Adapting Your App for Virtual Reality: Pitfalls & How to Adapt

Adapting an app to VR is a strategic investment that unlocks many benefits for businesses across various industries: enhanced user engagement, new revenue streams, and a strong brand's competitive edge. 

 

Yet, achieving these benefits requires careful attention to technical intricacies like:

 

• optimizing performance to ensure compatibility across various VR platforms;
• reassessment of user interfaces and experience design, as the immersive nature of VR, requires a seamless and intuitive interaction paradigm.

 

Lucky for you, we created this comprehensive guide to navigate businesses through the detailed steps involved in this transformational process. 

 

The Onix team combines extensive AR & VR experience with strong Unity skills to ensure a seamless adaptation process. Having developed AR and VR apps for various devices like the Meta Quest 3, Valve Index, Pico 4, and Apple Vision Pro, we are well-equipped to guide you through the intricacies of VR adaptation.

 

In this guide, our experts:

 

• share invaluable insights on how to adapt an app for VR
• delve into potential pitfalls that may arise during the adaptation process
• offer practical tips to help you navigate or overcome these challenges effectively.

Onix developed a VR app that allows users to virtually customize their apartments

How to Adapt Your App to VR: Useful Tips

With extensive hands-on experience using headsets such as the Meta Quest 2, HTC Vive Pro 2, Valve Index, and PICO 4, our team is eager to offer insights into VR app development.

 

In this section, we draw from our firsthand experiences to provide valuable guidance on maximizing the potential of adapting an app for VR.

 

Define VR integration goals

Before customizing an app for VR, we recommend you clearly define objectives. Are you aiming to enhance user engagement, explore new revenue streams, or differentiate your brand from competitors?

 

Moreover, identifying your goals will help you prioritize features and functionalities during the adaptation process.

 

Below, we provide some tips on how to define VR integration goals effectively:

 

• User needs. Gain insights into the needs and preferences of your target audience. Consider how VR technology can enhance their experiences and address any pain points they may have. Conduct user research, surveys, or focus groups to gather valuable feedback.

 

• Specific and measurable goals. Define clear, specific, and measurable goals for your VR integration project. For instance, aim to increase user engagement by a certain percentage, generate a particular amount of revenue from VR-related activities, or achieve a target retention rate among VR app users.

 

• Prioritize features and functionalities. Determine which features and functionalities are essential for achieving your VR integration goals. Identify critical elements that will enhance user experiences, drive user adoption, and contribute to the success of your app in the VR space.

 

• Technical constraints. Assess factors such as hardware compatibility, performance optimization, and development resources required. Set realistic goals that consider these constraints.

 

• Success metrics. Establish key performance indicators and success metrics to track the progress and effectiveness of your VR integration efforts. Monitor user engagement metrics, revenue generated from VR activities, user satisfaction ratings, and retention rates.

 

• Timeline. Develop a timeline or roadmap outlining the milestones and timelines for achieving your VR integration goals. Break down the project into manageable phases and allocate resources accordingly. Set deadlines for each phase to ensure timely progress and accountability.

 

Check VR platform compatibility 

Choosing the right VR platform is crucial for a successful adaptation. Each platform may have specific requirements and capabilities, so ensure that your chosen platform aligns with the goals of your app. 

 

Here's how our specialists  check VR platform compatibility to ensure that VR apps can run smoothly on different devices and platforms:

 

• Hardware requirements. Our team understands the hardware requirements of each VR platform. This includes CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage requirements. We determine whether your app's features and functionalities align with the hardware capabilities of the target platforms.

 

• Development tools. Our experts ensure that your development environment, programming languages, and frameworks are compatible with the SDKs provided by the target platforms.

 

• Testing on multiple devices. Onix team tests VR apps on various devices and platforms to assess compatibility. We use actual hardware devices whenever possible to simulate real-world conditions accurately. Our experts focus on performance, graphics rendering, user interface, and interaction capabilities.

 

• Documentation and guidelines. We refer to the documentation and guidelines provided by VR platform manufacturers for specific recommendations and best practices regarding compatibility testing. We follow platform-specific guidelines for optimizing performance, ensuring compatibility, and addressing platform-specific requirements.

 

• Compatibility issues. Our team identifies and addresses any compatibility issues or discrepancies encountered during testing. This may involve optimizing code, adjusting graphics settings, or implementing platform-specific features or APIs.

 

• Staying updated. Our specialists keep abreast of updates and changes to VR platforms, hardware devices, and SDKs. We regularly update our development tools and SDKs to ensure compatibility with the latest platform versions and features. Also, we continuously test and validate compatibility as new updates and releases become available.

