Claire Dunderman

Virtual reality, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Virtual Reality Storytelling class.

Walking into class last week, I knew I was in for something different and new, but I wasn't expecting such an explosion of energy. Everyone, miraculously (considering my excitable nature), was just as ecstatic as I was. Technology! Virtual! Oculus Rift! These words punctuated nearly every conversation.

We began with a slideshow and some short videos as some background to what the class was going to become. This dragged out the suspense for our first encounter, as a class, with the VR headsets.

After the first half was done, we walked to the Innovation Lab to witness our new toys, our virtual playgrounds. Each group huddled around their respective headset with anticipation as one member would try it on. Some people laughed while looking around through the goggles, some people were silent, soaking in the experience.

When I tried on the Gear VR, this was my first VR experience. I chose the Cirque du Soleil experience and gasped as I looked up at the acrobats. I was on a stage and looked behind to where the seats were in the theatre. What people had kept saying all night was true - you really feel like you're there.

Next was the Oculus Rift DK1, in which the Star Trek experience was set up. I asked my fellow group members whether or not these headsets were water proof since I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. The Trekkie in me sang the valiant Klingon Warrior Anthem as I put on the headset. The graphics were not as sharp as the Gear VR and the lighting was similar to most video games, and the controls were a little sticky. Regardless, I could now have bragging rights saying that I was on the Enterprise.

After that was the Oculus Rift DK2, another emotional experience for me. These graphics were better, the head movements more fluid. I also was more comfortable with a controller as opposed to the DK1's keyboard controls. I, naturally, selected the Lord Of The Rings Great River scene, and took the headset off immediately after I saw the statues and heard the theme. While it didn't look "real," the fact that I appeared to be positioned on a boat and look up at the statues, my fantasy of being in Middle Earth was realized.

Lastly was Google Cardboard, a neat invention that I want to invest in for myself. While it was bizarre to see the streets of London (I presume) whizzing past, it was still a clever way to have a cheap, VR experience.

With this beginner's knowledge of VR, I am looking forward to where this class leads us next. Personally, I would love to try out a VR horror game such as Affected. I'm a huge fan of games like Slenderman, SCP Containment Break and Five Nights At Freddy's (admittedly I've only actually played Slenderman before), so I would love to be able to try a VR horror game to see how much scarier it actually is.