Thank you for your patience

Hey all. Thank you for coming to our humble abode. It seems we have been spending more time in the studio and less time here. So, we do want to thank you for your patience as we are working on a SeasideRecords.com facelift in between studio sessions (and video production). Thank you so much, Michael & Deborah Anderson

Computer-generated worlds are another way of describing the VR environment. It is the place where virtual reality (VR) occurs. Even if the environment is technically an empty room, the experience is computer-generated. It can be what is playing on the movie box. It could also be what is seen in the headset viewer. Another VR could be something like a flight simulator. These types of VR help to provide opportunities for practice, for educational purposes.

Understanding VR to Understand Computer-Generated Worlds

How mundane would it be if you did not have that artificial world and you simply stared at four blank walls? Virtual Reality expenses would be nominal in a case where there are four blank walls. The blank walls have no computer-generated worlds. Those four walls are boring and VR is appealing.

Interestingly, that is what people did for centuries, prior to VR. They sometimes called it imagination.

Now, imagination has taken form and it has graduated to the birth of virtual reality. Along with VR is that of the computer-generated artificial worlds. These worlds have begun to take shape (a.k.a. modeling). Modeling is the process of designing a realistic virtual reality environment.

Animation and Virtual Reality Playing in the Same Sandbox

An animation is a place where drawings and cartoons take shape in the form of activity on the screen. Animations include exaggerated scenes, exaggerated characters, and exaggerated personalities, not to mention exaggerated story lines.

Virtual reality allows the participant to become an active part of his or her own story. Animations may not include VR. However, VR may include animations. Just look at the movie with the cartoon rabbit and sexy singer wife cartoon – you know the one. Imagine a virtual reality environment like that. Now imagine it taking place in a computer-generated 3D world.

Virtual world development does not happen in a snap. There is a lot of work that needs to go into creating the computer-generated environment (modeling). There are the measurements of the actual objects, as well as the components of that environment.

Think about it. How about a table seven feet off the ground? How about a companion oak tree that is two and a half feet? Well, maybe if you were playing in a virtual world similar to Alice in Wonderland. Or, if you wanted to experience some sort of dream sequence.

Fortunately, you are likely a VR participant, so you probably already have the VR game that you want to play. However, have you thought about the development side of things?

Creating It From Scratch: The Blueprint for Virtual Success

In the cases of a virtual world that is somewhat realistic, you need to have the know-how to model it. This is not necessarily something you have to do if you already have the team to do it. Hiring the right people is important when it comes to development.

If you are building your own VR (developing it) you need to have a set of blueprints. This helps attain realism. That way, you can create it in the virtual realm.

Here is an example, to help give perspective: If you are using guns for a virtual gun range, and you really want your clients to experience a sense of reality, you would want to understand the science of it. You need to have someone calculate things like wind speed, shadows, the weight of the gun, and distance to the target, etc. Even if you do not understand all of those things, you would want your computer-generated artificial world to accommodate those real-life components and calculations. That way, the virtual reality experience is as realistic as possible.

Granted, there are inexpensive virtual reality worlds. Also, some computer-generated artificial worlds are purposefully unrealistic. Since you are developing your own VR, you are on the right track. Aiming for the top is a good goal. This objective allows you to be successful in the VR business. It allows your company to be the one making the profit. You are developing those computer-generated artificial worlds!

So, you have all of the virtual reality (VR) gear that you want, but you do not know how to transport it from one place to another. I mean you can’t walk around with a pile of gear in your hands, threatening to drop your items in the next step, can you?

That is why you need a case to carry your precious VR equipment and gear.

Oh, you could use a backpack or a suitcase, but will that work? Sure, it will work if you know what you are doing and properly pack your VR gear and any padding material you need to ensure that the gear does not bang into each other. After all, you don’t want anything to break or get scratched (especially those VR glasses).

This is where the specialized VR carrying cases come in handy.

Think about it… maybe you are lucky enough to have a couple of systems and you are going to visit Aunt Ellie over in Hawaii (long trip) and need something to do. Then, again, there is a lot to do in Hawaii and you may not have time. But, you are prepared.

