1. Paper Review
Crafting Memorable VR
Experiences using
Experiential Fidelity
Robert W. Lindeman, Steffi Beckhaus (2009)
Proceedings of the 16th ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality
Software and Technology

2. Introduction
Today’s virtual environments
1) The potential to achieve a level of realism
ex) digital characters in the movie, simulations of crowds
2) Many different types of VR systems for fostering UX
[by stimulation of multiple senses, the presentation of interactive content]
But, there are limitations
1)IPT, HMD -> large # of technical devices distracting the user.
2)Frame-rate requirements limit scalability
3)# of simultaneous on-screen virtual characters that react to dynamically changing
scenes
4)On-line multiplayer systems adds network latency
5)Popularity of mobile interactive systems [w/ reduced display device power, network
connections w/ lower bandwidth, higher variability and error rates]

3. Introduction
These systems provide varying levels of sensory experiences
: From fully-immersive, multi-sensory 3D (surround audio, haptic, olfactory cues)
To hand-held 2D devices (limited or no audio)
But, immersive multi sensory tech doesn’t necessarily lead to a better experience.
There is sth lacking : sth beyond sensory fidelity keeping us from fully buying into
the worlds we experience through VR tech.
So, in this paper,
1)Look at the type of experience a user might have with a virtual environment
2)Explore techniques and guidelines for tapping into the user’s mind
3)Propose a notion of “Experiential Fidelity”

4. Experiential Fidelity
To improve realism, existing approaches are,
1.sensory-motor attributes : improving visual, audio, haptic, olfactory, gustatory cues
2.Content-driven factors : realism of virtual characters, environment, naturalness of
user interaction, evaluation of performance, presence, and perception
But, these are not enough to create “good” experiences.
Is it because we can’t fully satisfy the expectation of ppl YET?
Then, how about using real artifacts?
AR : mixing of real-world and computer-generated stimuli
Fail to give a higher quality experience

5. Experiential Fidelity
So, there must be sth beyond the traditional approaches.
=> Let’s address perceptual aspects i.e. anticipation, expectation, and attitude.
Experiential Fidelity : improving the UX increasing the alignment of what the VR
experience provides with that which the user is likely to believe.
[ To guide the user’s frame of mind in a way that their expectations, attitude, and
attention are aligned with the actual VR experience, and that the user’s own
imagination is stimulated to complete the experience by priming users prior to
entering the virtual world ]

6. Aligning the Experience with Expectation
Good Example ) Disney and Universal Studios understand the power of the “pre-
experience” -> provide “back story” content when visitors waiting -> immersed
The experience actually starts long before entering an IPT or donning an HMD.
-Designing a third-person experience
-Avoiding distracting components
-The way in which the invitation is phrased
-Prefacing a lab visit etc.
High fidelity is not required to induce a sense of deep realism and believability.
The extent to which a person is able to fill in gaps in perceptions is related to the
amount and richness of previous material from which to draw.

7. Elements of Magic
Asked people who have been working in VR research for a long time to describe
Personal Magic Moments
What are the actual magic moments that can characterize great experiences in VR?
: Strong emotion, Deep engagement, Massive stimulation, Escape from reality
To sum up, combining the build up of user expectation through pre-experiences
with a rich and engaging, multi-sensory primary experience can trigger
memorable VR moments.

8. Crafting the Experience
We need to do a better job of creating and guiding the mindset of our users
- VR researchers as content creators : working with visionary experience designers
-> to craft seamless, believable, and compelling experiences
- Having as few distractions as possible
Ex) To include potential ditraction into the story

9. Conclusion
A fertile mind is able to effortlessly provide far greater fidelity than any technology
we can conjure. So, why don’t we make the most of the creativity and processing
power of the mind to improve user effectiveness in VR through Experiential Fidelity?