Realer life…
A few years back, I got a virtual reality demo at a conference. They put the headset on me and then I played briefly with an art tool called Tilt Brush. I was totally hooked and wanted more. Then a bunch of time went by and I sort of figured it was still too expensive for me.
Well, just recently, I decided to check in on the latest VR headsets and learned that the Oculus Quest 2 starts at $299. So, ahem, I bought the base model (64gb).
Um. HFS. It’s awesome! Like, really really awesome. My only regret is that I didn’t buy one sooner.
In about a week’s time, I’ve jumped out of a plane in a wingsuit, got up close and personal with the Great Pyramid of Giza (what!?!), worked out on the surface of Mars, sliced up blue and red cubes to the beat of Panic at the Disco songs, figured out clues as a detective in a super-cool immersive “escape room,” flew around in butterfly wings in a Tuscany-inspired world, and more.
My friend Rebecca invited me to be a background actor in an AltspaceVR movie she’s filming!
Most importantly for me, they’ve gamified exercising and I’M HERE FOR IT. Beat Saber, in particular, is good for breaking a satisfying sweat fast (is it still exercise if you enjoy it?). Plus, you don’t have to leave the house. I can literally take a 10-minute break from my desk and start moving. Again, my only regret is not buying one sooner.
Two downsides:
1. The big one? You have to have a Facebook account. They want more of your data which is why the headsets are more affordable now. Sigh.
2. In certain worlds (AltspaceVR, I’m looking at you!), I got nauseous from motion sickness and had to stop playing. I hear you get accustomed to it eventually though. It only really happened to me when I was flying around or “walking” fast.
Who else here has one? What game/experience do you recommend I try next?