So, let’s start with the first system. Let’s say it is a PlayStation. An example of a case that is built for a PlayStation VR system is the deluxe one built by EUDEMON (affiliate). It is only $44.95 at the time of this writing, but it has several desirable features. It is waterproof of nylon material. This protects your PVSR from the detrimental possibilities. As far as protecting your gear, it has two separate sections, as if a two-story house, with the VR headset on one “floor and all of the gear safely strapped into their spots on the other floor. None of the gear bangs into each other when you experience the bumps along the road (or airplane).

Another similar bag is the Hermittshell (affiliate) EVA Hard Travel Case for that ever-popular Sony PlayStation VR Launch Bundle and PS4 Slim Console. It is a little more expensive than the EUDEMON version, at $54.99 (at the time of this writing). That said, it is another case that seems to take care of all of your needs. The hard travel case should be able to handle those outback adventure tracks in Australia, as well as the airfare to get there. It has six pockets, to keep gear separate from each other, again avoiding those bumps that cause scratches. It also comes with the straps to keep everything in place.

Well, there you have it, some examples of a case for traveling, but more importantly, some things to look for in buying a case. Let’s go over those again:

Ensure that the case is made for your particular equipment and possibly additional equipment if that is what you need.
Make sure that the case allows for the separation of gear so there is no bumping into each other.
Ensure that the case has straps to strap in the smaller gear and protect them from the inevitable bumps.
The case needs to be durable material. Think of the airplane luggage handling to guide that decision. Then use your bag as a carry-on to protect it even more.

If you use a checklist like the one above, you should be able to find the case that is just right for you.

Choosing a Virtual Reality (VR) Headset that works for you can sometimes be tricky.

If you are an experienced VR user (player, connoisseur, etc.), this may actually be very easy. There are refresher points worth assessing.

For those of you who are newer to the game (no pun intended), there are definitely some checklist items. These are things that need to be on your list of considerations. The list is not exhaustive. But, they are basics for your VR Headset shopping excursion.

Starting the Checklist

First of all, let’s make sure that this headset is a quality headset. The last thing you want is to be playing your VR game or having your VR experience and having something that sounds like a dog scratching or grandpa crinkling up last week’s newspaper in your ear. Can you really experience a sense of virtual reality with all of that noise interrupting your experience? No!

So, you need to ensure that your headset has some decent sound quality. One of the best ways to do this is to check out the reviews and what others say about the sound quality. If you can, even ask others what they think about that quality, whether you are asking them in person, or even as a response to a review online. You can also use social media to discuss it. Join a Facebook group that discusses virtual reality and specifically gear and accessories.

Of course, the best way to test any of these things out is to be able to try it yourself, like the “pet the puppy” sales method (though that purpose is to buy and your purpose is to test). But, we can’t always get access to the item to test it, so these approaches would be alternative ways to find out about the quality of that headset or the comparison of headsets.

The Next Consideration

Now, the next one is sort of a binary, meaning it is either a yes or a no. Does the VR headset fit? Along with that, is it comfortable? If the thing is poking you in the face, then the answer is probably, “No.”

You should likely consider another headset if it pokes you in the face.

Does the span of the headset fit the shape of your head properly? Does the headset slip, or does it settle nicely on your head as if it was sort of built for your head, like an extension of you? After all, if you are going to spend hours engaging in VR activities, you want that headset to basically be a sort of extension of you, right?

Now, the final one should be easy to answer, with some research. Is the headset compatible with the intended VR use or uses? If it is not compatible with any of the programs that you have, or the activities for which you intend to use it, then it is a definite “No.”

Beyond the intended use, is it compatible with other systems? Do you need any adapters to make it work with older equipment? What about the future? Does it seem like the headset is forward-thinking? Like the devices that will come out on the market next year? How does compatibility factor into the future considerations?

Granted, we are not necessarily fortune tellers when it comes to knowing what the future holds for VR headsets, but you certainly want to make the best guess and by all means, don’t spend the amount of a mortgage payment on something that may become obsolete in six weeks. Shop wisely with a Buyer Beware attitude.

Virtual Reality (VR) is exactly what it sounds like it is.

VR provides the opportunity to experience something that seems like a reality. It emulates things and experiences that happen in real life. The difference is that VR is not real life and it occurs in a virtual manner. It is helpful for those who desire to have experiences to which they do not have access. It is also helpful for experiences that may be dangerous.

