VR app for worldwide virtual tours

Learn how we built a VR app to offer users immersive virtual tours of various countries around the world.

Travel
Industry
2 specialists
Team size
Netherlands
Location
1 year
Project duration

[ The app idea ]

Our client dreamed bigger than just a hosting solution.

They wanted a comprehensive 360° virtual tour solution capable of hosting VR videos and providing users with an immersive tour experience.

To make it engaging, the tours would include sound and voice narration telling each place's story. That’s how the idea of dedicated VR tour software was born, and they turned to Onix to bring it to reality.

[ Product scope ]

The Onix team needed to:

Develop a VR application that could host and distribute 360-degree videos.

Integrate a 3D interactive map with geographically correct points representing different locations.

Ensure high-quality textures and a realistic visual experience.

Implement video hosting and integration with the Headjack service for uploading and managing videos.

Have a project in mind?

Solutions we provided

Video hosting integration

Partnering with the Headjack service, we integrated a seamless video uploading and management system into the application, allowing the client to easily host and update their VR content.

Interactive 3D map

We created an animated 3D planet with accurate geographical points. Users can click these to access virtual tours within the app — a key feature that transforms this experience into an immersive virtual tours app. We also addressed texture scaling issues to maintain realism without pixelation, even when zoomed in.

Audio enhancements

To enrich the user experience, we added immersive audio effects for planet rotation, zooming, background ambiance, and button presses.

Onboarding and user guidance

Our experts developed an audio introduction and an on-screen guide detailing application controls, enhancing user experience and ease of navigation.

In-app purchases

We implemented in-app purchase functionality, interacting with the Oculus SDK and Pico platform, enabling users to buy content directly within the app.

Streaming and download options

Our developers enabled both streaming and download options for the videos, providing users flexibility based on their preferences.

Catalog redesign

We redesigned the video catalog templates provided by the Headjack service, making them more intuitive and aesthetically pleasing for users.

Core technology stack we used

Unity,

Headjack,

Pico SDK,

Cardboard SDK,

Oculus SDK

[ Results ]

The cooperation between Onix and the client resulted in the successful launch of the 360 virtual tour app on multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, Oculus, and Pico.

This project is a strong example of tour travel app development done right, blending immersive content with user-centric features. The integration with Headjack simplified the video upload and management process for the client, ensuring efficient content distribution.

Positive user feedback highlighted the intuitive onboarding and immersive audio-visual experience, contributing to increased downloads and engagement. And the in-app purchase feature enabled effective monetization of the content, contributing to the project's financial success.

This collaboration showcases what goes into building the best VR tour software: a powerful blend of creativity, technical precision, and audience-focused design.