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“Not in Kansas Anymore” Exploring Avatar-Player Dynamics Through a Wizard of Oz Approach in Virtual Reality

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality (HCII 2024)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 14706))

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Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) gaming has the potential to offer more immersive and realistic environments for players. Recent developments in VR technology and gaming have resulted in more advanced game controllers and the development of more nuanced games. Despite the vast potential behind VR games in enhancing the player experience, there is a lack of frameworks and methodologies that specifically address the player experience in opposition to the user experience. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop and assess a proof-of-concept technology based on a Wizard of Oz (WOz) methodology to evaluate the player experience in VR games. The WOz approach provides a tool for evaluating player-avatar interactions in the preliminary stages of VR game development. We present the WOz approach and an initial exploratory qualitative study in the present study. The study's results highlight the importance of technical aspects, interaction design, and authenticity in player-avatar interactions. The resource-efficient prototype enables practitioners and researchers to investigate different forms of player-avatar interactions in the preliminary stages of VR-game development. Avenues for further research to conduct experimental studies through the prototype are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This research was financially supported by the Centre of Excellent IT Education (EXCITED). The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Social Sciences, Nord University, Bodø, Norway

    Adam Palmquist, Chris Hart, Victor Manuel Perez Colado & Aedan Soellaart

  2. Department of Applied IT, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Adam Palmquist

  3. Faculty of Education and Arts, Nord University, Bodø, Norway

    Izabella Jedel

Authors
  1. Adam Palmquist
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  2. Izabella Jedel
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  3. Chris Hart
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  4. Victor Manuel Perez Colado
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  5. Aedan Soellaart
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adam Palmquist .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, MD, USA

    Jessie Y. C. Chen

  2. U.S. Army Combat Capabilities, Orlando, FL, USA

    Gino Fragomeni

Appendix 1.

Appendix 1.

Prerequisites

  • Unreal Engine 5

  • Two Windows 11 computers with the minimum specification requirements for development with Varjo XR3 and in Unreal Engine 5.

  • Movella Xsens MVN Awinda motion capture suit and recording and docking station (referred to as MoCap suit in this article)

  • Xsens MVN Animate software (referred to as MoCap software in this article)

  • Varjo XR-3 Mixed Reality Headset (referred to as VR Headset in this article)

  • Varjo Base software

  • Varjo OpenXR Plugin for Unreal

  • Two HTC SteamVR Base Station 2.0s (To ensure a smoother VR experience for the headset wearer)

  • SteamVR client software

  • iPhone X (the first iPhone generation compatible with ARKit) [referred to as ‘phone’ in this article]

  • Live Link Face app on the iPhone X

  • A head-mounted phone holder mounted to the real life actor’s head, with the iPhone’s front-facing camera facing the wearer.

  • Router (5Ghz WiFi preferred over 2.4Ghz for faster communication speed between the phone and two computers)

  • Two noise-cancelling wireless headphones with microphones

Step 1 - Set up the virtual environment

  1. 1.

    Download the Epic Games Launcher

  2. 2.

    Install Unreal Engine Version 5.0.0 (version 5.0.0 is the earliest supported by the Varjo OpenXR plugin.)

  3. 3.

    Launch the installed Engine Version. Select the category Games, and the project template Virtual Reality, choose a project location on the disk drive and click Create.

  4. 4.

    Build a virtual environment in-engine tools such as Quixel Bridge so that the scene contains 3D objects that are to human scale, such as foliage on a flat ground, so the user with the VR headset can orient themselves easier.

  5. 5.

    Add a Player Start Actor in the centre of the scene, positioned approximately 2 m above the flat ground.

Step 2 - Set up VR

  1. 1.

    Mount the two base stations diagonally, at opposite corners of your space, 2 or more metres from the floor, both at least 0.5m away from the VR headset user.

  2. 2.

    On the computer, install the Varjo Base application

  3. 3.

    Download and Enable the Varjo OpenXR plugin from the Unreal Marketplace

  4. 4.

    Install and Launch SteamVR so it is running in the background.

  5. 5.

    In the Unreal Engine project, disable OculusVR and SteamVR plugins, leaving only OpenXR switched On.

Step 3 - Set up character

  1. 1.

    Download an Unreal MetaHuman as a base.

  2. 2.

    Download a 3D character asset with bones and rigging. In our case: a robot character inspired by the AI character from Ex Machina.

  3. 3.

    Retarget the chosen character onto the Unreal MetaHuman skeleton. Make sure the character is set up with a set of blend shapes that match the facial blend shapes produced by ARKit's facial recognition.

Step 4 - Set up motion capture

  1. 1.

    Attach all 17 XSens points to the actor in the required spots on the body.

  2. 2.

    Launch Xsens MVN Animate software.

Step 5 - Set up facial capture

  1. 1.

    Connect the iPhone and the computers to the same WiFi network.

  2. 2.

    Install Live Link Face by the creator Unreal Engine from the Apple App Store.

  3. 3.

    In the Unreal Engine project, activate the Apple ARKit, Apple ARKit Face Support and Live Link plugins.

  4. 4.

    Launch the Live Link Face app.

  5. 5.

    Choose Live Link (ARKit).

  6. 6.

    Identify the IPv4 addresses of both computers and put both addresses into the app’s two Target fields.

Step 6 - Connect both computers to each other

  1. 1.

    Using the local IPv4 addresses, connect the two computers via LAN.

Step 7 - Run the project in-engine on both computers

  1. 1.

    Make sure the Unreal Engine project has finished compiling all shaders to ensure a smoother experience.

  2. 2.

    In the computer connected to the VR headset, Select VR Preview play mode and click Play to see the scene inside the headset. The other computer can remain out of Play mode, just with the editor open.

  3. 3.

    In the editor during play, adjust the height of the VR user’s actor to be more accurate to their real life distance to the ground.

Step 8 - Set up a Call Between the User and the Actor. Place noise-cancelling wireless headphones with microphones on both the actor and the VR headset user. Using external devices like two smartphones, connect the headphones respectively and set up a voice call between them.

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Palmquist, A., Jedel, I., Hart, C., Perez Colado, V.M., Soellaart, A. (2024). “Not in Kansas Anymore” Exploring Avatar-Player Dynamics Through a Wizard of Oz Approach in Virtual Reality. In: Chen, J.Y.C., Fragomeni, G. (eds) Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality. HCII 2024. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14706. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61041-7_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61041-7_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-61040-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-61041-7

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