**Virtual Reality First Experiences** 2019-04-08 This article describes the software and hardware that I use to introduce people to virtual reality. My goal is to create a good first experience, as well as one worth returning to. I also describe _why_ I find certain experiences to be particularly effective. Use this as a guide for seeking your own first VR experience, bringing others to VR for the first time, investing in a VR room at home, or building a VR room for the public at a university, museum, or library. !!! Short answer: go to a [The Void](https://www.thevoid.com/) installation or add to your Windows PC: - NVIDIA [GeForce GTX 1660](https://amzn.to/2D1UZBy) GPU or better - [_The Lab_](https://store.steampowered.com/app/450390/The_Lab/), [_Beat Saber_](http://beatsaber.com/), and [_Google Earth VR_](https://vr.google.com/earth/) software - A used [Oculus Rift](https://amzn.to/2YYvtGz) (not the "S", "Quest", or "Go" model) with the [3rd sensor](https://amzn.to/2WUh1xt); or the [HTC Vive](https://amzn.to/2WShsIA) with the [Audio Strap](https://amzn.to/2G9RFWE)...or wait until June 15, 2019 and buy the [Valve Index](https://store.steampowered.com/sale/valve_index/). There are many consumer virtual reality devices currently or about to be available, including: GearVR, Oculus Go, Oculus Quest, HTC Vive, HTC Vive Pro, Valve Index, Oculus Rift S, Oculus Rift, PSVR, Google Daydream View, Switch Labo Vr, and Windows Mixed Reality devices. There is even more software available across these, which vary from "360 Video" to fully immersive, multiplayer environments. The experiences across this range of software and hardware are far from equal. They vary from life-altering, high quality moments to ones that will not only underwhelm you, but will probably give you an instant headache and twelve hours of nausea. Here's how to create a first experience that is likely to be one of the good ones. My recommendations are based on my professional background in video game and virtual reality research as well as introducing thousands of people to VR in many contexts. These are personal recommendations and opinions, and not the position of any of my employers or organizations that I'm associated with. As the state of VR is rapidly changing, I'll regularly update my recommendations as well. My advice is restricted to public information and devices, as I obviously can't comment on experiences and information received under non-disclosure agreements. VR Is Pro and Enthusiast ===================================================================== There is not yet a sustainable casual VR market. You can't economize on VR today and have a good experience. The software and hardware vendors for low-cost VR have to make design choices that significantly limit the experience, often to the point of discomfort. So, unfortunately, if you've tried a PSVR, Daydream, or Oculus Go, that does not represent the best state of VR. The teams behind those products have done great work within extremely limiting economic and technical constraints. But so have the folks making plastic-sealed factory pastries. A Hostess CupCake at a filling station tells you nothing about the experience of eating an éclair in Paris. Many people can have a good experience on these low-cost devices (and some can't), but it is never a _great_ experience and for those unused to video games, the odds fall fast. In contrast, the professional VR market is booming for doctors, engineers, military, and similar applications. The enthusiast VR market grew rapidly and appears saturated, however, it is a market in which players are willing to upgrade frequently. Both pro and enthusiast are about paying more for a better experience. The software and hardware targeting those markets are expensive, but that cost goes directly to getting you as close as possible to stepping into a virtual world. Installations =====================================================================  Installation/location based entertainment/virtual theme parks are the one place where low-cost consumer entertainment and pro/enthusiast quality come together. The best possible experience that you can have today in virtual reality is an installation by [The Void](https://www.thevoid.com/). There are currently a handful in major cities around the world. I expect them to expand quickly and have similar companies emerge. These combine the best-of-breed VR systems with a custom multiplayer experience. They also provide a warehouse-sized room that lets you walk freely through the experience, feeling real walls, wind, mist, and heat that satisfy multiple senses. Being in VR in large, real space with other real people makes the experience real and meaningful in a way that can't be replicated at home. This costs about the price of a movie for a 15 minute vacation from reality. Installation VR is only low-cost for a single experience, of course. If you're creating a VR arcade, experience center for a museum or library, or home setup that you plan to spend a lot of time with, then the $1000 cost of upgrading a PC for the best