TOP 5 games in virtual reality
Maxim Chizhov, co-founder of Russia's first virtual reality entertainment and game club Virtuality Club, specially for GT, prepared material on what VR games club visitors prefer, their feedback, preferences and expectations for the future in the virtual reality industry.
Hi GT! Over the year, a lot of words were said about virtual reality, its future, market forecasts, growing interest among large corporations, as well as among gamers and developers. In this article, I would like to talk about my experience working directly on the BP market of Russia as an entertainment and gaming club of virtual reality. If the first thing you thought about when you saw the word “ club ””, There were memories from the 90s, when almost everyone who could went to computer clubs in order to spend passing hours playing video games with friends on the network, for nostalgia we suggest watching several videos [1] [2] telling about what is happening in the modern “club”, where the tube monitors have been replaced by helmets of virtual reality, and instead of Counter-Strike , Diablo , Starcraft and Warcraft, gamers ride modern car simulators and use advanced controllers that completely immerse a person in virtual space.
Almost a year of work of “Virtuality Club”, we and our visitors tested a large number of virtual reality controllers, such as the Razer Hydra , the X-Rover Gun , the KOR-FX tactile vest , Leap Motion, and our own development, the Virtual Reality Car Simulator , completely immersing the player in VR. Although the controllers, as well as the helmets themselves, are one of the most interesting topics in BP, we will talk about them in the next article, but in this we decided to collect analytical information about what games in the Oculus Rift DK2 are preferred by club visitors, their feedback, preferences and expectations for the future in the virtual reality industry.
In order not to be unfounded, I will give you some statistics:
One of the main advantages of the Club is the ability to play together with friends, as in the old, beloved by all computer clubs from the 90s. Unfortunately, not all games that support VR mode have a network component, but we, observing the great interest of visitors to network games, try to add as many of these games as possible. We are visited by companies of friends, young couples, children with parents and employees of various organizations (for teambuilding, birthdays, events) who want to try networking in virtual reality.
At the moment, the market lacks both a custom version of the virtual reality helmet for working with a PC, and a stable version of the driver that supports all games for VR. Drivers can be conditionally divided into 2 types: provided by Oculus VR (the latest version of runtime 0.8) and third-party manufacturers (vorpX, Vireio, TriDef). In the club, we use a special software switcher to switch “native” runtime between versions 0.5 and 0.8 on the fly, because if the game is written for the driver version 0.7 and higher, then it will not start under the driver of a smaller version (due to the principle of outputting the image to the helmet). But due to the fact that large publishers do not yet release games directly under VR, for AAA games we use the paid vorpX driver (they will be indicated in the TOP). Using the links you can see the full list of games supportedofficial driver and vorpX .
All material will be presented in the TOP 5 most popular games, divided into genres similar to those presented in our club: flight simulators, car simulators and races, entertainment, shooters, horror stories, action and educational games.
The desire to fly at the helm of a real air vehicle has always attracted a large number of gamers, respectively, the genre of flight simulators should become one of the most popular and popular among users of virtual reality. Of great importance is the fact that the custom version of Oculus Rift, scheduled to be released in the 1st quarter of 2016, will come with the EVE: Valkyrie flight simulator.
5. StarWars. The
most popular and discussed in the next six months, the Star Wars universe is often in demand among visitors
. 4. Vanguard V
Flying in space through asteroids and attacking enemies with aiming the head with your head
3. Star Conflict
Large-scale star battles on space starships
2. Air Drift
Flying with beautiful scenery and control with head movements
1. WarThunder
One of the best air games on the market, with the most believable control and sophisticated gameplay. It occupies an honorable first place among popular flight simulators, for which gamers specially come to the club and test their favorite game in virtual reality. There was a case when a son brought his father (a former military pilot) in order to demonstrate to him how technology is changing.
Even more popular than flight simulators is a genre for virtual reality. It is in great demand at the club due to the Auto-simulator developed by us, which is a mobile platform with several degrees of freedom, fully integrated with popular games in virtual reality and emulating the movements that occur in the game.
