[MUD-Dev] Viewpoint and motion sickness was:Neverwinter Night s

[Derek Snider]

> From: Hans-Henrik Staerfeldt, June 13, 2001 3:34 AM

> As far as I recall, adding realistic movement in the screen helps
> your brain accept the virtual environment. I think this is part of
> the reason the 'walking' motion of the point-of-view was
> introduced (Doom?).

> I would theorize that the more 'true' or more calm the simulation,
> the easier it gets, while ultra fast rotation and ultra even paths
> of the viewpoint controlled by the player will cause more
> discomfort. Also, I would guess that rotation may be the most
> influential factor in the problem?

> Does anyone have some article references for this, or any
> knowledge of what else have been done to reduce the problem?


Nothing influences motion sickness more than a slow frame-rate, and
also (and especially combined with) a claustrophobic scene where
there's too much stuff right in your face (which often causes the
frame-rate to drop).

It's not that things are moving slowly as much as that they end up
being "jumpy".  When your vision becomes jumpy, you brain gets the
idea that you may be poisoned, and decides that maybe it's a good
idea to make you toss your lunch.  (Better hungry than dead).

A fix to this would be to have the 3D engine automatically drop
unnecessary detail from the scene when it is unable to maintain that
level of detail at an adequate frame-rate.

Getting stuck on walls, up close views of walls and other similar
situations can also trigger discomfort.  I find that some games seem
to allow an unrealistically close view of a wall as if you were
pressing your face right up to it, when really you should stop
around 6 to 10 inches away.

If you find that the 3D game you are playing is making you a little
queasy, you should check your video settings, and maybe lower the
detail and/or lower the resolution you are running at.  (That or buy
better 3D hardware).

-Thoric


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