As virtual reality continues to make its way out of the realm of science fiction, more and more people are getting exposed to the thrills offered by the emerging technology, whether this is through dedicated VR gaming headsets like the Oculus Rift or other VR-enabled experiences.
At the forefront of that adoption are companies like Sony and Meta, each one placing a bet on the importance the technology would hold in our future interactions with one another. But as new people step into the world of virtual reality, there are certain things they tend to do while experiencing its sense of immersion for the very first time. Here are just a few of the observable behaviors we have noticed.
5 Adjust The Headset To See Better
Chances are the first time you put on a VR headset things might not look quite right. Not only are your eyes not yet accustomed to peering into the tiny lenses above each individual eye, but you might also find the image you’re looking at a bit blurry and out of focus.
Most times this can be corrected by ensuring that the headset is sitting over your face correctly, which is achieved by simply moving it around until things look better. This could include adjusting the lenses by trying out the other available positions, if any, as well as fiddling with the straps themselves until you find a good angle that is both secure and comfortable. Most VR headsets have an initial setup during which you will be walked through the calibration process, so be sure to take the time to go through this to avoid fumbling with the straps longer than necessary.
4 Scream When Things Become Too Intense
The main selling point of virtual reality is the sense of total immersion it brings. You can explore virtual environments that range from serene landscapes to dangerous-looking virtual amusement park rides and that’s before even get started on horror games. In the case of rides especially, first-time users might find the experience even scarier than the real thing.
As such, it isn’t uncommon to find such people let out uncontrollable screams in the face of what looks to them to be a very real threat. One trick that can help with this, aside from outright ripping the headset off your head and calling it quits, is closing your eyes. Because you need to remember that whatever you’re seeing on the headset is not real, despite your brain being tricked into believing that it is.
3 Get Lost In The Experience
On the flipside of screaming when things become too intense is of course actually enjoying the feeling of moving inside and interacting with a virtual world. That is the point of the experience after all. The problem here though is that first-time users often tend to get completely immersed in VR, so much so that they actually lose sight of their surroundings.
This is why it is often best to have a designated play area before jumping into VR in the first place. That way you not only have enough space to turn and move around as you require, but you also avoid knocking down any nearby lamps or other furniture. Also, if you don’t have to play while standing, like in the case of some VR fitness games, then it is best if you find a comfortable spot to sit in while you do. That way you can play without becoming too fatigued from standing.
2 Get Tangled Up In A Mess Of Wires
Unless you’re playing on a standalone device like the Oculus Quest, you’ll probably have to hook up your VR headset to either a game console or computer where all the graphical processing will take place. And to do so, you’ll often need to make use of hefty cables like the ones that come with the PlayStation VR.
The main drawback with this setup is the need for cable management because if care is not taken, you could find yourself tangled up in those cables, or worse, tripping over them. So this is another thing that definitely needs to be factored in while preparing your play area. Likewise, you’ll want to avoid using wired controllers since this would only add to the mess you need to think about. Thankfully, most headsets nowadays also ship with a dedicated wireless controller that features everything you need to perform actions in games using both motion and button controls.
1 Start To Feel Nauseous
Much like riding a roller coaster for the first time, individuals prone to motion sickness might find themselves starting to feel nausea while making use of a virtual reality headset. This is mainly due to how our brains struggle to interpret the sensation of moving around in a virtual space without also moving around in the real one.
The key to overcoming this sensation is by limiting your time in VR by taking it in small doses, at least in the beginning. Over time, you will become more accustomed to using a VR headset. The process of building up this tolerance is something often referred to as VR legs, similar to how those on a boat can develop sea legs after some time on one. Once your tolerance has been built up, you should be able to go on for longer sessions before needing a break.
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