Before this class, my only experience with VR was using a VR cardboard to watch a documentary about China’s scenery. Though it’s a real scene, I didn’t really feel engaged. I simply thought: ok, VR is just a tool, similar with computers and TVs. But after experiencing all the high-tech VR equipment in the lab on Wednesday, I realized that VR is not only a tool- same as computers and TVs- it has the potential to change human’s behavior, human’s thoughts, and actually it is changing the world now.

How I realized that? Just see what we did in the class! Someone was holding the handle like holding a pen to draw in the air. Someone was walking around the room and standing on tip-toe to explore more in the VR world. Some were scared by the virtual monster and leaned back. And I was totally lost in Dunkirk the movie! (To be honest, I couldn’t find the required movie in Sumsung Gear, so I chose an alternative to watch) I felt that I was not only an audience but a witness and even a participant. That feeling came over me especially when I was put into a scenery of a plane dashing to the ground. I was in the pilot’s position, I looked around and found out that nothing I could do to stop the tragedy happen. When I came closer to the ground and the scenery became dark, I even felt kind of desperate. I didn’t know what was going to happen! But the screen started to light up again. Then I realized that another story was on. (Just like comic strip, storyboard matters.) After taking down the headset and the glasses, I couldn’t point out the exact reason why I felt empathized. Maybe because that the director chose a great view for VR audience, as there were no other characters around me and I could see that I was sitting in the pilot’s seat. Maybe because the full spherical range of vision contributed to it. And I did feel a little bit nausea after watching Dunkirk. I guess the too-real virtual scenery is the reason why I felt that. At least I didn’t get nausea after using other equipment.

After experiencing all the equipment, I think every tool functions differently. The Sumsung Gear focus on VR movies. The HTC vive allows users to physically move to explore more. The Oculus’s special handles support users to interact with computers. All work pretty well except the cardboard. As I needed to hold the cardboard all the time when watching, I couldn’t really feel physically presented. I felt detached: my eyes told me, you’re in another place, but my holding hands said, no you’re not. And if any other factor affected my experience,  I would say the quality of 3D graphics. The man in HTC vive didn’t look so real which always remind me I was in a virtual world.