Sitting on a command deck of a starship, you stare out into the vastness of space. Stars twinkle far off as asteroids zip by, leaving behind a trail of stardust. Distant planets glimmer nearby. Look down and the command deck is flashing. Someone calls your name. With a click of a button the world goes dark and you’re sitting in your living room.
Situations like this could be commonplace in the future as the world moves increasingly towards virtual reality.
With virtual reality systems like the Oculus Rift and Project Morpheus in development, people will soon be able to explore distant planets and imaginary worlds from their living rooms. Virtual reality will change the way people interact with and enjoy video gaming.
Imagine playing a popular shooter like “Call of Duty,” but instead of pressing buttons, the player actually aims and fires the gun. Ideas like this aren’t as far off as they seem. Early game demos on current virtual reality systems allow movement to be mapped to a player’s motion.
A demo on Project Morpheus allows players to use two Playstation Move controls to swing swords, draw a bow or even flail a mace. An airplane simulator on the Oculus Rift places gamers in the pilot seat, allowing them to soar through the clouds.
Major game developers have already taken an interest in these virtual reality systems. A recent game, “Alien: Isolation,” already has a demo to be used on the Oculus Rift. The demo places players in a spaceship where they are stalked and terrorized by an alien. Physically being able to balance over your shoulder increases the tension and immersion.
Virtual reality has long been a collective dream of science fiction writers and fans alike. Movies, novels and TV shows have entertained the notion of a future where reality and fantasy merge.
The 1980s saw inventors and developers attempting to make those dreams a reality to disastrous results. The technology wasn’t advanced enough at the time, but in today’s digital area technology is rapidly increasing and evolving.
What does the future hold? If Oculus Rift and Project Morpheus are successful, then virtual reality may be the next step in society’s advancement. Ten years from now it many not be strange to find gamers flailing around in their living rooms while their minds are a million miles away.
