Virtual Reality, whether it's utilized for video games or tourism, has always intrigued me about the broadening horizon of new technology. It's interactive opportunities highlight many of the exciting features that I love about live theatre, when compared to film. Walking into the innovation center, I couldn't believe that we had the unbelievable opportunity to experience a multitude of VR headsets and interactive stories. By the end of the class, I was able to try out the Samsung VR Gear and the Sunnypeak VR headset, as well as observe my fellow classmates go through these same experiences.

Samsung VR Gear

Putting on the Samsung gear, I was practically jumping out of my seat; I was so excited. An Avengers fight scene, including powerhouse moves from each of the iconic members, had me ducking and dodging throughout the entire scene. One of the things I love most about live theatre--being able to choose who or what you want to watch in the space--was an interesting option during this experience. Whether I followed Thor's hammer thrown over my head or remained focused on his throwing arm, I felt actively a part of the scene because I could choose my own perspective.

Observing my fellow classmates, I realized how ridiculous I must have appeared while wearing the headset: reaching out to touch invisible objects, reacting and shouting at nonexistent things in the air, or just swiveling in my chair over and over again. At times, I could see the other students finding it frustrating to leave the truly immersive experience. Compared to the Google Cardboard, which requires you to hold up the phone to your face, the Samsung headset follows every move you make automatically. When someone is scared by what they're viewing, they often turn their head away. With the Google Cardboard, it's easy to whip the phone away from your eyes, but with the Samsung headset, you're followed by the image, unable to escape. Due to this, some people needed "spirit guides" to help them remove the headset.

Sunnypeak VR

This past holiday season, I passed on an iPhone upgrade. Due to this, I've learned the true importance of iPhone size and resolution when comparing an iPhone 5s and iPhone 6. With limited VR headsets that work with an iPhone 5s, I was restricted to using the Sunnypeak VR headset. Compared to Google Cardboard, this headset mimics the plastic design of the Samsung VR Gear, and attaches to your head. The movable parts of the headset allowed me to fit the headset to my smaller phone, but proved unable to provide me with the same experience as the Samsung Gear. More compatible with a larger screen, my headset showed the white frame of my iPhone 5s that surrounds the screen in my view. Unfortunately, this pulled me out of the experience and constantly reminded me of the false world, to where I was "transported". Both the quality of the graphics and the full spherical range of vision provided by my iPhone 5s were not ideal.

Overall, my small taste of VR has only ignited my excitement and hunger for more knowledge and experience within this new world. This is truly the beginning of a great class and a new adventure.