• NEANIAS Space Research Community

Virtual Reality has once again emerged as a platform with great potential for exploratory research. An expectation for the next generation virtual reality platforms is to be used as a tool for graphical designers as a new way to access the virtual world and interact with digital content. Just as mobile applications are developed for smaller screens with touch capabilities and desktop applications for computer screens with the input of mouse and keyboard, the interfaces of VR applications need to be designed with the capabilities and limitations of the platform in mind. A common component in modern graphic editing software is layer management: having the final output of the application divided into sub-components. This thesis explores how layer management can best be implemented in room-scale Virtual Reality with a focus on selection, navigation and manipulation through an iterative design study. The study concludes that, to improve the learnability of a system, interactions should be based on real-world interaction for naturalistic tasks while drawing inspiration from desktop applications for more abstract tasks. Furthermore, the environment needs to be adjusted to the systems designated tasks as well as the physical characteristics of the user. Lastly, as previous studies have suggested, amplifying the movement of manipulated objects in relation to the movement of the controller decreases the required movement of the user, reducing fatigue and increasing the user’s reach. However, this amplification was perceived as a reduction in precision, which some users valued more than movement reduction. Therefore, the amplification factor should be adjusted in relation to the operation’s precision requirements. While directly applicable to layer management in VR, these findings could serve as guidelines for applications utilizing 2D content in a virtual environment, room-scale VR applications designed to perform abstract tasks, and productivity tools for Virtual Reality. Virtual Reality (VR) har på senare år sett ett uppsving både vad gäller teknisk utveckling och intresse hos konsumenter. Den nya generationens VR-plattformar har stor potential för utforskande studier både vad gäller användningsområden och interaktionsgränssnitt. En av förväntningarna är att VR ska kunna användas inom grafisk formgivning som ett verktyg för att tillgå- och interagera med digitalt innehåll på nya sätt. Precis som mobila applikationer är utvecklade för mindre touch-skärmar och PC-applikationer är designade för mus- och tangentbordsinteraktion med återkoppling genom en datorskärm så kommer gränssnitten för framtidens VR applikationer att vara utformade efter denna plattforms specifikationer. En vanlig komponent i dagens grafiska redigeringsprogramvaror är bildlagerhantering; att ha en bild eller bildruta uppdelad i mindre delar där varje del kan redigeras och påverkas som en separat enhet. Denna uppsats utforskar genom en iterativ designstudie hur bildlagerhantering kan implementeras i en VR miljö med fokus på navigation, val av objekt och manipulation av objekt. Studien visar att interaktionsgränssnitten som baseras på interaktioner med verkligheten och interaktion med traditionella PC applikationer för naturliga respektive abstrakta operationer gör interaktionerna lättare att lära sig och förstå. Förutom de uppgifter som systemet är ämnat att utföra bör även utformningen av den virtuella miljön ta hänsyn till de fysiska egenskaperna hos användaren. Som tidigare studier har visat så kan ett förstärkt utslag av manipulerade objekt i förhållande till kontrollen minska den rörelse som krävs av användaren för att utföra en uppgift och därigenom minska trötthet och öka användarens effektiva räckvidd. Denna förstärkning uppfattades dock som en reducering av precision, vilket vissa användare värdesatte mer än reducering av krävd rörelse. Därför ska förstärkningsgraden sättas i relation till den precision som krävs av varje operation. Studiens resultat är direkt applicerbara för lagerhantering i VR men kan också användas som riktlinjer för VR applikationer som hanterar 2D-innehåll i en 3D miljö samt VR applikationer med syfte att användas som produktivitetsverktyg. 

Virtual reality refers to interactive three-dimensional computer-generated simulations which are experienced multisensory. Virtual reality practises while has been discussed in the computer sciences since 1970's, has become more accessible to the public with the advances in technology in recent years. Special education field also benefits from these current developments, as the number of virtual learning environments developed for the persons with special needs increase each passing day. Solutions responding to different kind of needs for the individuals with special needs are developed with virtual learning environments. These applications can be used for the instruction of various academic, social, daily life, communication skills or supporting skills or for various types of supports. In the literature there are several research studies evaluating virtual learning environments developed for different kind of special needs groups including; autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, hearing impairments. Recent study discusses the opinions on virtual learning environments on the basis of literature. WOS: 000470062700009

The settlement on Nohash Patieme, Neptune Acquisitions Inc, created in the Pathfinder era by player DudeofNeptune, is not in and of itself unusual, but the surrounding landscape is. Abandoned after the Atlas Rises update, the planet is now toxic. The base is an intact tower but nearby are two unclaimed central base units within brief walking distance, something almost never seen in other areas throughout No Man's Sky's universe. Upon arrival, the base was invisible and then popped into view, as opposed to gradually appearing on the horizon as one approaches. Also, a rectangular plot of land seemed to be glitched, a textureless swatch of color on the landscape. This is the 13th site investigated as part of the No Man's Sky Archaeological Project by Andrew Reinhard. Videos, pictures, and site report accompany this site record.

