Meta CTO On Wider Field Of View: ‘So Far It Hasn’t Felt Like The Right Tradeoff’

Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth shared his thoughts on increasing the field of view of Quest headsets.

During his most recent Instagram “ask me anything” session, Bosworth was asked “is fov a major concern? what features are more important in regards to ar/vr immersion”. He responded:

I love this question because field of view is cool. And I’ve played with demos of really wide field of view glasses and enjoyed it. Actually, really tall field of view had way more immersive capacity for me for some reason – I could really feel like I was at the edge of the cliff.

Having said that, field of view is a really expensive thing to increase because you’re adding a lot of pixels by definition that won’t be that useful – they’ll be in the periphery and they’re just as expensive to power.

So far it hasn’t felt like the right tradeoff.

Human field of view is over 200 degrees horizontal. But the roughly 90° horizontal field of view of Oculus headsets has not meaningfully changed since the original Rift launched in 2016. In fact, every headset from the company since 2018’s Oculus Go, including the current Quest 2, has used the same lens known as Super Libra G.

Few other headsets on the consumer market have a noticeably wider field of view either, with the exception of Valve’s Index (around 110° horizontal) and Pimax’s”‘5K+” and “8K” series (around 150° horizontal).

Oculus Quest 2 Lens Leak
Quest 2 with its Super Libra G fresnel lenses

In May 2018 at its annual F8 conference Facebook showed off a prototype headset called Half-Dome with a 140° field of view, but the main focus of this research was variable focus. Half-Dome 2 and 3 were presented 16 months later with more compact lenses with a narrower field of view, hinted to be around 110°.

This change reflects Meta’s design focus of making headsets more compact – a goal that directly conflicts with achieving a wider field of view. Project Cambria, Meta’s high end headset launching this year, achieves a thinner visor through the use of pancake lenses. But pancake lens headsets so far, such as HTC’s Vive Flow, actually have a narrower field of view than headsets using fresnel or aspheric lenses. An apparent leak from April claimed Project Cambria’s field of view feels “very similar” to Quest 2.

Interestingly, at Oculus Connect 5 in 2018 Facebook’s Chief Scientist Michael Abrash said pancake lenses “can also support ultra wide fields of view, all the way out to somewhere around 200 degrees”, noting “pancake headsets may be optimized for form factor and comfort rather than field of view, but if so that will be a choice, because they could have had an ultra wide field of view instead”.

Project Cambria uses pancake lenses to achieve a slimmer visor

So if the April leak is to be believed, don’t expect any field of view increase from Project Cambria this year. But could Bosworth’s comments suggest future Meta headsets will have a taller field of view? New Quests are rumored to launch in 2023 and 2024.

VRFocus’ Most Anticipated VR Games Still to Come in 2021

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall

With half the year gone it’s definitely time to look at what virtual reality (VR) videogames VRFocus is most excited to play before the end of 2021. The last six months haven’t disappointed with the likes of Maskmaker, Cosmodread, Demeo, The Climb 2, and Alvo all providing excellent VR experiences. Whilst you might still be busy playing these 2021 still has more to offer.

Lone Echo 2

As there’s no shortage of upcoming VR videogames slated for a Q3/Q4 2021 launch, those about to grace headsets like Sniper Elite VR and Sam & Max: This Time It’s Virtual! have been omitted. Not because VRFocus doesn’t want to play them, they just happen to be arriving this week!

Lone Echo II

Ready at Dawn’s sci-fi sequel Lone Echo II has appeared on multiple ‘Most Anticipated’ rounds ups and hopefully, this should be the last time. Because as part of the Oculus Gaming ShowcaseLone Echo II was confirmed for Summer 2021. Originally revealed as an Oculus Rift exclusive back in 2018, Lone Echo II‘s release date moved from 2019 to 2020 and finally 2021 – in that time seeing the Oculus Rift platform discontinued.

The single-player sci-fi adventure, Lone Echo II continues the story where you play a robot called Jack who needs to help Captain Olivia Rhodes survive the perils of space. Exclusive to the Oculus Store, it’s worth taking a look at the original even if titles like Half-Life: Alyx have now surpassed it.

  • Supported headsets: Oculus Rift (Oculus Quest via PC Link)
  • Release date: Summer 2021

Song in the Smoke

The first VR title by 17-Bit (Skulls of the ShogunGALAK-Z), Song in the Smoke is part survival adventure and part mysterious narrative. You’ll be able to hunt with bows and axes, forage for resources to craft new items whilst exploring this beautiful, prehistoric world and uncovering its secrets. Players will find creatures behave just like real wild animals, so they’ll be hungry, afraid and tired, likely to attack or run away depending on the situation.

Revealed during March’s PlayStation Spotlight, Song in the Smoke was certainly one of the more surprising announcements. 17-Bit has been unveiling snippets of the gameplay but not much regarding the story. In any case, the videogame looks fascinating.

  • Supported headsets: PlayStation VR, Oculus Quest and Rift
  • Release date: 2021
Song in the Smoke

Low-Fi

An ambitious cyberpunk project by Iris VR Inc., Low-Fi, is coming to most major VR platforms as well as PlayStation 5 which supports non-VR gamers. Low-Fi drops you into a futuristic city as a cop patrolling the dark crime-ridden streets of city-block 303. You’re given free rein to explore this open world, become a good cop to maintain order or exploit your position and earn a few side credits.

Money will mean you can treat yourself to a few toys, purchase some nice new weapon upgrades or make sure your companions are well cared for. While Low-Fi’s official launch is slated for the end of the year on Steam, you can purchase the early access version over on itch.io for $35 USD if you can’t wait.

  • Supported headsets: PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index & Windows Mixed Reality.
  • Release date: Q4 2021

Fracked

Another PlayStation Spotlight reveal Fracked comes from nDreams, the team behind Phantom: Covert Ops. A PlayStation VR exclusive, Fracked is an action-adventure where you’re given as much freedom as possible to assault levels and eliminate enemies. Ski, run, climb, base jump and zipline around the environments, using your PlayStation Move controllers to grab whatever’s insight, even items to use as cover.

