Although there are some flaws, every time I enter virtual reality I get a rush. I’m always on the edge of my seat and feel as though I have no idea what’s going to happen next. That’s a quality I enjoy in my favorite television shows and movies, but to actually experience it is something else. It’s such a unique and focused feeling that I wonder if I will ever get over it. I hope I don’t, because it’s one of the reason I am so attracted to this new medium. Immersion combined with uncertainty is something only found in life, and the ability to narrate and control the outcome of a story that feels real is something I’m excited to learn.

The VR experiences that I enjoy most are the ones in which the user is at the center of the action. Cirque de Solei in VR was a trip. I was on center stage, watching these two men fling themselves around in the sky with only cloth and each other holding them up. All the while a group of clowns were watching and interacting with me when I looked at them. Although it was a better seat than I will ever get, it actually made me want to go a show. Coming into this class, I thought VR might replace experiences and be so immersive that it would replace the urge to see it in real life. Instead, I think it gives me just a taste of what I could feel in real life, and it makes that urge even stronger.

In addition to the Cirque de Solei experience, I also “went” on a hike in British Columbia via Oculus. This was particularly exciting because my main goal in this class is to learn how to make VR experiences in extraordinary places in nature. I don’t know if anyone else felt this way, but my jaw was practically on the floor during some of the scenes. One second I soaring above a river, and the next I was hiking through a damp forest filled with trees.

Despite this, I didn’t quite feel present because the graphics were a little pixelated. When I turned my head in a quick motion I could see the pixels drag on the screen. To feel present, I think I would need the image to be clear and fluid when I move my head. Although, I am glad to report that I didn’t feel any nausea.

I’m starting to discover that screen resolution is a big factor in making me believe I am where the screen tells me. I think I am so used to HD screens that a lower resolution is obvious.

As for the sound, it still has a ways to go. The Cirque de Solei VR on the DK2 was much better than what I heard on Oculus. A huge part of that is the fact that I didn’t have headphones, so the volume played out the computer. I had headphones with the DK2, and while it was pretty good, it’s clear this technology still has a ways to go. There are so many little things that go into creating a surround sound experience, so it’s understandable that the DK2 failed to completely replicate a typical auditory experience.

The head tracking was good on the DK2, but it was choppy on Oculus. As I moved my head from side to side, there was some lag. It wasn’t major, but it was noticeable.

Regrettably, I didn’t test out the ability to lean forward on the DK2.

If I had the ability to walk around the room I would have preferred wireless. I didn’t, I only sat there, so the difference was negligible.

I think the 3D graphics are on the right path, but it’s still not there yet. It’s encouraging that I didn’t mind it wasn't in 3D, but once that is developed I think I’ll look back on 2D VR and think: “I used to think that was OK to watch?”

As for the spherical range of vision, I felt both were pretty good. I didn’t notice any flaws and both gave me the impression I was in a spherical world similar to our own.

Looking forward to the next VR experience!