3 ms·

I use it for sim racing just about every other day at home. It is, by far and away, the most compelling gaming experience I've ever had. Having race high-end ka

I use it for sim racing just about every other day at home. It is, by far and away, the most compelling gaming experience I've ever had. Having race high-end karts before, it is closer to the "real" feeling than I could've ever imagined -- certainly not in terms of the danger and things like that, but with high-end peripherals the driving experience, sense of competition, and mental effort required mirror it perfectly. Truly a steal at many times the cost if that's your sort of thing. I also got my pilot's license a few years ago after developing a love of flying from the Microsoft Flight Sim 95 era and beyond. In VR, while I've never had the "full controls," in higher-end aircraft software I could very accurately (literally to just about 100%) recreate my IRL flights with the exception of the feel of the yoke and whatnot. Again, awesome gaming experience. Lastly, I've played quite a bit of poker in PokerstarsVR. The thing that surprises me the most about THOSE experiences is that this attempt to create a pretty simple and at first-glance unexciting experience in VR to me revealed just how incredible VR actually CAN be. Like, yes, I get the value-add that the videogame can have for something like flying an airliner or a formula car, but wouldn't you always rather play poker with your friends IRL? Well, to me, VR showed me that that answer is a resounding 'no.' IRL poker is slow (just from shuffling and dealing, to say nothing of folks fumbling with chips), if you play poker well you'll be sitting out a lot of hands, so that can get boring, etc. In VR, however, I could see many, many more hands/hr, I could pin a TV to the virtual room and watch whatever I wanted as I'm talking with folks all over the world, could engage in side-games with the person next to me if I wasn't in a hand, etc. Just... unbelievably compelling. It made me a believer that I could EASILY see how in the near future even if I had 8 friends at home who really wanted to play poker, that I'd rather have each of us reaching out for our personal VR devices to do that in rather than reaching for a deck of cards.

mejutoco 3y ago
Could you share what sim racing you prefer?
- ChicagoBoy11 3y ago
  to me, it's hard to beat iRacing in terms of the quality of the matchmaking and sheer density of available heats. The fact that you constantly find elite level IRL drivers on it I think is a nice endorsement that the overall experience is pretty good. It certainly can leave you wanting in terms of visual niceties and things of the sort, but from a pure racing experience, I think it is hard to beat. Is expensive at first, though :-(
fauxpause_ 3y ago
8 friends at home, playing VR poker, each watching different TV, talking to other people, and playing other games on their own?
- ChicagoBoy11 3y ago
  ohh no, I meant, VR can augment the in-person experience... I'd rather play with the virtual cards that shuffle and deal much more rapidly... I'd rather us be able to be in this insanely interesting environment, etc...
  - fauxpause_ 3y ago
    I would not bet on my friends feeling present if they were in such a distraction prone environment though
toss1 3y ago
For the sim road racing, have you validated the simulation back on the real track? Did you learn new skills that are applicable in the real world with real tires, etc., or did you pick up subtle bad habits that you had to unlearn? It sounds like a much more space- and funds-efficient solution, but I can also see how it could potentially create bad habits. It does sound like an outstandingly good idea to get pilot seat time for familiarity with controls, procedures, etc.!
- Our_Benefactors 3y ago
  For most people the need for more seat time vastly outweighs the concern that they might pick up “bad habits”.
- ChicagoBoy11 3y ago
  Actually, it funnily enough proved to create some bad habits for the PLANE rather than the driving! When I started my flight training, my flight instructor's chief complaint was that I was so used to looking INSIDE the cockpit rather than out. Conversely, picking up instrument flying definitely came very easy (I was used to reading plates, ATC phrasing, etc.), but
psychphysic 3y ago
You should put a fan on your desk to simulate wind.
Arrath 3y ago
> I use it for sim racing just about every other day at home. Oh lord. Even going back to being a kid I had nightmares about being in a car as it goes over a cliff and starts tumbling down. Years later, I got my Rift and gave Dirt: Rally a try. Misjudging a turn and careening off the road into thin air, all in glorious first person VR, triggered that primal fear in me. It was too much. Meanwhile, I fuckin love VR flight sims and can pull barrel rolls all day no problem.

mejutoco 3y ago

Could you share what sim racing you prefer?

ChicagoBoy11 3y ago
to me, it's hard to beat iRacing in terms of the quality of the matchmaking and sheer density of available heats. The fact that you constantly find elite level IRL drivers on it I think is a nice endorsement that the overall experience is pretty good. It certainly can leave you wanting in terms of visual niceties and things of the sort, but from a pure racing experience, I think it is hard to beat. Is expensive at first, though :-(

fauxpause_ 3y ago

8 friends at home, playing VR poker, each watching different TV, talking to other people, and playing other games on their own?

ChicagoBoy11 3y ago
ohh no, I meant, VR can augment the in-person experience... I'd rather play with the virtual cards that shuffle and deal much more rapidly... I'd rather us be able to be in this insanely interesting environment, etc...
- fauxpause_ 3y ago
  I would not bet on my friends feeling present if they were in such a distraction prone environment though

toss1 3y ago

For the sim road racing, have you validated the simulation back on the real track? Did you learn new skills that are applicable in the real world with real tires, etc., or did you pick up subtle bad habits that you had to unlearn? It sounds like a much more space- and funds-efficient solution, but I can also see how it could potentially create bad habits. It does sound like an outstandingly good idea to get pilot seat time for familiarity with controls, procedures, etc.!

Our_Benefactors 3y ago
For most people the need for more seat time vastly outweighs the concern that they might pick up “bad habits”.
ChicagoBoy11 3y ago
Actually, it funnily enough proved to create some bad habits for the PLANE rather than the driving! When I started my flight training, my flight instructor's chief complaint was that I was so used to looking INSIDE the cockpit rather than out. Conversely, picking up instrument flying definitely came very easy (I was used to reading plates, ATC phrasing, etc.), but

psychphysic 3y ago

You should put a fan on your desk to simulate wind.

Arrath 3y ago

> I use it for sim racing just about every other day at home. Oh lord. Even going back to being a kid I had nightmares about being in a car as it goes over a cliff and starts tumbling down. Years later, I got my Rift and gave Dirt: Rally a try. Misjudging a turn and careening off the road into thin air, all in glorious first person VR, triggered that primal fear in me. It was too much. Meanwhile, I fuckin love VR flight sims and can pull barrel rolls all day no problem.