Set on top of an Alaskan mountain, nDreams has you fighting interdimensional enemies called the ‘Fracked’ using all manner of weaponry. Plus, if you own a PlayStation 5 there are console specific enhancements including uncapped dynamic resolution, improved framerate, resolution and loading times.

  • Supported headsets: PlayStation VR
  • Release date: Summer 2021
Fracked

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall

The only major IP currently expected for VR headsets this year, Carbon Studio and Games Workshop are set to take you into the neverending wartorn universe Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall this summer.

In suitable Warhammer style, there’s an epic narrative where you play Lord-Arcanum Castor Stormscryer, leader of a retinue of Stormcast Eternals who’ve been called due to a rise in Nighthaunt forces, triggered by an event called the Necroquake in the Realm of Death. Armed with devastating melee weapons and magical abilities, all you need to do is deliver Stormcast Eternal justice.

  • Supported headsets: PC VR & Oculus Quest
  • Release date: Summer 2021

After the Fall

Originally due in 2020 after a 2019 reveal After the Fall is Vertigo Games’ next blockbuster VR experience, promising lots of zombies (sort of) in an alternate future where Los Angeles has frozen over and most of the local residents have transforms into monsters called Snowbreed.

Another title making it over from VRFocus’ previous ‘Most Anticipated’ list, since then Vertigo Games has released plenty of new footage showcasing After the Fall’s gameplay. Built around a co-op experience for up to four players, there will still be a single-layer campaign for when everyone’s busy. These Snowbreed come in all shapes and sizes, from those annoying ones who scuttle across the ceiling to big boss types. It’s going to be quite an action-filled ride.

  • Supported headsets: PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive & Valve Index
  • Release date: Summer 2021
Arashi: Castles of Sin

Arashi: Castles of Sin

Feel like there aren’t enough badass ninja videogames in VR? Well, look no further than Arashi: Castles of Sin which is going to be a PlayStation VR exclusive. A stealth combat experience set in feudal Japan, Arashi: Castles of Sin puts you in the role of an elite shinobi called Kenshiro who must reclaim House Arashi castles captured by a ruthless group of bandits.

Each area is a sandbox environment so you can decide how to tackle each fight, up close and personal with a samurai sword, or quietly from the rooftops with a shuriken. All the weapons will be authentic to that era of Japan’s history. You even have a wolf companion to kill enemies, what more could you ask for?

  • Supported headsets: PlayStation VR
  • Release date: Summer 2021

I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and The Liar

After the success of its original, puzzle-solving, spy caper, Schell Games will return this summer with I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and The Liar, once again trying to foil Zoraxis’ plans for world domination.

Set to feature six globe-trotting missions with even more fiendish puzzles to solve, I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and The Liar will still retain its non-locomotion gameplay, where everything tends to be within physical grabbing distance, comfortable for all players. This time around it’ll feature some new stars including Wil Wheaton (Big Bang Theory, Star Trek: Next Generation) to voice celebrity John Juniper and singer and songwriter Puddles Pity Party on the theme tune.

  • Supported headsets: PlayStation VR, Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive & Valve Index
  • Release date: Summer 2021
Wanderer

Wanderer

A puzzle filled, time-travelling adventure developed by New Zealand-based studios M Theory and Oddboy, Wanderer tasks you with a journey to save mankind by heading to key points in history. Que historic events like the moon landings or helping Nikola Tesla with his latest invention.

Wanderer is another one of those intriguing experiences which could offer plenty of gameplay variety when it launches this year. Plus it doesn’t look half bad either.

  • Supported headsets: PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive & Valve Index
  • Release date: Q3 2021

Virtual Planet: The Show Must go on!

Sensorium Galaxy

These virtual metaverses everyone keeps espousing may promise a digital nirvana full of fluffy clouds and people getting along like they’re in a Disney movie, however, simply offering a place to chat isn’t enough, we need entertainment. Some might say these virtual worlds are the entertainment but not everyone wants to be creative, some of us just like to put our feet up and switch off. Well, all that and more is being dreamt up and catered for.

Facebook Horizon
Facebook Horizon

Hello there

First and foremost these digital realms are designed as communication platforms. Able to connect friends and family with a greater sense of togetherness than a video or phone call can provide. Or you can meet entirely new people, stepping into an area that’s completely dedicated to your favourite pastime, TV show or even your occupation. Spending hours nattering about subjects others have no clue or little interest for.

Hanging out with mates is a very natural thing for any human, most of us need to connect with one another in some way and the pandemic has brought this into the spotlight like never before. It’s why VRFocus will be going more in-depth about the social features and issues of metaverses in a future edition. As for now what we all really want is to have some fun in a digital universe with limitless potential.

Burn up the dance floor…

There are numerous social platforms appearing that support both VR and non-VR devices and they’re trying to persuade new users with a variety of means. They’re also gunning for different markets, namely younger audiences with a fresh, colourful feel whilst those focused on adults tend to have a far more serious vibe.

It’s this latter segment where you can see a real push in specific entertainment marketing. Rather than building blocks users are given art, music and culture to explore and enjoy. For instance, Sensorium Galaxy which is due to launch later in 2021 is heavily focused on the dance music route. It’s going to have a dedicated music world called PRISM where DJ’s will perform exclusive sets. Some big names have already signed up like Eric Prydz, Carl Cox, Armin van Buuren and David Guetta. So if you like to dance your socks off it might be well worth a look.

Sensorium Galaxy isn’t the only one leveraging the power of music. Already well versed in this medium is Sansar which has been holding events for a while now. The latest will be Australia’s Splendour in the Grass music festival digitally recreated as Splendor XR for two days in July.

