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The lack of a general interest in virtual reality did not deter Facebook from spending billions of dollars on it.
This week, Facebook held its Oculus Connect event in San Jose, California, where CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the company's latest helmet, the Oculus Quest. The headset does not need a personal computer to operate or detection towers to track its movement like its Rift brother. This makes it easier to move around in a virtual environment without tripping over physical cables or carrying a bulky backpack containing a PC.
The quest will only be available on an unspecified date in the spring of 2019, which could take up to six months. This is a bad time, as mainstream technology companies generally want their products to be marketed before the holiday season.
Keeping in mind that the Connect event is primarily aimed at developers, Facebook probably wants to encourage coders to create more content for the device before the headset is launched publicly. In this way, consumers might have more reason to buy it.
Fortune used the Quest, which will cost $ 399, with several VR demos that give an idea of how VR wireless headsets allow more realistic movement.
Here is how they were:
Play tennis in virtual reality
Running on a digital tennis court with the old Rift helmet would be impossible because it has to be connected to a computer. But since Quest is wireless, users can sprint in real life while integrating their moves into a VR tennis match.
Inspire the popularity of Nintendo Wii Sports game that was created more than ten years ago, Tennis Scramble Project Go for a wacky and caricatural aesthetic rather than trying to recreate Wimbledon. Silly palms decorate the virtual multicolored courts, while my opponent looked like a munchkin with an oversized head.
The game itself is not very difficult and it was clearly designed so that hitting the ball – which can turn into fun objects like a beach ball – is easy. I wanted the earpiece tracking to be a little more precise, so that swinging my virtual tennis racket is more natural.
The most surreal part of the game may have been the opening segment, in which the disembodied leader of Oculus Vice President Jason Rubin flies over the field and presents himself. It would make sense that game designers could call on a tennis star like Serena Williams for that she psyche the players before a match, but for now, Rubin will have to do it. Presumably, his appearance is supposed to pump Oculus developers at the Connect event.
To be afraid in virtual reality
In the demo for Face your fears 2, players explore the outskirts of a haunted mansion in a scene that looks like a combination of deliverance mixed with the Gothic style of The legend of Sleepy Hollow.
There was no other challenge in the game than walking on a path, entering a barn and entering a mysterious house while picking up objects like hammers or keys to help open doors. .
The game is essentially a series of lightning strikes – the cinematic technique of suddenly introducing scary characters or scary images on a stage accompanied by a booming sound. For example, dozens of virtual spiders emerge from the ground and surround the player. By opening the door of the mansion, a zombie appears and looks for the player as a scene from a horror movie.
Punch for virtual reality test mannequins
In Superhot VR, players avoid the punches of what looks like all-red crash test dummies, while planning counter moves.
As players move, time in the game progresses in futuristic wards, allowing enemies to advance their attacks. When players stay still, time stops, giving them time to strategize.
During the game, players can also take rifles or ninja stars, which is useful when the enemies are too far to break the fist.
Discover Star Wars in VR
The most exciting VR experience at Connect did not involve the quest. It was rather a VR installation based on the Star wars the cinematographic franchise created by VR The Void production company and ILMxLAB VR studio from Lucasfilm.
By attaching a backpack and a computer jacket to power the company's custom VR headphones, players roam a mini labyrinth, similar to the old school laser tag arena. The combination of virtual reality helmets, as well as the ability to physically move in multiple lanes, gives players the illusion that they crisscross the corridors of a congested spaceship and avoid the occasional laser fire from troops. enemy assault.
In addition to VR headsets, several other additions have also strengthened the game and created a more realistic experience. For example, when I remained motionless on a moving platform to get me through a huge volcano, I felt a burning wind on my body because the installation involved air blowers. that allowed to simulate the environmental conditions of the game.
When a storm soldier shot me, I felt a small electric jolt on the chest with technology in a vest that I wore that can mimic the feel of touching.
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It's the most immersive VR experience I've ever experienced at the Connect event, because of The Void's physical speaker that was designed to coincide with the game.
A software bug during one of the first scenes of the experiment forced my team to lift the helmet visors and start all over again, but that did not bother me because it was fascinating to see the tiny hallways that designers have laid out in real life illusion.
It's totally impossible to use a home entertainment system or replace a video game console, but as an amusement park, it's a must-see attraction.
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