5. Trackmania
Crazy racing with the complete absence of the laws of physics
4. Assetto Corsa
Realistic simulator with beautiful graphics
3. Blaze Rush
Dynamic arcade survival race. There is the possibility of multiplayer.
2. Live For Speed
Realistic car racing simulator with a large fleet of vehicles
1. Project CARS
The leader among racing simulations with support for virtual reality at the moment. A large fleet of cars, extensive tuning capabilities, excellent graphics and of course an exciting network mode.
In the entertainment category, we have introduced a large number of demo games for VR, roller coasters, dizzying rides, and even several full-fledged games created specifically for virtual reality, that everyone loved.
5. Ocean Rift and Time Machine VR
Similar games that are great for the first experience of immersion in virtual reality. Exploring the underwater world with interactive features.
4. Minecraft
The most popular indie sandbox game with survival elements. Support is not official, but with the help of a mod called minecrift
3. NoLimits 2 and Castle Coaster
The two most popular roller coasters at the moment in our club. An additional effect is created by a virtual reality car simulator that supports game data.
2. I Expect You To Die
One of the most fun and interactive games for Oculus Rift. A quest in which you as a special agent need to get out of a flying airplane while sitting in a car.
This is a full-fledged game created for virtual reality with the addition of specific mechanics and convenient controls. A kind of union questrum / escape quest + computer game.
1. Senza Peso
Almost a video in virtual reality. Unusual special effects and colorful landscapes. The best content for the first experience in BP, we strongly recommend starting the dive with it!
Bonus Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
A fairly new, and therefore not yet time to gain popularity, but very promising game for a company of at least 2 people. The bottom line is that one player in a virtual reality helmet is in a room with an activated bomb and a set of puzzles to turn off the timer, and the other player sits nearby, but without a helmet, and with the help of a special “manual” tells the first player to solve puzzles. The best entertaining game for the company!
Any gamer probably wants to run and shoot in virtual reality, but there are very few standing games adapted for the oculus rift and not causing the effect of motion sickness from constant movement, sitting in one place. Some of them work only with the help of third-party drivers (for example, vorpX).
5. TekRok and Vox Machinae
Two similar games where the player needs to move on an unknown planet and fight off monsters.
4. Left 4 Dead 2 (vorpX)
A very popular cooperative shooter from Valve, where you have to fight off hordes of zombies.
3. Quake
Old, but not yet forgotten first Quake! A game remade for virtual reality with the addition of network mode.
2. ZVR Apocalypse
Zombie apocalypse, where you need to survive, fighting off the hungry dead.
1. GTA 5 and Battlefield 4 (vorpX)
Two AAA-games that are in great demand in the club. They work using a third-party driver (vorpX), but the quality of immersion in virtual reality is not inferior to its counterparts.
Horror is rightfully one of the most popular genres in virtual reality adding the effect of complete immersion in what is happening around.
5. Dreadhalls
Horror with a procedurally generated maze in which you need to get to the exit.
4. Don’t Let Go
One of the very first horror movies to appear for the oculus rift, in which, sitting at a table and holding two buttons on the keyboard, you need to hold out for a certain time.
3. CyberPhobia
Horror to overcome their own phobias.
2. Dreadeye
A very realistic “film” in which, sitting in a chair, you need to hold out for a given time.
1. Affected
The worst horror at the moment with several levels and goosebumps scary scenes.
Games are primarily aimed at the speed of user reaction. The most fun and dynamic genre of virtual reality games, adding fans not only in a single player game, but also when playing with friends, for example, gaining as many points as possible.
5. 7 Nanocycles
Overcome obstacles by calculating speed.
4. SpaceTunnel
Flight and overcoming obstacles in space.
3. Hat Trick Header An
opportunity to feel like a real football player, beating the footballs flying at you with your head.
2. Motorbike
Driving a rally bike, performing stunts and overcoming obstacles.