Music easily bridges many divides and brings people together with a foot-tapping beat, so it’s no surprise that it would make a great catalyst for metaverse adoption.

Splendour at Sansar

We are such stuff as dreams are made on…

However, music is only one small avenue these platforms can utilise. There’s a vast cultural resource metaverse’s can tap into – and have already been – when it comes to entertaining the masses. Over the last year, a prime example has come from film festivals. Unable to host premieres in-person, events like Venice Film Festival, Cannes, Tribeca and Sundance have all turned to interactive mediums to connect with audiences worldwide. They’ve even found greater success as these events are no longer elite, prestigious showcases few outside their industry can attend, providing true global appeal like never before.

This is even more so for niche technologies like virtual reality (VR). Cannes XR, Tribeca Immersive and NewImages Festival combined this summer to create XR3, an immersive film festival via Museum of Other Realities (MOR), exploring an art space that allowed guests to step into each experience as if it were a live installation.

MOR isn’t really a metaverse as such. VRChat, on the other hand, is and that played host to SXSW Online XR, one of the best representations of this topic to date. SXSW is usually held in Austin, Texas but for 2021 the organisers recreated areas like Congress Avenue and the Red River Cultural District, all freely explorable. There was even a cinema to watch regular 2D content.

When all of this immersive entertainment is so easily accessed why go anywhere else?

SXSW Online XR
SXSW Online XR in VRChat

Get those creative juices flowing

Undoubtedly though, the biggest draw for any of these virtual realms is user creativity. Places like Rec Room, Roblox (non-VR), VRChat, and the upcoming Facebook Horizon are all built on the premise of user content creation, giving the people who inhabit these worlds the freedom to build whatever they want. Because, quite simply, it keeps everyone invested and coming back for more.

Rec Room has millions of users across multiple VR and non-VR platforms, allowing them to create their own rooms which can be as simple as somewhere to hang out or entire games to run around in. You can even earn money, where tokens are exchanged for in-game items. Collect enough tokens and they can be redeemed for actual hard cash, Rec Room expects to pay out over one million by the end of the year. Playing and getting paid, if that’s not an incentive what is?

Places like Rec Room, Roblox and others are definitely geared towards that younger age bracket mentioned, like giant Lego toyboxes to jump into and explore. Finding a happy medium where all of these scenarios can easily co-exist is the eventual goal as none of these virtual planets quite cater to everyone. How these worlds will collide is another matter entirely.  

Sentenced VR: A Compelling, Gruesome History Lesson

Sentenced VR

Ever wanted to know what beheading was like in 16th Century Germany? Probably not I’d reckon but that doesn’t mean to say the topic is too unusual to explore in virtual reality (VR). And that’s exactly what indie developer Samuel Gordon has done, creating Sentenced VR, an experience that sees you take up the role of executioner, instructed to part head from body of those unfortunate souls who’ve fallen foul of the law.

Sentenced VR

During a period in history where life wasn’t all that long for many and violence was rife, lords of the lands aimed to keep the peace by putting on public executions, beheading criminals for their crimes against society. And it’s your job to carry out the punishment, instructed to perform the job you were hired for, no questions asked.

Which seems like a very brutal and grim kind of videogame. However, Sentenced VR shouldn’t be viewed as a game because it doesn’t seek to entertain, more as a historical, interactive experience. Because, as it sheds light on this era of history Sentenced VR also challenges our own ideas of violence, obligation and personal conscience through a modern lens.

So Sentenced VR is a sort of beheading simulator with morals where you hear each individual’s crimes read out and then given their chance to say a few words in front of a baying crowd. Then you lop their head off with one quick swing of your rather large, cumbersome sword – you wouldn’t want to take several attempts, would you? Initially, the scoundrels are thief’s and murderers who mock the proceedings and even crack a joke before meeting their end. But as the experience progresses it begins to sow doubt as to whether some of these people really are guilty.

Sentenced VR

After you’ve completed your task the clerk will then pay you, altering the amount depending on how clean the kill was. Because you can completely botch the execution, taking too many swings or killing them too early. The final stage in each offers both time to reflect and a macabre reminder of what you’re doing. The head of each of those sentenced hover grimly to one side whilst on a table lays your bloodied sword and a book. The latter provides some light reading material detailing the role of executioner and history’s misconceptions, all whilst you clean your sword. Then you head to the sharpening stone to ready your blade for the next day; nobody likes to be killed with a blunt blade, do they?  

Unlike a lot of modern videogames which relish in gore and bloodshed, Sentenced VR avoids glorifying this barbaric act through its highly stylised visuals depicting actual historical law and punishment. However, even though the experience is about an hour-long it manages to immerse you in this fictional world and really make you consider the finality of this method of punishment. So you do have the option to refuse and lay down your sword – or even attack the guards – each decision taking you to one of four possible conclusions.

As a VR title, Sentenced VR is very repetitive but it is meant to be. The controls can be a bit janky at points though, and so can the physics, swinging the sword doesn’t feel as natural as it should and the coins seem to fall into the ether. You’ve got teleportation and smooth locomotion available yet it’s the former that provides the smoother experience overall.

Sentenced VR

Seeing that Sentenced VR is a solo VR project by Gordon he manages to execute a thought-provoking experience even if it’s a little rough in places. While many gamers will likely find the slow, repetitive nature boring, if you have a keen interest in history then Sentenced VR provides some fascinating moments. Titles such as this are both gruesome as well as educational, showcasing VR’s unique teaching properties which could eventually see wider use in the future.

The VR Hits and Misses of E3 2021

E3 2021 image2

So the traditionally ‘biggest videogame event of the year’, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2021 has now concluded and it was a very mixed bag of announcements wasn’t it? Heavyweights like Microsoft/Bethesda and Nintendo certainly helped carry the show when it came to all the normal fair, whilst quirkier entries from Limited Run Games gave the event some much-needed frivolity. As for all the virtual reality (VR) news, there were some updates, too few surprises and some glaring omissions which could’ve stolen the show.

