Alex PlaumMar 23
DW Innovation

"XR hasn't revolutionized journalism. It has quietly expanded what journalism can do." 🌐📍😎

In the latest DW Innovation blogpost, @Olivia_Luise shares core insights from her master's thesis on 360° and VR journalism – and a couple of things you should know if you want to get started in the field.

👇
https://innovation.dw.com/articles/what-aspiring-vr-journalists-should-know

#VR #XR #360video #immersive #journalism

From 2D To 3D: What Aspiring VR And 360° Journalists Should Know

Olivia Stracke provides insights into her M.A. thesis on VR and 360-degree journalism, offering tips and ideas for journalists looking to venture into this field.

Mar 23 at 12:16pmWeb
Show threadhaagchMar 23

@dw_innovation @Olivia_Luise Has it? As a Linux user I know I'm a niche user but I have been on the lookout for 10 years and never once actually seen a piece of VR Journalism at home.

What examples do we have here? The last link is to "DLF Kultur about Stasi interrogations" which links to https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/verhoere-als-virtual-reality-ein-ganz-andere-form-von-100.html, which links to https://blogs.deutschlandradiokultur.de/stasiverhoer/ and.... the page doesn't exist. I found https://spieleratgeber-nrw.de/spiel/stasi-vr/ that explains that it was available for android and ios cardboard VR.

Verhöre als Virtual Reality - "Ein ganz andere Form von Empathie"

Mit einer VR-Brille bewaffnet den Verhörmethoden der Stasi und der Angst der Untersuchungshäftlinge nachspüren: Ist das vielleicht die Geschichtsvermittlung der Zukunft? Martin Hartwig und Jana Wuttke haben ein solches Online-Projekt entwickelt.

Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Show threadhaagchMar 23
@dw_innovation @Olivia_Luise We also have a link to "production examples" that leads to https://innovation.dw.com/articles/two-simple-ideas-that-could-help-vr-journalism-move-forward. It starts with links to two projects https://multiplejournalism.org/case/hunger-in-la and https://unitednationsvirtualreality.wordpress.com/virtual-reality/cloudsoversidra/, which, surprise, don't exist anymore.
It also links to " NYT 360 video channel" https://www.nytimes.com/video/360-video which seems to host normal 2D videos now.
Two simple ideas that could help VR journalism move forward.

Alexander Plaum suggests to make existing content more visible – and produce more stories on a budget.

Show threadhaagchMar 23
@dw_innovation @Olivia_Luise Later that production examples article links https://www.ard.de/home/ard/Virtual_Reality_und_360__Videos/3363414/index.html (doesn't exist), https://www.rbb-online.de/unternehmen/der_rbb/profil/digitale_produkte/virtual-reality.html which does exist but in turn links to Cardboard https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vragments.a100vr&hl=de and and GearVR https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vragments.a100vr_gearvr&hl=de google play store pages that don't exist anymore.
I understand that these links are in part 10 years old, but imagine if this was the experience with normal Journalism that even if you could find a working link you couldn't view it on modern devices?
Show threadVesipeto VetehinenMar 23
@haagch @dw_innovation @Olivia_Luise i would say it has as I've experienced tons of moving journalistic experiences in VR. I visited a Rohingya refugee camp, saw what the capital city of my country would look like if it was being bombed like Gaza, experienced solitary confinement etc. These can be powerful experiences that bring the topics much more close but VR's limited adoption can restrict the impact...
Show threadhaagchMar 25

@vetehinen @dw_innovation @Olivia_Luise Well I'm speaking from a non mainstream platform, I assume that people with a Meta Quest have a different experience.

But still...

Rohingya rang a bell, I think I've read about it in the past. I assume it's this one, co produced by Al Jazeera? https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/9/28/al-jazeera-releases-virtual-reality-project-on-rohingya. They link to https://vimeo.com/231250109 and... that video does not exist anymore. https://vimeo.com/ajcontrast has exactly 1 video and it's not a 360° one

So many dead links...

Al Jazeera releases virtual reality project on Rohingya

‘I am Rohingya’ follows the journey of a young woman from her home in Myanmar to a refugee camp in Bangladesh.

Al Jazeera
Show threadhaagchMar 25

@vetehinen @dw_innovation @Olivia_Luise I did find it on youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SL3aab8LAs. Youtube never had an official way to play 360° videos on my platform.

They did have Youtube VR for windows on Steam but years ago they discontinued it and it's not on steam anymore at all. Youtube could just make a WebXR player for youtube but.. they don't. So I'm not sure if youtube is a real platform for VR journalism.

I Am Rohingya: A VR Documentary from Contrast VR and AJ+

YouTube
Show threadhaagchMar 25

@vetehinen @dw_innovation @Olivia_Luise People can always violate youtube's terms of service and download the video of course.

The only native Linux player that supports this specific video I know of is https://github.com/silphendio/vr-media-player. Stereo EAC looks almost right but there's something wrong with the aspect ratio and vergence. Not sure if it's the player or the video as there is no more official way to play it for me...

So I can say I have seen one now...

GitHub - silphendio/vr-media-player: Image and video viewer for virtual reality, made with Godot

Image and video viewer for virtual reality, made with Godot - silphendio/vr-media-player

GitHub
Show threadBlickfield3d ago
@haagch @vetehinen @dw_innovation @Olivia_Luise
Ytdlp is your friend. Youtube has very few sbs uploads for vr web players in youtube and quality tops at 4k.
Otherwise its DeoVR I think there are no more options. The youtube video URL streams don't contain audio so they are worthless unless someone makes a new player that picks two urls.
Show threadSönke1d ago
@dw_innovation @Olivia_Luise i have heard of some people using the apple vision pro as a multiple monitor replacement if they are on business trips...