Examples of Virtual Reality

A common example is that of war games. Many mothers (and fathers) may not want to see their young sons and daughters join the military, but virtual reality gives these same kids (young adults) the opportunity to experience it. That experience can happen without the danger of injury or death.

Basically, VR gives the opportunity to experience a reality without the reality. This allows individuals to make a decision whether they want to follow that path in the real world.

Many people grew up watching a form of virtual reality on Star Trek. That is where they introduced the holodecks. The holodecks presented a full immersion virtual reality experience. It was also beyond its years in capability. Anything and everything seemed to fit within the scope of the holodeck. It could be a picnic by the edge of a lake from 400 years ago to a New York penthouse in the 1940s.

More Discussion About Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality allows one to be someone they are not. This is helpful for those who may be suffering from disabilities. VR allows them to run and play in ways that possibly they cannot in real life. It can give them a sense of purpose in their VR world, providing them with the opportunity to live as they desire.

At the same time, VR can create an environment where players can meet other players and develop a sense of community. The benefits of the community extend beyond Virtual Reality.

Virtual reality can help with emotional pain. It also allows an individual to use the environment to slowly move past a painful breakup and practice relationship skills that may be used in the real world. By participating in VR with other people, they can practice those skills in a semi-real-time, be honing much-needed skills in the real world.

VR goes beyond fun and games. It is used in teaching people how to fly planes and drive cars. There is even a sense of VR in Hollywood movies. Anywhere where a virtual sense of something can replace the real, there is the opportunity for virtual reality.

Think about it. The sky is the limit and, virtual reality exists in that sky, too. It gives sky divers the opportunity to overcome the fear of falling. It also helps with the fear of jumping and the fear of heights.

Finally, another use for virtual reality is to help to overcome those fears. VR provides opportunities for practicing the confidence that also helps a person in real life.

There is an interesting marriage between reality and the virtual world. It is fitting that virtual reality recognizes that in the very term that is used to describe it.

Getting Started with a VR Bundle

As many things that have the term, “bundle” in them, there is a likelihood that you can save money when purchasing bundles. This applies if done correctly, with virtual reality (VR) bundles, as well.

However, you need to know what you are doing when it comes to bundles. You can be “taken” by a bundle that you do not need. This happens with well-meaning vendors and with scammers. That doesn’t mean that every bundle is put together with the intent to separate you from your hard earned cash. However, even the most well-meaning vendor is capable of putting together a bundle that you, as the buyer, do not need.

What Does That Mean?

Well, let’s say you went to the local fruit market. There you purchased a bag of apples, a bundle of bananas, and a chocolate drink. Now, you go to the local grocery store and you see a basket that has apples, bananas, peaches, and pears. It also has a special bonus of a chocolate drink. Is that bundle worth the purchase? Well, maybe if you have a house full of fruit lovers, but the reality is that you have already purchased most of those items!

What to Consider When Looking at a VR Bundle

Consider what it is you are purchasing. Sometimes the easiest way to do that is to sit down and make a wish list. The list contains the VR equipment you would purchase individually.

Pretend that money is not an object and list all of the items that you want for your VR setup. Then, after you make the list, put it in order of importance. So, maybe you do not need the high-tech headset and can settle for something a little lesser to save money, so put the cheaper one a little higher on your list and the more expensive one a little lower on your list.

After you have put your list in order, lightly cross off the items that are less essential. This gives you the core list of basics for your system. Remember, you can always look for a bundle that has more or even purchase the extra items in addition to your bundle. Another thing you need to do is ensure that all of your items are compatible. You don’t want to mix and match if items don’t work together.

Finally, ask yourself if you are able to live with an older VR system if that means saving some money. If you buy used equipment, eBay is a viable option for a used bundle.

Next Steps

Now, you are ready to start price shopping and comparing those prices from store to store to find the best that you can find. While you are going through your comparison shopping, be sure to watch for things like warranties, etc. So, you may be able to save money at one store, but it may not come with a warranty or the shipping may cost almost as much as the bundle.

Keep these things in mind and be sure to take notes so that you can come to the best buying decision that makes your VR heart happy as well as your real pocketbook and cash supply.