VR's Impact on Global Events & Summits
Virtual Reality (VR) is reshaping event engagement with online communities, making participation more accessible and content more immersive.
VR immerses us in 3D environments, creating a common reality that we share with others. It's like stepping into the internet, as we navigate and interact within digital realms.
Here, profiles become avatars. We virtually embody an avatar of our choosing, whether that's a realistic and life-like representation, a character we design, or a color of our liking. This avatar in some ways will affect how you interact with others in the virtual world and how they see you through your digital persona.
VR hardware is evolving to improve movement capture, introducing nuanced gestures with head and hand tracking with controllers. Headsets capture body language often missed and lacking on digital screens.
In the realm of VR, Social VR platforms are designed to host virtual communities, much like a social media platform, where the "content" includes people, their virtual presence, as well as 3D artifacts, such as worlds, assets, and interactives.
Some platforms include public spaces, while others enable businesses and creators to host and manage their own virtual domains, or offer both options.
Spatial Networking is at the core of these social immersive platforms, driving community dynamics, enabling active communication, and content sharing. It breathes life into public spaces, nurturing engagement, interaction, and fostering community connections.
Online events can become more than just webinars or conferences; they can be immersive experiences that foster genuine connections, shared adventures, and collaborative endeavors.
Together, we have the opportunity to break through the digital window, creating a more immersive and connected digital world.
Removing Geographical Constraints
Traditional events often hinge on geographical limitations, forcing attendees to travel. VR removes this obstacle, enabling participation from anywhere globally with a compatible device and an internet connection.
Global Synchronization
In the online world, events happen in real-time, without being restricted by different time zones. This means people from all over the world can participate at the same time.
Unlike traditional on-site events that typically last for just a few days, digital events often extend their accessibility over more extended periods, spanning a week or even a month.
Balancing Live & On Demand Content:
Virtual events provide the best of both worlds, offering on-demand convenience and live excitement. Strike the right balance for an engaging online experience.
Live Moments: Virtual events often feature on-site speakers or artists engaging with the audience in real-time.
On-Demand Convenience: On-demand resources cater to attendees' schedules, ensuring accessibility and flexibility.
Enhancing Inclusivity
Access knows no boundaries in the realm of immersive reality. It allows remote participation, leveling the playing field for global communities.
This inclusivity broadens the reach to underserved audiences, creating a more equitable and accessible event experience in the digital realm.
Tailoring the Experience
Inclusivity goes beyond access; it's about creating a diverse and engaging experience for all participants. This involves considering various player levels and immersion in VR, offering clear guidepoints, tutorials, and different levels of information to accommodate both novices and experienced users.
Furthermore, the experience should cater to various group sizes, encompassing both large gatherings and intimate meetings. It should also captivate individual participants visually.
To enhance accessibility for participants from diverse linguistic backgrounds, consider using visual cues and international symbols.
Customizing Events for Diverse Audiences:
Large Gatherings: Prioritize scalability for extensive virtual events. Make sure the the platform can handle numerous attendees and multiple instances, including live speakers, with adjustable interactive features, reliable communication tools, and dynamic content sharing.
Small Meetings: Create an immersive atmosphere for intimate virtual gatherings, emphasizing on direct communication, movement, and cozy nooks to foster a sense of togetherness among participants.
Individual Engagement: Let participants explore the virtual environment at their own pace, engage with preferred content, and activate specific features as needed.
Collaboration and Interactives
Create online experiences that encourage socialization. Design virtual environments with clear paths and elements that require multiple participants to collaborate and interact. This could include team-based activities, group challenges, or shared objectives.
Shared Adventures
In these virtual worlds, users are not just spectators; they become active visitors with agency. They have the freedom to explore, interact, and shape their experiences, allowing for a more immersive and engaging form of participation.
These environments provide opportunities for community-building, encouraging discussions, shared experiences, and collaborative projects.
Create shared narratives where participants can work together to achieve common goals, fostering a sense of camaraderie and teamwork in these spaces.
Collaborative Engagement in Virtual Reality:
Simulations: Realistic scenarios that participants navigate and problem-solve collectively.
Treasure Hunt Format: Individuals or groups set out to find items to unlock or complete the story.
Team Exercise: Such as photography, where participants observe and document what they notice in the virtual world.
Interactive Brainstorm: With an abundance of colored pens, sticky notes, or 3D assets to move and combine in surprising ways.
World Hopping: The ability for attendees to virtually travel between different virtual environments, expanding their horizons and experiences.
Virtual Recreation of Real Places
In the digital world, VR has the capability to recreate renowned or hard-to-reach locations within a virtual setting. This feature can draw global audiences who seek to explore these spaces without the necessity of physical travel.
Educational & Cultural Opportunities
This feature extends far beyond the realm of mere virtual tourism; it opens doors to a wealth of educational and cultural opportunities.
VR allows us to not only virtually visit these places but also integrate elements that make each location and its historic markings special, enhancing the depth of our exploration and understanding.
This unique potential can be a game-changer for education, cultural preservation, and immersive storytelling.
Exploring some creative applications:
Material and Texture Integration: In VR experiences, carefully select materials and textures that evoke the historic essence of a site, allowing participants to connect with its heritage through tactile sensations and visual cues.
Archetypal Landmarks: Incorporate well-known architectural or natural landmarks within virtual recreations, offering users familiar reference points that enhance their sense of presence and recognition.
Interactive Historical Elements: Engage participants by integrating interactive elements that represent historical significance or cultural practices, allowing them to immerse themselves in the rich traditions and narratives of the virtual location.
Conclusion
As we continue to embrace virtual reality, we open doors to new opportunities for inclusive participation and global connections, ultimately contributing to a more interconnected world.
May, 2019
*Visuals updated in 2023 with input from Midjourney.