Virtual Reality (VR)

Virtual Reality (VR) refers to experiences which fully immerse a user in a virtual environment. The extent to which the user may engage with this virtual environment can vary, and determining this can be a useful starting point in preservation planning:

• In a fixed-position experience (3DoF - rotational tracking only), the user views the virtual environment from fixed position.

• In an on-rails experience (3DoF - rotational tracking only), the user is moved through the virtual environment along a predetermined path.

• In a fully interactive experience (6DoF - rotation and positional tracking), a user can move freely through the virtual environment.

Within these three types, there may be a varying level of interactivity with elements on the virtual environment depending on the way in which the VR content has been produced. 360 video content is typically not interactive or dynamic (the video frames are predetermined when it is authored) while real-time 3D software may have interactive or dynamic elements (the video frames are generated on the fly at the runtime).

Creating Virtual Reality Content

There are two primary types of VR content: 360 video and real-time 3D software.

For VR content which makes use of real-time 3D rendering, existing software framework and tools are typically used as a starting point. Development for desktop or mobile applications is typically using a game engine. Other approaches include web frameworks like Three.js and A-Frame.

For 360 video,

Common VR Components

Accessing VR content is contingent on a set of interconnected off-the-shelf hardware and software components - a VR system. This will typically consist of:

• Head-mounted display or other display device

• Tracking system

• Controller

• Computer system

• Software environment consisting of off-the-shelf software including:

  • Operating system

  • XR runtime

  • Drivers

Virtual Reality Preservation Resources

• Campbell, S. (2017). A Rift in our Practices, Toward Preserving Virtual Reality [Master’s Thesis, New York University]. https://miap.hosting.nyu.edu/program/student_work/2017spring/17s_thesis_Campbell_y.pdf

• Campbell, S., & Hellar, M. (n.d.). From Immersion to Acquisition: An Overview Of Virtual Reality For Time Based Media Conservators. Electronic Media Review, Six: 2019-2020. Retrieved October 7, 2021, from https://resources.culturalheritage.org/emg-review/volume-6-2019-2020/campbell/

• Cranmer, C. (2017). Preserving the emerging: virtual reality and 360-degree video, an internship research report. Undefined. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Preserving-the-emerging%3A-virtual-reality-and-video%2C-Cranmer/1a11eea6b2a6c095f370180bf1ec153944e32e54

• Ensom, T., & McConchie, J. (2021). Preserving Virtual Reality Artworks. Tate. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5274102

• LIMA (2021). A Practical Research into Preservation Strategies for VR artworks on the basis of Justin Zijlstra’s 100 Jaar Vrouwenkiesrecht. URL: https://www.li-ma.nl/lima/article/preserving-vr-artworks

• Google. Google VR: Fundamental Concepts. URL: https://developers.google.com/vr/discover/fundamentals

• Brown CSCI1951S. VR Software Wiki. URL: https://sites.google.com/view/brown-vr-sw-review-2018/home