VR Panoramas > What are they?

In the current field of ‘virtual reality’ there are two distinct groups: Panoramic simulations and 3D interactivity. This guide is primarily concerned with creating panoramic simulations, although material about the creation of interactive 3D worlds can be found here.

VR panoramas are interactive ‘movies’ that allow you to look around from side to side in a 360° circle and, indeed, up and down! This creates the effect of standing on the spot in a virtual scene, spinning around to see everything around you. Naturally, this means that you’re rooted to the spot and can’t move around freely – a downside offset by the fact that more realistic images (photos/video) can be used. Often the experience is enhanced by the inclusion of links, in the form of ‘hotspots’. These can either act as a ‘portal’ to another panorama, allowing a form of movement through the virtual world, or as a link to other types of media such as web-pages, audio, video and so on.

Here is an example (try clicking on the image, holding down the left mouse button and 'dragging' to the left or right):

In addition to these articles, a superb introduction to the world of panoramic photography and 'stitching' can be found at the Panoguide website.