PanoTools NG:
Re: Interface experiment
Pat Swovelin 2009-Jan-12 21:20:32
On 1/12/2009 11:19 AM, erik leeman's hamster got loose on the keyboard
and typed ...:
> Hi all,
>
> I'm doing my best to design a (Flash) pano interface that helps new
> visitors understand what they are looking at. One of the elements I am
> testing can be seen here:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/insert-external-flash-TEST-01
>
> Please select Flash in the combo-box below the pano window if you have
> DevalVR installed.
>
> It's a rotating spherical preview, or suggestion, that hopefully helps
> people realize they are not looking at a still image. It is meant to
> be an alternative for autorotation, which, in my view, destroys all
> hope of interactivity.
*Exactly!*
> Please note that this is a very early test version, the spheres rotate
> at a speed that is far to high. I haven't yet found a way to slow them
> down, but for now I am very happy to have succeeded in having them
> there at all : )
> Also note that this was done with Pano2VR, not FPP!
>
> I would very much like to know if this idea works as intended on all
> platforms and browsers, so please have a look and tell me if it
> doesn't. Please-please pretty please?
Physically it works but I don't think that people will get the
connection between the spinning doodad/thingy/whatchamacallit in the
top-right corner (that's not a slam against your fine work). *I* know
what it is but a very high percentage of the site visitors will look at
it and wonder what the "spinning doodad/thingy/whatchamacallit" is. "It
attracted my attention but isn't clickable, so what is it for?" might be
all they'll think about it.
I really think that the best idea is to have a pop-up instructional
window in the middle of the pano that they have to clear to be able to
see the pano. Doing that forces them to both read *and* close it. If
they've seen it before it's a single-click to close it (in the same area
where they're already going to click and drag the pano) and they're on
their way looking at your work.
Granted it's an impediment to them getting to the pano (but an
incredibly small one) but if you don't do that (or something like it)
you run the VERY REAL RISK of having them ignore any "Click and drag to
view the panorama" text you have on the page and merely look at the
opening view thinking "Gee, that's a nice picture" and going no farther
than that. I'm sure most of the people here have shown something to
someone and later asked them "Did you drag it around and look at the
<whatever wasn't in the opening view>?" only to have them tell you "No,
I didn't know you could do that." Later they went back and were amazed
at what you've done exclaiming "That was fantastic!! Amazing! blah blah
blah etc."
You could choose to have the pop-up window close after a few seconds but
then you'd never know if they actually READ it. If they're forced to
read it one time they'll be trained forever on how to navigate panos ...
but you've got to get that concept through to them or they'll never
change their passive "Entertain me" habit of merely looking at images on
the Net.
> Kind regards,
>
> Erik Leeman
>
> p.s. hiding/unhiding the compass was broken by the latest version of
> Pano2VR, I still have to repair that bit, sorry 'bout that : (
The moving compass needle is a great improvement in knowing what
position it's in and what it'll do when you click it
> (http://www.erikleeman.com/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/erik-nl/)
Pat Swovelin
Cool Guy @ Large
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