Spectating virtual (VR) environments associated with VR user interactivity
A method, system, computer readable media and cloud systems are provided for generating views of a virtual reality environment for a spectator. One example method includes generating a virtual reality environment to be rendered for a head mounted display (HMD) of an HMD player. The HMD player is provided with an HMD view that is controlled by movement of the HMD by the HMD player. Then, providing a spectator view into the virtual reality environment. The spectator view is associated with a viewing spot directed into the virtual reality environment. The viewing spot is decoupled from the HMD view. In some examples, multiple viewing spots are pre-authored and the spectator is provided with different ones of the viewing spots as the HMD players move around the virtual reality environment.
1. A method for generating views of a virtual reality environment for a spectator, comprising,
generating a virtual reality environment to be rendered for a head mounted display (HMD) of an HMD player, the HMD player being provided with an HMD view that is controlled by movement of the HMD by the HMD player;
providing a spectator view into the virtual reality environment, the spectator view being associated with a viewing spot directed into the virtual reality environment, the viewing spot is decoupled from the HMD view, wherein the viewing spot is one of a plurality of viewing spots selected for the virtual reality environment; and
automatically moving said viewing spot of the spectator view to predetermined viewing spots that follow the HMD view in the virtual reality environment as the HMD view changes responsive to movement of the HMD by the HMD player,
wherein the changes in the HMD view occur during a session as time progresses for said session, and wherein the viewing spot of the spectator view has a delay in being moved to follow the HMD view, and said delay in moving the viewing spot does not delay time progress for said spectator view relative to time progress for said HMD view during said session.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the delay in the viewing spot being moved functions to follow the HMD view at a slower rate than movements of the HMD, such that the HMD view advances in the virtual reality environment ahead of the spectator view.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein select ones of the viewing spots are selected for the spectator based on specific content identified in the virtual reality environment.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spectator view is part of the HMD view.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spectator view is greater than the HMD view.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a gaze direction of the HMD player is used to identify content being viewed by the HMD player to the spectator.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising,
receiving selection of a listening zone in the virtual reality environment by the spectator, wherein selection of the listening zone provides audio to the spectator from a perspective of the listening zone.
8. A method executed by a server for generating views of a virtual reality environment for a spectator, comprising,
receiving, by the server, a feed of a virtual reality environment rendered for a head mounted display (HMD) of an HMD player, the HMD player being provided with an HMD view that is controlled by movement of the HMD by the HMD player, the feed of the virtual reality environment being shared to a website;
receiving, by the server, a request from the spectator to access the virtual reality environment from the website;
sending, by the server, a spectator view into the virtual reality environment to a device of the spectator, the spectator view being associated with a viewing spot directed into the virtual reality environment, the viewing spot is decoupled from the HMD view; and
automatically updating the spectator view to other viewing spots directed into the virtual reality environment as the HMD player moves around the virtual reality environment, which correspondingly moves the spectator view to follow the HMD view in the virtual reality environment;
wherein the viewing spots are pre-authored viewing spots that are selected to provide views into the virtual reality environment as the HMD player traverses the virtual reality environment, wherein the changes in the HMD view occur during a session as time progresses for said session, and wherein the viewing spot of the spectator view has a delay in being moved to follow the HMD view, and said delay in moving the viewing spot does not delay time progress for said spectator view relative to time progress for said HMD view during said session.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the spectator is popped from one to another of the pre-authored viewing spots.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein a profile of the spectator identifies a preference for a type of view or content, and the preference is used to select which ones of the pre-authored viewing spots are provided to the spectator.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the device of the spectator is one of an HMD used by the spectator or a television screen used by the spectator, or a computer screen used by the spectator, or hand-held device screen used by the spectator.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the spectator is one of a plurality of spectators that provides access to view the HMD view of the HMD player.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the website provides a selection of options of other HMD views of other HMD players, such that the spectator can select specific ones of the HMD views and see the respective virtual reality environments from one or more spectator views.
14. A non-transitory computer readable medium being non-transitory and having program instructions for generating views of a virtual reality environment for a spectator, the computer readable media comprising:
program instructions for generating a virtual reality environment to be rendered for a head mounted display (HMD) of an HMD player, the HMD player being provided with an HMD view that is controlled by movement of the HMD by the HMD player; and
program instructions for providing a spectator view into the virtual reality environment, the spectator view being associated with a viewing spot directed into the virtual reality environment, the viewing spot is decoupled from the HMD view, wherein the viewing spot is one of a plurality of viewing spots selected for the virtual reality environment; and
program instructions for automatically moving said viewing spot of the spectator view to predetermined viewing spots that follow the HMD view in the virtual reality environment as the HMD view changes responsive to movement of the HMD by the HMD player,
wherein the changes in the HMD view occur during a session as time progresses for said session, and wherein the viewing spot of the spectator view has a delay in being moved to follow the HMD view, and said delay in moving the viewing spot does not delay time progress for said spectator view relative to time progress for said HMD view during said session.
15. The computer readable media of claim 14 , wherein the viewing spot of the spectator view is delayed movement that follows the HMD view, and the viewing spot is one of a plurality of viewing spots that provide different viewing angles that are directed in an area of the HMD view or a direction of movement of the HMD view in the virtual reality environment.
16. The computer readable media of claim 14 , wherein the delayed movement of the viewing spot functions to follow the HMD view at a slower rate than movements of the HMD, and the viewing spot is one of a plurality of viewing spots that is preselected for the spectator view based on the HMD view.