In order to receive the best VR experience possible, we’ve taken into account what you will need, what will make things convenient and what will hopefully prevent you from getting hurt. Here are the top 11 things you need in order to ensure the best VR experience.
1. A Perpendicular Big Room
Any VR headset that uses the room for its measurements is going to need a big room that has equal sides. The reason for this is that the games are developed to handle a certain measurement and having a big room means you can adjust for the measurements you need in the video game. This will be an issue until they improve the technology, but even with the improvements they have made, the technology still relies on a large room.
2. A Clear Room
Unlike the Wii, if there is something in the room that is within the playing area then there is something you will trip over within the first few minutes of playing a game. You cannot see when the headset is on and most VR headsets only take in room dimensions or player position, not objects inside of the room. Therefore, having a clean and clear room is very important towards having a great VR experience and avoiding a trip to the E.R. over a broken limb.
3. The HTC Vive
You’re going to need an HTC Vive. This isn’t a biased notion, as I prefer the Oculus, but in terms of video games the HTC Vive has more commercial power behind it, which means more professional games, and easier access to video games. The Oculus is more of an Indie VR Headset, as it allows you to play games that are found on forums more than video game accounts. Since the HTC Vive is almost equal in power to the Oculus and tends to be more sensitive than the Oculus, the HTC Vive is the slightly better choice if you just want to jump in and play games.
4. Sensor Stands
You will undoubtedly need to grab a few sensor stands in order to play a good portion of the video games in the VR library. Different games require different sized rooms and having sensor stands will lower the amount of times you need to figure out a new way to hold up your sensors in a room.
5. A VR Approved Computer
If you are not a technically inclined individual, these types of computers will be what you need in order to start playing in VR. If you are a technically inclined individual, the price of these types of computers are not bad (HTC Vive HP). Obviously, if you only need to upgrade the processor, then just do that, but for a full upgrade these types of computers are a great choice.
6. A Steam Account
A Steam account is absolutely necessary if you want to have access to nearly all the VR games that won’t crash on you. Sure, you can go to Indie forums to play HTC ready games, but if you are just getting into VR, then you don’t want to deal with the headache of trying to search around for Indie VR games. Steam has a large collection of complete and beta VR games, and it will make installing such games a breeze as some Indie games force you to jump through hoops.
7. At Least 5 Games From the Reviews Found On This Site
I am a long time gamer, having played World of Warcraft Vanilla and the Brown Box. VR games are rather short, primarily because individuals are testing out current areas and only a handful of companies have made games that are hours long. You are likely going to treat these games much like you would the mobile market, expecting to play them for less than an hour in order to beat it and only buying it for repeat value. Using the reviews on this website, you can find the best of the lot that suits your tastes.
8. The Lab
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The Lab is a very specific game that you should have in order to get a brief exploration of the different types of VR that you might want to play. It is a great introduction to the VR experience and will help you choose the best course of games you should want to play.
9. SBS 3D Software
This will be useful if you want to make your 2D video into 3D and has been used to make games VR compatible. There are many games that already support this type of software and you should make sure they support it before you try to use the software on it, as this process can be long and difficult. This is how individuals turn Skyrim into Skyrim VR.
10. Wall Pads
You will want to pad down the walls where you have your VR experience and also try not to choose a room that has a ceiling fan. Yes, the sensors do provide a way for the game to put boundaries but you will hit one of these items eventually. It is an inevitability.
11. Gloves
You should pick out a nice pair of gloves to play with because your hands will be sweating in most of the VR games and gloves will help prevent the $100 controller from slipping out of your hands. Preferably, thin gloves should provide a balance of maneuverability and a lack of sweat reaching the controller.
With these Top 11 items, you should have the start to a very good experience with VR. These items take into account both safety and enjoyment, as we want to make sure you have fun while also being safe. Enjoy your VR experience and tell us how it went in the comments!