A Township Tale

The Good

Let’s start with the good stuff and there were some highlights worth mentioning. A Township Tale by Australian team Alta was definitely one of them. A big open-world role-playing game (RPG) that has been available direct from the studio for PC VR headsets for a little while now is getting a native port to Oculus Quest. A virtual server can be created for up to eight friends to team-up, choose various classes and explore the world together. Most importantly, there’s not long to wait for A Township Tale which arrives on 15th July.

When it came to updates Cloudhead Games’ Pistol Whip didn’t disappoint by officially unveiling the new Style System to mix up the rhythm action gameplay. It’ll be a bumper summer update as it’ll be combined with the new Smoke & Thunder campaign.

Another update that VRFocus is looking forward to and isn’t too far away is Waltz of the Wizard: Natural Magic. This is a magical videogame that seems to keep going and going, with developer Aldin Dynamics constantly enhancing the title. The update will add new ways to cast magic spells and offer new locations to explore and fight monsters in.

Looking ahead into next there’s the visceral Samurai Slaughter House by Tab Games. Instantly bringing back memories of MadWorld for Wii thanks to the black and white aesthetic, Samurai Slaughter House is a physics-based combat where the only splash of colour comes from the enemies blood. It’s coming to PC VR headsets in 2022.

The Dull

Then there were the announcements which really didn’t feel like proper E3 news, lots of brief videos with a bit more gameplay but no launch dates or anything really tasty.

Green Hell VR, Song in the Smoke, Rhythm or the Universe: Ionia, and Against are all exciting projects which saw new footage arrive or went behind the scenes yet there was no wow factor, nothing that jumped out genuinely new.

The same could be said for Windlands 2 finally coming to PlayStation VR this summer, a whole three years after its original debut for Oculus Rift. It’s nice for PlayStation VR owners to get access as well as a physical version, however, there was no mention of new content to spice up the reveal.

And then there was NERF. The next project from Secret Location, NERF Ultimate Championship only provided a teasing cinematic trailer for the 2022 shooter. A surprise, most definitely. A good one, well we’ll have to wait and see.

NERF Ultimate Championship

The Glaringly Absent

So what was missing, or more accurately, what were we hoping to see that never materialised? There were three VR titles VRFocus was hoping to see appear in the press conferences, two from Ubisoft in the form of Splinter Cell VR and Assassin’s Creed VR, and Resident Evil 4 from Capcom.

Only revealed back in April and the first confirmed Oculus Quest 2 exclusive, Resident Evil 4 is a collaborative effort between Capcom and Oculus Studios to bring one of the best versions in the franchise into VR. It being reworked for the standalone headset with new controls allowing you to dual wield guns and melee weapons for the first time. The last update came during the Oculus Gaming Showcase which was only a couple of months away so some new footage would’ve been nice. A released date definitely wasn’t expected, with a 2021 launch currently earmarked a date will likely arrive during Facebook Connect.

Splinter Cell VR and Assassin’s Creed VR, on the other hand, is a very different scenario. These were both teased by Ubisoft at Facebook Connect in 2020 and nothing has been heard of them since. If ever there was a time to drop some details it would be E3 week. Any info on either of them would’ve been the big VR reveal of the week, instead, Ubisoft’s big news was a sequel, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope for Nintendo Switch – loved the original so that’s a bonus.

Keep that VR chin up

Don’t dispair though, this isn’t the end of VR. This summer has some awesome VR videogames on the way like Sniper Elite VR from Rebellion and Just Add Water, Fracked by nDreams, Winds & Leaves by Trebuchet, and Song in the Smoke from 17-BIT. Plus Resolution Games has Realm of the Rat King DLC for Demeo coming or if there’s a Zero Latency location near you there’s always Far Cry VR.

Virtual Planet: How far away is the Oasis?

Rec Room

Everyone loves the idea of a virtual world. Someplace where they can break from reality and do (almost) whatever they want, free of the confines of annoying details like physics or being nice. It’s why videogames have become so incredibly popular yet the virtual world of somewhere like Fallout and the true vision of a metaverse are very different ends of the digital spectrum. Because these metaverse’s creators are imagining aren’t concerned with fairy-tale lands with quests to go on, these are fully functioning ecosystems with economies, entertainment and logistics like the real world, just without physical restrictions. Sound daunting, well it is so hold on tight?

VRCHAT

Introducing worlds within worlds

This idea is nothing new and has often appeared in pop culture, whether it’s The Matrix with the rather sinister human simulation theory to the gamer-friendly Oasis which featured in Ready Player One.

Nowadays, fantasy is becoming reality and in doing so gaining notoriety thanks to prominent figureheads such as Epic Games’ Tim Sweeny continually dropping in the metaverse buzzword. But what do these alternate digital realities really offer and why are they gaining such prominence of late?

While the basic idea behind the metaverse is a shared virtual space that mirrors the real world where you can hang out with friends or attend a gig, as this sector grows so does the competition and there are plenty vying for your time. You may think the internet already provides everything you need in this regard yet virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) takes this to a whole new level. For the first time, you can literally step inside the metaverse, buy a digital item that you can interact with and then sell on if you so wish.

Getting Social

The core feature of any metaverse is its ability to socialise with friends and strangers alike, joining them at a bar for a virtual drink and catch up or making new friends with a shared love of Star Wars. All without the physical limitations of travel, an important factor when the world is gripped by a pandemic and likely one of the reasons why this subject has grown to such prominence of late.

However, just like the real world these digital realms also have to deal with similar problems, creating safe and secure spaces where everyone feels comfortable coming back to, day in and out. Videogames may offer players the chance to be good or evil but an online virtual world cannot allow guests to be derogatory or discriminatory towards one another. Otherwise, it creates a negative environment nobody will want to be a part of.

