I’ve seen a couple of examples recently of how super simple “bots” are replacing bits of user interface. I feel like this is a trend connected with the return of VR.
I am in love with the virtual events platform Skittish which is a 3D cartoon world (where everyone is a low-poly animal) for running multiplayer online parties, conferences, workshops etc.
RECOMMENDATION: Hit the “Try it now” button in the top right of their homepage and run around the sandbox. Talk to the other animals! Go into the editable room and try out placing the YouTube billboard!
My favourite omg-that’s-so-clever feature is character bots:
… you can now use the Skittish editor to place little animal NPC characters in your world, which you can supply with multiple lines of dialogue that appear automatically or when other players come into range. These are a great alternative to signage for welcoming people into the space, explaining what’s going on, or just giving the space some color. – Skittish blog, Feature Roundup: New Image Billboards, Camera Views, Badges, Pronouns, and More (April 2022)
This is the feature that guides you round the sandbox mentioned above.
And I’ve been poking at VR and the metaverse recently, noting that the “operating system” needs some work so naturally I’m thinking about that…
Whereas dialog boxes (the usual UI supplied by an OS) wouldn’t work in the Skittish sandbox, as it would totally break frame, these little automated NPCs (non-player characters) work really well.
So… maybe for our future VR user interface: tiny characters saying words, not dialog boxes?
I don’t want to go full conversational UI on this. It’s not about having human-level conversations or making chatbots. What’s good about the character bots in Skittish is how dumb they are. They definitely feel like part of the “machinery” of the place, but they’re integrated. They’re seamlessly integrated in the Skittish world, just as dialog boxes are “in-world” w/r/t to the “desktop metaphor” world of Windows or MacOS.
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