I recently got to go to Mind Immersions, the new virtual reality center in Clermont. They have a state of the art set up, which is completely different from the experience I have at home with my personal VR kit.
One of the best things is that you’re not tethered to a computer with a cable so you can move around freely without having to worry about ripping the cords out, pulling the unit off of the table or getting tangled up in the cord while playing. There, the only cord that you might be hooked up to is a battery pack that you stick in your pocket so you can stay completely mobile. However, this can vary depending on which types of games that you decide to play.
The way they had the games set up was what really gave me the ability to become fully immersed into the game without having to worry about breaking things around me as I do when I use VR at home. Each game is set up in an open room with sensors mounted to each corner of the ceiling and a small t.v mounted to the top of the back wall so that your family can see what you’re doing inside the game.
The first game I got to try was GORN, a gladiator style game that puts the player inside of an arena with computer opponents that they have to fend off with medieval weaponry. It was kind of difficult for the first couple of rounds while I was figuring out how to use the different weapons that were available in-game and developing a strategy. However, I was able to get the hang of it pretty quickly and really had a blast with it. It wasn’t like any of the games that I’ve played on VR before and was very different but I would definitely play again if I get the chance again.
The second game I got to play was a racing game which was set up a little differently from the other games. Instead of an open room setting, you sit in an arcade style race car chair with the pedals and the steering wheel while you wear the VR helmet. What I really liked about this setup, in particular, was that the chair moved along with the car inside of the game, giving the game a very real feel to it. The game itself played like most arcade racing games, except with this version, controlling the race car was like controlling a real car so transitioning from playing it as a normal arcade racing game to driving it as if it were a real car was a little tricky. It was definitely a unique experience, but very enjoyable.
The last game I got to try was Time Zombies, which was entertaining and really got my adrenaline going. Personally, I’ve never been a huge fan of anything zombie related because they’ve always freaked me out, however, this first-person shooter style game was very fun and I enjoyed it quite a bit. In this one, players are put in various settings while fighting off zombies that come at you from all different directions. They shamble, walk, and run towards you which could be very nerve-wracking–especially if they managed to sneak up behind you (which they did pretty frequently). It could also be multiplayer if you wanted another person playing with you as well.
I think that it’s a great place for the family to spend time together and have a lot of fun and I definitely recommend it for anyone who hasn’t visited yet.
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