Should we consider to use Drag Mode to navigate interactive VR images in the future?
Traditionally, interactive VR images have been shown in a way that the mouse was used to point the direction that you want to spin around, just look at any interactive QTVR image shown here at ivrpa.org as an example.
Google Streetview introduced the drag mode in witch basically the user drags the image to spin it around. This is the opposite behavior to the way we are used too.
The problem is that "We", the 360º immersive images experts are a rare breed in the world, the other 99,9% of the people that we want to show our images too doesn't have a clue what to do with this interface, hence Google decision to stick with a more basic drag mode instead.
The question is this, what should we do in the future?
Stick with the way we have been doing and love or consider the shortcomings of our audience and embrace the drag mode style?
Today a thread was started on the WWP mail list about this same issue and I think the IVRPA members should discuss this too and decide what we should do in the future about this matter.
I would like to know your opinion on this matter, but please consider what is best for our audience, not only to you!
- Carlos Chegado's blog
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Re: Should we consider to use Drag Mode to navigate interactive
Submitted by cheathamlane on Fri, 2009-07-03 00:05.Hey Carlos:
I think the "natural" way which QTVR & all the Flash based viewers handle the panning is more user-friendly and intuitive than (for example) Google's street view. I think Google's street view comes from the approach that it is a flat image you are scrolling across the view, rather than an "immersive" image in which you spin your head around.
Just because Google does it does not mean it's the best way to do it.
* edit: but, the new surface mapping thing they've done is really cool! check out street view and watch the plane-sensitive hotspot/cursor...
Patrick Cheatham
--
CheathamLane
PanoSalado (open source Flash pano viewer)
Berkeley, California
Re: Should we consider to use Drag Mode to navigate interactive
Submitted by Carlos Chegado on Fri, 2009-07-03 10:02.Thanks Patrick,
I am not advocating the Drag Mode just because Google does use it!
I just think we should discuss it and decide based on the most effective and successful way for us to reach the massive number of users that we target with our images.
Maybe the IVRPA could sponsor a study about the best practices for interactive VR interfaces, something based on facts, not just what I, you or my friends like best.
Carlos Chegado
IVRPA Director
www.carloschegado.com
Re: Should we consider to use Drag Mode to navigate interactive
Submitted by Clay on Mon, 2009-07-06 19:57.Coming from the CAD training world, I actually prefer the Street View method, but find that I easily adjust.
One of my students compared it this way: Street View is like stabbing a piece of paper with an ice pick, QTVR is like steering a car. I agree with Carlos, our gut feelings don't matter. Without a scientific Human Engineering study, who can say which is more natural?
Bottom line... its like HD DVD and Blu-Ray; the winner (if there is one), will be the one with more exposure, and that's probably going to be Google.
Clay Morehead
Re: Should we consider to use Drag Mode to navigate interactive
Submitted by cheathamlane on Mon, 2009-07-06 20:00.The icepick vs. car visual is a good one. :)
Maybe the IVRPA should actually reach out to Google? It might be worth hearing why they chose their method over the method that's been the "norm" for 10+ years (a la QTVR, etc). I believe Ken Turkowski is an IVRPA member... Not sure if he's still at Google or not.
Patrick Cheatham
--
CheathamLane
PanoSalado
Berkeley, California
Re: Should we consider to use Drag Mode to navigate interactive
Submitted by aaronspence on Tue, 2009-07-07 01:26.I suspect Google have chosen their method purely for consistency with the maps. ie you interact with a panorama and maps in streetview. It makes sense they both work the same way. This dawned on me a year or so ago when I was using our pano/map stuff at http://pano.panedia.com and found myself grabbing the map or pano and pulling it the wrong way... as standard panorama interaction & google maps work in an opposite manner. The moment I did that... I got why google had reversed the standard for viewing their panoramas.
Having said that I still don't like their method, particularly the way you have to grab and move the pano 10+ times just to look around. It's not well done.
Aaron Spence
http://panedia.com