CheckerVision: Grid-Based Interleaving of Concurrent 3D Environments in VR
CheckerVision enables the simultaneous visualization of two virtual environments by segmenting the user’s field of view into a checkerboard pattern. Alternating cells are assigned to one of two environments, distributing both worlds across the entire viewport rather than allocating contiguous regions to each. This work contributes (1) a concept for FoV-segmented multi-environment visualization, (2) a Unity-based stereoscopic implementation using layer-based rendering and stencil masking with a runtime-generated checkerboard mask, and (3) an empirical evaluation of how segmentation granularity relates to subjective experience. In a within-subjects study (N=12), participants explored two distinct scenes under three grid resolutions and reported presence (IPQ), usability (SUS), and preference rankings. Across conditions, presence and usability ratings were consistent and did not differ reliably between resolutions; preference rankings likewise showed no significant differences, with a descriptive tendency toward finer segmentation.