VR Streaming as a New Frontier: Investigating Virtual Cameras as a Multifaceted Bridge Between Streamers and Viewers

Abstract

Although live streaming and virtual reality (VR) have been widely studied, their combination, VR streaming as a mass media format, has received less attention. In VR streaming, the streamer uses a VR headset to share their experience in a virtual environment, while viewers watch on traditional 2D devices like computers or smartphones. As VR adoption increases in consumer markets, VR streaming is expected to become a key part of online content ecosystems. However, few studies have examined VR streaming in real-life settings, especially the critical role that virtual cameras can play during the streaming process. Just as physical cameras are essential for storytelling and viewer engagement in traditional media like film, virtual cameras are also crucial for creating effective communication and engaging interaction in VR streaming. Yet the common ways VR streamers currently use virtual cameras, the associated challenges they encounter, and the opportunities to enhance the virtual cameras and their overall streaming experience still remain largely unexplored. This thesis explores the essential role of the virtual camera in VR streaming for fostering connections and engagement between streamers and viewers through three projects. In the first project, I collected and analyzed VR streaming videos to observe VR streaming common practices and understand their associated challenges. In the second project, I interviewed media domain experts to investigate the connections between traditional media and VR streaming, as well as explored design considerations to enhance current virtual cameras. In the final project, I explored the structured representation of VR streaming with a design canvas and how to efficiently support streamers understand and explore current and future VR streaming formats.