Solutions to this are already widespread and continually improving. Most common is simply blocking another user or reporting them, apps like VRChat for example allow you to highlight someone and mute them. While in Museum of Other Realities (MOR) which regularly host festivals – like XR3 currently – has a bubble feature where only people within that sphere can communicate.  

Tribeca - MOR

Keeping Entertained

Whichever world you join you’ll want to be entertained and that’s going to be one of the biggest marketing opportunities to attract new users.

From attending digital festivals, exhibitions, movie premieres or enjoying some multiplayer videogame mayhem the possibilities are endless. And the competition is already getting fierce before some of the worlds have even launched.

As mentioned places like MOR allow you to visit film festivals like Tribeca or Cannes XR, whilst Sansar has gone down the music route hosting Splendour XR and the Lost Horizon music festivals. Sensorium Galaxy, on the other hand, hasn’t even arrived yet it’s already lining up an all-star cast of DJ’s including David Guetta and Carl Cox to perform, all fully motion-captured.

This also opens up interesting opportunities for brands to reach existing and new audiences. Banner ads and pop-ups will be a thing of the past here, with companies able to explore new interactive ways of communicating their products, creating events you can attend or having an actual object sat there in front of you.

Culture vulture

All of this will inevitably lead to the creation of digital culture, where users will want to clothe their avatars in certain apparel or join groups which appeal to their politics or ethics. You could one day see people protesting in a metaverse about social injustice, climate change, pollution of the oceans, political suppression and much more.

And just as current cultural trends would enter the fray so would new ones spring up entirely inside these worlds.

Somnium Space

XR-Commerce

All of this inevitably fuels a digital ecosystem full of buying potential. Casual users might want to buy a new skin or wardrobe for their avatar, whereas those serious about investing in the metaverse can buy virtual property, businesses and even land to build upon.  

Again, this is already underway mainly supported by cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology to facilitate a safe and secure method of conducting transactions. Somnium Space for example launched in 2018 conducting a land sale with locations split down into ‘parcels’, each with a different value depending on their size. This used the Ethereum blockchain, allowing buyers to then sell assets on marketplaces like Opensea.

Having this type of commercial ecosystem allows creators to make money, building digital items which can be minted into NFT’s (Non-Fungible Tokens) to be sold at auction. NFT’s have exploded in the past year, some selling for millions.

Metaverse commerce will also create a hierarchy where people won’t be able to afford land in a prized location or a new pair of limited edition sneakers. That opens the door for high-end brands to step in and serve a clientele who demand only the rarest items.  

The future virtual dream

All of this is just the tip of a virtual iceberg as the digital and the real intertwine, as new worlds are created and new innovations appear. We’re really just at the beginning of this journey into immersive, social XR worlds and there’s still plenty more to discuss across all of these subjects mentioned and more – we’ve not even started on immersive full-body and facial tracking!

So VRFocus will be continuing to dive deep into the XR metaverse, looking at those universes that are forging ahead, the creators behind them as well as what the near and far-flung future holds. Hopefully, to prepare yourself you’ll join us on this tech-filled ride.

VR is the Future of Education

Virtual Reality (VR) has evolved over the years, with the first physical VR machine being produced in 1956! With technology becoming more and more sophisticated as we enter the 21st Century, it’s no surprise that VR now has a firm imprint on how we teach, and the current Coronavirus pandemic has only accelerated this fact.

So, why will VR be the future of education? The following will delve into the various ways VR will be used in the industry as well as why it will help the future of teaching and learning.

MEL Chemistry VR
Image credit: MEL Chemistry VR

Why Virtual Reality Will Improve the Future of Education

Traditionally, we are taught by learning facts from books and other sources. But this does not suit everyone. A lot of us are visual and physical learners and need various stimuli to get the most out of the learning experience.

Through VR, we are able to jump into learning and interact with it, meaning that our ability to retain information is greatly enhanced. This is due to the fact that we are not required to use as much cognition compared to reading words out of a book for example. Below are a few reasons why learning can be improved in the future with the help of VR.

Turning physical into virtual

With the use of VR technology, we are able to enter into different virtual areas to learn. For example, if a science lab is not available in a real-life scenario this can be transformed into a virtual lab where experiments can be taught.

Practice makes perfect

As mentioned before, traditionally, we are taught by reading textbooks or off smart-boards and repeating this process until the knowledge sticks. However, it’s been proven that people learn more effectively (and efficiently) when they take part in an activity that directly relates to what they are learning. VR gives us the opportunity to learn by actually performing a task when it would otherwise be impossible in a classroom.

With students being able to enter into environments that are interactive, it makes the information much easier to process. Examples of this in the real world will be outlined later, but platforms that enable virtual school trips and virtual training are extremely beneficial for students to get a good grip of what they are learning by experiencing everything hands-on. This also makes the teacher’s life much easier as it removes the need to explain things in a complex way that could be misunderstood. The quicker the students learn, the happier the teacher!

Understand the world around us

Through VR learning, we are able to jump into a whole new world while sitting in a classroom. Whether it be going back to Ancient Rome in History class, or travelling across the world to New Zealand in Geography – VR allows us to experience the world first-hand.

Excitement for the technology

It’s true that VR is usually associated with the gaming industry, however, demand for its use in education is growing rapidly. Many famous personalities, such as Sir David Attenborough, have been endorsing the use of VR and how it can educate the public. Attenborough has been involved in a few VR projects over the years including Micro Monsters. This endorsement from public figures will only contribute to the growing excitement of VR’s capabilities.

Micro Monsters

How We Will Use Virtual Reality In Education

With VR, we can make almost anything possible – especially in education. From virtual classrooms to hands-on training, VR allows the user to experience situations they are usually unable to in the traditional classroom. Below are a few examples of how we can use VR for learning in the future.

Training

As stated above, VR enables us to enter into experiences that we would otherwise not be able to in a normal classroom. A great example of this would be in the medical industry. With VR, students can learn using 3D imagery as well as performing examinations on virtual patients. 

