Can Virtual Reality Really Bring People Together?

Introduction to VR Social Interactions

Oculus has long promised that VR will bring people together, not isolate them. However, the technology has not taken off in a meaningful way, especially for social interactions. Most people do not have VR headsets, making it hard to search out others to hang around with in virtual reality. There are few apps that could make you’re feeling such as you’re along with others once you’re actually far apart.

A New Kind of Social Interaction

Events, live shows, or movies can provide a special sort of social interaction that could possibly be easier for virtual reality to mimic. Watching a giant tech event from the comfort of my front room, using an Oculus Go controller and snacking on VR-safe treats, was an experiment. The goal was to see if I could get the identical sense of pleasure and social interaction that I’d normally get at a live event, without having to physically be there.

The VR Experience

There were two options to observe the event in VR: in a non-public setting or surrounded by avatars representing other people watching through their very own VR devices. I selected the latter option and created an avatar with green hair and a green mustache. The VR event was bustling at first, with just a few dozen mostly male-looking cartoonish head-and-torso avatars floating above their virtual seats. Each avatar had one hand and wore glasses. Oculus is working on more realistic avatars that may blink and move their mouths, but that feature hasn’t been rolled out yet.

The Announcements

One by one, the announcements unfolded, with essentially the most notable being the reveal of the Oculus Quest headset. Slated for release next spring, Quest is a standalone version of the corporate’s existing Rift headset. It will include hand controls and price $399. This latest headset is supposed to be a mobile version of the Oculus Rift VR headset.

Technical Performance

The resolution of the keynote speakers wasn’t nearly as good because it is in real life, however it was decent. The video streamed well, with just one hitch in over an hour and a half. I liked being near the motion, and it was an improvement over watching the keynote on a laptop or television. I felt closer to the speakers physically than I typically do on a live stream.

Social Interaction in VR

I soon realized I used to be sitting near a web-based buddy, one other journalist who was covering the event in VR. It was considered one of the few times I’ve seen someone familiar in a virtual crowd. After waving my virtual hand to say hi, we had a pleasant, quick chat. However, the virtual crowd around me was stuffed with distractions, including heavy respiration, throat clearing, and random comments. I could mute individual people, however it was unimaginable to know who was talking at any given time.

Challenges and Limitations

I began toggling forwards and backwards between the private viewing option and the general public one, but each time I did, I ended up in a brand new seat. After some time, I just turned down the quantity on the group comments so I could concentrate. The lack of mouth movements and the lack to whisper to someone next to me made the experience feel less realistic.

Conclusion

Overall, the VR experience was a mixed bag. While it was exciting to be near the motion and interact with others in a virtual environment, there have been several challenges and limitations. The technology still has a strategy to go before it may truly bring people together in a meaningful way. However, with the discharge of the Oculus Quest headset, there may be hope that VR social interactions will develop into more accessible and enjoyable for everybody.