At GDC 2015, we chatted with some of the best videogame designers and engineers in the world; inevitably, the question arose: “we know all about videogames, what do we need to look out for when creating VR?”

Across the course of the conference, we synthesized these key points, which together represent what we feel are the guiding principles of VR design, circa 2015.

From the trenches, to your eyes.

Here’s your free guidance:

Best Practices in VR Design

1. YOUR 3D MUST BE PURE

2d tricks no longer work. billboards, masks, overlays etc…

unless you want to make a stylistic choice

unless you want to make a stylistic choice even your UI + HUD is now 100% situated in full-on 3space

2. YOUR GEOMETRY MUST BE WATERPROOF

when a player sees the world stereoscopically, small details stand out

for instance, props that float 1cm above a surface

and 2mm cracks at wall joins

these were overlooked in frame games, but are unforgivable in VR

3. LOD +1 : UP CLOSE EXAMINATIONS

VR has a way of inviting players to inspect objects, props, surfaces and characters…

up close. really close.

in a much more intimate level than traditional games

so be prepared for close inspection

and make sure that your geometry & textures are tight

along with your collision hulls (see point 7, below)

4. WELL-CRAFTED POSITIONAL AUDIO SEPARATES THE MEN FROM THE BOYS

audio now has true perceptive 3d positioning, 360° sphere

you can really effectively guide the users attention and direction with audio prompts

they will generally turn and look at audio calls for attention.

Audio is at least 50% of the equation for presence. Invest in it.

5. LOCOMOTION IS KEY. AND HARD.

swivel chair seated experiences are currently optimal

near-instant high velocity teleports are optimal

strafing is out, completely : generates total nausea

2 primary metaphors are

. . . a) cockpits — cars, planes, ships

. . . b) suited helmets — space suit, scuba mask, ski mask

. . . a) cockpits — cars, planes, ships . . . b) suited helmets — space suit, scuba mask, ski mask cockpits allow physical grounding and help support hard / fast movements

helmets support HUDs for UI, maps, messaging