SIX MORE THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH VR RIGHT NOW!
You’ll be amazed at the experiences you can have with these devices
01
Unlock Predator vision
Here’s one for the Arnie fans among you. Glitcher VR uses your smartphone’s camera to create weird and wonderful views of the world. There are nine different filters you can activate to give your POV a peculiar sheen, including a black and white, noir-style filter and a body-heat-esque version that’ll have you whispering “Any time” like a madman.
02
Take a ride on a rollercoaster
The Oculus Rift’s rollercoaster sim has gained notoriety for its nausea-inducing immersion, but the Rift certainly isn’t the only VR headset with a fairground spectacle to its name. The Google Cardboard version (Roller Coaster VR) is CGI rather than actual footage, but it’s just as scary (especially when you track your head around the cart).
03
Hit top speed in a Volvo XC90
Want to take a giant Swedish 4x4 for a spin? That’s the premise behind a trio of experimental videos from VFX studio Framestore. Based on actual footage recorded on test drives through rural Sweden at sundown, the Volvo Reality app might be a shameless plug for a car, but it’s also an awe-inspiring way to use your home VR set-up.
04
Fly around a mountain
Using the substantial geographical data provided by Google Earth, Google Cardboard’s very own Earth utility turns your little homemade vision of the future into a bona-fide flying machine (well, kind of). Your direction and pitch are controlled by head movements - so look down to start a nosedive or look up to hurtle towards the heavens. You can even fly around a cityscape (pictured above).
05 Rock out at a gig… in your living room
Ever wanted to get up close and personal with your favourite live bands and singers? Of course you have – but unless you have a VIP ticket or want to risk getting a restraining order, the life of a superfan can be a distant one. If you dig Jack White, you can watch three of his tracks performed live in 360-degree VR, via the Jack White: THIRD-D app.
06
Scare yourself silly
No VR platform is complete without a spine-chilling horror game (check out Dreadhalls for the Gear VR, and Alien: Isolation for the Oculus Rift and the PlayStation VR – see elsewhere in this feature). One of our favourites is Sisters, Google Cardboard’s very own twisted entry. We won’t ruin what makes it so scary – suffice to say that it involves creepy-looking dolls coming to life and scaring the wits out of you.