1. Baskhead
Basketball hoop simulator. The main task is to catch the maximum number of balls flying at you by moving your head in the helmet.
We include games in this genre, mainly for children, in which the main goal is to explore the universe.
5. Discovering Space
Flying in outer space and planet exploration.
4. Sight Line
Moving between a large number of interesting locations just sitting on a chair.
3. From Ashes A
kind of movie in virtual reality, where you will be told a story about the origin of the universe.
2. Titans of space
Flight through the solar system, between planets and satellites.
1. Jungle Dino
Exploring an ancient world filled with dinosaurs.
Summary statistics on the popularity of game genres in virtual reality based on feedback profiles of visitors to the Club.
It is worth noting that the list is current at the time of publication. A large number of games are released for Oculus Rift every week and we without fail test them for the quality of immersion in virtual reality and uniqueness in our catalog of games.
Every month the number and quality of games is growing. Analysts' forecasts for the VR market vary in numbers, but everyone expects rapid growth both in the market as a whole and in the niche of VR gaming in particular. For example:
In Russia this year, there has been an increased growth of interest in VR games from the professional community. Large conferences on virtual reality have begun to take place , well-known studios are releasing the first serious domestic VR applications, for example, the Nival InCell project , portals and communities are appearing devoted directly to virtual reality in the gaming industry.
According to the producer of educational programs in the gaming industry of the Higher School of Business Informatics Vyacheslav Utochkin viacheslavnu , many students of the program “Management of gaming Internet projects”this year, they are striving to understand the basics of development for VR and begin to do game projects in virtual reality, and graduates of past programs have already teamed up and are preparing an indie project, including for Oculus Rift.
Thank you, vote and leave comments ! If you liked this material, write what you would like to see from us in the following article?
Hi GT! Over the year, a lot of words were said about virtual reality, its future, market forecasts, growing interest among large corporations, as well as among gamers and developers. In this article, I would like to talk about my experience working directly on the BP market of Russia as an entertainment and gaming club of virtual reality. If the first thing you thought about when you saw the word “ club ””, There were memories from the 90s, when almost everyone who could went to computer clubs in order to spend passing hours playing video games with friends on the network, for nostalgia we suggest watching several videos [1] [2] telling about what is happening in the modern “club”, where the tube monitors have been replaced by helmets of virtual reality, and instead of Counter-Strike , Diablo , Starcraft and Warcraft, gamers ride modern car simulators and use advanced controllers that completely immerse a person in virtual space.
Almost a year of work of “Virtuality Club”, we and our visitors tested a large number of virtual reality controllers, such as the Razer Hydra , the X-Rover Gun , the KOR-FX tactile vest , Leap Motion, and our own development, the Virtual Reality Car Simulator , completely immersing the player in VR. Although the controllers, as well as the helmets themselves, are one of the most interesting topics in BP, we will talk about them in the next article, but in this we decided to collect analytical information about what games in the Oculus Rift DK2 are preferred by club visitors, their feedback, preferences and expectations for the future in the virtual reality industry.
In order not to be unfounded, I will give you some statistics:
- Over the 10 months of the club’s work, more than 3,000 people have visited us ;
- At the moment, the club has more than 60 games with virtual reality support installed (every week we add new ones and delete unused games).
Network games
One of the main advantages of the Club is the ability to play together with friends, as in the old, beloved by all computer clubs from the 90s. Unfortunately, not all games that support VR mode have a network component, but we, observing the great interest of visitors to network games, try to add as many of these games as possible. We are visited by companies of friends, young couples, children with parents and employees of various organizations (for teambuilding, birthdays, events) who want to try networking in virtual reality.
