Anyone else in a similar boat? Or have a theory why it’s less compelling than a traditional gaming console?
My kids enjoy their Quests, but use is fairly rare in comparison to their iPads and PCs.
I just asked my daughter why she plays it less, and she says it's because (1) there are fewer games she's interested in, (2) battery life is poor (and so sessions are shorter than they are on alternatives), and (3) it's uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time.
Honestly, I don't think we'll be upgrading to Quest 2 or whatever comes after. The whole "forced Facebook logins" thing left a bad taste in my mouth and caused problems that took their support folks weeks to untangle. Our current thinking is that we'll just wait for Apple to do it right.
I play guitar and write songs. I use my computer to help with this. Over the years, I’ve had:
* a little amp with a microphone that connects to my audio interface
* 1 watt tube amp built for recording, made by the same company that makes my incredible 120 watt monster amp for live performance, plugs straight into my audio interface for silent recording
* a high end digital amp used by pros for live and recording, I can use it AS the interface but it’s bigger than the hardware that lives on my desk
I still go back to the software amp simulation, a plugin running in the recording software I use for composition, because it’s quicker and easier to plug the guitar straight into audio interface and go. It doesn’t sound as good as my Fractal FM9 but it’s still great, it makes me happy, and it demands less time/space/effort than all the others. Unless I’m pursuing something that I can only get from the “bigger and better solutions,” convenience always wins.
VR strikes me as being in a similar place. Yes, it has a unique value. No, nothing is like it. But… my PS5 through my 4K TV and home theater is extremely sick AND I can just pickup a controller and go!
It's really nice to have an interface that doesn't require me to try to route audio through my computer. It just works exactly like a (slightly complicated) regular amp all the time, and behaves exactly the same while recording as it does when it's not.
It's got all kinds of built in amp sims and effects, but I play it on the same setting about 95% of the time (I've never been much for tone chasing). But it also has a built in looper, which I use all the time.
I really love the thing, great piece of hardware. It's got some warts but nothing I can't work around.
I have no interest in a metaverse or social vr activities.
On its own, with consistent simple hardware improvements the CV1 would have been a decently profitable business by most other companies' standards and done well enough to keep going.
Facebook/SV trying to turn VR into something it's not ready to be, and that nobody is particularly interested in, in the hope of turning it into a mega multi billion dollar venture worthy of them is what has made it no fun and is just wasted money.
I like VR for rhythm and workout games. Those are far less compelling on a flat screen with stuff like wii
Is that jumping around the room with a tethered VR helmet on your head and face?
How long are you able to do that for in one session? Asking because I play Horizon on PS 5 with PSVR2 (it is fantastic experience), but can do it for 30mins maybe 45mins tops in a session, before I feel ill.
Also, games where you’re the one moving tend not to give people motion sickness. Games where you’re controlling movement with a thumb stick are what does it - or a poor frame rate.
I use my quest daily. It really is a good workout. My average workout time is 45 minutes, but I can go a couple of hours or so before the battery gives out, the weight on my head isn’t much if an issue.
Getting corrective VR lenses helped a-lot to make it usable.
I just play BeatSaber and FitXR, so no jumping around the room; I don’t really have the space to play anything that requires moving around the room and not running into something. Lots of squats though, so it’s like an aerobic workout class.
Don’t take it literally. Being tethered can mean physically with a cable, but it can also mean you’re virtually confined (think a virtual box that you cannot leave). So for instance, can you take your play outside? My understanding is no, because direct sunlight can destroy the lenses so Meta advises against it: https://www.meta.com/help/quest/articles/headsets-and-access...
Exercise is good, fun, more expansive, a fuller experience outside than inside.