In this blog post, we’ll focus on leading VR devices like the Oculus Rift to examine advancements in visual and motion technologies, as well as the challenges that still lie ahead.
The Imagination and Reality of Virtual Reality
“What if I could actually step into a game?” This is a question anyone who has ever played a game has probably asked themselves at least once. This desire may be particularly strong for those who have experienced genres like fantasy games. While many view this as something belonging to the distant future, the boundaries between fantasy and reality are gradually blurring as the technology that enables virtual reality experiences advances rapidly.
The Oculus Rift and Visual Immersion
The name “Oculus Rift” will likely be familiar to many. Released for developers in late 2012, this device is a head-mounted display (HMD) in the form of goggles that cover the eyes and are worn directly on the head. An LCD or OLED display is positioned in front of each eye, showing slightly different images to create a sense of depth. While this principle is similar to the experience in 3D movies, it provides a much higher level of immersion through more sophisticated parallax and screen separation.
Additionally, when external sensors detect the orientation of the device worn by the user, it instantly displays the corresponding image based on the direction the user turns their head. This gives the user the sensation of actually looking at the scene. However, visual immersion alone does not create a complete experience of “being inside the game”; other elements, such as full-body movement and tactile feedback, must also be taken into account.
Other Major VR Devices
A similar device is Samsung’s Gear VR. Unlike the Oculus Rift, the Gear VR is characterized by its use of a smartphone. By inserting a compatible smartphone—such as one from the Galaxy series—the phone’s display serves as the video source right in front of the user’s eyes, allowing for a convenient VR experience.
Avegant’s Glyph takes a slightly different approach. Instead of using LCD or OLED screens, Glyph employs a “virtual retinal display” method that projects images directly onto the user’s retina through lenses. The device features built-in headphones for audio playback and can be used as regular headphones when not viewing 3D content.
In addition, various products have entered the market, such as Sony’s PS4-exclusive VR device (Project Morpheus, later renamed PlayStation VR) and the Vive, a collaboration between HTC and Valve. Each device differs in terms of video quality, tracking methods, and platform compatibility, offering distinct user experiences.
Motion Tracking Devices and Full-Body Immersion
In addition to visually-focused HMDs, there are devices that detect the user’s movements to enhance full-body immersion. A prime example is the Omni by Virtuix. The Omni consists of a platform similar to a treadmill and specialized shoes; its concave base is designed so that the user remains in place no matter which direction they move. This allows users to replicate real-world movements, such as walking or running, within a virtual environment.
Challenges to Be Addressed
Although virtual reality technology has advanced rapidly, there are still issues that need to be resolved. The most commonly cited problem is “3D motion sickness,” which occurs when visual information conflicts with the body’s sense of balance. While sudden changes in the field of view were identified as a major cause of motion sickness in traditional 3D games, the high level of immersion offered by VR devices can actually make these side effects more likely to occur.
Another significant limitation is the field of view. While the human field of view is known to be approximately 200° horizontally and 130° vertically, most VR devices provide a field of view of about 110° from left to right.
This discrepancy makes users feel confined and hinders a sense of complete realism. However, there have been recent improvements, such as the emergence of devices offering wider fields of view (e.g., 210°).
As a result of technological advancements, various VR-exclusive content has emerged since the release of the Oculus Rift, and commercial games supporting this technology have also been launched. Game companies both domestically and internationally are growing their interest in virtual reality and jumping into the development of related content.
