Using paintball to model VR games?

[Pyrate Jim]

It had to happen.
The future of combat gaming: Paintball roots | Watch

Paintball is only shown in the first few minutes, then goes into the whole VR thing.
Using treadmills.to model graphics for a video game.
I find it ironic. Using a real-life game to mimic some alternative reality, where you never leave the comfort of your own home.

Unfortunately, it isolates players. There may be some form of camaraderie through a keyboard, we all feel it here at MCB.
But it lacks any sort of personal touch. Always the best part of paintball. After the games are done.
The boisterous backslapping, the handshakes between teams, the laughs, the stories, who's cooking what out in the parking lot.
Give all that up?
Not me, brother.

[uv_halo]

I played a lot of Onward (a first person, single or multiplayer tactical shooter). I started playing when it was only available via Steam, and only on PC headsets (Oculus Rift, Valve Index, etc). What made it great- was that it was a tactical shooter, with realistic movements (i.e. only turning and shooting as fast as your body allowed, no super jumps, etc), realistic gun operations (i.e. opening the top cover of a belt fed gun, dragging the belt over, closing the cover, racking the bolt), radios, and different game modes (i.e. disable a satellite terminal before the timer runs out, etc).

When I first started out, it was dominated by men and a few women. Things were great- next to zero drama, mostly good teamwork and, good senses of humor and sportsmanship, all similar to my earliest years of paintball. But, what made it different is the accessibility. I could find nine other folks for a 5v5 pretty darn quick. Play some games, socialize in the 'dead zone / lobby' and back in another game, even arrange for future meetups. I got to know a handful of folks who were on around the same times I was in this manner, and it was always great to play with them.

A magfed only, mini scenario ('tactical') paintball game simply didn't exist within 50miles of where I lived. Hell, I think it barely exists at all now within the U.S. Note I'm not even calling out MilSim- I'm not talking about trying to be a soldier but rather, I want MagFed something other than capture the flag or, elimination. I want grenades that work, and fields big enough and games long enough that radios can actually make a difference (even if I'm not personally using a radio). Paintball simply doesn't afford this, aside from the occasional scenario. Airsoft might've been able to help this out but, the ammo difference has tremendous implications for walk on play.

So, why do I refer to this VR game play in the past tense? Kids. Meta/Oculus released the Meta Quest and, within a couple weeks, it became apparent that many families were buying the kids (under 16) a Quest and using it as their babysitter, We went from 0-2 kids in a random 10-person lobby, to 8-9 kids/lobby (the 10th being myself) and they brought the behavior exemplified by kids on fortnite. Most of the folks I knew dropped off and, ultimately they all left (and myself as well) when the developers dumbed the game down to allow it to run on the quest in Standalone mode (crappier graphics, less complex maps, dumber and fewer AI, lower polygon count objects, etc), and forced this update on all players (PC and Quest).

[Pyrate Jim]

Sounds like you know better than I do.
I don't do that type of gaming, so my opinion may be lopsided.

I'm much more in favor of actual reality than I am in virtual reality.
It sounds like pretending instead of getting out there and actually doing it.

[Trbo323]

Unfortunately, it isolates players. There may be some form of camaraderie through a keyboard, we all feel it here at MCB.
But it lacks any sort of personal touch. .

Well let's fix that. Hook up a marker to that vr setup pointing at you while you play and we will make sure it has some "personal touch" when you get shot

Sent from my motorola edge 2024 using Tapatalk

[Pyrate Jim]

Well let's fix that. Hook up a marker to that vr setup pointing at you while you play and we will make sure it has some "personal touch" when you get shot.

I'm well acquainted with that personal touch of being eliminated. Anyone who's seen me play can attest to that.
Recording it seems redundant, except for laughs.

I think the original point was that these VR games are using image capture of a real world game to create something that's not real.
As if playing a game in your living room is somehow the equivalent of being in the real world.

I don't mean to sound harsh. My opinion is why imagine it when you can actually do it?

[Trbo323]

I don't mean to sound harsh. My opinion is why imagine it when you can actually do it?

Oh I agree, the amount of money you would need to invest in this I feel is more than getting into paintball.

Long term, paintball is probably more but also more of an experience

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[vijil]

I had a quest. Cost me $500 ish, which was enough for many hours of playing with people all over the world. Much cheaper than PB and way less cheating. And I could jump on at basically any time of the day, have a quick game, and then back to real life all within 20 minutes. Can't do that with PB. Genuinely athletic too, depending on the game. The level of immersion is enough that it scratched mostly the same itch as pb. Don't knock it til you try it.

The kids were one (of several) problems that made me stop playing though. I swear parents have an "it's a computer game lol, of course 8yo Johnny can play, the R18 must be a misprint, why would a vIdEo GaMe be for adults lolol" attitude. Ugh.

The other issue is that the hardware just aint there yet. Still too heavy and bulky = headaches, low fov, and that pesky vergence accommodation conflict. I might try again in a few years when those issues are solved.