Flip it, Interface! -3d UI Overview

With the development of technology, the interface is more and more simplified, two-dimensional operation is difficult to provide a better interactive experience, therefore, the planar operation interface to the 3D space dimension development, we ushered in a new era, a revolutionary new interactive experience; this sharing, as an overview of the 3D UI, the following is the overall understanding of the next 3D UI.

Figure 1: How to define 3D

What is 3D

We first understand what is the following:
Generally speaking, 3D is also called three dimensional, three-dimension space; in daily life, it can be defined as the space composed of long, wide, high and 3 dimensions, and the term "three-dimensional space" is used in daily life, which often refers to three-dimensional Euclidean space; 3D This concept of spatial geometry coupled with UI Man-machine interface, this idea forms a new vocabulary 3D UI , so, what is the 3D UI, and how do you understand the 3D UI?

Figure 2: All kinds of 3D game interface, 3D is 3DUI?
The most common 3D in the computer is the game, but even the latest game, which is the operating interface is the 3D UI?

Let's put this topic aside for a moment and look at our most common UI changes, the changes in the system UI:

Changes in the UI

Figure 3: Development changes in the computer UI from scratch

1 The earliest computer system is not UI, he is an imperative operation interface. All operations of the user must rely on typing commands, such as running the Open folder operation, you must type the command "CD", and you need to type "Dir" to list the contents of the folder;

2 times into the 1983, Apple's Lisa OS, at this time has introduced the mouse operation, everything becomes different, our computer has a novel change, do not have to remember those complex commands, open folders need to simply click on the mouse, you can enter, and has shown the contents of the folder;

3 time again, we see the next 1997 years of Mac OS System 8, at this time has added a lot of new technology, the first screen more exquisite, not just monochrome, all the icons more object, not just a simple black and white lines of the structure of the strange wireframe, all the commands are more graphical;

4 into the 2001 Mac OS X Graphics more detailed, hardware upgrades lead to increased resolution, see the object has been more realistic, we can see more materialized design, not the traditional boxy interface, we can even see the garbage cans constantly stuffed, this and your reality is not the second cause;

5 O'Clock Open the system to look at the current system, we can see not only the changes in the graphics, you can be as real as the page in reality, we can zoom in with our fingers to reduce the picture, we can flip it to fiddle with it.

Discussion on 3D UI

The evolving evolution of technology, interface and interaction, these more and more 3D design and reality interaction experience illustrates what, we return to the topic of the 3D UI, we can find such a question: "3D interface what is the meaning" with this problem we look at the early results of a number of 3D interface.

Figure 4:theskinsfactory Customized WMP visual appearance for Alienware

In the early interface, simply imitate the 3D effect, in other words, we really operate and use or stay on the plane. As on the blackboard on the perspective of the way to draw a three-dimensional box; it just looks better, how can it go further?

Pure visual change just looks a little better, if you want to further upgrade you need to bring the operation and interaction into the current equipment, such as the iphone, the ipad, is not purely visually simple, we can push on the device, moving and other physical ways to directly manipulate the content, In the current science and technology, simple simulation of physical environment has become more and more popular; look at the following equipment, what he has to offer us:

Figure 5:microsoft Surface

Let's see what benefits this direct operation can bring:
1 Direct natural mode of operation, users can directly interact with the content, pay attention to the user's current needs to complete the task, in the interface to maintain a minimum number of visible controls, reducing the user's direct manipulation of the content may occur when the interference.

2 In addition to interacting with people, can also interact with the physical. In the virtual world and the real world to establish a connection. Fully integrated into the real world to operate the natural advantages such as the virtual world and the advantages of intelligence.
Back to the question "what is the meaning of the 3D interface", it is obvious that 3D technology is simulating real-life physical or natural environment.

The design of quasi-materialization

Figure 6: More materialized interface designs

So the 3D interface let us in the use of operating equipment more close to reality; with the development of technology, in the virtual program, there is enough technology to simulate the existence of objects, including objects; The advantage of the object is to let the user, the author of the program itself to reduce learning costs and have a more familiar with the good experience. 3D design is not just a simple visual display, he can make content more close to life, the future of life, equipment is only media, he let the content, information directly into the life. We look forward to the arrival of that era!

Source: http://cdc.tencent.com/?p=3781