 

Read also: How AR/VR Technologies Impact eLearning

 

Update the development environment

Updating the development environment for VR app development involves ensuring that your tools, software, and frameworks are up-to-date to support the latest VR technologies and platforms.

 

At Onix, we follow some practical steps to ensure that the VR app development process remains efficient, productive, and aligned with the latest advancements in VR technology:

 

• Review the current setup. We review the current development environment, including the IDE (Integrated Development Environment), programming languages, and SDKs (Software Development Kits) used for VR app development.

 

• Check for updates. Our specialists check for client development tools and software component updates. This includes updates to IDE, programming languages, and any additional plugins or extensions used for VR development.

 

• Review platform compatibility. Our experts check the documentation and release notes for your IDE and SDKs to confirm compatibility with the latest VR platform versions.

 

• Update project dependencies. If your VR projects rely on external libraries, frameworks, or dependencies, we ensure they are compatible with the updated development environment. Update any outdated dependencies to the latest versions or make necessary adjustments to maintain compatibility.

Screenshot of the Unreal Space VR app developed by Onix

 

Implement a VR user interface

It's vital to implement intuitive and immersive interfaces that enable users to interact seamlessly with your VR app.

 

Our specialists follow key steps and principles to enhance the user experience and maximize engagement with VR apps. Here are some of them: 

 

• Plan UI layout. We plan the layout of a VR user interface based on the specific requirements and functionalities of the app. We consider factors such as the type of content, navigation flow, and user interactions. This allows us to design an interface that is intuitive, easy to navigate, and visually appealing.

 

• Choose interaction methods. It's crucial to decide on the interaction methods and input devices you'll support in your VR app. This may include gaze-based interactions, hand controllers, gestures, voice commands, or a combination of these methods. 

 

Our specialists choose interaction methods that align with the user experience you want to create and the capabilities of your target VR platforms.

 

• Design UI elements. Our team designs UI elements such as menus, buttons, sliders, panels, and tooltips optimized for VR environments. We keep UI elements large, readable, and easily accessible to accommodate users wearing VR headsets. We use contrasting colors, clear typography, and visual feedback to enhance usability and accessibility.

Example of Onix’s work for InnerVR, a VR-based meditation application

 

• Optimize performance. We optimize the performance of a VR user interface to ensure smooth rendering and responsiveness. Our experts minimize the use of complex graphics, animations, and effects that could impact performance on lower-end VR hardware.

 

• Provide comfort options. Our team provides comfort options in a VR user interface to accommodate users with different comfort levels and preferences. This may include options to adjust movement speed, field of view, or comfort settings to minimize motion sickness and discomfort.

 

 

Optimize 3D assets for VR performance

Optimizing 3D assets for VR performance is crucial to ensure smooth rendering and maintain a high frame rate, essential for providing a comfortable and immersive VR experience.

 

Here are essential optimization techniques and principles our team uses to ensure a smooth and immersive experience for users across a range of VR hardware platforms:

 

• Reduce polygon count. We start by reducing the polygon count of 3D models. Our developers use techniques such as polygon reduction, retopology, and LOD (Level of Detail) systems to simplify complex geometry while preserving visual fidelity. We aim to balance detail and performance, especially for objects frequently viewed up close.

 

• Simplify geometry. Our team simplifies the geometry of 3D assets by removing unnecessary details, such as small or intricate features that are not visible from typical viewing distances. We focus on preserving objects' overall shape and silhouette while minimizing unnecessary complexity.

 

• Optimize texture resolution. We reduce the resolution of textures used on 3D models to conserve memory and improve performance. Our experts use texture atlasing, texture compression, and mipmapping techniques to optimize texture usage while maintaining visual quality. 

 

• Use efficient materials. Onix team uses shader techniques and material settings optimized for VR performance. We avoid overly complex shaders and effects that can impact rendering performance. Also, we use physically-based rendering materials and shaders optimized for real-time rendering in VR environments.

 

• Bake lighting and shadows. We bake lighting and shadows into textures or use precomputed lighting solutions to reduce the computational overhead of dynamic lighting calculations. We bake lightmaps, ambient occlusion, and global illumination into 3D assets to achieve realistic lighting while minimizing performance impact.

 

• Optimize animations. Our team optimizes animations to reduce the number of bones, keyframes, and overall complexity. We use skeletal mesh reduction, keyframe reduction, and simplified rigging to streamline animations while preserving visual quality and character performance.

