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Since the whole VR/gaming thing has quietened down in the last few years, it would seem, at least for the forseeable future, that us gamers shall have to be content with games presented on a 2d TV screen. This upsets me. 5 years ago I could have sworn that all home consoles would use VR equipment as standard by now, but no, nothing of the sort.
Subsequently I feel it is my duty to rectify the primitive levels of gaming immersion. I would suggest any game can be turned into a Virtual Reality experience if you put a little time and effort into the environment in which you play games. Here a a few examples to help you get started on a DIY virtual-virtual reality set-up:
1)MEDAL OF HONOUR FRONTLINE:
The PS2 graphics and sound not good enough for you? Do you still not believe you're actually a WW2 soldier?... How about the following tips to add that extra realism:
Firstly, you want to get that authentic 'smell-of-war'. This can be easily accomplished by placing week-old bin bags around your living room, and squishing roadkill and other dead animals under the cushions. Maybe even burn some newspapers or loose hair.
Secondly, you'll want to 'feel' like a war-torn soldier. I managed this by smoking a pack of Woodbines until the back of my throat felt like broken glass. Inserting rusty nails and staples into your thighs can add further to the authenticity. And finally, fill up some buckets with mud and spread the muck across your carpet.
Now you're ready to play MOH. Switch on your PS2 and live the horror.
2)GRAND THEFT AUTO 3:
Have you played this gangster sim as if it was tongue-in-cheek? Do you want to really 'be' a bad guy? Well, even if you didn't shoplift your copy of the game, there's still a few measures you can take:
Firstly, set off all house and car alarms in the area. Not only does this provide an authentic soundtrack, but you will be playing on the edge of your seat until the police arrive and start banging down your door.
Following this incident, leave your front door wide open, and allow strange-street folk to wander into your home and give you a fright as they stroll around your living room and steal your hi-fi equipment.
If you're still not immersed, then take a double-dosage of night nurse, and enjoy the rest of the game in a state of semi-schizophrenic confusion!
3)ANY FOOTBALL GAME:
It's pretty easy to create a virtual reality football game at the moment, given the World Cup frenzy, and this can be based around ant football sim you fancy.
Firstly, you need to find yourself a pub with a big TV screen. Get there early and discretely plug-in your console. For this trick, you'll have to choose 2 teams which are due to play on that screen in that pub.
As an example in practise, I shall undertake this feat tomorrow. I will proceed to a pub in Stamford Bridge, and set up Pro Evo as England vs Denmark. I shall then set the timer to a full 90 minutes, and cunningly switch on the game at kick-off time. And there you have it... huge crowds of screaming drunken fans (too tipsy to differentiate between a computer game and the real thing), chanting England songs in your ear, and cheering at every good move you pull off.
Just like the real thing eh?
4)GRAN TURISMO 3:
Considering the limitations of a flat screen, GT3 is perhaps as close to a completely convincing driving game as we will see for a while. To edge closer towards a virtual reality driving experience, there are some awesome tips I can offer:
Firstly, get a car, get in it, turn on the ignition. Then start driving. Although your copy of GT3 will not work in the car's CD player, it doesn't really matter, 'cos you will actually be driving, and you can't get much closer to 'real' than that.
I hope you've found these guidelines useful, and that you all go on to enjoy a newly discovered, virtually real side to your favourite video games.
Subsequently I feel it is my duty to rectify the primitive levels of gaming immersion. I would suggest any game can be turned into a Virtual Reality experience if you put a little time and effort into the environment in which you play games. Here a a few examples to help you get started on a DIY virtual-virtual reality set-up:
1)MEDAL OF HONOUR FRONTLINE:
The PS2 graphics and sound not good enough for you? Do you still not believe you're actually a WW2 soldier?... How about the following tips to add that extra realism:
Firstly, you want to get that authentic 'smell-of-war'. This can be easily accomplished by placing week-old bin bags around your living room, and squishing roadkill and other dead animals under the cushions. Maybe even burn some newspapers or loose hair.
Secondly, you'll want to 'feel' like a war-torn soldier. I managed this by smoking a pack of Woodbines until the back of my throat felt like broken glass. Inserting rusty nails and staples into your thighs can add further to the authenticity. And finally, fill up some buckets with mud and spread the muck across your carpet.
Now you're ready to play MOH. Switch on your PS2 and live the horror.
