Alright, so here we are — diving into the chaos of VR and music and all that jazz. (Literally, I suppose, with Electronauts!) It was like, what, seven years ago? Time flies when you’re pretending to be a DJ with no actual skills, right?
Anyway, Electronauts. It’s this VR game that turns you into a music-making wizard. Sort of. Released by some folks called Survivors — weird name, but maybe they’re surviving the music industry, who knows. So, it’s out there on pretty much any VR headset you can think of. Check it if you want to feel like a DJ without the crowds. Or the skills.
Oh, and here’s the juicy part — the interface design! It’s not just about pounding on some virtual drums (though that’s pretty fun). It’s really, uh, universal? Sounds kinda lofty, but bear with me. The magic is in the design, not just the beats.
Three big things make this thing pop: ease-of-use, hierarchy, and… what was it? Ah, flexibility. Let’s talk about that, shall we?
Ease-of-use?
Drumsticks. Who doesn’t love them? But here’s the catch — they’re not just for pretend drumming. They’re your magic wands in VR land. Making them extend out like your own arms, you get this kinda extended reach, which is fantastic when you’re all clumsy like me. Less fumbling, more grooving.
Imagine this: pressing buttons with just a touch? Seems logical. Except, it’s not. Instead, you poke a button with your drumstick and then, bam, pull a trigger. It’s like finding a secret handshake to a hidden club. Adds a bit of precision to your moves, I guess.
And you know how real buttons click and give feedback? Well, VR doesn’t do clicks. So, tricking your brain into thinking there’s some real push-back with this whole poke-trigger thing is genius. VR mind games, seriously.
Hierarchy?
Ah, now this is where it gets clever. Everything in Electronauts is like these tiny magic cubes. You plop ’em on a pedestal and voilà, instant access to whatever trick you need. Kinda like apps on a phone — no clutter, nothing overwhelming. Nice.
You’ve got three cubes at a time. Any more and you’d probably spend twenty minutes figuring out which combo unlocks the bass drop. Keeps it simple, no insane menus or anything. We all know the horror of folder within folder on a desktop, right? Keep it shallow and practical.
And — wait I almost forgot. There’s a whole bit about flexibility, but I think that’s maybe on the next page or something? My brain’s already spinning from all this talk about music magic and VR wizardry.
It’s a lot — a confusing, but oddly satisfying dive into the world of VR design. So if you get the chance, grab a headset and try Electronauts. Maybe channel your inner DJ. Or just flail around with those drumsticks like the rest of us mere mortals.
