VirtuSphere for virtual reality games at GDC
Back in the early nineties, we all thought that the video games of 2010 would be with goggles and a toy gun. We were wrong with Virtual Boy, and we never figured out a way to get a player to run in a game while standing still in the gaming area.
Better late than never, VirtuSphere is here to bring our virutal reality dreams to life. As you can see, the VirtuSphere looks like the Ball of Death from The Simpsons Movie, and it allows a player to move somewhat freely in any direction for the game that they want to play.
There is a video after the jump, and you can see that it takes a team to get a player in this giant, metal, stationary hamster ball. To me, it looks just plain unsteady. I would think that it would get used to, but this player in the vid does not even trip once. The game that he’s playing doesn’t look very good, though. Couldn’t they set it up for Metroid Prime or Tomb Raider?
This video was taken at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, and, as you might have guessed, it would be quite expensive to get it on your own. It would cost about $55,000.00, and you would need a lot of space to make it work. Not to mention a team to lock you in, I guess.
I’ve heard that there will be one at the Excalibur in Las Vegas. Maybe I’ll check it out during next year’s CES.
Join 5 reviews or comments
Game Developers Conference — A Focus on Hardware? – Virtual Worlds Research Project Says: March 13, 2010 at 8:31 am
[...] naturalistic interfaces for their games, such as Sony PlayStation Move and the creation of the VirtuSphere. Additionally, there is focus on what is deemed to be a rising, and lucrative, type of multiplayer [...]
Totally Cool Tech » TCT Podcast #443 – Oh So Sore Says: March 14, 2010 at 1:51 am
[...] Virtual Sphere (via Coolest Gadgets) [...]
Fabien Bing Says: June 6, 2010 at 9:13 pm
55,000 is a little expensive and out of my league. I think I will stick to bingo. Did you know Bingo has been around since the 16th century and it was first introduced into American in the 1920’s. O wonder if Virtual Boy will be around that long. I suspect we will continue with the fantasy that in now a reality for a long time. Very cool gadget.
office space Jacksonville Says: July 2, 2010 at 6:52 am
This is really cool. Its’ also really expensive. I can see eventually these being somehow mass produced and affordable to the common Joe. This is a big jump from the atari system I grew up with…
VirtuSphere for virtual reality games at GDC » Coolest Gadgets » Post » Juegando Says: March 12, 2010 at 10:06 pm
[...] the original: VirtuSphere for virtual reality games at GDC » Coolest Gadgets Tagged with: coolest • gdc 0 Comments Leave A [...]