History of VR gaming
Virtual reality gaming was a logical extension of video games and 3D games. Before the development of compact VR technology, VR gaming used projector rooms with multiple screens and projectors.
- 1962. Cinematographer Morton Heilig created what is often recognized as the first virtual reality game
- 1965. It was a room in which a computer-controlled the existence of matter, using interactive graphics and force-feedback controller capabilities.
- 1968. Sutherland created a head-mounted device, called the Sword of Damocles, that presented 3D models to the wearer. The models changed their perspective when the user moved their head.
- 1984. Computer scientist Jaron Lanier popularized the term virtual reality in the 1980s and described how VR could make television and video games more engaging. Lanier founded VPL in 1984.
- 1989. The Data Glove inspired engineers at Mattel and Nintendo to create a consumer-grade version at a much lower price. Power Glove for the Nintendo Entertainment System came out in 1989, along with two games designed for the VR device: Super Glove Ball and Bad Street Brawler.
- 1995. Nintendo released the Virtual Boy gaming console, which used a VR headset to display stereoscopic 3D graphics. However, the technology was considered a commercial failure because of the complexity and cost of creating consumer-grade VR gaming industry products.
- 2010. Palmer Luckey developed the prototype of the Oculus Rift headset, which was released as a commercial product in 2016. Oculus Rift was marketed to gamers as an inexpensive option for VR 2019.
- 2021. The concept of the metaverse became popular as Meta developed ways for users to socialize and play games in its metaverse. Interest in the metaverse started driving investment in VR technology for corporate use.
What is virtual reality gaming (VR gaming)?
Virtual reality gaming is the application of a three-dimensional (3D) artificial environment to computer games. Virtual reality environments are created with VR software and presented to the user in such a way that they supersede the real-world environment, creating suspension of disbelief and helping the user experience the VR environment as real.
Users can play VR games on smartphones, PCs and laptops, and gaming consoles. VR gaming control may involve a standard keyboard and mouse, game controllers and motion capture methods Some VR headsets on the market are the following:
- HP Reverb
- Meta Quest
- Microsoft HoloLens
- Samsung Gear VR
- Sony PlayStation VR
- Valve Index
Most of these companies offer motion controllers and a tracker to work in concert with the headset. In addition to entertainment.
VR gaming is distinct from augmented reality gaming which involves the integration of digital content with the user’s real-world environment.
How does VR gaming work?
VR gaming systems are composed of a game and hardware. The games are designed to create an immersive experience that gives users the feeling that they are interacting with a world outside their physical bodies. These systems are designed to have as little latency as possible to give fast and accurate feedback to users based on their actions.
VR gaming systems generate realistic sensations that simulate users’ physical presence in a computer-generated environment. The goal of VR gaming systems is to let users believe they inhabit a virtual world. People using VR gaming systems move around the virtual world and interact with virtual features and items.
Types of VR gaming accessories and hardware:
The headsets and controllers that makeup virtual reality gaming systems are often sold together.
Headsets
Users immerse themselves in a game or work setting using virtual reality gaming. Some headsets can capture head and eye movements and transmit them to the game. Others include stereo sound systems to project the game’s audio content. Some come just as goggles that display the virtual game world to the user.
Controllers
These hand-based controllers let users interact with the virtual world. Users can select objects, drag and drop objects, point, outline boundaries, and scroll up or down with a VR controller. Some controllers have motion detectors that can sense a user’s hand motion, like throwing, for example. The controller recreates these actions in the game.
VR gloves take VR controllers a step further by detecting micromovements in the user’s hands and fingers and transmitting those to the game. This adds small motor skills to VR video games and enables users to grasp, pick up and carry small items in a game. Some other auxiliary VR gaming accessories are the following:
- steering wheels and accelerator controllers for racing games;
- treadmills that sense running distance and speed;
- full-body haptic suits;
- gun stocks that simulate a real gun in a virtual environment;
- table tennis paddle grips;
- haptic foot controllers and shoes;
- base stations that locate and track wireless VR objects and incorporate them into a game;
- cloth covers for increased headset comfort; and
- portable battery packs to power more complex VR technology.
What to consider when buying VR gaming equipment:
There are several factors to consider when buying VR gaming equipment:
- Budget. VR equipment ranges in price with many options costing hundreds of dollars.
- Platform. The options available are standalone systems that don’t require an external system or PC-, smartphone- or console-based VR systems. Current smartphone VR sets are less immersive than PC or console ones.
- Compatibility. If using a PC-based VR system, users must make sure the computer meets the gaming system’s qualifications in areas such as graphics cards and processing power.
Field of view. This metric describes how much of the virtual environment is visible to the viewer at any one time. A higher field of view creates a more immersive experience.
- Refresh rate. This is measured in frames per second (FPS) and dictates the smoothness of an image. A low FPS rate can cause motion sickness.
- Tracking. Positional tracking aligns a user’s physical movement with in-game movement. Virtual reality systems that provide one-to-one positional tracking avoid in-game delays.