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Technical features
At the moment, the market lacks both a custom version of the virtual reality helmet for working with a PC, and a stable version of the driver that supports all games for VR. Drivers can be conditionally divided into 2 types: provided by Oculus VR (the latest version of runtime 0.8) and third-party manufacturers (vorpX, Vireio, TriDef). In the club, we use a special software switcher to switch “native” runtime between versions 0.5 and 0.8 on the fly, because if the game is written for the driver version 0.7 and higher, then it will not start under the driver of a smaller version (due to the principle of outputting the image to the helmet). But due to the fact that large publishers do not yet release games directly under VR, for AAA games we use the paid vorpX driver (they will be indicated in the TOP). Using the links you can see the full list of games supportedofficial driver and vorpX .
All material will be presented in the TOP 5 most popular games, divided into genres similar to those presented in our club: flight simulators, car simulators and races, entertainment, shooters, horror stories, action and educational games.
Flight simulators
The desire to fly at the helm of a real air vehicle has always attracted a large number of gamers, respectively, the genre of flight simulators should become one of the most popular and popular among users of virtual reality. Of great importance is the fact that the custom version of Oculus Rift, scheduled to be released in the 1st quarter of 2016, will come with the EVE: Valkyrie flight simulator.
5. StarWars. The
most popular and discussed in the next six months, the Star Wars universe is often in demand among visitors
. 4. Vanguard V
Flying in space through asteroids and attacking enemies with aiming the head with your head
3. Star Conflict
Large-scale star battles on space starships
2. Air Drift
Flying with beautiful scenery and control with head movements
1. WarThunder
One of the best air games on the market, with the most believable control and sophisticated gameplay. It occupies an honorable first place among popular flight simulators, for which gamers specially come to the club and test their favorite game in virtual reality. There was a case when a son brought his father (a former military pilot) in order to demonstrate to him how technology is changing.
Car simulators and races
Even more popular than flight simulators is a genre for virtual reality. It is in great demand at the club due to the Auto-simulator developed by us, which is a mobile platform with several degrees of freedom, fully integrated with popular games in virtual reality and emulating the movements that occur in the game.
5. Trackmania
Crazy racing with the complete absence of the laws of physics
4. Assetto Corsa
Realistic simulator with beautiful graphics
3. Blaze Rush
Dynamic arcade survival race. There is the possibility of multiplayer.
2. Live For Speed
Realistic car racing simulator with a large fleet of vehicles
1. Project CARS
The leader among racing simulations with support for virtual reality at the moment. A large fleet of cars, extensive tuning capabilities, excellent graphics and of course an exciting network mode.
Entertainment
In the entertainment category, we have introduced a large number of demo games for VR, roller coasters, dizzying rides, and even several full-fledged games created specifically for virtual reality, that everyone loved.
5. Ocean Rift and Time Machine VR
Similar games that are great for the first experience of immersion in virtual reality. Exploring the underwater world with interactive features.
4. Minecraft
The most popular indie sandbox game with survival elements. Support is not official, but with the help of a mod called minecrift
3. NoLimits 2 and Castle Coaster
The two most popular roller coasters at the moment in our club. An additional effect is created by a virtual reality car simulator that supports game data.
2. I Expect You To Die
One of the most fun and interactive games for Oculus Rift. A quest in which you as a special agent need to get out of a flying airplane while sitting in a car.
This is a full-fledged game created for virtual reality with the addition of specific mechanics and convenient controls. A kind of union questrum / escape quest + computer game.
1. Senza Peso
Almost a video in virtual reality. Unusual special effects and colorful landscapes. The best content for the first experience in BP, we strongly recommend starting the dive with it!
Bonus Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
A fairly new, and therefore not yet time to gain popularity, but very promising game for a company of at least 2 people. The bottom line is that one player in a virtual reality helmet is in a room with an activated bomb and a set of puzzles to turn off the timer, and the other player sits nearby, but without a helmet, and with the help of a special “manual” tells the first player to solve puzzles. The best entertaining game for the company!
Shooters
Any gamer probably wants to run and shoot in virtual reality, but there are very few standing games adapted for the oculus rift and not causing the effect of motion sickness from constant movement, sitting in one place. Some of them work only with the help of third-party drivers (for example, vorpX).
