VR-specific issues

VR inherits all of the common issues from computer graphics, but also contains unique challenges. Chapters 5 and 6 mentioned the increased resolution and frame rate requirements. This provides strong pressure to reduce rendering complexity. Furthermore, many heuristics that worked well for graphics on a screen may be perceptibly wrong in VR. The combination of high field-of-view, resolution, varying viewpoints, and stereo images may bring out new problems. For example, Figure 7.5 illustrates how differing viewpoints from stereopsis could affect the appearance of shiny surfaces. In general, some rendering artifacts could even contribute to VR sickness. Throughout the remainder of this chapter, complications that are unique to VR will be increasingly discussed.

Figure 7.5: Complications emerge with shiny surfaces because the viewpoints are different for the right and left eyes. Using the Blinn-Phong shading model, a specular reflection should have different brightness levels for each eye. It may be difficult to match the effect so that it is consistent with real-world behavior.