The Reality of Virtual Reality

I have been working in the virtual reality industry for almost an entire year.

That’s crazy.

But do you know what’s even crazier? Even though I’ve traveled all over the world, some of the most unique memories I have are of places I have never physically been to. They are places that I visited in virtual reality.

Virtual reality creates memories.

Great virtual reality experiences create memories in your mind. These games and experiences translate into a first-person presence where your emotional investment is so great that it opens your mind up to a different perspective, sparks curiosity for new topics, and ultimately, can change the way you see the world. Virtual reality moves you.

Here are the top 3 virtual reality experiences that have moved me and created lasting impressions:

1. The Perspective (read more on Sundance.org)

I am standing in a dimly lit living room of a fraternity house, my field of view is about 180 degrees and I can see the pixelation as I gaze around the space. However, all of the technical faults or limitations melt away as I am pulled into a first-person unfolding of a young woman attending her first college party, as experienced from the male’s perspective first and then the female’s perspective. This is about a rape (Josh Constine wrote a great article about it on TechCrunch). It has been over 4 months since I watched this at Sundance’s New Frontiers Exhibitions and I still cannot shake the weight of shame and horror I felt as the story revealed itself. Learn more about the creators of this experience, Specular Theory here.

2. NHL (read more in this Fortune article)

I have never watched an entire hockey match on television, nor have I ever been to one in person. But I have had the opportunity to experience the best seat in the house. There is a freedom of perspective; no director deciding where you look. Being front-line at the glass, following the players glide across the ice and slam into one another right in front of me never fails to elicit a jolt; a visceral sensation from the realism of experiencing an intense sport in this entirely new way. NextVR excites me so much that I actually work there full-time, so I may be a little biased. Sign up for NextVR’s email updates for the latest news, events, and releases.

3. Café Âme (read more at OtherworldInteractive.com)

Everything about this virtual reality experience pulled me right in within seconds. Personally, I love the slower-paced, almost meditative worlds. Opening my eyes, I suddenly found myself sitting at a round, candy red table by the window in a Parisian cafe. Everything felt realistic, from the texture of the table to the ambiance of the cafe — except that I had been thrust into the body of a robot. A steaming cup of hot coffee set the mood against this peaceful escape from the pouring rain. Just then, I turned to look outside the window, excited to see if I could make out which arrondissement I was in — and I made eye contact with the reflection of myself as a robot. It has been over 6 months since I wandered into Cafe Ame. The simplicity and believability stuck and I don’t think I will ever forget this experience. Download Cafe Ame for DK2 via Oculus Share.

With memories created, physically or virtually, the reality of virtual reality is there is no difference.