I remember when I was a kid, I tried using a virtual reality machine. There was a massive machine that you would have to stand in with a headset that would make Darth Vader’s helmet look small. You had to stand in a thing, and you could only move a foot or two in any direction. The graphics were not fantastic, and to move within the game, there was a series of actions that I never properly understood. The VR Back in the day didn’t work. Like any technology, the first couple fo goes, in my humble opinion, not that great. Luckily, and like most technology, if you give it some time, not only does it improve over time, but what comes out later usually blows the doors off the place.
Last Christmas (along with my awesome Batmobile), I was the lucky recipient of an oculus quest. My wife got it for me because this one came with a Star Wars game pre-loaded on it, and I’m a bit of a star wars nerd, so it worked out for me. I have been using it fairly consistently (as has the rest of my family), and I have to say it’s a great little device to have around.
1) Interactivity is Awesome – So I have to admit, I grew up on Star Trek, where the Holodeck was where the crew got their fill of massively interactive games. As we haven’t quite got the handle on photon technology (yet), using VR will be what we have to work with. That being said, the interactivity has come SOOO far along. It’s incredible how, when in the different games, when you move your hands or your fingers, it’s represented the same way on your VR Goggles. When you move your head around, it seems as natural as if you were actually in the environment you were in. The best part is that because you set the limit of where the game boundaries are, you can move around (to a certain degree) within the game space. It’s cool!
2) Game Selection is VAST – There are so many different games out there. I like the game selection that the Quest offers. Everything from first-person shooters to Puzzle games shows that the Oculus platform has nearly everything you could imagine to keep you entertained. The only game that I have not been able to find it a version of the Arkham Knight, Batman game. I fully realize that it is available in the Oculus Rift, but I will have to wait to show up in the Quest.
3) Can be suitable for a workout – One of the side benefits of playing with the Quest is that it can, depending on the game, actually be a good workout. On several occasions, my wife and I have played Beat Saber for long periods and got a good sweat out of doing it. The right for Beat Saber (and what makes it a good workout) is that you are always holding your arms up and using your upper body to move around, and the harder you slice the blocks, the higher your points go, so if you’re looking for a high score, you have to work harder for it physically. After playing through a few songs for around 30-45 minutes, I certainly get a good sweat going. DISCLAIMER: I’m not a health professional or a workout guru. This is based on my own experience only.
Gaming in VR is deeply cool. I like being in different environments and being wholly immersed there. Even though the system as it is right now is fantastic, I can see a lot of opportunities for various games and different kinds of games. I did a quick search while I was writing the article, and while they don’t have any PGA Golf game as my x-box does, their sports game selection is pretty fantastic. The other thing that the Quest is good for is for being productive. There are several apps that allow you to connect with your computer to work in a virtual workspace. Some of these apps have even set up the ability to work with other people in the same space. Who knows, somewhere down the road, we may all be working in Holodecks in our own homes, but still can work with people.
Have you ever tried VR?
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