By Dale Barnett
Elmore/Autauga News Staff Writer
For many of those 30 and younger, this article might be a “been there, done that” moment, but those a bit older that came from the days of real arcades and the early Nintendo systems and Donkey Kong, this will be of interest.
If you have not experienced the world of VR, Virtual Reality, you have been missing out on a whole new world of fun, exercise and education. Trust this from a former “gamer” of the early 80s whom has recently been enlightened by a grandson to this world of VR.
Yes, I used to be the “expert” that took a $10 roll of quarters to the arcades to seek a new record in Galaga, Pac Man and Donkey Kong. I had graduated from Atari to Sega and thought I had mastered the gaming world. Back then it only took a few buttons and toggle handle to compete. But then the “being an adult” thing kicked in and I took a break from the video games.
Next thing I knew, we had Playstations and Xbox and all the constant upgrades. My kids were playing these systems and the old guy tried in vain to be cool and show these youngsters how to play. But now they have controllers with what seemed to be 20 buttons we had to remember the function of each one.
I was lucky to remember what day it was at the time, much less whether the Z button threw a grenade or made my player jump. The fast-paced games such as Fortnite, Halo and Call of Duty are amazing but just too complicated to keep up and my player was usually eliminated quickly. I gave up trying, in order to save my dignity.
Now, after years have passed, a grandson has enlightened me to a fun gaming system that is not complicated, where I can actually sit down and enjoy a fishing game or a 360 video where I can swim with sharks. Knowing my own complete ignorance of this new world, I figured many of my fellow old gamers could use some education on the VR world.
I am sure many of my peers have at least heard of the Virtual Reality systems like me, but had heard various stories of the glitches or issues with the headsets. I never explored the VR systems for many of these reasons.
But recently a grandson had on a headset while we visited, and he insisted I try it. Logan, my older than he is grandson (11), explained to me that this was the Oculus Quest 2 VR system, and he quickly taught me the features so I could play. Wow was I blown away.
It was a fishing game, and the action of fishing and glancing around the world I was immersed in was incredible. Nothing complicated, with just a few buttons on the controllers. The ability to stand up and turn around and see all the sights in this fishing game world, had me hooked (sorry for the bad pun).
I had to explore more about this VR world because I truly wanted a headset but under the guise of getting it for another grandson. That way I could convince my wife that one was needed. When I started my research, I was surprised to discover that the top model on the market was the Oculus Quest 2, which is made by Meta, the company that owns Facebook. The system has an app to download and it helps connect the headset to your Facebook account. So easy enough to get started and use.
But I was concerned about the safety issues of using a device that makes one lose a sense of reality. I had thought about the Steve Martin movie “The Jerk”, where his character, Navin, invents a special nose piece for those that wear glasses. Navin gets rich and all the customers end up cross eyed. I had to make sure there were no medical concerns of the same nature.
One of the first things my grandson Logan taught me was establishing a boundary. The headset requires you to establish a boundary around yourself, using a series of six small cameras installed on the headset. This makes sure when you are immersed inside the VR world within the headset, that you do not move around and stumble over furniture or down the stairs.
When you step too close, or out of the boundary, the outer cameras interrupt the VR feature and turn on to show you where you are standing. Checking online, I found several good articles, which all explained the same potential safety issues. WWW. Vesttech.com mentions the issues with not having a boundary as well. This site also mentions that the headset can create anxiety concerns for some people due to being lost in the surreal reality of the headset. People that might experience anxiety issues when trying a VR headset should discontinue use, and maybe discuss with a doctor if there is a solution. Eye strain is another safety concern, and it is recommended that anyone take at least a 15-minute break every hour of wearing a VR headset.
So now that I was aware of the safety concerns and how to ensure proper use, it was time to find a VR system headset. There are several quality makes and models that range from $99 to $499. It depends on the amount of internal storage a person wants and the model they like the most. It is highly recommended one research the different VR systems before choosing.
I went with the Oculus Quest 2 system and actually found a slightly used one for sell that has worked great. Of course, I bought it off a young person who said they didn’t have time for it with their Playstation and Xbox. I also purchased a few items off Amazon to spice up the experience of using our VR system, such as a extra power device, since the fully charged headset only lasts about two hours.
I also purchased the silicone grips for the controllers and the long cable to connect the headset to a PC or laptop, in case there were immersion videos or games to try through the computer. I also recommend the solid plastic adjustable head bands to make it easier to take on and off, and more comfortable.
Once I had everything set up, and charged up, I jumped into the system. What an adventure. While I still have much to learn, I have to share my knowledge of this VR world. Being able to swim with the sharks, visiting the Angel Falls in Venezuela, a tour of the White House, or riding a roller coaster are all experiences that make you feel like you are actually there, plus the education of these experiences. The system is about more than games, but even those are incredible. And there are also exercise videos, golf videos and my favorite, fishing. People can even have an office system and have virtual meetings inside the system.
If you are an older former gamer, someone that loves new experiences, or simply curious, and have not had the chance to try a VR headset system, I highly recommend you find a relative or friend that has a VR headset to try the experience. Trust this older gamer when I tell you that it will catch your attention and make you want a VR headset system for your own. Just tell your spouse it is for your grandchild.