2)GRAND THEFT AUTO 3:
Have you played this gangster sim as if it was tongue-in-cheek? Do you want to really 'be' a bad guy? Well, even if you didn't shoplift your copy of the game, there's still a few measures you can take:
Firstly, set off all house and car alarms in the area. Not only does this provide an authentic soundtrack, but you will be playing on the edge of your seat until the police arrive and start banging down your door.
Following this incident, leave your front door wide open, and allow strange-street folk to wander into your home and give you a fright as they stroll around your living room and steal your hi-fi equipment.
If you're still not immersed, then take a double-dosage of night nurse, and enjoy the rest of the game in a state of semi-schizophrenic confusion!
3)ANY FOOTBALL GAME:
It's pretty easy to create a virtual reality football game at the moment, given the World Cup frenzy, and this can be based around ant football sim you fancy.
Firstly, you need to find yourself a pub with a big TV screen. Get there early and discretely plug-in your console. For this trick, you'll have to choose 2 teams which are due to play on that screen in that pub.
As an example in practise, I shall undertake this feat tomorrow. I will proceed to a pub in Stamford Bridge, and set up Pro Evo as England vs Denmark. I shall then set the timer to a full 90 minutes, and cunningly switch on the game at kick-off time. And there you have it... huge crowds of screaming drunken fans (too tipsy to differentiate between a computer game and the real thing), chanting England songs in your ear, and cheering at every good move you pull off.
Just like the real thing eh?
4)GRAN TURISMO 3:
Considering the limitations of a flat screen, GT3 is perhaps as close to a completely convincing driving game as we will see for a while. To edge closer towards a virtual reality driving experience, there are some awesome tips I can offer:
Firstly, get a car, get in it, turn on the ignition. Then start driving. Although your copy of GT3 will not work in the car's CD player, it doesn't really matter, 'cos you will actually be driving, and you can't get much closer to 'real' than that.
I hope you've found these guidelines useful, and that you all go on to enjoy a newly discovered, virtually real side to your favourite video games.
Sibbs, too true, it's a well risky tactic: not least because any console in the vicinity of a pub during the World Cup is gonna get drowned in a rain of lager.
... and i'm REALLY rubbish at Pro Evo... I suppose I could have played as Denmark though!
: D
... and i'm REALLY rubbish at Pro Evo... I suppose I could have played as Denmark though!
: D
Sibs wrote:
> Heh. Nice post, quite funny. Try that football one though...
>
> Drunken fan 25 minutes into game: "Ey, woss that funny circley
> fing around beckham?!?
>
> You: "Erm... it's just these new special effects to show us who's
> got the ball... or something like that..."
>
> Drunken fan: "YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" *Jumps up and down like a
> nutter* " ENNGEEERRRRRLAAAAAAND!!! ONE - NIL, ONE - NIL, ONE -
> NIL, ONE - NIL! ONE - NIL! ONE - NIL! ENGLAND!!!"
>
>
> hmm... spose it could work...
>
> ;-)
>
> Be a shame if they walk out into the street chanting England thinking
> we won 1-0 and we lost 2-1 or something though... then they might
> break your teeth or something...
>
> ;-)
HaHAHAHA funnily anough we was doing that in the chat room i go to with my friends last night you know 3-0 we won three-nil ect and my poor american friends wondered what was going on it was so funny.
> Heh. Nice post, quite funny. Try that football one though...
>
> Drunken fan 25 minutes into game: "Ey, woss that funny circley
> fing around beckham?!?
>
> You: "Erm... it's just these new special effects to show us who's
> got the ball... or something like that..."
>
> Drunken fan: "YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" *Jumps up and down like a
> nutter* " ENNGEEERRRRRLAAAAAAND!!! ONE - NIL, ONE - NIL, ONE -
> NIL, ONE - NIL! ONE - NIL! ONE - NIL! ENGLAND!!!"
>
>
> hmm... spose it could work...
>
> ;-)
>
> Be a shame if they walk out into the street chanting England thinking
> we won 1-0 and we lost 2-1 or something though... then they might
> break your teeth or something...
>
> ;-)
HaHAHAHA funnily anough we was doing that in the chat room i go to with my friends last night you know 3-0 we won three-nil ect and my poor american friends wondered what was going on it was so funny.
Heh. Nice post, quite funny. Try that football one though...
