By using a 360-degree camera in the Inkwell Interactive Studio, students recently built a Virtual Reality (VR) campus tour that is displayed on an Oculus Go, a standalone VR headset. Potential students visiting SNHU booths at college fairs can experience the campus from anywhere in the world.
Over the past couple of years, VR has gone from a gimmick to a useful piece of technology not only for games but also for practical uses. Students who are working in the game design program at SNHU have been making many projects over the course of the semester to produce fully developed projects.
Timothy Whittum, the assistant vice president for freshman admissions, explains further that the VR campus tour, “was created for International Admission.” This will allow International students to go online and take the tour without spending money to fly out to campus. Instead, they can experience it on their computer or phone at no additional cost.
The mobile app, which was created to pair with the VR campus tour, called SNHU Virtual Tour, features self-guided tours locating important landmarks and buildings, a custom walking tour by getting an up-close look at many majors and programs offered and 360 degree interactive panoramas of locations.
Students are also working with Boston Children’s Hospital to build a VR simulation for the hospital’s nurse training program. Game Programming Student Brian Conant (’19) said working on projects with partners like Make-A-Wish and Boston Children’s Hospital enhanced his college experience.
“It’s cool because it’s a project that actually matters. We have a client we’re working with and doing a project to their specifications that’s going to make a difference in their lives [will] make a difference for a lot of people,” Conant said. “It’s crazy. I never thought I’d have this kind of experience during college.”
