Over the past decade, cutting-edge developers in the video gaming market have created and developed the long-dreamt-of concept of virtual reality gaming. This is essentially the act of using VR headsets or other accessories to enter into three-dimensional virtual spaces and play games in them. This is truly the new age of entertainment.
Let us cover the basics of virtual gaming, as well as what tools are used to make it possible. We will also talk about the different types of virtual games.
VR Gaming Explained
As we mentioned, VR gaming means using a custom-crafted 3D environment to enjoy games in. These environments are essentially video game software created by numerous developers to immerse users in a new world. VR games use various accessories like VR headsets with visual displays to paint a virtual world in front of the player. Moreover, in VR games, players can interact with their new environment, which depends on the game, using VR controllers. While the headset allows the player to look around, these handheld devices act as the player’s means of control to move around, interact with objects, and more. Think of them as a mouse, keyboard, or console gamepads.
In the past, the pioneering ways of VR gaming used to be rooms filled with projectors with multiple screens. Aids like treadmills and belts to stabilize a player might be used to help with freedom of movement. Today, with VR headsets and controllers, it is much more streamlined.
Players can simply put on these tools in the comfort of their own homes and instantly receive video and audio feedback from their game.
VR Tools
The most popular versions of VR gaming accessories are the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Both of these products are considered pioneers in the modern iterations of VR gaming. We briefly touched upon them but to elaborate, both function as virtual reality headsets that are designed to connect to a computer to enable immersion into the virtual world. Consoles also have a similar option with products like PlayStation VR.
Further iterations like the Microsoft Hololens and Samsung VR were developed to expand the use of virtual reality outside of gaming. The Microsoft Hololens headset can for example be used to conduct virtual business meetings and education. You can use these various VR products for plenty of visual and audio-based tasks.
Of course, a lot of these VR tools are quite expensive for the average consumer so cheaper and simpler iterations were created. The Google Cardboard is a perfect example of a simplified and less financially taxing VR technology that can be used casually for viewing images, videos, music, and more. As opposed to the previous devices, Google Cardboard uses your smartphone for a much more accessible VR experience.
Types of VR Games
As of 2022, there are myriads of VR games developed that both support virtual reality and are specifically created to be played in it. They are split into the consoles they support whether it is PC or consoles. Furthermore, they are further categorized by their genre.
Players can enjoy games such as VR action games where the player takes full first-person control of a character. In this manner, the player can experience various senses as they move around and engage in adrenaline-packed action sequences. The neat thing is that you can use your whole body to play from moving around to swinging with your hands, etc. Moreover, there are simple exploration games where users can wander around a virtual environment in peace at their own pace.
There are also sports games where you can take control of an athlete in a virtual space. You can maneuver the ball in various ball-based sports, run marathons, climb mountains, and more. Additionally, on the extravagant side, there are even virtual reality casino games. You can immerse yourself in a flashy and elegant casino experience playing slots, roulette, blackjack, poker, and more in a 3D virtual environment. This goes hand in hand with the innovative live casino technologies with real dealers and a real-time chat with players globally.
Conclusion
This unique gaming technology has truly shown the world what the entertainment industry is truly capable of. Though its uses are for the most part applied to gaming, there are various other ways to utilize VR in business, education, medicine, and so on. That being said, we simply cannot wait to see what the future holds for VR gaming. Its development history seems to indicate that we have only scratched the tip of the VR iceberg.