Drunken fan 25 minutes into game: "Ey, woss that funny circley fing around beckham?!?
You: "Erm... it's just these new special effects to show us who's got the ball... or something like that..."
Drunken fan: "YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" *Jumps up and down like a nutter* " ENNGEEERRRRRLAAAAAAND!!! ONE - NIL, ONE - NIL, ONE - NIL, ONE - NIL! ONE - NIL! ONE - NIL! ENGLAND!!!"
hmm... spose it could work...
;-)
Be a shame if they walk out into the street chanting England thinking we won 1-0 and we lost 2-1 or something though... then they might break your teeth or something...
;-)
Drunken fan 25 minutes into game: "Ey, woss that funny circley fing around beckham?!?
You: "Erm... it's just these new special effects to show us who's got the ball... or something like that..."
Drunken fan: "YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" *Jumps up and down like a nutter* " ENNGEEERRRRRLAAAAAAND!!! ONE - NIL, ONE - NIL, ONE - NIL, ONE - NIL! ONE - NIL! ONE - NIL! ENGLAND!!!"
hmm... spose it could work...
;-)
Be a shame if they walk out into the street chanting England thinking we won 1-0 and we lost 2-1 or something though... then they might break your teeth or something...
;-)
Some more valuable advice for the DIY Virtual Reality gamer...
5)LIGHT-GUN GAMES
In my excitement following the success of the 4 VR projects mentioned above, I decided to try and get House of the Dead 2 working as a VR experience. Thinking that the Dreamcast light-gun just wasn't convincing enough, I acquired a sawn-off shotgun from my mate, Matty 'Maddog' McMurder. Whilst the opening seconds of the game did feel that bit more 'real' as I brandished the 12-bore, when I shot the first bullet, my TV seemed to explode a split-second afterwards.
Therefore I don't suggest anyone attempts this at home until further research has been undertaken.
5)LIGHT-GUN GAMES
In my excitement following the success of the 4 VR projects mentioned above, I decided to try and get House of the Dead 2 working as a VR experience. Thinking that the Dreamcast light-gun just wasn't convincing enough, I acquired a sawn-off shotgun from my mate, Matty 'Maddog' McMurder. Whilst the opening seconds of the game did feel that bit more 'real' as I brandished the 12-bore, when I shot the first bullet, my TV seemed to explode a split-second afterwards.
Therefore I don't suggest anyone attempts this at home until further research has been undertaken.
Since the whole VR/gaming thing has quietened down in the last few years, it would seem, at least for the forseeable future, that us gamers shall have to be content with games presented on a 2d TV screen. This upsets me. 5 years ago I could have sworn that all home consoles would use VR equipment as standard by now, but no, nothing of the sort.
Subsequently I feel it is my duty to rectify the primitive levels of gaming immersion. I would suggest any game can be turned into a Virtual Reality experience if you put a little time and effort into the environment in which you play games. Here a a few examples to help you get started on a DIY virtual-virtual reality set-up:
1)MEDAL OF HONOUR FRONTLINE:
The PS2 graphics and sound not good enough for you? Do you still not believe you're actually a WW2 soldier?... How about the following tips to add that extra realism:
Firstly, you want to get that authentic 'smell-of-war'. This can be easily accomplished by placing week-old bin bags around your living room, and squishing roadkill and other dead animals under the cushions. Maybe even burn some newspapers or loose hair.
Secondly, you'll want to 'feel' like a war-torn soldier. I managed this by smoking a pack of Woodbines until the back of my throat felt like broken glass. Inserting rusty nails and staples into your thighs can add further to the authenticity. And finally, fill up some buckets with mud and spread the muck across your carpet.
Now you're ready to play MOH. Switch on your PS2 and live the horror.
2)GRAND THEFT AUTO 3:
Have you played this gangster sim as if it was tongue-in-cheek? Do you want to really 'be' a bad guy? Well, even if you didn't shoplift your copy of the game, there's still a few measures you can take:
Firstly, set off all house and car alarms in the area. Not only does this provide an authentic soundtrack, but you will be playing on the edge of your seat until the police arrive and start banging down your door.
Following this incident, leave your front door wide open, and allow strange-street folk to wander into your home and give you a fright as they stroll around your living room and steal your hi-fi equipment.
If you're still not immersed, then take a double-dosage of night nurse, and enjoy the rest of the game in a state of semi-schizophrenic confusion!
