Hey there, so today we’re diving into some VR design stuff—specifically, this game called Electronauts. If you’re thinking it’s just about music, you might miss the bigger picture. It’s actually a masterclass in VR interface design. Kinda wild, right?
Okay, real quick—side note: It’s been like, seven years since Electronauts first dropped. And, somehow, it still feels fresh?! How do they even do that? Anyway, someone thought it’d be cool to bring it back to the front page just to celebrate. Dual anniversaries! 🎉
Now, I could ramble on, but there’s a video if you want to see it all flashy. Or, hang around here for my personal take.
Alright, so let’s talk Electronauts—made by this crew called Survivors. Even if you’re rhythmically challenged like I am, you’ll feel like a DJ in no time. No joke. It’s like available on every VR headset out there. And yes, there’s a review if you’re the reading type.
Here’s the kicker: the interface isn’t just about beats and drops. It’s about sheer brilliance in design. You know those design pillars everyone talks about? Like ease-of-use, hierarchy, and flexibility. Yep, all there.
Ease-of-use: Right, so, this bit is cool. They gave you drumsticks in the game, which obviously make sense for, well, drum things. But then they made those same drumsticks the way you interact with the interface. Genius level stuff here, I swear. It’s like, humans are just good with tools, you know? Some science-y type might tell you it’s a whole evolutionary thing.
So, imagine this—you’re swinging your drumstick, and instead of just tapping buttons, you kinda poke them and use a trigger. This whole thing means you don’t miss stuff as easily, since there’s no real button feel in VR. Smart stuff without needing to stare at a manual.
Hierarchy: Ah, hierarchy. Sounds fancy, but it’s basically just how stuff is organized. Electronauts nailed this by using cubes for tools. You drop a cube on a pedestal, and bam, you’re in. It’s like apps on your phone, but instead of being bombarded by everything, you only see what you need. Makes it all just click, you know?
And oh, they limited it to three cubes at a time. So, you don’t get lost diving into never-ending folders. Been there. Not fun.
Anyway, that’s the lowdown on why Electronauts is worth talking about after all this time. There’s more to the story, but we’ll save the rest for later.