quality of VR is relatively lower for the number of hours that you'll get from it. GPU ===================================================================== You need a Windows PC with a good GPU for a good VR experience. I recommend at least a **GeForce GTX 1660** GPU (this is better and less expensive on the street than the GeForce 1060 listed as a recommended specification by headsets). The 1660 gets you to a pretty good experience for something like $250. If you have an even better GPU, then you will have smoother visuals, less pixel flickering, and overall a little more comfort. That's because a better GPU is less likely to miss frames and can force VR games to render at higher resolution than the headset and then filter the images down. I use a GeForce RTX 2080 Ti in VR and it is amazing. But the 1660 is definitely the sweet spot on price versus experience. Headset ====================================================================== As of April 2019, the best overall headsets are: - A used **Oculus Rift CV1** with touch controllers and three tracking cameras - The **HTC Vive** with the official Audio Strap modification Configure your system for room-scale VR with a minimum 2 x 2 m^2 area. The difference between seated, standing, and full room-scale VR is significant. You want room-scale. Of these two headsets, I slightly prefer the Rift because it has built-in headphones and more comfortable controllers. But it requires four USB ports on your computer and the hand tracking often fails near the floor or edges of the room. The Vive is a little more awkward but tracking is flawless. There are also a few games which are exclusive to the Rift, although there is third-party software to work around this limitation if you don't mind fiddling with configurations a bit.  The **Valve Index** has been announced and will go on sale in June 2019. It is likely to replace the HTC Vive with significantly better resolution, field of view, controllers, and even lighter weight. This looks like the successor to the Rift as a comfortable and practical general VR device at the high end. ### Anti-recommendations I don't recommend the **HTC Vive Pro** or **Vive Pro Eye** for a first experience or general audience VR use. The Vive Pro has even better tracking than the Vive, better resolution, and provides built-in headphones. But it is so heavy that it hurts many people's necks even when used briefly, and you feel the high inertia of the headset when you turn rapidly. It actually isn't "Pro", since as a professional user who spends hours in VR each day, I can't physically afford to use it. The Rift is discontinued, so it can only be purchased used an in some retail locations that still have stock. It will be replaced by the **Rift S** in the Oculus product line. Unfortunately for enthusiasts, the Rift S appears to be about lowering cost instead of improving the experience. It lacks some adjustments needed to fit different people's eyes. The resolution is slightly higher than the original Rift, but the refresh rate is also lower. The **Varjo VR-1** is a true professional headset. It is significantly more expensive than Vive or Rift but has fantastic resolution and reasonable weight. It also has an obvious discontinuity between the two screens for each eye, which makes it feel like you are wearing bifocals. It is suitable for particular design applications but not general VR use in the current version. The **Pimax** headsets have impressive specifications, but awkward form factors and limited support. Like Varjo, this has uses but is not a good choice for an amazing first experience in VR. I haven't found a high-quality **Windows Mixed Reality** (WMR) headset yet. I'm impressed with what they achieve at their price point, but it isn't in the same league with Vive and Rift as a consumer device in terms of quality. Acclimatize with _The Lab_ =====================================================================  For regular game players in good health, I go straight to [_Beat Saber_](#_beatsaber_). For everyone else, I start with [_The Lab_](https://store.steampowered.com/app/450390/The_Lab/). It is is free on [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/). It has many pieces, but the essential three for getting acclimated to VR and understanding some of the user interface conventions are: 1. "Postcards", for acclimating nongamers to the feeling of synthetic environments, 2. "Robot Repair", a lightly interactive but fully-scripted narrative experience, and 3. "Slingshot", which is a simple game with great comic writing. After those, take a break for a while. It can take a few hours of total experience spread over a few days for your body to become comfortable with even the best VR headsets. If you push it too far then you'll just feel sick. If you ever feel the onset of motion sickness, stop immediately. Motion sickness is not something that you can "tough through". It will build suddenly and leave you unwell for up to a day if you continue when not comfortable. Assuming that your VR experience in _The Lab_ was good, you can