This is extremely beneficial in the surgical field as users can virtually carry out surgery and learn before moving to real patients. St George’s University Hospital in South London has actually adopted Fundamental Surgery to teach their students. This surgical teaching platform was created by software company FundamentalVR.

School Trips

Students studying Geography or History can also benefit from VR. Using the technology, we are able to run virtual school trips. This is extremely beneficial as students get a real sense of the location they are learning about, instead of just reading about it in a textbook.

Another benefit of this is the feasibility and cost-effectiveness. By taking a virtual trip to Machu Picchu, students can experience the surroundings without the need to pay for the cost of the trip or take the time to get there.

We’re not saying that VR should completely replace real school trips as it is necessary to experience the real world. VR just allows a more diverse learning experience with virtual school trips.

Communication

A massive aspect of learning is communicating ideas in groups with other peers. With VR, we can use virtual rooms and avatars to create virtual classrooms with people on the other side of the world. This opens up the possibility of exchanging ideas with peers that are from different sides of the globe which will only enrich the learning experience. 

Apps such as HTC’s Vive XR Suite provide a remote collaboration centre where users can engage in conversation and discuss ideas. As technology becomes more advanced, more platforms like this will become available.

Deciding a Career Path

A common problem with many students in today’s society is that they are unsure of what career they want to pursue. VR can help alleviate a portion of this problem by helping students enter into the shoes of a person that may be in a specific field. Through this, the user can understand the career a little bit better and get an understanding if it’s something they want to pursue further.

Learning Language

Similar to the virtual field trips, with VR, language students are able to visit the country of the language they are learning and communicate (virtually) with others. The user will actually get the feeling of being there which will help them get a better understanding of how to communicate as the virtual environment tricks our brain into actually thinking we are present.

An example of this being in place is MondlyVR by ATi Studios. This platform guides the user through various pronunciations in real-world situations using an avatar ‘teacher’. It engages the user in conversations and gives constant feedback due to its chatbot technology.

BODYSWAPS

Final Thoughts

VR opens up the possibility of learning that we have never experienced before and it has the potential to change the way we educate and learn forever. With the technology steadily becoming more advanced, students will become more engaged with the classroom and therefore be able to absorb information more effectively.

Of course, we still are not there yet technologically for VR to take up the majority of our learning experience, however, it may not be far away. VR technology has come so far already, with wireless headsets such as the Oculus Quest 2 it makes learning far more feasible and frictionless as compared to a wired PC HMD. Who knows where the next few years take us but VR will become even more advanced and this will only make the learning experience more accessible.

We will also be relying on the people in education to adapt and then adopt this technology to make it happen. The common goal for everyone across the world should be to make education as accessible as possible and VR can achieve that goal.

Crowd-Sourced Data Reveals The Field Of View Of VR Headsets — And You Can Contribute

A VR development studio created a tool to measure the field of view of PC-capable VR headsets and a database to show the results.

The tool, made with Unreal Engine, supports SteamVR and Oculus Rift on Windows. It was created by iNFINITE Production, based in Prague. Its past VR projects include Experience: Colorblindness, which simulates what it’s like to live with poor color vision.

“Field of View” refers to how much of your vision a VR headset’s display system covers. A wide field of view immerses you in a virtual environment, whereas narrow field of view can feel more like using binoculars.

Human field of view is somewhere around 210°×150°.

The field of view of a given headset is notoriously difficult to consistently measure, because it actually changes depending on the distance between your eye and the lens. That distance is determined by the shape of your face and the fit of the headset.

Some headsets like Valve’s Index allow the lenses to be moved closer independently of the rest of the hardware.

iNFINITE’s webpage lists the average of the uploaded values for each headset, revealing what could be the most complete field of view measurements yet:

Pimax Vision 8K X 156°×104°
Pimax 5K+ 140°×101°
Valve Index 108°×105°
Samsung Oddysey+ 103°×107°
HP Reverb (G1) 98°×92°
Oculus Quest 96°×94°
HTC Vive Cosmos 95°×86°
HTC Vive (2016) 86°×86°
Oculus Rift (2016) 86°×86°
Oculus Rift S 86°×85°

iNFINITE claims the database now has 70 samples. Over time as this sample size increases, we should get a clearer picture of the typical field of view these headsets offer in real use.

We’ll also be curious to see how Oculus Quest 2 and HP Reverb G2 rank in this dataset. Will Facebook & HP deliver more immersion? We’ll let you know when we find out.

Could Realistic, Advanced Physics be the Gameplay Differentiator to Take VR Mainstream?

Sometimes, it’s difficult to put your finger on why and how virtual reality (VR) gaming differs to traditional gaming. Of course, there’s the obvious immersion point – in VR you’re actually in the game rather than viewing it – but what about gameplay mechanics? How do they really differ? The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR and Fallout 4 VR are amazingly immersive in VR but, outside of being able to move your weapons in independent directions, is the core gameplay any different from their flatscreen incarnations?

BoneworksA growing trend in the VR scene has been the rise of titles that attempt to utilise realistic physics-driven interaction systems as core gameplay mechanics. This trend began with games like H3VR and Gorn and has gained momentum recently through titles such as Blade & Sorcery, Boneworks and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners. These videogames are based around employing consistent, universal and realistic physics rules to every object in an experience so that when a player manipulates or uses that object it reacts realistically (or at least consistently) to both the player’s input and all other objects and masses in the VR space. It feels very much like the next step on the evolutionary path of VR gaming and one that truly differentiates it from traditional gaming.

Adding weight and mass to thin air!

