This page was generated automatically; to view the article at its original source, you can visit the link below:
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/vr/vr-gaming-was-one-of-my-favourite-hobbies-of-2024-and-its-because-ive-noticed-myself-using-it-as-a-meditation-exercise/
and if you wish to have this article removed from our site, please get in touch with us
I have recently purchased (or more precisely, my significant other has given me permission to buy) a Meta Quest 3. This is because after playing Asgard’s Wrath during the holiday period last year, I desired to upgrade in order to enjoy its sequel to the fullest. In spite of all these remarkable games, my VR headset has surprisingly turned out to be an excellent device for fostering a sense of mindfulness.
By May of this year, I realized that it wasn’t the expansive experiences and epic quests that lured me back to my little headset. Rather, it was methodical rhythm games like Beat Saber and Synth Riders. Even when I had the opportunity to try out the Pico 4 Ultra this year, which is a strong contender against the Meta Quest, one of the features that fascinated me the most was its included ankle trackers for rhythm game compatibility.
As a hardware enthusiast, but also a habitual overthinker, I’ve grown quite attached to having an additional screen for watching videos or listening to music. Even now, as I write on just one monitor, I regret not having acquired a second one by this point.
If you were to examine my VR gameplay duration this year, I believe Beat Saber would rank near the very top, though it’s not necessarily because it’s the VR game I enjoyed the most. I have found great enjoyment in Batman: Arkham Shadow and have played about the first hour or so of Behemoth. Even though I haven’t yet summoned the courage to embark on an adventure as substantial as Asgard’s Wrath 2, I anticipate that I will get there in the next 2-5 business weeks.
However, I came to understand after a significant period with it that I engage with Beat Saber in a manner similar to meditation. I glance at the exercise ring on my Apple Watch and think I can close it with a few minutes of VR exercise but, truly, I’ve come to understand that it’s simply an excellent method to clear my thoughts.
Beat Saber is quite a tangible game, with controls that vibrate as you swing at the blocks approaching you, yet it’s not overloaded with distractions. There’s no narrative to tell, no hidden message you need to interpret. It’s merely you, the music, and your sabers.
I’ve always relished taking a shower when I wish to ponder over something, as it serves as an intentional pause from everything else happening in my life to reflect, but there are only so many showers you can have before perhaps needing a more effective coping strategy.
Under the pretext of being able to do some light exercise at home, I’ve quite often found myself putting on the headset just to carve out some time to think. The music of Beat Saber, primarily composed of EDM, isn’t exactly to my usual liking, but it’s the perfect background for a moment of contemplation. Instead of treating its music as a conventional soundtrack or a collection of challenges, I’ve been skipping through songs as you might select a form of white noise prior to yoga.
This is where the Meta Quest 3 becomes relevant. With its newly enhanced controls, superior chip, and most crucially, better passthrough, I’ve been able to more casually stay hydrated while wearing the headset or gain a clearer understanding of my environment. You still can’t really view a phone in there, but I’m somewhat relieved that you can’t. The limitations of this technology have positively impacted my mental well-being and spatial awareness in a way I hadn’t anticipated.
VR has demonstrated considerable ability to provide a space for contemplation at numerous points in my life, and I believe that’s a significant reason why I enjoy it so much at present. At the onset of the lockdowns in 2020, I spent a considerable amount of time caring for my ailing grandmother and being extremely cautious about leaving the house for fear of bringing back anything potentially life-threatening. That was when I acquired the very first Quest, marking my initial encounter with VR.
I did not possess a PC capable of handling VR, so being able to play games natively without the expensive need to upgrade my setup felt revolutionary. Then, shortly after its release, I purchased the Quest 2 and grew even fonder of its design and processing power.
Over the last year, I haven’t newly discovered this meditative environment in VR; instead, I’ve simply recognized its existence. I’ve experienced the comfort of a headset multiple times to deliberate on matters over the past few years, but now, it feels like it’s all a bit more purposeful.
I suppose it’s time I acquire a few more song packs then, to complement this shiny new headset.
This page was created programmatically, to read the article in its original location you can go to the link bellow:
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/vr/vr-gaming-was-one-of-my-favourite-hobbies-of-2024-and-its-because-ive-noticed-myself-using-it-as-a-meditation-exercise/
and if you want to remove this article from our site please contact us
