Introduction to Virtual Reality
Virtual reality (VR) technology has been a component of popular culture for many years, with movies like The Lawnmower Man and The Matrix, in addition to books like Ready Player One, which is being adapted right into a movie by Steven Spielberg. These cultural touchstones have presented visions of technology that enable people to explore virtual, computer-generated worlds by strapping on a VR headset.
The History of Virtual Reality
Multiple attempts have been made prior to now to make VR a real-world success, but they’ve floundered. However, the discharge of a brand new generation of VR headsets in 2016 from Sony, Google, Samsung, HTC, and Facebook-owned Oculus VR has brought the technology back to prominence. The promise of VR is to attach a headset to a games console, computer, or smartphone and watch video, play games, and explore virtual worlds with 360-degree vision and interaction via a controller.
Current Virtual Reality Experiences
VR experiences currently range from warding off zombies in survival-horror games to exploring the ocean depths with David Attenborough, watching Paul McCartney play live from an onstage vantage point, experiencing solitary confinement, or exploring a Syrian refugee camp. The TV industry is taking notice of VR, with many firms attending the MIPTV industry conference in Cannes to learn more concerning the technology and its potential for delivering latest types of drama, documentary, and storytelling.
The Challenge of Virtual Reality
The challenge for VR is that it is much less popular than other types of media, equivalent to YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat. While these platforms have hundreds of thousands of users, VR headsets have only sold around 20 million units, with fewer than 2 million of the "tethered" devices that require a connection to a robust computer. However, research company Greenlight Insights predicts that by 2021, headset owners will spend $9 billion a 12 months on VR content, making it a sexy marketplace for TV producers and broadcasters.
The Future of Virtual Reality
The way forward for VR shouldn’t be just concerning the technology itself, but concerning the creative challenge of developing latest types of storytelling and interaction. Many VR experiences to this point have been either games or non-interactive video, however the potential for VR to evolve its own language and formats is vast. As Greg Ivanov from Google’s Daydream team said, "Good VR has a proposition that is exclusive to VR. It sounds really obvious, however it’s key. It needs to be higher in VR, or only in VR."
The Role of Theatre in Virtual Reality
Theatre can also be playing a job in the event of VR, with many speakers on the MIPTV conference drawing comparisons between the 2 mediums. Simon Benson, from the Sony team that developed the PlayStation VR headset, said, "It’s more like theatre than movies. But it’s a really unusual theatre: for one person." The idea of creating the viewer/player the most important character in a VR narrative may also create headaches, with Benson suggesting that having them be a secondary character, led through the story by a virtual lead, could also be a greater approach.
Top Virtual Reality Experiences
Some of the highest VR experiences currently available include:
- Home – A VR Spacewalk: a collaboration between the BBC and VR agency Rewind that takes viewers on a 15-minute spacewalk
- Ghost within the Shell: a VR experience that ties in with the brand new Scarlett Johansson film
- Farpoint: a narrative-heavy space adventure developed for Sony’s PlayStation VR
- Volcanoes – An Immersive Experience: a 360-degree film created by German broadcaster ZDF that takes viewers close-up with an erupting volcano
- Adventure Time: I See Ooo: a TV spin-off for kids that features "time-out breaks" to reassure parents
Conclusion
In conclusion, virtual reality is a rapidly evolving technology that has the potential to revolutionize the best way we experience storytelling and interaction. While there are challenges to be overcome, the TV industry is taking notice of VR and is desirous to experiment with the technology. With the discharge of recent VR headsets and the event of recent types of storytelling and interaction, the longer term of VR looks shiny. As HTC’s Rikard Steiber said, "Hopefully, like Neo, you may take the pill and run down the rabbit hole with us."