move on to some of the best-designed VR software which allow a satisfying experience that can be as short as 10 minutes or as long as you wish. Flexible Experiences ===================================================================== These are experiences that have an impact and reveal their best parts in as short a period as five minutes, but which you can happily spend hours in if they particularly appeal to you. I recommend them all without reservation. Where software is available on both Steam and Oculus stores, I recommend buying it on Steam. Steam offers better prices, guaranteed refunds for games that you don't enjoy, somewhat-restricted library sharing with others, and a great integrate friends system. Games bought on Steam can generally be played on all PC VR systems, while the Oculus store is restricted to Oculus hardware. ## _Google Earth VR_  _Google Earth VR_ is available on both the [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/348250/Google_Earth_VR/) and [Oculus](https://www.oculus.com/experiences/rift/1513995308673845/) stores. This allows you to go anywhere that Google has map data and explore in 3D from a bird's eye view. Everyone seems to enjoy visiting familiar locations from this new vantage point, as well as exploring fantasy destinations. The software has a number of built-in design and rendering decisions that make it very comfortable even for first-time VR users. Because it literally covers the globe, there's more content than you could experience in a lifetime. The experience moves at your own pace and allows you to spend as much or as little time as you wish. ## _Beat Saber_  _Beat Saber_ is available on both the [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/620980/Beat_Saber/) and [Oculus](https://www.oculus.com/experiences/rift/1304877726278670/) stores. While it looks like a sword fighting game, this is really an interative music video, arcade video game, and dance aerobic workout all in one. This is the most comfortable and intutive VR game I've found. The content is appropriate for all ages, although the music is likely to appeal to younger sensitivilities. It is still a game, so it is maybe best as a first experience for people with some arcade game experience and reasonable balance and conditioning. ## _Superhot VR_  [best on Rift because the grip and firing controls are more natural] [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/617830/SUPERHOT_VR/) and [Oculus](https://www.oculus.com/experiences/rift/1012593518800648/) stores. If you saw _The Matrix_, this is the closest current equivalent to its combat mechanics. In a room-scale setting with good 360 degree tracking it is amazing for anyone who enjoys action movies. Although stylized, the content is clearly hyperviolent and only appropriate for certain audiences. Its unique bullet-time mechanic is the reason that _Superhot_ works so much better than all other combat VR games. Time only moves when you do, so if you hold still or move slowly, you can slow the pace of interaction. This allows you to move at a speed that feels comfortable and avoids any confusion or time pressure. There's also no player-controlled locomotion. You automatically teleport through the levels when you've defeated the enemies in each scene. ## _Tilt Brush_  _Tilt Brush_ is available on both the [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/327140/Tilt_Brush/) and [Oculus](https://www.oculus.com/experiences/rift/1111640318951750/) stores. There are a number of 3D paint and modeling programs. This seems to be the one that is the most comfortable for most users and inspires instant and playful creative exploration. For children, I found this superior to Google Earth and Superhot, and less stressful than Beat Saber. Narrative Games ================================================================= The experiences above are captivating for sessions as short as a few minutes or as long as hours. After a few minutes you've seen all that there is (this is true of tennis and chess, too, and that doesn't stop people from spending lifetimes playing them). The following are extended, narrative experiences that benefit from multiple sessions and will reward you with new ideas and visuals as you progress. If you enjoy the short experiences, then I recommend these as starting points for long-form VR engagment that most people find extremely comfortable and approachable. ## _Lone Echo_ [Rift exclusive]  [Oculus](https://www.oculus.com/experiences/rift/1368187813209608/) store only. An anomaly deep in the solar system. Malfunctioning machines. Traveling hand over hand through a weightless environment. A lone crew member trapped on a research space station. _Lone Echo_ has many of the great science fiction tropes and moments that you'll wish to experience, without jump scares or stomach-turning barrel rolls in a fighter ship. As a space and science junkie, the first time that I pulled myself along on the outside of the station during an EVA in this game, it was a dream come true. As you progress, things get a bit more complicated and