After trying the HTC Vive virtual reality headset, which you can do at a GameStop store in Plano, you'll probably want one in your house.
Problem is, you probably don't have $800 just lying around. Or the beefy PC needed to run the thing in the first place.
And let's say you do have the hardware and/or disposable income to make it happen. You also need some empty space in your house in order to make use of the Vive's room-scale VR experiences (you can play plenty of VR games while sitting down with a controller, but some of the coolest demos so far will make you stand up and move a little).
And if you've got the money and the room, then there's still the issue of software. This technology is still in its infancy (relatively speaking), so there aren't yet a lot of "must-play" VR experiences.
But dang, virtual reality is still really cool.
So for now, maybe one of the best things to do is stop by the GameStop at 2201 Preston Road, Suite E. and check out the demo, which lasts roughly 10 minutes.
When you go, you'll put on the headset. Don't worry, it's surprisingly light and pretty comfortable, especially after they help you adjust it. Then, you'll grab the two wireless controllers, one for each hand.
"But how will I see the controllers if I have a headset on?" you might ask. Don't worry. The headset knows where the controllers are, and it will render them in the virtual reality space you see in the headset. So you'll reach out to grab what looks like a virtual object and actually grab something physical and real. It's kind of magical.
Then you'll have three experiences: The first is TheBlu by Wevr, a non-interactive demo that puts you on the deck of a sunken ship deep in the ocean. I say "non-interactive," but you can still walk around the deck and look around in awe at the sights around you. The 3D effect in the headset is great, so you really do get a sense that schools of fishes are floating around your head at all times. Just don't get scared when the whale swims up behind you.
Next up you'll see my personal favorite of the demos: Google's Tilt Brush. It's a tool that allows you to create pieces of art in a 3D space. I'm not much of an artist myself, but Tilt Brush made me feel like I could craft a masterpiece. You can use a variety of tools to paint (or use "taffy," or stars, or a pencil or a bunch of other things) all around you in 360 degrees. At one point I felt like a little kid making a blanket fort over me -- only the fort was made out of pure color. It was awesome.
The last demo was the first that was actually a game (which is what you probably expected when trying VR at GameStop, right?). It was Space Pirate Trainer, and it turned the controllers in my hand into guns. It's incredibly self-explanatory: You point the guns at drones, then you shoot.
The cool catch, though, is that the bullets coming at you can be dodged. When you're close to getting hit, you'll get a Matrix-like slow motion effect that grants you a second to react before you take damage. Want to avoid a "Game Over" screen? Physically move your body out of the way of the bullet. You can sidestep, you can duck ... whatever you need to do to survive.
And then your demo will be over. If you're like me, it will feel like it ended much too quickly.
I've been on the "pro-VR" train for awhile now. Years, in fact. I think it's awesome technology that has the potential to change a lot about not only how we play games, but how we learn and how we interact with other people. The HTC Vive may not be ready for the mass consumer market yet, but it's worth spending some time with so you can see where the future might be headed.
