Let Your World Open: CAVE-based Visualization Methods of Public Virtual Reality towards a Shareable VR Experience

Virtual reality (VR) games are currently becoming part of the public-space entertainment (e.g., VR amusement parks). Therefore, VR games should be attractive for players, as well as for bystanders. Current VR systems are still mostly focused on enhancing the experience of the head-mounted display (HMD) users; thus, bystanders without an HMD cannot enjoy the experience together with the HMD users. We propose the "ReverseCAVE": a proof-of-concept prototype for public VR visualization using CAVE-based projection with translucent screens for bystanders toward a shareable VR experience. The screens surround the HMD user and the VR environment is projected onto the screens. This enables the bystanders to see the HMD user and the VR environment simultaneously. We designed and implemented the ReverseCAVE, and evaluated it in terms of the degree of attention, attractiveness, enjoyment, and shareability, assuming that it is used in a public space. Thus, we can make the VR world more accessible and enhance the public VR experience of the bystanders via the ReverseCAVE.