Short answer
Prioritize locomotion techniques that offer greater immersion and interactivity, such as climbing or well-implemented controller-based movement, and consider offering a variety of options to cater to different user needs and preferences.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction (2024)
- Method
- Systematic Software-Level Review
- Sample
- 330 applications
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Commercial virtual reality applications are shifting away from teleportation-based movement towards more immersive, physically engaging methods like climbing and traditional controller-based sliding, indicating a user preference for richer interaction. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2024 study published in International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. Using Systematic software-level review with 330 applications, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Prioritize locomotion techniques that offer greater immersion and interactivity, such as climbing or well-implemented controller-based movement, and consider offering a variety of options to cater to different user needs and preferences.
Teleportation Declines as Climbing and Controller-Based Locomotion Rise in Commercial VR
Commercial virtual reality applications are shifting away from teleportation-based movement towards more immersive, physically engaging methods like climbing and traditional controller-based sliding, indicating a user preference for richer interaction.
International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction · 2024
Key Findings
- 01Prevalence of teleportation in VR applications decreased from 48% in 2016 to 18% in 2023.
- 02Arm-tracked grabbing locomotion techniques, such as climbing, increased from 3% in 2016 to over 30% annually from 2020-2023.
- 03Room-scale tracking is often paired with conventional controller joystick sliding locomotion, diverging from academic focus on walking-based methods.
- 04The average number of locomotion techniques offered per application is increasing.
Application
Design takeaway
Prioritize locomotion techniques that offer greater immersion and interactivity, such as climbing or well-implemented controller-based movement, and consider offering a variety of options to cater to different user needs and preferences.
How to apply
When designing a new VR experience, research the current trends in locomotion within your target platform and genre. Consider implementing a hybrid approach, offering both familiar controller-based movement and more novel, immersive options like climbing, while also providing accessibility features.
Project actions
- 01When designing a VR experience, consider how users will move around. Research different methods like teleportation, smooth locomotion, and climbing.
- 02Think about which method best suits the type of game or experience you are creating and who your target users are.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Systematic review methodology ensures a comprehensive overview of commercial VR applications.
- +Analysis covers a significant time span, highlighting evolutionary trends in locomotion.
Limitations
This study looked at existing commercial games. Your own design project might explore entirely new locomotion methods not yet common in the market.
Reliability & validity
The systematic review methodology enhances reliability by using clear criteria for application selection and data extraction. Validity is supported by analyzing a large sample of commercial applications across multiple platforms, reflecting real-world usage.
Think critically
While commercial VR is moving away from teleportation, are there specific user groups or game genres for whom teleportation remains the most suitable or accessible locomotion method?
Design Principles
"Evolving user expectations in virtual reality necessitate the adoption of more embodied and interactive locomotion systems."
Understanding these evolving trends in VR locomotion is crucial for designers aiming to create more engaging and accessible virtual experiences. The shift suggests a growing demand for locomotion that better leverages hardware capabilities and user immersion, moving beyond basic navigation to more embodied interactions.
What This Means for Your Design
In VR games, people are using teleportation less and climbing or controller-based movement more. This means designers are making games that feel more real and interactive.
How to use in your project
- 1.You can use this research to justify your choice of locomotion in your VR design project, explaining why you chose a particular method based on current industry trends and user preferences.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Current trends in commercial virtual reality applications indicate a significant shift away from teleportation-based locomotion towards more immersive and physically engaging methods such as climbing and controller-based sliding. This evolution suggests a growing user preference for interactions that better leverage VR hardware and provide a richer sense of presence, a trend that should inform the design of new virtual experiences.
Source
International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction
From Teleportation to Climbing: A Review of Locomotion Techniques in the Most Used Commercial Virtual Reality Applications
journal · 2024
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about teleportation declines as climbing and controller-based locomotion rise in commercial vr?
- Prioritize locomotion techniques that offer greater immersion and interactivity, such as climbing or well-implemented controller-based movement, and consider offering a variety of options to cater to different user needs and preferences. Evidence: International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction (2024).
- Why does "Teleportation Declines as Climbing and Controller-Based Locomotion Rise in Commercial VR" matter for design?
- Understanding these evolving trends in VR locomotion is crucial for designers aiming to create more engaging and accessible virtual experiences. The shift suggests a growing demand for locomotion that better leverages hardware capabilities and user immersion, moving beyond basic navigation to more embodied interactions.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Prioritize locomotion techniques that offer greater immersion and interactivity, such as climbing or well-implemented controller-based movement, and consider offering a variety of options to cater to different user needs and preferences.
- What were the main findings?
- Prevalence of teleportation in VR applications decreased from 48% in 2016 to 18% in 2023.. Arm-tracked grabbing locomotion techniques, such as climbing, increased from 3% in 2016 to over 30% annually from 2020-2023.. Room-scale tracking is often paired with conventional controller joystick sliding locomotion, diverging from academic focus on walking-based methods.. The average number of locomotion techniques offered per application is increasing.
- What research method was used?
- Systematic Software-Level Review with 330 applications.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2024 journal from International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing a new VR experience, research the current trends in locomotion within your target platform and genre. Consider implementing a hybrid approach, offering both familiar controller-based movement and more novel, immersive options like climbing, while also providing accessibility features.
- What are the limitations?
- The review focuses on commercial applications and may not capture all experimental or niche VR locomotion techniques. The 'most used' criteria relies on platform popularity, which can be subjective.