Guidelines on Successfully Porting Non-Immersive Games to Virtual Reality: A Case Study in Minecraft John Porter III Matthew Boyer Andrew Robb Clemson University Clemson University Clemson University Clemson, SC, USA Clemson, SC, USA Clemson, SC, USA
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ABSTRACT top 10 best seller list on the Steam marketplace after it was Virtual reality games have grown rapidly in popularity since released for pre-ordering. the first consumer VR head-mounted displays were released When porting a game to VR, one of the major challenges faced in 2016, however comparatively little research has explored by developers is adapting the controls of the non-immersive how this new medium impacts the experience of players. In game to work in the new immersive context. Several options this paper, we present a study exploring how user experience are open to developers. At the most basic level, developers can changes when playing Minecraft on the desktop and in im- change nothing and continue to allow users to play the game mersive virtual reality. Fourteen players completed six 45 using a keyboard or a gamepad. This method relies purely on minute sessions, three played on the desktop and three in VR. indirect input, as no aspect of the player’s bodily motion is The Gaming Experience Questionnaire, the i-Group presence used to interact with the game (expect for head motion). At the questionnaire, and the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire were most advanced level, developers can completely recreate the administered after each session, and players were interviewed controls to take full advantage of the motion controls afforded at the end of the experiment.