This week we had a few interesting playtesters.
The first of which was a group from UPMC’s research facility. We showed them a shortened version of the experience including answering a phone call at the start, three interactions in the living room and one doctor’s office.
That was the first time we tried the experience on six people at the same time. That showed us that we need to practice on how to ease people into a mobile VR experience, specifically since the controllers are not intuitive (the one button that is relevant does not feel like a button and all others will take you out of the experience) and there is no projection on a screen like other VR headsets.
We have devised the following instructions that we continue to playtest and improve:
- Center the experience for the player based on their orientation
- Ask the player to adjust the headphones and take them off after.
- Show player the controller explaining that the top button is the one to press and not to press the bottom two.
- Ask the player to put the headset on and ask if it feels okay. If not, tell them that you will adjust if for them.
- Give players the controller and instruct them to take their thumb all the way up (to the right button).
- Tell the player that you’re going to put the headphones on them. Put the headphones on,
- Ask them to click once (the experience will only start after one click).
Another thing to consider: ask players to sit further away from a desk since they might hit it.
These instructions do take time to go over so we will try and improve them and possibly make a version that can work in a group setting. Putting a headset on a person is a little bit of an intrusive process. Many times we don’t think about how we might make them uncomfortable for no reason.
The reactions from our UPMC guests were positive. They commented on placing the doctors on the other side of the desk and how that usually makes patients feel uncomfortable.
The second playtest was during playtest day. During which we learned again that it’s important to make our interactions simple. Players were a little older than our target group however they shared the same gaming experience (none). They liked it when the interaction was simple and hated it when it required more than one click.