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It's not often that I get wowed by a VR experience anymore. But I just had an hour long session with a friend from another continent in @ElevenVR. And even though I know how most of it works, the entirety of it was amazing.
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First, a little background. I consider myself a decent table tennis player, at least in the "playground league". But I haven't played in years.
This is also not the first time I had such a long hiatus. And every time it was quite a struggle to regain the old reflexes.
This is also not the first time I had such a long hiatus. And every time it was quite a struggle to regain the old reflexes.
Now you may expect me to say that with @ElevenVR , getting back to my old level was a breeze. But no. It is such a faithful simulator that I struggled just as much as before.
But that's the whole point. It is JUST LIKE REAL LIFE. Struggles and all.
But that's the whole point. It is JUST LIKE REAL LIFE. Struggles and all.
The physics in the game are as close to perfect as you can get. How do I know? I'm climbing the exact same re-learning curve as I did before when I skipped years of playing. I'm committing the same mistakes. I'm getting better at the same pace.
And as I'm struggling to regain my lost ping-pong-fu, the moves, tricks, gestures do come back slowly. I can serve with the same moves I did in real life (RL). I can spin the ball with the same flick of my wrist, and it behaves the same as it does in RL.
This tells me that the skills I had in real life are transferrable to VR. And the new skills I'm gaining in VR are transferable to real life! I can actually and truly get better at real life ping-pong in VR!
All the while I'm having a $300 device on my face (costs less than a ping-pong table), and practicing in my living room that's way too small for a real ping-pong table.
There are practice play modes, like a robot that allows you to repeat the same moves until you get it right.
There are practice play modes, like a robot that allows you to repeat the same moves until you get it right.
Another one that gives you points if you hit the right area of the table (super difficult). An AI at varying skill levels you can play against. Even a beer-pong mode for fun.
But - apart form the insanely good physics simulation - the best part is the multiplayer.
But - apart form the insanely good physics simulation - the best part is the multiplayer.
You can play with people from all around the world. There are always people pinging you (if you allow it), challenging you to a match. It's up to you whether you want to talk.
Most players have adopted gestures, like clapping your good shots or bowing at the end of the match. Metacommunication works perfectly in VR, even without facial expressions and only a paddle in your hand (gif is from Steam).
So, today I played with a friend from another continent. He's in Seattle. I'm in Budapest. We are used to being able to chat at any time. But sharing a ping-pong table, trading shots back and forth while discussing work, tech and life in general - that's a whole new level.
There's a small lag - you can't avoid physics. Signals take time to travel the globe. But apart from that, it felt just as real as if we met at a gym to play a little.
We played. We talked. We laughed when the other reflexively ducked from a shot coming fast at his face.
We played. We talked. We laughed when the other reflexively ducked from a shot coming fast at his face.
It just felt - real.
I've always wanted a ping-pong table at work to stand up from my chair, to pull my thoughts together, to relax, to have a nice chat.
Now I have one. In my home office.
And at the other end is a friend. Or colleague. Or both.
Half the world away.
I've always wanted a ping-pong table at work to stand up from my chair, to pull my thoughts together, to relax, to have a nice chat.
Now I have one. In my home office.
And at the other end is a friend. Or colleague. Or both.
Half the world away.
