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Mitchell Massey
Production
A Process for Evaluating Virtual Reality Systems for Games and Enterprise Projects
My thesis provides an eight-step System Review Process for game studios entering VR development, guiding producers and team leads through research and prototyping during the project exploration phase before pre-production. The goal was to help teams determine a fitting VR system and game engine software pairing, considering business, development, and VR design concerns. The process also included a second format which provides extra information for enterprise companies which are less familiar with performance constraints, VR best design practices, and game development software.
After designing the eight steps, I tested the VR System Review Process with an example VR game project to demonstrate documents and artifacts for each of the eight steps. This test project provided studios with a foundation on which to create their own documentation.
I chose this project to demonstrate mastery in VR production processes. I was inspired by the challenges facing VR developers, such as a lack of design standards, a low install base due to premium system costs, monetization risks, a competitive hardware market, and constant updates to engine software and hardware drivers. My thesis ensures a“ timeless” solution, agnostic to the current ecosystem of available devices, and provides a starting foundation for companies entering VR development for the first time, helping them to assess options and risks.
This project allowed me to develop proficiency in VR production processes, pre-production cost and schedule analysis, and leading component testing during system reviews. Also, it gave me an opportunity to democratize a system review process, which is typically proprietary information in the industry.
54 PRODUCTION