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HOW TO CREATE VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCES FOR THE GEOSCIENCES: THREE IMPLEMENTATION EXAMPLES CONTRASTING ACCESSIBILITY, REALISM, AND INTERACTIVITY
We designed the first experience using the Unity engine as an immersive virtual reality (VR) game that simulates aspects of field geology in the Grand Canyon. Players are introduced to geology concepts through a storyline by using common gaming controls so they can maintain agency of their experience. We placed realistic 3-D outcrops and rock samples in geographic locations true to the stratigraphy of the Grand Canyon, as well as incorporated sediment maturity tools (grain size, sphericity, sorting) into the user interface of the simulation. Students can use these tools and the stratigraphic location of the outcrops to make deductions about depositional environments and environment change over time, something they may not be able to do in a typical introductory geology course.
The second VR experience, also based in Unity, allows players to stand on a virtual platform and manipulate 3-D rock samples that relate to the stratigraphy of the Grand Canyon. The second experience is less extensive than the first, but utilizes 360-degree imagery to increase the degree of realism compared to the modeled environment of the first experience.
The third experience is based in the VR editor ThingLink, which allowed us to add supplementary images, video, and maps to a series of 360-degree images at locations in the Grand Canyon. Although students are not able to use the interactive sediment maturity tools from the first experience, they can use the functionality of the scene to determine grain size and depositional environment and make conclusions about geologic change over time.
These three experiences highlight a spectrum of virtual reality content development and usability. The first experience was technologically and developmentally intensive, but allows for full maneuverability and interaction. The second sacrifices full immersiveness of true VR world, but maintains tactile interactions and provides a greater degree of realism. The third experience, while lacking in maneuverability, allows instructors and students to create realistic, content-rich VR environments with minimal technical expertise.