Virtual reality is a phrase that brings to mind sometimes terrible, sometimes great, 80’s and 90’s movies such as Tron and the Matrix. But the reality of Virtual Reality is less about neon hamster balls, death races, and instantly learning Jui-Jitsu, as it is about a new entirely immersive type of display. Oculus Rift and other Virtual Reality systems may still be in the development stages but there’s no questioning it. VR is the future.
When you put on the Oculus Rift you are transported to another place. Oculus is the headset that kicked off the last two years’ experimental VR boom. What you see in the display is mapped directly to your head’s movement. The illusion is made complete with a pair of noise canceling headphones making it easy to completely forget the world around you. The Tuscany demo presented the simple wonder of being somewhere else. Everything that comes after this initial transportation is of some value but simple tourism in a virtual world is unlike anything many have ever seen or done before. That’s not to say that the conventional “gamer” trappings in which VR presently finds itself are not enjoyable. If anything, Virtual Reality enhances the experience. For example, during the demo picturesque demo players are attacked by zombies. This odd but exhilarating twist was followed by action on scale with a John Woo film. faced with virtual undead adversaries, I pulled out a pair pistols, spun around and dived into the air to do battle. Unlike a traditional video game where a controller is your weapon, the feeling of being in the game itself brought the game to a whole new level.
When comparing Virtual Reality to modern technology and what’s on the horizon, VR falls somewhere in between revolutionary products such as smart watches and traditional tech like the television. Whereas smart phones are putting games and entertainment at people’s fingertips wherever they may be, in effect, weakening industries built around around dedicated stationary displays like the TV and desktop computer, VR aims to send people back home.
Because Virtual Reality requires complete immersion it’s not something you can do on the go and is quite unsafe to use in a crowded environment like a public space. Even at home, Oculus Rift can be a little dangerous. While demonstrating a game in which players take on the role of a dragon, the action of flapping one’s arms and twisting and turning their body to manipulate the actions of a dragon were offsetting causing demonstrators to lose their balance. Furthermore, the gear worn for certain games, ranging from simple headsets to various pieces worn on the hands, chest and shoulder can be cumbersome.
The extensive pieces refer to a sophisticated seated lazertag apparatus. used with PrioVR another of the VR systems on display alongside Oculus Rift and other developing projects upstarts such as Control VR and Razer Hydra. With PrioVR, sensors are attached to the finger, wrist, shoulder, and chest to track movement and translate your actions to the virtual world into an avatar in the virtual world. It may make you look like a space marine straight out of Doom, but it makes for a fun and immersive experience that goes far beyond expectations.
Though a fresh new way to enjoy video games, Virtual Reality is a risky bet for developers, but major companies and developers are becoming interested. In 2013, Id Software, Epic Games, and the Valve Corporation have all announced support of Oculus Rift in the future. In addition, Id Software Co-Founder, John Carmack joined the Oculus Rift team as Chief Technology Officer. And though the Oculus team stands to make huge gains, there is a great deal of resentment in the industry over the recent $2 billion purchase of Oculus Rift by Facebook. regardless, Oculus Rift is on track for consumer release in 2015. unfortunately, the VR system will be an expensive one; $300-400 for the peripheral on top of the price for a gaming computer which can run at minimum, $1100, as well as eventual hardware upgrades to meet the demanding technical specifications of modern computer gaming.