Virtual reality headsets are becoming more and more available as they were previously a product purchased only by the most dedicated gaming fans and tech enthusiasts. Although they have been around since the early 90s, the first successful conventional VR headset was the Oculus Rift, a crowdfunded project dating back to 2012 that brought virtual reality into our homes for the first time.
Almost 10 years later, we now have a plethora of options to choose from, to the point that it can get a bit confusing for anyone trying to find the best virtual reality headsets to suit their needs. One of the most popular options on the market right now is the Oculus Quest 2 thanks to its affordability (compared to other products), lightweight design, and overall high quality, making it one of the best in-grade headphones. input you can use. go out and buy now.
With VR exploding in popularity, we see more and more developers creating games for hardware, and Meta's announcement of its Metaverse likely means VR spaces will only get bigger. These advancements are causing some concern among people concerned about innovation in virtual reality technology, resulting in less time to interact with the real world, but after experiencing the ongoing pandemic for the past two years, I don't really it mattered.
Depending on where you live on the planet at the moment, the outside world sucks. Covid-19 is still taking its toll, global warming and pollution levels have stressed me beyond what I can believe and other people on the streets seem more rude and aggressive than in pre-pandemic times.
I often joked about spending my retirement in VR so I could fight dragons, dance to what will later become "retro" emo music, and customize my avatar to look like a sassy bombshell despite my wizened appearance. With the stress of the last two years, it's better to start early, right?
Okay, maybe that's a bit extreme. I won't spend all of 2022 with a VR headset (mainly because they feel uncomfortable after a few hours), but having finally acquired my own Oculus Quest 2, I will spend more time exploring VR spaces through curiosity about how technology has developed and also because I really need a break from the real world.
Virtual reality games
Gaming is usually the number one reason someone would buy a VR headset, and I include myself in that. I could easily point you to our list of the best VR games for recommendations, but I haven't had time to play it all yet. That being said, there are some basic games that I think you should try if you want to immerse yourself in something in real time rather than a short "VR experience" that can be completed in a matter of hours.
Let's talk about Skyrim. Yes, again, only this version is more exciting than its release on a calculator or whatever platform Todd Howard announces for release next year. Skyrim wasn't exactly designed for VR, but since you can play not only the base game but also the DLC for Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn, this is a title you can really switch to. Months of play while you find new content.
Even after hundreds of hours of playing the standard version on my Xbox 3060, PC, and Nintendo Switch, walking past giants and creepy mines in VR feels like a whole new game. Best of all, if things get tiresome, you can use mods to change up the experience, making this one of the best games where you can actually "live" in VR. If old-fashioned fantasy isn't your thing, also check out Fallout 4 VR, which offers an equally massive open-world experience, but with far more weapons and no dragons.
Beat Saber is another must-have VR game that you can play for long periods of time, with many expansion packs available for your favorite songs and artists. It gives me similar vibes to Guitar Hero in that you'll have to practice a lot to get good at it, which will make you sweat a lot.
Actually, this is one of the reasons why it was one of the first games I downloaded. Having gained weight after disappearing from my daily commute to a now closed office at the start of the Corvid-19 pandemic, I am looking for ways to get back in shape. Beat Saber requires a lot of arm swinging and it's impossible not to at least jump on music for you to get a decent low-impact body workout just by playing for a few hours. Plus, it feels like you're breaking things with a lightsaber, which will never be cool.
Stay social in virtual reality
I'm hardly known for being a social person, but staying connected and avoiding isolation is important to keeping our sanity in check. One of the criticisms about VR is that it separates you from the real world (which is my focus here), but that doesn't mean you have to feel alone.
There are many ways to chat and interact with people online in a virtual reality space, something the Metaverse is also trying to develop. While companies look at it for remote work purposes, there are more entertaining ways to get much-needed social interaction without waiting for Mark Zuckerberg to create more virtual and interactive offices.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew is great fun if you have a group of friends with virtual reality headsets on, and thanks to crossover play, you don't have to use the same systems so PlayStation VR users can play too. Together with people who use an Oculus or HTC product. You don't need to be particularly familiar with Star Trek to enjoy it, the premise is that you and your team must pilot a Federation ship and complete missions, working in unison at separate stations. It's a more social gaming experience than many popular VR games right now, something I'm sure we'll see more of in the years to come.
VRChat is more than just a gaming platform, founded in 2014 as a multiplayer chat experience. It grew significantly around this time, especially during the pandemic, as people looked for ways to interact with friends and strangers in a digital space. Unlike a standard chat room (which is basically what VRChat is), it uses fully customizable 3D avatars, often created from scratch in creative apps like Blender.
This means that you will probably see a wide range of different characters when you log in, and you can often find spaces dedicated to role-playing games if you are interested. On a related note, if you're not exposed to much of the internet, you might find it alarming to see bipedal furry wolves dancing with busty anime girls, but I'm sure you'll find a space to suit you. When in doubt, the community has a very active Discord that you can join to ask questions and make new friends.
It's character building (literally)
I am fascinated by the use of avatars in virtual spaces online, which is part of what rekindled my old hobby of making digital art. Although it started out as simple 2D art in Photoshop or ClipArt Studio, it took me to spend a lot of time in Blender creating characters and models, mostly for 3D printing. These minifigures can be manipulated and turned into functional avatars for use in games like VRChat, giving me a new ability to develop and feel productive.
I'm a long way from having anything usable, but I wouldn't have this motivation for creative development if I hadn't jumped into the world of virtual reality. With so many industries now using the same skills found in 3D art, this actually seems like a useful skill if the Metaverse really takes off successfully.
Even at a lower skill level, you can use apps like Tilt Brush and Dreams in VR to let your imagination run wild. It's the kind of art medium I fantasized about as a kid, something I only thought was possible in the distant sci-fi future, but they are very real and available right now if you have the right stuff.
Virtual reality won't be for everyone, but the opportunities it provides for play, creativity, and social interaction are incredibly exciting. Best of all, this is still just the beginning of the technology that will undoubtedly develop as much in the next 10 years as it did in the previous decade. I will not live the next 12 months in a simulation, but I hope that wearing my headphones more will make me a better socialized and creative person than I am today.
- This article is part of LaComparacion's Tech Resolutions series, an explosion of motivational incentives that shows you how to jump-start your New Years with technology. From Sunday December 26 to Sunday January 2, our series will also reveal how we aim to improve the lives of our devices in 2022. So whether you're looking to become a power Chromebook user, get over your obsession with takeaway food with a new flair. deep fryer. Or wear a smartwatch to propel yourself to new heights of fitness, we'll show you how to have a great New Year. And when things inevitably go wrong, you can always blame the devices.