 

• Implement occlusion culling. We implement occlusion culling techniques to reduce the number of objects rendered and improve performance. Our team uses methods like frustum culling, occlusion queries, and portal systems, which selectively render objects visible to the camera.

Example of a location created by Onix for the spatial.io platform

 

Implement VR input handling

Implementing VR input handling involves designing and coding mechanisms to interpret user inputs from VR devices such as controllers, hand gestures, or gaze-based interactions.

 

Here are some principles that help our team provide users with intuitive and immersive interaction experiences in the virtual environment:

 

• Understand user interaction. Before implementing VR input handling, we thoroughly understand users' interactions in a VR app. We consider how users navigate menus, interact with objects, and perform actions in the virtual environment.

 

• Choose the proper input devices. Our experts select input devices that best suit the app's interactions and target VR platforms. Standard input devices include handheld controllers, motion controllers, gaze-based input, and hand tracking.

 

• Design intuitive controls. We design control schemes that are intuitive and easy to learn for users. To reduce cognitive load, our developers map common actions to familiar gestures or button inputs. We provide visual or audio cues to guide users in interacting with objects and navigating the VR environment.

 

• Provide feedback. We use visual, auditory, and haptic feedback cues to confirm user inputs, indicate the success of actions, and guide how to proceed.

 

• Handle input responsively. Our team implements input-handling logic that responds quickly and accurately to user actions. We minimize latency between user input and app response to maintain a sense of presence and immersion in the virtual environment.

 

Read also: VR Guide to Create Your VR Training Solution

 

By following these steps, you can successfully customize an app for virtual reality, providing users with an immersive and engaging experience tailored to the capabilities of virtual reality technology.

 

 

Pitfalls of Adapting Your App to VR and Avoidance Strategies

In this section, our specialists uncover potential pitfalls that can arise during the adaptation process and offer practical tips to avoid or overcome these obstacles.

 

User experience issues

Motion sickness remains a significant concern, as poorly optimized VR experiences can induce discomfort. Complex navigation systems may need to be clarified for users, and consistent performance, such as lag or glitches, can disrupt immersion.

 

Striking a balance between immersive visuals and an understandable interface is crucial to prevent overwhelming users. Inadequate testing on various VR devices can lead to overlooked issues, and a lack of clear user guidance within the app may leave users feeling lost.

 

Failing to account for hardware limitations and ignoring user feedback can result in unrealistic expectations and missed opportunities for improvement.

 

Avoidance strategy:

 

• Prioritize VR design principles, including intuitive controls, comfortable navigation, and a user-friendly interface.
• Test extensively with potential users to identify design elements that may cause discomfort or confusion.
• Iterate your design based on user feedback to achieve a natural, immersive VR experience.

Simulation of additional statistics for a NASCAR event built by Onix

 

Inadequate performance optimization

VR experiences demand high-performance rendering to maintain smooth interactions and prevent motion sickness. Failing to optimize graphics, frame rates, and latency can lead to a subpar user experience, causing discomfort and disengagement.

 

You must carefully optimize your apps for the specific hardware requirements of VR platforms, ensuring that the immersive environment runs seamlessly without graphical glitches or performance inconsistencies.

 

Avoidance strategy:

 

• Regularly test app performance.
• Optimize both code and 3D assets.
• Leverage tools for profiling and benchmarking to identify and address performance bottlenecks. Implement dynamic level-of-detail adjustments and balance visual quality and smooth performance.
• Regularly test on target VR hardware to ensure consistent performance across devices.

 

Read also: Implementing VR & AR in Medicine and Medical Training

 

Insufficient user onboarding

The complexity of VR environments requires clear and comprehensive guidance for users, but neglecting proper onboarding can result in confusion and frustration. Without practical tutorials or instructions, users may struggle to navigate the VR space and engage with the app's features, leading to a poor user experience. 

 

Avoidance strategy:

 

• Develop a comprehensive onboarding experience that guides users through VR controls, mechanics, and interactions.
• Implement interactive tutorials within the VR environment to familiarize users with the app's features gradually.
• Regularly refine onboarding based on user testing and feedback to enhance user understanding and retention.

 

 

Our Experience

Onix is a distinguished VR development company with extensive expertise in transforming ordinary concepts into cutting-edge interactive products that deliver immersive customer experiences. Leveraging the full spectrum of Virtual Reality capabilities, we specialize in crafting tailored solutions aligned with your business needs and goals.