Gemini Outpost on the planet Langley_83_Alpha (the name changed to Molshoy Hutoud in the Atlas Rises cataclysm) was created in the Pathfinder era by player SirDannyMacFinn. What remains is a classic set of ruins, which were abandoned by its creator, creating a textbook site for seeing the aftereffects of a major No Man's Sky software update. Atlas Rises not only buried the settlement under a hillside, but changed the climate and landscape from temperate and green to a hostile, snow-covered wasteland. The base exists in a ruined state, missing key components such as a central base unit, rooms, and connecting ladders and corridors (as evidenced from a 2017 archival photo). Three communication stations remain, one of which was placed by the builder stating that he used to live here but has since relocated to the new Galactic Hub in Hilbert. The landscape itself is glitched, and excavating allowed Andrew Reinhard to view the underbelly of paper-thin, procedurally created ground. Evidence also remains of Atlas Rises being an extinction-level event: Langley used to host 21 species of fauna, but now none remain. This is the 26th site investigated by Andrew Reinhard as part of the No Man's Sky Archaeological Project, which includes videos, photos, site report, and manifest of communication stations.

Abundance H.Q. was the 3rd base investigated by Andrew Reinhard for the No Man's Sky Archaeological Project. It is noteworthy for being the first glitched base to be documented levitating above the Atlas Rises-era planet's topography. Communication stations are both buried under bedrock out of reach, in topsoil, and suspended 5-20m above ground-level. The settlement is also the first to be documented relocating and rebuilding itself after player interference. The published site report was read by the base's architect, himshieland, who was able to add to the history of Abundance, complementing the archaeological record. The base was also temporarily missing because of a nearby squatter, something made possible by game mechanics in an early iteration of the Atlas Rises update.

Grand Castle of Hov v1 is one of KingJamesHova's earliest builds, created a little over two weeks after the Pathfinder update (March 8, 2017) enabled public base-sharing. The castle is quite large and elaborate when compared to other Legacy bases, taking over a minute to walk around and consisting of three levels topped by a dome. The base is oriented at the cardinal points of the compass with the main entry (and primary entrance to the encased base unit) to the south. A few communication stations ring the outside of the base's perimeter, and other stations lie in the distance. Comm station No. 9 is an hour's walk to the southwest just outside of an observatory complex. Its message, however, hints at the sole predatory animal on the moon, a creature which no longer seems to exist post-Atlas Rises. Roughly half of the comm stations were placed by Hub players, two of whom have built bases visited for the NMS Archaeogical Project (hollyworks and art-nik). In the case of art-nik, his comm station throws down the gauntlet of resistance to the Empire of Hova at Hova's own castle. Art-nik's base is the Bez-Harr Space Embassy where KingJamesHova built a monument with THEKINGSNAKE, whose comm station on New Athena pledges unity with Hova. Base on the dates of the comm balls and identified Waypoints, these pre-date the coming Harsh Buds War between the Galactic Hub and the Empire of Hova, and mark an escalation in tensions between the two Hub regions. Andrew Reinhard conducted his survey of New Athena on 23 May 2018 creating a site report and map while recording videos and images of the base, which was later completely destroyed by the No Man's Sky: NEXT update in August 2018.

Mr McDillard's Pad, the player base on what used to be called Marvel in the Pathfinder era (called Salatzeno-Ozy Arvire in Atlas Rises), occupies a commanding overlook onto the desert floor far below. It is the last base standing after the v1.3 update, completely abandoned and also completely intact. Two generic base units are elsewhere on the planet, marked with communications stations. It remains unclear (at least to me) where the other two bases went, and why Mr McDillard's Pad was the one to remain. Were the other two bases wiped out by v1.3, or were they disassembled or even migrated to a nearby system. Based on the physical evidence, it is impossible to tell what happened, although we know for sure that these bases were present once upon a time. This settlement is notable because it is one of the few where its architect chose to comment on the original site report published on archaeogaming.com. Mr McDillard wrote about his Pathfinder-era base: "As a quick info drop: This planet was once a lush, temperate, water-rich paradise. The vast ocean was dotted with large continental land masses, forming many island chains. High mountains climbed dramatically out of the deep oceans, creating a breathtaking landscape. "After the update, the planet was transformed into a harsh wasteland, but with equally beautiful geological formations. As you know, our bases were all wiped after the update, but we had the option to reload our bases if we were able to find a base computer. I was committed to keeping my original base on the original planet it had been established, even if the landscape had changed. I spent weeks trekking across the planet, until I happened upon a Base Computer atop the overlook where it stands today. I couldn't be happier with the new location, although I do still miss the oceans." The other thing to note about this base is that it was the one Andrew Reinhard chose to experiment with for photogrammetry and 3D printing, which was successful. This was the 23rd site visited as part of Reinhard's No Man's Sky Archaeological Project, and this record includes videos, images of the base past and present, a site report, plus an image of the 3D-printed base.

ButterBase 1.3, created by ButterForTheKing, one of the Galactic Hub's earliest settlers, was built post-Atlas Rises after the cataclysm wiped out his prior, Pathfinder-era base on a nearby planet in the same system, destroying his "Temple of the Sun". As a stopgap prior to moving to the new Galactic Hub, BFTK created a modest base on a lush world in his home system, ultimately leaving to join his community and leaving a farewell communication station to indicate as much. He recreated his temple in the new Hub, perhaps the first example of heritage reconstruction by a player in an open world video game. This is the 10th site visited by Andrew Reinhard for the No Man's Sky Archaeological Project, and includes current and archival photos, videos, synthetic text, and other evidence for the move to the new Hub.