VRomance

Speed dating in VR

Comment

Inspiration

Tinder but in VR.

What it does

So fair we built what a mock date with avatars might look like and how someone might be able to like and match with another user with the ability to view their profile.

How we built it

Using Unity and Aframe

Challenges we ran into

Trying to deploy the mock date experience from unity to google cardboard, making the Aframe responsive to a stare in a certain section to then render a new screen.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Learning how to use Unity and Aframe!

What we learned

Unity development and Aframe development for VR.

What's next for VRomance

Attempt to create a virtual date, with real time chat with the users. The user dashboard to look for the matches within their radius. Create all the assets. Test, Test and Test!

VRomance Concurrent idea: Speed dating in VR (paralleling the current fast-paced nature of Tinder, albeit more gamified) Problem

  1. First dates often result in a waste time and money (largely due to a lack of authenticity in the courting process)
  2. There is currently a huge gap between meeting someone on your mobile and meeting them in person (making it difficult for introverts to meet people and women for safety concerns).
  3. Current heterosexual dating applications face the problem of one party initiating the conversation (usually the male), only to have the other (the female) not reply. Some other potential use cases (1) Longdistance relationships (2) Servicemen and women on tour Solution Convenience in enabling people to effectively have a “try before you buy”; a virtual date. Outcome A VR dating application that draws its market from two avenues (1) Standalone VR dating application - (2) Add-on for existing dating application - Market • Initially targeting the gay male dating audience: likeliest to be early adopters given the saturation of males in VR. • Over time diversifying to include heterosexual relationships. • Using it as an add-on to existing dating applications like Grindr & Tinder Commercialisation ideas
  4. Every time a conversation is initiated, the person receives virtual currency that can be put towards a date
  5. Tiered purchase of avatars Two executional approaches Execution 1: Imitating the voracity of Tinder images in attempting to replicate the “real” -> avatars and dates are as close to photorealistic as possible. This can be done by either (a) photogrammetry (taking a camera feed and wrapping it around a 3D model) or (b) stereoscopic photography (2 videos, left eye and right eye - no photometry required). Execution 2: A more abstract approach incorporating the use of synthetic avatars situated within a 360 skybox. Additional findings through interviews:
  6. Security ranks highly amongst females as a concern on first dates with a person they have not met face to face, as does the need for a filter in the initial courting stage.
  7. Icebreakers were suggested as a good idea.
  8. Voice and auditory messaging was also recommended as something to pursue
  9. Also noted that current Tinder profiles typically lack detail about the individual; interviewees recommended that the application include films they like, or favourite music in a way that makes it easier to learn more about the person.

Built With

Share this project:

Updates