In virtual space, anything can happen. Artists can paint an intricate landscape out of lasers while whales glide by.
The HTC Vive is a headset designed to fully immerse players in the game by tracking head and body movements. While on vacation in Orlando, Florida, I had a chance to stop by a Microsoft Store demo station to try the headset out in a ten minute session.
The first experience I had was “theBlu: Encounter,” which acted as more of a tech demo than a full game. It is set underwater on a shipwreck, designed to give the person demoing the headset a chance to learn how movement works within virtual space.
This is where the sensors placed above me came into play. As I walked around the ship, I took in my surroundings as an underwater explorer. Because I had headphones in during the demo, I was fully immersed in the experience, at least until the sales associate came over my headset to give me instructions.
As I walked freely around the ship, a massive whale swam by. I moved closer to the railing of the ship to get a better look, and the sensors gave me a visual warning that I was beginning to step out of bounds with a large grid appearing as I stepped forward.
Once the whale swam past me, the next demo immediately launched. I started in a dark environment and looked down to see virtual representations of the two controllers I had in my hands. These controllers became paint tools in a demo known as “TiltBrush.”
“TiltBrush” is an art application that felt surprisingly good to interact with. By clicking in the center button of the controller, I was able to select an environment to draw in, choose a new brush or tool to paint with and change colors. Drawing in “TiltBrush” is as easy as aiming at a point and pulling the trigger.
My short demo in “TiltBrush” took me through space and a Greek-inspired landscape in which I drew a self-portrait out of lasers, set my beard on fire and simply wrote “Hi” in ink on top of an ancient pedestal.
As soon as I put my finishing touches on my artwork, the demo swapped again, this time exchanging my paint tools for a gun.
The final experience was “Space Pirate Trainer.” Out of all three demos, “Space Pirate Trainer” felt the most like a video game and was easily my favorite.
The game began in a lit-up grid as training robots flew past, shooting at my head. While getting used to my new tools and dodging bullets, the store associate explained the new rules of the demo to me. The center button of the controllers became a weapon wheel, where I could freely choose between revolvers, rifles, shotguns and lasers. Throwing the controller over my shoulder spawned a shield.
The shooting in “Space Pirate Trainer” was different than the average “Call of Duty” aiming I was used to. Instead of simply moving a mouse or an analog stick and pulling a trigger, every movement in the game was mine. I danced around the grid, dodging bullets and firing back to advance through the waves of enemies.
After three attempts in the game, my demo time had come to an end. Experiencing virtual reality for the first time was a thrill ride, of which I quickly wanted to return to for its deep level of immersion.
While HTC Vive demo stations are available, their availability depends on location, and none currently are offered within Alabama. A full list of available demo stations can be found on the Microsoft Store’s website. The HTC Vive is available now for $799.