5. TekRok and Vox Machinae
Two similar games where the player needs to move on an unknown planet and fight off monsters.
4. Left 4 Dead 2 (vorpX)
A very popular cooperative shooter from Valve, where you have to fight off hordes of zombies.
3. Quake
Old, but not yet forgotten first Quake! A game remade for virtual reality with the addition of network mode.
2. ZVR Apocalypse
Zombie apocalypse, where you need to survive, fighting off the hungry dead.
1. GTA 5 and Battlefield 4 (vorpX)
Two AAA-games that are in great demand in the club. They work using a third-party driver (vorpX), but the quality of immersion in virtual reality is not inferior to its counterparts.
Horror stories
Horror is rightfully one of the most popular genres in virtual reality adding the effect of complete immersion in what is happening around.
5. Dreadhalls
Horror with a procedurally generated maze in which you need to get to the exit.
4. Don’t Let Go
One of the very first horror movies to appear for the oculus rift, in which, sitting at a table and holding two buttons on the keyboard, you need to hold out for a certain time.
3. CyberPhobia
Horror to overcome their own phobias.
2. Dreadeye
A very realistic “film” in which, sitting in a chair, you need to hold out for a given time.
1. Affected
The worst horror at the moment with several levels and goosebumps scary scenes.
Action games
Games are primarily aimed at the speed of user reaction. The most fun and dynamic genre of virtual reality games, adding fans not only in a single player game, but also when playing with friends, for example, gaining as many points as possible.
5. 7 Nanocycles
Overcome obstacles by calculating speed.
4. SpaceTunnel
Flight and overcoming obstacles in space.
3. Hat Trick Header An
opportunity to feel like a real football player, beating the footballs flying at you with your head.
2. Motorbike
Driving a rally bike, performing stunts and overcoming obstacles.
1. Baskhead
Basketball hoop simulator. The main task is to catch the maximum number of balls flying at you by moving your head in the helmet.
Educational
We include games in this genre, mainly for children, in which the main goal is to explore the universe.
5. Discovering Space
Flying in outer space and planet exploration.
4. Sight Line
Moving between a large number of interesting locations just sitting on a chair.
3. From Ashes A
kind of movie in virtual reality, where you will be told a story about the origin of the universe.
2. Titans of space
Flight through the solar system, between planets and satellites.
1. Jungle Dino
Exploring an ancient world filled with dinosaurs.
Summary statistics on the popularity of game genres in virtual reality based on feedback profiles of visitors to the Club.
It is worth noting that the list is current at the time of publication. A large number of games are released for Oculus Rift every week and we without fail test them for the quality of immersion in virtual reality and uniqueness in our catalog of games.
Every month the number and quality of games is growing. Analysts' forecasts for the VR market vary in numbers, but everyone expects rapid growth both in the market as a whole and in the niche of VR gaming in particular. For example:
- According to the assessment of the company IHS Technology market volume VR-games will be $ 496 million in 2016, of which 44% will come from America.
- Specialists of the Superdata analytical agency expect that the volume of the VR-games market in 2016 will be even more than ~ $ 660 million, and by 2020 will rise to $ 15 billion.
- Analysts at investment bank Digi-Capital are also claiming about $ 14 billion in VR games by 2020.
In Russia this year, there has been an increased growth of interest in VR games from the professional community. Large conferences on virtual reality have begun to take place , well-known studios are releasing the first serious domestic VR applications, for example, the Nival InCell project , portals and communities are appearing devoted directly to virtual reality in the gaming industry.
According to the producer of educational programs in the gaming industry of the Higher School of Business Informatics Vyacheslav Utochkin viacheslavnu , many students of the program “Management of gaming Internet projects”this year, they are striving to understand the basics of development for VR and begin to do game projects in virtual reality, and graduates of past programs have already teamed up and are preparing an indie project, including for Oculus Rift.
Thank you, vote and leave comments ! If you liked this material, write what you would like to see from us in the following article?