 

We have delivered premium VR and AR development services to clients worldwide. Our experienced team has successfully executed projects spanning various industries, including gaming, entertainment, safety training, healthcare, interior design, culture, and beyond.

 

For example, we recently built a next-generation VR simulation for a skyscraper construction site, providing risk-free training, enhancing skills, reducing errors, and cutting costs.

VR simulation for a skyscraper built by Onix

 

Since the main goal was to simulate complex and dangerous working conditions, we prioritized creating graphics, highly detailed 3D models, and real-life VR training scenarios with a helpful hint system.

 

We built an app to teach construction workers how to appropriately prepare for work shifts, correctly use harnesses, and follow the sequence of actions when working at height.

 

Additionally, we excel in building VR solutions for collaborative environments, exemplified by our coworking system that facilitates virtual reality meetings, conferences, and idea sharing.

 

 

We've ensured realistic, rich, detailed graphics to deliver the effect of presence and a fully immersive experience. Moreover, users can book or even buy a location where they want to hold conferences. Using VR technology, we made it easy for users to collaborate with their colleagues as avatars and share their ideas as quickly and simply as possible in realistic, immersive environments.

 

Onix’s VR developers are affordable and available for projects of any type, scope, budget, and timeline. Through our staff augmentation services, you can scale your product development team or establish a new one, ultimately enhancing productivity and efficiency while reducing operating costs.

 

For businesses seeking to harness the power of VR, Onix's seasoned specialists are ready to bring innovative ideas to life!

 

 

Conclusion

Adapting an app to virtual reality is a dynamic process that demands careful consideration, creativity, and a commitment to delivering an exceptional user experience.

 

By embracing VR, you unlock the potential to captivate and immerse your users in ways previously unexplored. As technology evolves, integrating VR is not merely an enhancement but a strategic move to redefine engagement and stay at the forefront of innovation. Seize the opportunity, integrate VR into an app, and provide an immersive and unforgettable user experience!

 

 

FAQ

 

What factors should be considered when adapting a regular app for VR?

When adapting a regular app for VR, critical factors include:

 

• a comprehensive redesign of the user interface to suit virtual reality environments
• rigorous performance optimization to ensure smooth interactions and prevent motion sickness
• implementation of VR-specific interaction methods for enhanced engagement
• integration of spatial audio to create an immersive auditory experience
• adaptation or creation of content tailored for VR
• extensive testing across various VR devices to ensure compatibility
• consideration of comfort measures to minimize motion sickness
• clear user onboarding processes to guide navigation
• awareness of specific hardware capabilities and limitations.

 

Attention to these factors ensures a seamless and immersive transition for users entering the VR environment.

 

What features should be considered when adapting a regular app for Apple VR?

When adapting a regular app for Apple VR, key considerations include optimizing the user interface for three-dimensional experiences, ensuring high-performance graphics, and incorporating interactive elements like gaze-based interactions or Apple's specific input methods.

 

Spatial audio integration enhances immersion, and compatibility with Apple's Vision hardware is paramount. Redefined in-app navigation and controls should align with Apple's XR platform, and content adaptation to suit VR's spatial and interactive nature is essential.

 

How can I measure the success of my VR-adapted app?

The success of a VR-adapted app can be measured through various metrics that reflect user engagement, satisfaction, and the overall impact of the VR experience. Key performance indicators include user retention rates, session durations, and app usage frequency, which collectively indicate the app's appeal and stickiness.

 

User feedback and reviews, mainly those specific to the VR features, provide qualitative insights into user satisfaction and potential areas for improvement. Monitoring the app's performance on VR platforms, considering factors like load times and smooth interactions, is crucial.

 

Additionally, tracking the conversion rates of any monetization strategies within the VR environment and assessing how well the adapted app aligns with its original objectives contribute to a comprehensive evaluation of its success in the VR space.

 

How do I begin adapting my app to VR?

To adapt your app to VR, define clear objectives for incorporating VR elements. Understand your target audience and identify the specific features that could benefit from a VR experience. Familiarize yourself with the guidelines and requirements of the chosen VR platform, whether it's Meta, Microsoft Mixed Reality, Apple Vision, or another.

 

Next, you need to redesign your app's user interface to suit the immersive VR environment, optimize performance for smooth interactions, and explore VR-specific interactions. Then, test extensively on various VR devices to ensure compatibility and address any issues.

 

If you need assistance with the VR adaptation process, don't hesitate to contact specialists at Onix, who can provide expertise and guidance to enhance your app's transition into virtual reality.