video-game like and some of the motion is more aggressive. I checked out about halfway through but loved the ride until them. ## _Portal Stories: VR_ [Vive exclusive]  [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/446750/Portal_Stories_VR/) store only. _Portal_ and _Portal 2_ are unquestionably among the greatest video games ever created. _Portal Stories_ is a fan-made VR game in the Portal/Half-Life universe. It introduces new mechanics and a new story that are a good fit for VR, and captures lot of the atmosphere of Portal despite its amateur provenance. You can enjoy the experience without having previously played other games. It is a nice 3D puzzle-solving adventure without significant time pressure or violence. ## _Budget Cuts_  [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/400940/Budget_Cuts/) and [Oculus](https://www.oculus.com/experiences/rift/1653313354717205/) stores. _Budget Cuts_ is a satirical stealth and espionage game that mostly involves cat-and-mouse games with comical killer robots. There's a mixture of puzzle solving, timing, and dexterity. The game's unique teleport locomotion mechanic also functions as a teleporting spycam, which creates enables unique VR-native strategies for a stealth game. ## _Vanishing Realms_  [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/322770/Vanishing_Realms/) store only. A cartoony hack and slash dungeon crawler. This lacks the graphical prowess, depth, and pretty much everything else of _Skyrim_ or even The Legend of Zelda games, but _Vanishing Realms_ works flawlessly, and that is what matters. You can get in and out of VR quickly and it is extremely comfortable and intuitive when you're there. The teleportation uses some pathfinding tricks to make sure that you are using it for locomotion and not cheating. The relatively low-fi graphics also guarantee a smooth framerate. ## _Star Trek: Bridge Crew_ [best in multiplayer with a friend, or three]  [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/527100/Star_Trek_Bridge_Crew/) and [Oculus](https://www.oculus.com/experiences/rift/1056843937708939/) stores. I've already mentioned that I'm a space fanatic, so you won't be surprised that I also enjoy Star Trek. This simulation game creates the feel of a starship bridge during battles, which include submarine-style skulking, limited dog fights, and face-to-face slugfests. The core mechanic is teamwork, which is what makes the game work. Similar to _Artemis_, _Space Alert_, and _Space Cadets: Dice Duel_, each player has control of a limited set of functions at one station on the bridge. No one player can accomplish much, but through lots of communication and choreographed series of actions, your team can succeed through the multiple missions in the story and then play random episodes. What makes the game so great is that coordination and teamwork in VR work much better than in desktop games. You can gesture and make eye contact with your teammates as well as speaking naturally with positional 3D audio. This makes it feel like you are really present in the same place together. Sharing a VR experience with a friend in such a visceral way elevates it beyond even perfectly crafted single-player experiences. Installation VR in your home or office is impractical, but _Star Trek_ gets as close as possible without actually being in the same room. The intensity might be too much for young children, but everything else about the experience is great for general audiences. You're always seated and in a stable environment, so it is extremely comfortable. The controls for the station minigames are simple by video game standards and use obvious touch controls. The missions provide a real challenge and benefit from replay. ## What About..? If you're a VR regular and wish I'd listed your favorite game, then please email me. While it is possible that I've seen it and what worked for you wasn't such a good fit for others who are new to games or VR, there's a also chance that I've missed something great. I appreciate receiving new recommendations. There are also many interesting experiences that I regret not being able to recommend as starting points because some isolated flaw broke an otherwise solid design. Rather than list these with caveats, I choose to simply celebrate some of the best starting points. And Beyond... =========================================================================  There many more VR experiences. I've tried hundreds and found that the ones here were best for general audiences (except for the violence in _SuperHot_) when starting out, but after a few VR sessions you'll probably want more. There's plenty to discover on Steam and Oculus Home and new content emerging regularly. _Everything_ on Oculus Home is VR. Steam is primarily for desktop games, with a handful of VR experiences, software tools, and movies thrown in. You can browse a [VR-specific list here](https://store.steampowered.com/vr/). Be sure to check the icons next to titles to verify that it supports your brand of headset, which is currently categorized as WMR, Vive, or Rift.