What does this mean in practice? In the titles mentioned above, not only can almost every item in their worlds be picked up, moved, thrown and manipulated but there is also an attempt to give each item weight and mass. Quite a difficult thing to pull off convincingly when in the real world the player is just pushing air particles around! When I pick up a huge axe in a videogame like Blade & Sorcery there is a realistic approximation of its weight. I can’t just pick up this axe with one hand and waggle it around weightlessly. It has realistic physics and it will droop uselessly if I use it with one hand, greatly diminishing its damage potential if I try to hit an enemy (as would be the case in real life). Rather, I need to pick it up with two hands and mime slow swings like it has actual weight. This sounds unintuitive but it’s anything but. It’s actually a lot of fun and surprisingly effective at making you believe you’re swinging around a hulking great piece of metal. Furthermore, if I swing the axe at a wall it will bounce off it rather than just glide through. If I hit a pot it will smash. If I crunch it into a competitor gladiator’s arm it will (gruesomely) dismember them!

Blade & SorceryRealistic, advanced physics take VR immersion and gameplay to the next level

When we talk about realistic physics simulation this is what we mean. While it might not seem like the most obvious selling point for VR – “realistic physics” doesn’t exactly scream must play – the benefits are immense. Firstly, it adds hugely to the overall immersion. Visually placing you in an environment is one thing in VR, but when you’re placed in a space and then each object you touch, grab or swing reacts as you expect, and has its own physicality and weight, it’s amazing how your brain can be tricked into believing that what is in front of you is somehow real and actually there. I spent a ridiculous amount of time in the first few areas of Boneworks simply overturning tables, pushing over filing cabinets and picking up and throwing computer screens. It’s just so much fun to simply exist and mess around in a VR space when you can grab and manipulate all the in-game objects around you.

Secondly, and very much in line with the trend we’ve seen in VR gaming during 2019 and early 2020, there are endlessly entertaining ways to incorporate realistic and consistent physics into gameplay mechanics that facilitate player creativity and expression. The most obvious example is through weapons. When your weapons and your enemies have weight and presence it’s remarkable how many ways to tackle combat situations present themselves. Suddenly, every cool move you’ve seen in a sword and shield or gun-based action film is there for you to emulate. A quick search on YouTube for Sword & Sorcery’s best kills will throw up all manner of complicated and convoluted (and, it has to be said, cool) melee combat sequences which show a whole range of sword, axe, knife and pike sequences that are equal parts shocking and thrilling in their brutality and creativity. On the less gruesome side, if that machine gun now has weight and presence in-game (as in Boneworks), not only can you use it to shoot an enemy (as you would in any videogame), but it can become a multi-purpose tool; one you can use to push open doors or hook over a ledge to use as a climbing aid or as a bar on a zip line.

There’s an almost endless amount of ways you can manipulate these believable in-game props to come up with creative and original ways to defeat enemies, overcome puzzles or navigate parts of the environment. This level of interactivity is just not possible in traditional 2D videogames. They are bound by input methods on a gamepad or keyboard and there’s only a limited number of possible combinations. When motion controls are coupled with in-game objects and weapons that have physicality, the combinations of possible manipulations and consequences are nearly endless and don’t have to be pre-programmed.

Advanced physics are more than just realistic gore

So far I’ve focused on combat but physics-based gameplay lends itself equally well to a whole multitude of titles. Gadgeteer is a great example of how consistent and realistic physics can enhance a VR puzzle videogame. Each lego-like piece that you use to create reaction contraptions (think Rube Goldberg machines) revolves around realistic physics and how one piece interacts with another. The fact that in VR all of these pieces can be touched, pushed, lifted and manipulated like you would in real life lends Gadgeteer an incredible tactility while also allowing various tracks to be flexibly laid out in full 3D spaces. Being able to pick up and handle each intricate piece like you would in the real world, while also seeing them react to other objects as you expect and anticipate, based on your inherent understanding of how real-world physics work, makes the game incredibly easy to pick up and play and in no time at all you’re able to create elaborate chain reaction machines that will surprise you with their scope.

The challenges of implementing realistic physics

So why don’t all VR games incorporate advanced physics simulations and why haven’t they since VR first appeared? Well, for one thing, these physics are difficult and complicated to bake into a videogame. It takes developers many, many hours of development time to understand how to implement these physics and to work through all the various permutations of how each object in a game reacts to another.

The second consideration when implementing realistic physics is how far to take them. Just because a VR title has astonishingly realistic physics doesn’t necessarily make it a fun videogame. Arguably, Boneworks has the best recreation of realistic physics we’ve yet seen but there are moments when it can be annoying from a design perspective. There have been numerous times when I’m running through a level only to find that my character’s foot is stuck on a pavement curb and so I can’t move. Likewise, my gun has often smashed into a corner as I try to round it quickly or a limb gets stuck in a large grating. This also points to another issue with implementing realistic physics in VR: ’jank’. All VR physics titles that I’ve played so far have janky moments and you’ll often see an object react strangely or an enemy contorted into bizarre positions or tripping over the smallest item. Glitches and bugs are part and parcel for implementing these complex systems but it can still be immersion breaking to see some of the ridiculous scenarios thrown up.

Half-Life: AlyxWill Half-Life: Alyx find the perfect balance?

So, there are clearly some steps that need to be taken to find the right balance between implementing realistic physics-driven gameplay while keeping a videogame fun, accessible and polished. We’ve already seen this happen to some extent with The Walking Dead Saints & Sinners, which provided a slightly watered down physics simulation when compared to Boneworks or Blade & Sorcery, but still made sure that key object iteration and combat had that immersive physicality and weight. More excitingly though, Half-Life: Alyx, which is only weeks away from launch, seems to elegantly combine detailed, realistic object interaction and physics simulations with immense polish and accessibility. If it nails that balance we really could be on the cusp of a VR gaming revolution – one heavily based around realistic physics that will provide unheard of levels of player interaction and will be hard for a mainstream gaming audience to resist.

Changing the World With VR: A Glance Back as Media Actively Changes our Lives

A review of the last 100 years shows innovations in the media sector have massively changed the way we live today. Over the last two decades, we have seen that virtual reality (VR), in particular, has the potential to be a medium that will shape several generations.

