Today we did not switch projects for a couple of reasons. One, it became so much more interesting when the Google Cardboard viewers arrived, and two, we found the whimsy in the project.

The big revelation today was how much more engaging virtual reality /360° photography is when you are actually using a viewer that makes it feel immersive. We sent for some Google Cardboard viewers, and adding the phone/viewer interface made the project really fun to work on. We were able to troubleshoot functionality and really get a sense of an immersive space. Looking at the images in a panorama is cool, but using the viewer really made it pop.

The challenge for the day was in using still images in the 360° space that were not intended for it. Uploaded as is means that they distort in the way you might expect – stretched, with all four edges pulled/pushed into parabolas.Our solution was to step WAY back in time to the stereopticon. On my first afternoon in Manchester this year I went up to an antique mall a few blocks away. I saw that they had stereopticon cards but no viewer, so the idea was top of mind. We played with spacing and size, and we are now able to use still images as part of the project.

Today we hope to finish navigation of the three “adventure” branches. So yesterday’s take aways: remember who will use what you are making and how, don’t forget the past, remember to laugh.