ROTO VR: A REVIEW, OF SORTS
We got to try out the Roto VR at this year’s gamescom, first by playing a couple of oldies- but-goodies, then with the just released Dig VR - the first title with native support - and
from a development standpoint. The cable magazine took four years. Getting the head tracker to work so that you never need to recalibrate, and that it needs to be safe so that when you take the headset off it cuts off the motor. On top of that, it had to be relatively inexpensive ($799/£799) and that we had to ship it in one box. There’s been a whole bunch of challenges there!
On the deal with Meta, is it more than just handing them a ton of money to have its logo on the box? The relationship with Meta is warm. We’re all excited about the project, and the opportunities over a period of time will grow. Right now, it’s a ‘Made for Meta’ licensing program, and there’s a whole bunch of stuff that we want to do together, but I think some things take time. We’re very happy with where we are and we’re excited about the future.
the chair worked surprisingly well with all of them. It essentially works by turning to whatever direction you happen to be facing, thanks to a small and lightweight tracking device that clips to the strap of the headset. It seems an obvious and simple solution compared to the ludicrously-expensive VR treadmills that are available, but it’s the customisable smoothness of the rotation and haptics that complete the illusion. As such you can be tricked into thinking you are flying through the sky just as easily as you might believe you are crashing around the place in an excavator. There are some neat design touches too - such as the fact that you can charge your Quest as you play without the notion that you are tethered. Perhaps best of all is the fact that the Roto VR probably requires less space in your tiny VR corner than you’d normally have to budget for whether seated or standing. Plus it’s certainly smaller than any gaming chair we’ve been parked at and no less comfortable. Admittedly we only had 30 minutes with the thing, so would hesitate to call it an essential piece of kit without further testing, but it’s certainly an impressive piece of product design.
For someone that takes VR gaming seriously but doesn’t want to pay serious prices or have a child give up their bedroom, taking the Explorer for a spin comes highly recommended.
The Roto VR Explorer gaming chair is shipping now. Dig VR will be available from October 24
October/November 2024 MCV/DEVELOP | 33
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