3)ANY FOOTBALL GAME:
It's pretty easy to create a virtual reality football game at the moment, given the World Cup frenzy, and this can be based around ant football sim you fancy.
Firstly, you need to find yourself a pub with a big TV screen. Get there early and discretely plug-in your console. For this trick, you'll have to choose 2 teams which are due to play on that screen in that pub.
As an example in practise, I shall undertake this feat tomorrow. I will proceed to a pub in Stamford Bridge, and set up Pro Evo as England vs Denmark. I shall then set the timer to a full 90 minutes, and cunningly switch on the game at kick-off time. And there you have it... huge crowds of screaming drunken fans (too tipsy to differentiate between a computer game and the real thing), chanting England songs in your ear, and cheering at every good move you pull off.
Just like the real thing eh?
4)GRAN TURISMO 3:
Considering the limitations of a flat screen, GT3 is perhaps as close to a completely convincing driving game as we will see for a while. To edge closer towards a virtual reality driving experience, there are some awesome tips I can offer:
Firstly, get a car, get in it, turn on the ignition. Then start driving. Although your copy of GT3 will not work in the car's CD player, it doesn't really matter, 'cos you will actually be driving, and you can't get much closer to 'real' than that.
I hope you've found these guidelines useful, and that you all go on to enjoy a newly discovered, virtually real side to your favourite video games.
Subsequently I feel it is my duty to rectify the primitive levels of gaming immersion. I would suggest any game can be turned into a Virtual Reality experience if you put a little time and effort into the environment in which you play games. Here a a few examples to help you get started on a DIY virtual-virtual reality set-up:
1)MEDAL OF HONOUR FRONTLINE:
The PS2 graphics and sound not good enough for you? Do you still not believe you're actually a WW2 soldier?... How about the following tips to add that extra realism:
Firstly, you want to get that authentic 'smell-of-war'. This can be easily accomplished by placing week-old bin bags around your living room, and squishing roadkill and other dead animals under the cushions. Maybe even burn some newspapers or loose hair.
Secondly, you'll want to 'feel' like a war-torn soldier. I managed this by smoking a pack of Woodbines until the back of my throat felt like broken glass. Inserting rusty nails and staples into your thighs can add further to the authenticity. And finally, fill up some buckets with mud and spread the muck across your carpet.
Now you're ready to play MOH. Switch on your PS2 and live the horror.
2)GRAND THEFT AUTO 3:
Have you played this gangster sim as if it was tongue-in-cheek? Do you want to really 'be' a bad guy? Well, even if you didn't shoplift your copy of the game, there's still a few measures you can take:
Firstly, set off all house and car alarms in the area. Not only does this provide an authentic soundtrack, but you will be playing on the edge of your seat until the police arrive and start banging down your door.
Following this incident, leave your front door wide open, and allow strange-street folk to wander into your home and give you a fright as they stroll around your living room and steal your hi-fi equipment.
If you're still not immersed, then take a double-dosage of night nurse, and enjoy the rest of the game in a state of semi-schizophrenic confusion!
3)ANY FOOTBALL GAME:
It's pretty easy to create a virtual reality football game at the moment, given the World Cup frenzy, and this can be based around ant football sim you fancy.
Firstly, you need to find yourself a pub with a big TV screen. Get there early and discretely plug-in your console. For this trick, you'll have to choose 2 teams which are due to play on that screen in that pub.
As an example in practise, I shall undertake this feat tomorrow. I will proceed to a pub in Stamford Bridge, and set up Pro Evo as England vs Denmark. I shall then set the timer to a full 90 minutes, and cunningly switch on the game at kick-off time. And there you have it... huge crowds of screaming drunken fans (too tipsy to differentiate between a computer game and the real thing), chanting England songs in your ear, and cheering at every good move you pull off.
Just like the real thing eh?
4)GRAN TURISMO 3:
Considering the limitations of a flat screen, GT3 is perhaps as close to a completely convincing driving game as we will see for a while. To edge closer towards a virtual reality driving experience, there are some awesome tips I can offer:
Firstly, get a car, get in it, turn on the ignition. Then start driving. Although your copy of GT3 will not work in the car's CD player, it doesn't really matter, 'cos you will actually be driving, and you can't get much closer to 'real' than that.
I hope you've found these guidelines useful, and that you all go on to enjoy a newly discovered, virtually real side to your favourite video games.