Designing, developing, and evaluating XR experiences – selected aspects

Abstract

This paper aims to highlight various aspects of the design, development, and evaluation processes of immersive XR experiences. It focuses on the creative and expressive aspects of virtual environments (VEs), following the design and implementation processes of artistic VEs as conducted by the under- graduate students of the Department of Digital Arts and Cinema at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) and the Department of Digital Arts at the University of Malta (UoM), in the course of three laboratory classes of Digital Artistic Creation and Immersive Experience Design, during the academic years 2020–2021 and 2022–2023. Medium-related challenges are discussed in relation to the design and implementation of user interaction, 3D content creation, 3D composition and social engagement in VEs. Furthermore, theoretical approaches of storytelling within VEs and the narrative design process of artistic VEs are discussed. Selected case studies from the students’ virtual artworks are analysed in relation to the applied narrative types and structures. As a further elaboration on the evaluation of XR experiences, a CAVE system is analysed in terms of various characteristics that may affect the quality of the experience.