I want VR. I want it now. Give it to me. Give it to me RIGHT NOW! I can’t remember if I ever tried VR. I may have decades back in some arcade but I don’t remember it. Well, I tried it this weekend. I instantly became hooked. When VR drops, I will be all over it if it’s financially viable… and as long as it’s properly supported. To think, my sudden fascination with VR is all because of a piece of cardboard.
In Apple’s app store I saw an app called Cardboard. I read the description and it claimed to be able to do VR with my iPhone if I had a Cardboard viewer. I thought it was a catchy name for some high tech product. Nope, it’s actually for a cardboard VR viewer. Google’s Cardboard viewers are just pieces of cardboard, a built in NFC and some magnets. You fold it according to the directions, boot up an app, put your phone in the holder and you’re off into VR world. It was simple, and cheap, but I was hooked instantly.
The first app I booted up was a Pacific Rim app. The app puts you in the cockpit of a mech and you can look around at all the controls and buttons. I loved it. I loved being able to see inside my Pacific Rim mech’s cockpit and look behind me, above me and below me — all around me. It’s a very basic app that offers nearly zero replayability though. Even with this simple setup of cardboard, and my phone, it was an experience. I had to download more apps. I had to experience more VR.
Next I downloaded Vrse. Vrse is an app that puts you in a scene and you look around as if you’re there. I was standing on a New York street looking at an art gallery that was out on the street. I could look all around as if I was standing right there. It was surreal. Vrse also allowed me to sit in the stands of a Saturday Night Live taping and look at the cast doing their craft or turn around and look at the audience and crew. While the quality of the video wasn’t great, again, with this simple VR set-up, it’s an experience.
With the pain of wearing the Cardboard viewer becoming unbearable, the one I got isn’t too comfortable to wear, I had to take a break. I stood for a few seconds trying to gather my thoughts of what I just experienced. Something so simple, cheap, and far from perfect, had made me an instant VR connoisseur. I had been in the camp of VR is a niche that I didn’t care much about, nor would I really entertain buying a VR unit… Not anymore.
I found myself on Oculus’s website within a few minutes of taking off my Cardboard viewer. How much does it cost? What hardware do I need? What games will be compatible with it? Then I thought about Sony’s forthcoming PlayStation VR. Then I thought about Microsoft’s Hololense. The more I thought about them the more I wanted them now. All of this want was brought on by a little piece of cheap cardboard. What started out as me not ever seeing myself buying a VR peripheral instantly turned into a must buy.
Another potential drawback will be weight. Wearing a helmet for a prolonged period of time is tiring. VR units won’t weigh as much as a helmet, I’m talking about a hard shell helmet here, but it will still have weight. Also, the weight will be towards the front of all VR devices. It doesn’t seem Microsoft’s Hololens will have this issue as it’s a glasses set-up and not a full-bore VR unit that is 100% immersive. Necks will be getting a workout for sure with VR and I’m expecting a few more frequent visits to a masseuse.
Eye fatigue will play a part as well. It goes without saying, the old wives tale of sitting too close to the TV will ruin your eyesight isn’t backed by any science, but eye fatigue from sitting too close to a TV is. With VR, everything is right there in front of you… all around you. Your eyes will get tired. How much will be different for everyone, but, your eyes will get tired from prolonged usage before they would when playing on a TV or monitor.
Drawbacks aside, I’m really looking forward to VR. I can envision it becoming my go-to device to game. I don’t play many long sessions, aside from Call of Duty first double XP weekends, so the drawbacks shouldn't affect me much. I love the immersion VR give you. You lose yourself in the environment since you’re surrounded by it. Add in 3D sound and VR is an experience that is shaping up to revolutionize the gaming industry. That hasn’t been done since Xbox Live launched the online console revolution. I, for one, am excited for VR’s arrival. Are you?
In Apple’s app store I saw an app called Cardboard. I read the description and it claimed to be able to do VR with my iPhone if I had a Cardboard viewer. I thought it was a catchy name for some high tech product. Nope, it’s actually for a cardboard VR viewer. Google’s Cardboard viewers are just pieces of cardboard, a built in NFC and some magnets. You fold it according to the directions, boot up an app, put your phone in the holder and you’re off into VR world. It was simple, and cheap, but I was hooked instantly.
The first app I booted up was a Pacific Rim app. The app puts you in the cockpit of a mech and you can look around at all the controls and buttons. I loved it. I loved being able to see inside my Pacific Rim mech’s cockpit and look behind me, above me and below me — all around me. It’s a very basic app that offers nearly zero replayability though. Even with this simple setup of cardboard, and my phone, it was an experience. I had to download more apps. I had to experience more VR.
Next I downloaded Vrse. Vrse is an app that puts you in a scene and you look around as if you’re there. I was standing on a New York street looking at an art gallery that was out on the street. I could look all around as if I was standing right there. It was surreal. Vrse also allowed me to sit in the stands of a Saturday Night Live taping and look at the cast doing their craft or turn around and look at the audience and crew. While the quality of the video wasn’t great, again, with this simple VR set-up, it’s an experience.
With the pain of wearing the Cardboard viewer becoming unbearable, the one I got isn’t too comfortable to wear, I had to take a break. I stood for a few seconds trying to gather my thoughts of what I just experienced. Something so simple, cheap, and far from perfect, had made me an instant VR connoisseur. I had been in the camp of VR is a niche that I didn’t care much about, nor would I really entertain buying a VR unit… Not anymore.
I found myself on Oculus’s website within a few minutes of taking off my Cardboard viewer. How much does it cost? What hardware do I need? What games will be compatible with it? Then I thought about Sony’s forthcoming PlayStation VR. Then I thought about Microsoft’s Hololense. The more I thought about them the more I wanted them now. All of this want was brought on by a little piece of cheap cardboard. What started out as me not ever seeing myself buying a VR peripheral instantly turned into a must buy.
With all of the fun I had with my VR set-up I can envision some drawbacks. Fatigue will probably be the biggest. Turning your head in real life isn’t a problem but we don’t do it constantly. Try it for yourself. Mimic you’re watching a ping pong match. It gets tiring. Game MUST not require the need for rapid, and continuous, head turns. I think game designers already know this. With controllers necessary for gameplay I believe head turning will be held to a minimal as the image will be doing most of the turning with the head left to make sublet movements when you see someone coming out of the corners.
Another potential drawback will be weight. Wearing a helmet for a prolonged period of time is tiring. VR units won’t weigh as much as a helmet, I’m talking about a hard shell helmet here, but it will still have weight. Also, the weight will be towards the front of all VR devices. It doesn’t seem Microsoft’s Hololens will have this issue as it’s a glasses set-up and not a full-bore VR unit that is 100% immersive. Necks will be getting a workout for sure with VR and I’m expecting a few more frequent visits to a masseuse.
Eye fatigue will play a part as well. It goes without saying, the old wives tale of sitting too close to the TV will ruin your eyesight isn’t backed by any science, but eye fatigue from sitting too close to a TV is. With VR, everything is right there in front of you… all around you. Your eyes will get tired. How much will be different for everyone, but, your eyes will get tired from prolonged usage before they would when playing on a TV or monitor.
Drawbacks aside, I’m really looking forward to VR. I can envision it becoming my go-to device to game. I don’t play many long sessions, aside from Call of Duty first double XP weekends, so the drawbacks shouldn't affect me much. I love the immersion VR give you. You lose yourself in the environment since you’re surrounded by it. Add in 3D sound and VR is an experience that is shaping up to revolutionize the gaming industry. That hasn’t been done since Xbox Live launched the online console revolution. I, for one, am excited for VR’s arrival. Are you?
