User goals
Move to a higher elevation or over a longer distance, where standard teleport does not work well
Interaction
- User sees a location marker in the distance or on a higher platform (often a glowing orb or some other distinct large icon)
- User uses a ‘ray cast’ or other pointing interaction to aim at the location marker
- User presses the trigger button or other confirm button
- User appears at the new location
- In games firing a weapon such as a bow and arrow at the location marker can trigger the teleport
Good
- Allows the user to move to locations of higher elevation where standard teleport would require a tricky interaction
- Allows the user to travel further distances than standard teleport very quickly
Bad
- The sudden appearance at the other location with no sensation of having travelled between the 2 points can be jarring and confusing
- Can only travel to specific, predetermined locations this way
Design challenges
- Ensuring the location markers are clearly visible and distinct, even at large distances.
- Using 3 dimensional markers that have a significant height component as often just the top of the marker is visible from lower elevations
- Introducing the sensation of actually moving between the locations. This could be done through tunnelling or peripheral movement cues
Linked to: Teleporting with ‘lock to target’ as both are essentially ways to teleport to a specific location