Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/663385
8 cgw m a r c h . a p r i l 2 0 1 6 V I E W P O I N T in it, the space from different angles and positions. The right mix can deliver a strong, implicit message to your brain. Consider a cathedral. These were buildings designed to make you feel small, so the religion would feel grand. When you add in the symbols, stained glass, warm color of the veneer, you get spaces that were frequently awe-inspiring to people – in this and other centuries. S P A T I A L LY A W A R E Thinking in 360 degrees is another tool that arch-viz artists use constantly in environmen- tal designs. Spaces change as you move through them – light changes, perspective chang- es. An issue common to the film-centric VR method is the "movie screen" dilemma. Most film artists are only taught to think in terms of where the camera is pointing. Environ- ments don't have to be fully considered when the main task at hand is one view. As time goes on, film-influenced VR artists will have to learn to think past this habit. Game studios that deal in first-person narratives and open worlds are already halfway there. The other thing VR artists can learn from architects is abstract space design. Realistic environ- ments are always going to be extremely compelling for most people, especially as resolution rates go up. Abstract designs also carry incredible opportuni- ties to stun the viewer. Archi- tects such as Lebbeus Woods, whose conceptual designs were poached for 12 Monkeys, and John Hejduk, whose designs could out-abstract many ab- stract artists, can create spaces that are like nothing on earth. Spaces that are memorable, transcendent even. That's what a lot of this will come down to. Whether some- thing moves your mind. There are a million reasons not to con- tinue with VR aer the initial try. Head hurts, boredom, nothing new, not enough, too much. A lot of questions will have to be answered. What makes people want to stay? Invite a friend? Play through a mission? At all levels, the goal of a virtual space is to add something pow- erful or exciting to the life of the viewer. That's one of the reasons why I've always felt that archi- tecture and travel applications would be immediate winners. Imagine peering out over Paris aer a tough day, or spending a rainy night at MoMA from your living room. These use cases have nothing to do with explo- sions, crazy characters, or car chases. They just make sense. But we have to start talking to each other and sharing informa- tion. That's one of the reasons why Chaos Group Labs put out our free VR Guide (https://labs. chaosgroup.com/index.php/ portfolio/guide-to-virtual-real- ity-2/) at the end of last year. We recognize that this is a new art form where the lines are still being drawn, so we wanted to share what we've learned. That's why I'm rallying for environ- ments today. Critiquing what doesn't work is as important as shining a light on what does. What I do know is VR can't continue (in the long run) with- out thoughtful environmental designers coming to the fore- front of the process. Architects and interior designers will need, for community, to open up lines of communication so we really can give this VR thing a go. On the off chance that the VR games aren't that good or that compelling VR movie experi- ences aren't ready for another decade, there are some imme- diate applications that are both exciting and possible to use and learn from now. Yes, they require people to learn new skills. But we all knew that going in. We jumped into the deep water this time, but like film, games, and photography, we have a history of progress. What is done pre- dominantly with pre-rendered CG content today will grow into something else. Maybe phones will add positional sensors and depth cameras that make them even more viable for big-ticket VR; maybe someone will figure out the best way to present first-person narratives next year. The best part of VR is how quickly it's all changing. This time, let's get there fast- er. Let's partner with unexpect- ed people and hire architects in unexpected places. Let's host VR gatherings that are for more than just one industry. It could change everything, and I'm hap- py to make a few introductions. Christopher Nichols is the director of Chaos Group Labs. Aer years with Method Studios, Digital Domain, and Gensler, he now turns his interests for VFX, research, architecture, and visualization into unique experiences for the CG community. LEFT: AN ABSTRACT SPATIAL ART PIECE IN VR BY KEVIN MACK. RIGHT: FANTASY ARCHITECTURE FROM FACTORY FIFTEEN.