The study of how humans make meaning out of the world around them Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

What is Sp. IDERS? • An interdisciplinary team of computer scientists, experimental psychologists and artists and designers • Conduct research into theories of interactive content • Experimental verification of theories • Practical research into the nature of interactive media applications • Particularly computer games Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Ethos • There are many ways of investigating the world: – Empirical science – Qualitative methods – Art practice and other humanities based approaches – And so on • They are all of use Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Experiments • Predictive content modelling – Genre theory, aesthetics, perceptual opportunities, the semiotics of interaction • Unrealisms • Specialised experimental methods: – Mood and presence – patterns of choice • VR as object of study Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Methodology • Specialist technology, e. g. . Eye-tracker: – To correlate focus of attention with observed behaviour Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Applications Research • VR as subject of study • People with Dementia (PWD): – The use of Virtual Reality to help PWDs learn new environments • Computer Games for exercise: – Games that respond to exercise bikes etc. • Computer Games and Older Adults Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

• University Spin-out company • Proof of Content: – The analysis of computer games before they are playable Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

Conclusions • Interactive content a major field for research and commercialisation • Content modelling way behind the technology of interactive content • We are still only at the beginning: – Even computer games are in their infancy Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs

• “A Methodology of Design for Virtual Environments” • In: “Developing Future Interactive Systems” • Ed. Sanchez-Segura • Idea Group • 2005 Clive Fencott, A Methodology of Design for VEs