| As someone that is passionate about the video | | | | such as the omni-directional treadmill, voice |
| game industry and the technological advancement | | | | recognition, motion sensors and Virtual Reality and |
| of video games I often wonder about what the | | | | applying them to a VR booth in the conceptual |
| future holds for the global gaming community. | | | | VRcade. You'd have almost a fully immersive |
| With an endless list of options and possibilities the | | | | gaming experience where you could walk, run or |
| truth is the industry could go in any direction. I | | | | crawl in a virtual environment and be able to |
| have written on this blog recently about Virtual | | | | speak and interact with computer generated |
| Reality, its applications and limitations and I truly | | | | characters. You could even interact and talk with |
| believe that Virtual Reality is where the video | | | | real life characters in the virtual environment by |
| game industry is naturally heading. Gamers are | | | | networking the VR booths. |
| looking for a more immersive experience when it | | | | This concept may seem generations away but |
| comes to gaming, this is evident with releases | | | | just by looking at Xbox's upcoming control |
| from the three game giants Nintendo, Microsoft | | | | system Project Natal you can see that already |
| and Sony in the form of the Wiimote, Project | | | | many of the technologies required for the virtual |
| Natal and the Sony Motion Controller (yet to be | | | | reality experience are there. Voice recognition has |
| officially named). I believe these control systems | | | | been developed to an advanced stage, motion |
| are just the beginning in the industry's quest for a | | | | sensor technology is now highly advanced and |
| fully immersive video game experience and we | | | | computer graphics have reached a level where |
| can expect some much larger developments in | | | | they're close to photorealism. It again comes |
| the future. Our desire for an immersive gaming | | | | down to cost of implementation and the amount |
| experience comes from an inner need to escape | | | | of time and money it would take to develop a |
| from the stress and worries of the real world and | | | | new gaming platform of this magnitude and apply |
| the need to spice up our lives with adventure, | | | | it to video game arcades. It would be a big |
| video games can provide that and I believe will | | | | gamble to take a project of this description on |
| provide that to some degree. | | | | and this gaming experience obviously wouldn't be |
| Although Virtual Reality isn't a new technology I | | | | available to everyone as the VRcades would have |
| believe it will produce a revolution in the gaming | | | | to be located in areas with a high population |
| industry and provide a whole new era of | | | | density to be profitable. |
| development. The reason we're not seeing it | | | | It is highly unlikely that we'll see anything like this |
| emerge in the market yet is down to the | | | | being developed in the immediate future but I |
| enormous cost to implement the technology and | | | | believe VR technology will be the saving grace of |
| for this reason I believe that video game arcades | | | | the video game arcade and will provide an |
| will experience a revival. Even in the future the | | | | experience far superior to the one you're able to |
| cost of Virtual Reality will obviously reduce but | | | | get from a home console or computer. Eventually |
| the price will still be significant so it is unlikely we'll | | | | I'm sure VR will fully integrate itself into the home |
| see a full home application for Virtual Reality for | | | | and advancements in technology will provide an |
| some time. I believe this will result in in what I like | | | | experience similar to the VRcade but I imagine a |
| to call the VRcade (probably not an original name), | | | | fully immersive VR system for your bedroom is |
| a video game arcade arranged in booths kitted | | | | decades away and that is a whole different article |
| out with all the equipment required for an | | | | to write. I shall be keeping a close eye on VR |
| immersive gaming experience where the | | | | technology as I'm almost certain that VR is the |
| customers pay per hour to use a Virtual Reality | | | | inevitable future for the video game industry. |
| simulation booth. Imagine combining technologies | | | | |