Yesterday, I went to Disney Springs. We wandered into this shop called “The Void” which advertised itself as a “hyper-reality” experience. So we signed up.
We waited in a line to get into this dark room. When we got in, we watched a short video and were escorted to a second room. Then, we put on Virtual Reality headsets.
We were given guns and transported into a Star Wars “virtual reality”. It felt real. We barely moved but it felt like we were soaring through the sky. There were two other people with me. When I looked in their direction, I saw them as storm troopers.
Everything also looked so real. It felt real when I touched stuff. The floor shook when I shot my gun at the floor. The heat from the fire was there. The sound was life-like. I could see my own hands through the virtual reality disguised as storm trooper arms.
It felt real.
This is what I feel VR will be useful for. VR, alone, is kind of boring. Sitting on your couch with a headset on is boring because it doesn't feel real and it negates the whole purpose of VR. If you are “simulating” a roller coaster with VR, it feels stupid because you still feel like you're sitting on a couch.
VR, alone, is useless and kind of boring. The “coolness” dies off quickly. However, when used in conjunction with a whole experience, can feel real. That is where it will be popular.
When VR actually feels real, the future is amazing.
When VR is just a headset, it is boring and the future is kind of dull.
With a VR headset, you can see fire but it doesn't feel real unless you feel heat.
With a VR headset, you see a dinosaur but it doesn’t feel real until the earth shakes when the Dino walks.
With a VR headset, you can see a lot but it doesn’t feel real without the help of other factors.
VR has a very bright future when used in a setting that complements what you see (feeling heat, feeling earth shaking, seeing other people, etc) . VR, with just a headset, feels like a gimmick.
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