Introduction to Virtual Reality
I’ve spent numerous time in virtual reality, attempting to iron out as many kinks as possible before they find yourself costing me money. Between the Rift CV1 and the Vive, I’ve spent more time in a VR headset than anyone who isn’t constructing VR stuff must have at this early point.
What I’ve Learned
I’ve come to appreciate a number of things about VR in that point — things that weren’t immediately obvious after I was just pondering how neat VR could possibly be, or in the course of the many sessions I’d had with the early developer headset prototypes. None of this is supposed to make any grand statements in regards to the way forward for VR. Consider it more of a captain’s log from someone who has spent too many hours with somewhat box strapped to his face.
The Current State of VR
It’s still early days, so don’t expect the (virtual) world just yet. A whole lot of the stuff on the market shows massive promise — but loads of it shouldn’t be great. I checked out many of the 30 Oculus Rift launch titles, and I’d say possibly five are really great examples of what VR brings to the table. Many aren’t really improved by VR; they’re just okay games that occur to have VR support. Some of them are literally made worse by poorly shoehorned VR into an otherwise intriguing game.
Physical Effects of VR
VR Neck is a thing. Strapping a headset to your face for hours on end and throwing your head about makes your neck hurt. I’m not going to scaremonger here — I’m no doctor, and I won’t attempt to play one on the web — but… well, take breaks and stretch your neck. Your neck is pretty vital.
Setting Up Your VR Space
You need a dedicated place in your VR headset to sit down when not in use, and be sure that its cables are out of the way in which and/or tucked behind your desk. Both the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive have long, thick cables attached to them — cables which are easily tripped over or caught in your foot whilst you sit at your desk. Trip over that wire and also you’ve just sent your $500+ headset, with its fragile innards, rocketing toward the bottom.
Accessories and Peripherals
The Oculus’ built-in (but optional!) headphones are really great. I initially figured I’d rip them off; now I find myself hoping it becomes the usual. It’s one less thing to take into consideration when strapping the headset on, and I can quickly tug them out of the way in which if I feel someone is attempting to sneak up and murder me (or, you realize, attempting to confer with me).
Social Aspects of VR
Using VR when you realize another person is home but not in the identical room is… distracting. It will be hard to get the eye of somebody once they’re in VR, so I’m continuously expecting someone to tap my shoulder and scare the hell out of me. I keep my phone in my pocket and ask people to text me once they need my attention.
Favorite Experiences
Some of my favorite experiences are the things I absolutely wasn’t expecting. I believed I’d be all in regards to the FPS or the driving games… and yet, not one of the ones I’ve seen have really blown me away. Meanwhile, Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes (a game where the headset wearer is defusing a bomb while his/her friends dig through a twenty-page printed manual for instructions) has eaten many evenings at my house.
Hand Controllers and Detection
Hand controllers are every part. It takes the experience from “Oh that is neat” to “OH MY GOD THIS IS MAGIC.” Rift doesn’t do it yet (it’s coming, but they didn’t need to delay the headset until the controllers were done), however the Vive does. On that note, hand-detection needs to be done well or it sucks. If it’s not consistent (if you happen to can pick up one small object but not the opposite, for instance, or if the collision/boundary detect isn’t awesome), it’s super distracting.
Miscellaneous Tips and Observations
Get used to having somewhat ring around your eyes/nose where the headset had been sitting, very like the one you may get after wearing snowboard goggles. It’s hardly the worst thing on the planet, just concentrate on it: I answered the door for a delivery person with that big ol’ mark on my face and he checked out me like I had something contagious. Don’t go into your big meeting with VR face (unless you’re employed at a VR company, then it’s probably okay).
The Future of VR
This really is a complete recent medium. The newly founded VR talk show FOO does a damned good job of demonstrating that. Others had tried the VR talk show thing before, but none had hooked me. In the primary episode of Foo, the host (Will, the gent with the guitar) takes you into the world of Firewatch — a game I already adored — and brings two of the sport’s developers along for the ride. They roam around one among the sport’s major environments, picking up objects and explaining how they got here to be, dropping little bits of trivia along the way in which. It felt like I had snuck behind the scenes, and… weirdly, it was one among the primary times I actually lost myself to VR, forgetting that I had a headset on in any respect.
Conclusion
In conclusion, my experience with virtual reality has been eye-opening, to say the least. From the physical effects of VR to the social elements and favorite experiences, there’s rather a lot to contemplate when diving into this recent medium. With the constant evolution of VR technology, it should be exciting to see the way it continues to shape and alter the way in which we interact with the world. Whether you’re a gamer, a developer, or simply someone eager about trying out recent technology, VR is certainly value exploring.
