Before buying a VR you should know how much space you need for VR.
Let’s find out.
How Much Space Do You Need for VR?
Both HTC and Valve recommend at least 6.5 by 5 feet for optimal performance.
VR Setup: Building a Functional Room for VR
If you’re interested in VR gaming, now is an excellent moment to start playing. There are several different types of VR systems available today, including standalone headsets, consoles, and PC-based setups.
More importantly than the hardware itself, the growing collection of VR game libraries continues to grow every day. By 2022, there will be plenty of new VR titles for us to play.
The future is bright when it comes to VR. If you’re ready to jump into VR right now, here’s our guide to setting up your first headset.
System Requirements
Outside the Oculus Quest 2 and other select VR headsets that include all the necessary hardware to play games, most gamers will need to have a decent system in order to game at high settings in native resolution.
If you’re using an older headset such as one from Valve, you might be able to use an RTX 20 series graphics card for medium settings.
To achieve the highest quality visuals from an external monitor, you need a graphics processing unit (GPU) with at least a GeForce RTX 3080 or equivalent Radeon 6800 series GPU.
Making Space for VR
To create space for your new VR experience, you’ll first need to prepare the space and possibly even dig into the wall.
Clear the Area
Make sure there aren’t any trip hazards like chairs, desks, or anything else you might bump into while playing.
Plenty of Space
If you want to get the most out of your Vive experience, you need to be able to move around freely within its boundaries. You’ll need at least six square meters (about 65 square feet) of free space.
Clear the Airspace
Make space for yourself in your house
You should avoid rooms with low ceilings if they’re hard to reach on tiptoe. If you can’t even reach the top of the doorframe without having to bend down, then there’s probably too much distance between the floor and the roof for comfort.
Setting Boundaries
Don’t get too close to the walls when playing Fortnite. If you’re too close to the walls, you might accidentally hit them during play. Set the boundary so that there’s enough room for flailing arms.
VR Doesn’t Like Reflective Surfaces
To avoid having your view spin around wildly and controllers jump around, try to remove any reflective objects from your room.
It might take hours to go through setting changes, restarting, and reinstalling drivers to fix an issue that could be fixed easily.
Even Windows might be causing issues for some headsets. In addition, keep the curtains closed so that there isn’t too much light shining into the room.
Base Stations and Tracking
You should ideally place two Bluetooth speakers at opposite corners of a room so they’re facing each other. However, if you don’t have access to walls, you can use stand-alone speaker systems instead.
Instead of using camera tripods, which can be bulky and require extra storage, consider using telescoping pole systems that can be easily stored when not in use. These allow for greater stability and security than traditional tripod mounts.
Avoid Storage in Direct Sunlight
If you expose your VR headset’s camera lens to direct sunlight for too long, it may become damaged. They can look like black spots surrounded by a white ring and be out of warranty.
If you want to avoid having your VR headset damaged by sunlight, keep it in an enclosed space such as a drawer or a bag that blocks out sunlight.
Find Your Center
Place a small rug or mat at the center of your room so that you can always find the middle by using your foot.
Adjust Your Inter-Pupillary Distance (IPD)
When you start up your VR headset for the first time, you‘ll want to adjust the interpupillary spacing (IPD) settings. IPD refers to how far apart your eyes are and as it varies from one individual to another, you might find the factory-set defaults uncomfortable.
Recommended Peripherals and Equipment
Once you’ve set up your VR environment, you might want to consider buying some accessories for both convenience and gaming purposes.
Ceiling Pulleys
A ceiling pulley system keeps wires from dragging across the ground and causing tugs when playing. It lets you move your head a bit more freely and reduces the pull created by the cable’s heavy load.
Valve Index Controllers
Most VR headsets come with good enough gamepads, but Valve Index Controller really shines through the others. They’re comfortable to hold and also track each finger individually.
Cockpit and Seats
If you’re into racing or car simulation video games, then a simulator setup complete with throttle, steering, and pedals/joystick together with a VR headset offers unmatched immersion.
Old-fashioned cockpit setups used multiple monitors to provide a wide field of view. However, virtual reality (VR) is far superior. There are all kinds of VR headsets available for purchase in the VR accessories section of our store.
Replacement Cushions
Most VR headset cushions are designed to provide comfort for people who wear glasses or contact lenses. They may not be the best choice for everyone.
On top of that (and depending on your headset), they don’t last forever and aren’t very hygienic. You may be able to find replacement headsets that provide better comfort and hygiene.
Conclusion
There are lots of different types of VR games out there, but here’s a short list of the ones you should start playing right away. You’ll probably enjoy Beat Saber the most because it has the best VR rhythm game experience.
If you have any questions feel free to comment below.