What is 360 Video?
360 video is a spherical video recording where the view in every direction is captured at the same time, letting viewers pan and rotate their perspective to watch from different angles in a game environment or interactive experience.
These recordings can be captured from real-world footage using omnidirectional cameras, or generated entirely within Unity using animated 3D scenes.
How does 360 video work?
Developers typically categorize 360 video as either non-interactive, where users can only change viewing angles, or interactive, where users can engage with UI elements through gaze or controllers.
Once captured, footage goes through a few steps before playback:
1. Multiple camera angles are stitched together into a single, continuous image.
2. That image is stored in an equirectangular format, which maps the spherical view onto a flat, rectangular image.
3. At viewing time, the flat image is re-projected back onto a sphere so it looks correct from the inside.
Want to set this up yourself? Unity's 360 video import tutorial walks through the process step by step.
How is 360 video used?
360 video is used to create immersive experiences that let viewers look around a captured environment from a fixed viewpoint. The technology has expanded beyond gaming into industries such as:
- Architecture: Immersive walkthroughs that let clients explore spaces before they're built.
- Automotive: Interactive vehicle showcases and virtual experiences.
- Healthcare: Training simulations and educational experiences, including applications built with Unity's immersive training solutions.
Creating 360 video requires specialized capture techniques, but real-time 3D tools can support the post-production and interactive elements of these experiences
What are the benefits of using 360 video?
- Simpler production for some experiences: Capturing real-world footage with an omnidirectional camera can be faster and less resource-intensive than creating a fully interactive 3D environment.
- Broad industry applicability: The same capture technique can be adapted for architecture, automotive, healthcare, tourism, training, and other applications.
- A stronger sense of presence: Allowing viewers to look around in every direction can create a greater sense of being present in the captured environment than traditional fixed-frame video.
What are the challenges of using 360 video?
- Limited real-time interaction: Pre-recorded 360 video generally doesn't provide the same level of interaction as a fully simulated 3D environment.
- Less control over attention: Viewers can look in any direction, making it difficult for creators to ensure they see important visual information or story beats.
- Specialized capture requirements: Producing high-quality 360 footage requires suitable cameras, capture techniques, and post-production workflows.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is 360 video the same as VR?
Related but not identical. 360 video is a specific content format, a spherical recording you can look around in. VR is the broader immersive medium, which can include 360 video as one type of content alongside fully interactive 3D environments.
Do I need a VR headset to watch 360 video?
No. 360 video can be viewed on a phone, tablet, or computer by dragging to look around, a VR headset just makes the experience more immersive by tracking your head movement directly.
Can viewers interact with 360 video, or only look around?
Both are possible. Non-interactive 360 video only lets viewers change their viewing angle. Interactive 360 video adds UI elements viewers can engage with via gaze or controllers, like clickable hotspots or simple branching choices.