VirZOOM vSports CompetitionNot so long ago, VR was still in its infancy. In the meantime, the whole market has developed at a rapid pace and has long since outgrown these early years. Not only are hardware manufacturers upgrading the technology year by year, but there is also an increasing number of software companies which specialise in VR and have made it their mission to establish VR in everyday life with easy to use tools.

What actually makes virtual reality so exciting?

Given that users not only look at a scene but stand right in the middle of it and interact with their environment, they build a strong connection to their surroundings and therefore perceive them more intensely.

Thanks to the extremely high levels of immersion, VR can convey emotions and moods better than any other medium. This also means, of course, that VR addresses the emotions of its users much more profoundly than any other medium could.

Immersion is not only created by allowing users to interact with their environment. Another important factor in this respect is that VR headsets shield users from their real environment, causing them to perceive VR as reality itself.

This combination of extraordinary hardware and software in which users become part of the story is unique and has so far only been possible using current VR technology.

Visions come true with virtual reality!

We are living in exciting times! Visions that were long considered impossible are finally coming into contact with sophisticated technology, which provides the necessary basis to implement them.

Nowadays, anyone can create their own VR applications with minimal resources and time. All you need to create your own virtual world is the right equipment.

Meanwhile, there are some tools that even allow you to create 3D content. However, in many cases, it is important to have some prior knowledge and skills if you want to take beautiful photos. That’s why many prefer to capture reality with 360° cameras and turn it into an interactive VR application. Producing such applications is very easy, but the effect is even greater.

After you have taken 360° photos, or, if in doubt, purchased them from a provider, you can easily edit the photos in a few minutes. All you need is the right software. Then you just have to upload the 360° photos, bring them to life with interactive elements and you will have a VR application that will delight your users.

Due to the fact that both the hardware and the software have developed so quickly in recent years, creating VR applications has become easier while the quality of VR applications has also drastically improved.

Insta360 One RBecome part of VR with any device you’d like to use!


VR can not only be used with VR glasses; it can also be used in a browser, on a PC or with a smartphone. Each of these ways of using VR has its own advantages.

VR headsets are of course the most intense way to convey emotions and moods in a very special way. Here you can immerse yourself completely in a new world and forget about reality for a short time.

However, the spread of VR using smartphones and browsers also has its benefits. Since users do not need specific devices to use virtual reality, entry barriers are much lower. This is why this variant is particularly popular if you’re unsure whether users have the appropriate hardware. Especially for newbies, such applications can be a great way to get started with virtual reality.

How VR is changing the world

How exactly is VR changing our world? With VR we have a technology that is entering our living rooms and businesses which is completely changing the way we perceive and process content.

We suddenly find ourselves in the middle of the action and are no longer just spectators, but an actual part of the story. This means that our emotions, in particular, play a much greater role. When VR manages to address the user’s emotions thanks to the high immersion levels, an emotional connection is formed that not only makes the experience more intense, it also stays in the memory longer.

We will show you examples of how the long-awaited VR applications of tomorrow are already being used today.

Crow: The LegendStorytelling in VR – How to get students interested in politics (VR Europe)

It is late afternoon, the pupils are slowly getting tired and have to grapple with the topic of European politics. If you look back at your school days, you will remember that any topic could be fun if you had a brilliant teacher. If you were unlucky, however, you would have to struggle for hours studying a topic that made you want to fall asleep.

In Lower Saxony, pupils voluntarily abstain from sleeping in class, as they have the opportunity to go on an exciting journey following the development of legislation regarding avoiding plastic waste thanks to “EU beam me up”. The VR application takes them right into the European Parliament in Brussels, meaning they can keep a close eye on how the legislation develops. They are accompanied by their peers, talk to members of the European Parliament and learn how the EU works.

The pupils are inspired and will not only remember abstract models, but also pictures of the people involved, the places where decisions are made and the experience in general.

When learning at work is fun (EWE)

People find it easier to learn when they experience situations rather than just hearing or reading about them. This applies to children, teenagers and adults alike.

Until now, some companies have not used hands-on training because simulations are often expensive, cause logistical problems or are simply impossible, for example, because the machines on which the training is conducted are not yet available. Not only are all these arguments invalidated by using VR, but there is even an unrivalled argument as to why companies should train their employees in VR: the fun factor! With VR, employees not only learn more efficiently; they also have much more fun when doing further training!

The German energy supplier EWE Netz is showing what such a project can look like. Thanks to VR glasses, employees are trained in a substation that otherwise would be dangerous to enter because of the high risks involved. After various employees had completed the training, they all agreed that VR not only increases the quality of learning, it also adds the much needed ‘fun factor’ to the learning experience.

The special thing here is that the application, which is used for training in the company, was designed by the employees themselves. Following some thorough preparation, they simply grabbed a 360° camera and a microphone and took the shots themselves. This not only taught them what a VR application is all about, but it also ensured that even more applications can be created and more employees trained this way in the future.

It is clear that the employees there want to continue learning in a fun manner in the future. This is also beneficial for employers, as the quality of their training is increased, they show themselves to be innovative and can inspire their employees in a cost-efficient way.

From the retirement home to a trip around the world

People in retirement homes are often supported in their everyday lives and, in many cases, are no longer mobile. For many, the retirement home and its surroundings are the last things they see before they die. The thought of it arouses oppressive feelings.

It is all the more wonderful that virtual reality gives people back a part of their freedom. People who are tied to their bed or even their wheelchair can suddenly discover new things again. Whether that’s the place they met their partner in their youth, a concert or circus event or a dream destination to which they could never travel – the possibilities are endless!

Through VR, parents and grandparents can experience the adventures they so painfully miss or that they have never been able to do before. Wouldn’t it be a great thing for them to be able to directly show their children or grandchildren the places they are talking about?