Here we answer some of our customers questions before you arrive;
What is VR (Virtual Reality)?
Answer: Virtual Reality is a computer based construct of a location or space. It can be anything from real life photo images put together or it can be a computer animated place like a space station. To get you into this space, you wear a headset and have controllers. The headset is so you can see and hear the virtual space that you are looking to be in. The Controlers are handheld devices a bit like a computer mouse, but these work as three dimensional mice not just a flat surface. The Controllers help you to move virtually through the experience. The bonus of the headset is rather then a Screen, this becomes a full surround screen. This means that the images that are shown to you build up a whole picture that looks real in any direction that you turn your head.
What is it like in VR?
If the picture is made from real life photos that are stitched together it can look like you are really standing in the location. E.G I want to see the rialto Bridge in Venice. If someone has been there and taken a lot of photos of the space, they can be stitched together to one one picture.
Or if you want to explore a fictional world on a different planet. Computer Artists can draw the images and then place them in a piece of software that puts all of the images in to form another surrounding picture. In addition to this they can make 3d dimersional objects as part of the simulation. So if you want a table, they draw it and then shape it to be a table.
If you have seen any Marvel film or any film that uses computer drawn scenes putting people in the picture is just a matter of putting them in front of a green screen. This is colour is a very specific colour that can then be removed and the background added easily.
Like the film Tron or The Matrix. People are acting in front of a green screen and the background is added later by a computer.
VR Puts you in the green screen, into the imaginary world.
Will it may me feel unwell as I suffer with motion sickness?
People can find it can make them feel unwell when in VR. This is because your ears are designed to control your balence with the help of your eyes. If you see something that is different from what your brain expected to understand but your ears are telling you something different this can make most people feel unwell. Our Brains arent able to easily deal with confusing or conflicting signals from the eyes and ears.
This may happen if in the Virtual world you have to fall off a building to move through the game. Your eyes are seeing you fall but your ears are telling you brain that you are standing up striaght not falling. These confusing signals can make you feel unwell.
But you need to understand our Escape rooms do not make you do anything like that. In the escape room, you are able to move around freely and we will never make you fall in the game. You are always in a standing or couching position.
How will I know what to do?
Our Staff will give you a safety briefing, then they will talk you through how to used the controllers and headset. If at any time time during your experience you need help, just ask verbally. The Staff member will have told you their name and call for them. They will come and help. Please be aware with the headset on, you may not see them coming to you and they will try to verbally warning you where they are to help you. Please follow all of their instructions and your be good to go in this virtual experience.
How long does my experience last?
We book you in for 1 hour, they whole experience includes safety briefing, instruction time and approximately 45 mins escape room time.
We have played escape rooms in the real world, how does this compare?
Virtual Escape rooms are fundamentally the same, you have a games master, who’s job it is to monitor how you are doing, give clues should you require help to move forward in the escape, but they will also be keeping an eye on you to see that you aren’t going to hurt yourself or others whilst in play. Please be aware that being that the objects are virtual, you use the controllers to pick up, use or move objects. This will all be explained to you during the instructional part of your visit.
Why does it cost so much?
VR constructs are not cheap to develop. It takes many different programmers, actors, sound engineers, artists many hours to make the escape rooms feel and look as real as it can be with the current level of technology. It costs about £250,000 to build each game, this can be even more if the detail and mechanics of the design is more complex. Our Supplier is constantly trying to push the technology forward and make better and more realistic games moving into the future.