10 Kinds of Content That Work in Virtual Reality

March 26, 2016

One way that we know that VR and AR have (finally) got legs is the incredible number of showcases at the recent South by Southwest (SXSW) convention in Austin, Tx, during March 2016. During the event, huge numbers of VR experiences were running, in areas ranging from scientific to silly.

There is a lot of content experimentation out there. But most current content is experimental, and the question remains: what kinds of content benefit from VR, and which don’t benefit, or are even hurt by a VR experience?

One thing we know: games in VR are hard.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-virtual-reality-era-begins-20160328-story.html

A telling quote from this article by Epic Games’ Sweeney. (Creators of Unreal Engine):

“Of all the major games developed outside of VR, very few of them have any real possibility of working in VR,”

Given the state of the VR market in 2016, and the limitations of current tech relative to Ready Player One, what kinds of content will work in VR right now?

1. Theme Parks

Here’s a place where you have the perfect match of an experience-seeking public with the ability to install expensive, high-resolution VR due to economy of scale. VR-enabled roller coasters are going to be the “it” ride of 2016. Presumably, the 3D world will be even more frightening than the hills and valleys of twisted metal that make up modern coasters. But that’s not a problem, since theme parks are one of the few places where people come willingly to barf.

The video above shows people who felt that the existing roller coaster ride wasn’t scary enough, and wanted to view even more horrifying scenes while their stomach did the tango.

…and the agents of this change: VRcoaster
http://www.vrcoaster.com/
And here’s an actual example – The Six Flags VRCoaster
Their comments:
The New Revolution will be equipped with wireless headsets that, while wearing, allow you enter a virtual world with high-resolution imagery and 360-degree views that synchronize to the action of the coaster.

2. Gyms

Hopefully, you’re not going to the gym for an experience that makes you hurl. But VR has real potential in augmenting the somewhat boring experience of working out. When you can’t stand watching the financial channels as you mount the treadmill, you can trade the scene for a run in the country.

The problem with most VR treadmills is that everyone thinks of games. But for every gamer, there are probably 3 people sweating to the oldies at their local gym. A few people have got it right.

http://www.gizmag.com/oculus-rift-gear-vr-virtual-reality-exercise/35394/

One example is the Icaros, (for “abs”), which gives a flying experience very similar to the old “Lawnmower Man” movie from the 1990s.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jun/11/icaros-virtual-exercise-home-gym

And here’s an app you can try right now with a Cardboard-style system

http://vrfitness.center/video-gallery/

3. Shut-Ins/Limited Mobility

Many elderly people, e.g. those in nursing homes may have limited mobility. The lack of stimulation in their environments contributes to a lower quality of life. In this case, VR is a natural to spice up things by creating alternate worlds they can explore with relatively little activity. Instead of the bland environment of a retirement center or hospital bed, one could travel the virtual world. This may even count as genuine therapy, rather than entertainment.

It’s already started…

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3355544/Elderly-people-given-virtual-reality-goggles-help-escape-nursing-homes-feel-like-travelling-world.html

And here’s a personal story…

https://www.reddit.com/r/Warthunder/comments/1ntt39/virtual_senior_sortie_the_second_wave_pt_1/

In this case, the problems with motion restriction in VR are a feature, not a bug. There are certainly some ethical issues here, but there is also promise.

 

4. Therapy

Speaking of therapy, there has been widespread interest in therapy for phobias or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A VR world can set up environments that caused trauma, minus elements that generate immediate fear. Under guidance, the patient can use the VR world to confront their fears and develop coping strategies.
There’s been some discussion of using VR to treat more serious mental illness:

5. Escape Rooms

Escape rooms are a recent, and wildly popular addition to Halloween style fests, which started in the US but are increasingly popular in Britain. A typical escape room is a retrofitted basement set up as a prison. Like a game, objects and information within the room give clues and keys which can lead to escaping your captivity.
alch_webhead
Source: Escape Room LA
As Marketwatch noted, “locking up your customers can net you an 800% return”.
As with AR-enhanced board games (see below), it will be interesting and fun to augment the real props with virtual ones, making the experience ven more like your first play in “adventure” back in the 1970s.
Experiments abound…as with Artanim’s shared 3D space for puzzle-solving.

6. Halloween Haunts

The older form of scaring is also ripe for VR. In traditional haunts, a school, old hospital or other creepy building is retrofitted to make it more frightening, and people pay to run away form guys banging on trash cans. Now, VR (or rather AR) can put real ghosts into the crazy ward along with the real-life help.
VRcade is another crowdfunder looking into Haunt VR.
And it’s only a matter of time till the virtual and real elements intermingle.

 7.  Board Games

Board games are already in revival, despite the rise of electronic entertainment. And Augmented Reality board games are a real natural. You don’t need advanced sensors which completely match an arbitrary room or environment – just links to a board which itself could provide data to the AR device to correctly place virtual objects.
More recently, Castar has been running crowdfunding to create an AR board game system
Some commentary on their headset
And a classic AR game may soon be available outside the Millennium Falcon:
But AR games are easily created with current smartphone tech – you don’t even need stereo views for them.

8. Music Play

Systems like Guitar Hero are great places to introduce VR. Like many of our examples above, you don’t have to run anywhere, just shake around (which the current generation of VR does nicely). We’ve had AR music video for years, but the next version will feature you in first-person, rather than watching an avatar onscreen.
Rock Band VR (competing with Guitar Hero Live)

9. Surgical Distraction

One remarkable type of VR content distracts people in painful surgery by creating alternate worlds that are the opposite of the hospital room. An early entry into this realm was Snowworld by Deepstream VR, which created a cool world opposing the one where skin grafting for burn patients happens.
DeepStream VR, 2008
More recently, the company has updated their work with “Cool”
Serious games indeed!

9. Fishing Games

Motion is a problem in VR. While head and torso motions can be handled with a cellphone’s accelerometers, walking and running require quite a bit more hardware and floor space, greatly raising the cost. So games where you sit still are likely to be popular for some time to come. Instead of shooter, think fishing.
A fishing game in VR can work with current equipment. You are in a central place, and motion is limited (so you won’t shoot your lunch). It also has the “peaceful” aspect which ultimately may be the better part of VR (as opposed for frantic game-style action). Thanks to Morley Winograd for this idea!
However, others have already thought this – “Bait” from Resolution Games launched in GearVR this month!
Bait from Resolution Games
Source: Resolution Games

10. Claw Vending Machines

 The last on the list, and my personal favorite is the claw machine. Remember those vending machines, often in movie lobbies (ironic!). There were a big glass box. When you plopped in your coin, you could try to steer the metal claw inside to pick up a stuffed animal.
 claw-machine-clean-sweep
Source: Classy Amusement
Don’t just use the claw…BE the claw in VR. You can be inside with the plushies, instead of outside. The tech required will be very similar to a fishing game.
In our next post, we’ll discuss what won’t work (for now). Games and Ads will take center stage.