This article draws on the 2023 research paper by Laryssa Whittaker, titled Onboarding and offboarding in virtual reality: A user-centred framework for audience experience across genres and spaces, which in part looks at a five-point system of consideration for publicly staging VR experiences.
If you’re looking for somewhere to start out when planning broader screen content for your venue, then considering these five points will set you on the right path.
A quick breakdown of the five-point system
Platform
The platform refers to the VR headset and any extra gear like headphones, hand controllers, or haptic devices. How people wear and use this equipment affects their experience. For example, the game Beat Saber is simple to pick up, players just hold controllers and move their arms, without needing to press buttons or use joysticks. This makes the experience physically engaging but easy to access. In contrast, Limina’s VR cinema used Oculus Go headsets with no controllers. These were more passive experiences, but still rich and immersive. Limina also made it easy for newcomers to get used to the headset with clear onboarding and a calming “holding screen” before and after the main experience.
Genre
The type of VR experience, whether it's a game, a story, or something artistic, shapes how people take part. For instance, Beat Saber is a fast-paced game, so people are prepared to move around and have fun, sometimes in front of others. They take turns, and even when they act a bit silly, that’s expected and part of the fun. Limina offered more thoughtful experiences, such as documentaries or dance pieces. These used prompts and transitions to gently guide viewers into and out of the story, helping them shift focus from the real world to the virtual one and back again.
Place
Where the VR experience takes place matters. At home, people are in a space they control, even if they sometimes struggle to find enough room. Limina transformed a warehouse into a quiet, spa-like space, blocking out outside distractions so people could focus. This setting helped the audience feel calm and ready for VR. On the other hand, a similar warehouse space might feel empty and uninviting if it lacked furniture, atmosphere, or cues that helped the virtual experience feel connected to the real space.
Time
The time of day and how long a VR experience lasts can affect how it feels. For example, visiting a quiet, reflective VR space on a sunny, noisy afternoon might feel strange. Longer VR experiences tend to make people feel more immersed. As the technology gets better, longer sessions may become more common. Our research found that people often lose track of time in VR, some felt it dragged, others thought it passed quickly. One person even stayed in for two and a half hours, thinking it had only been 30 minutes. Experiences that start and end together as a group may need more planning than those people do alone. Without clear start and end signals, like in some festival experiences, the session can feel less meaningful, more like testing out a gadget than attending a real event.
Users
Throughout the study, the terms “users,” “audience,” and “participants” were used interchangeably, but they each have slightly different meanings depending on the type of VR experience. Importantly, not all VR audiences are the same. Many people are new to VR and may be unsure or anxious about using it. Some worry about feeling dizzy, getting lost in the virtual world, or becoming too absorbed. These concerns shouldn’t be dismissed, they need to be acknowledged and addressed. Because each person uses their own headset, staff must pay attention to individual needs and make sure both the onboarding (starting) and offboarding (ending) processes are supportive and inclusive.