The Cyberith Virtualizer omnidirectional treadmill, combined with Oculus Rift and a Wii Remote, makes causing trouble in Skyrim a whole new experience.
The Oculus Rift promises a big step forward in game world immersion, but game world interaction, Kinect and Move notwithstanding, remains firmly rooted in the old control schemes we know and, sometimes, love: mouse, keyboard and controller. But this Cyberith Virtualizer video offers a glimpse of what a more thoroughly-virtualized future might have in store.
Similar to the Virtuix Omni VR Treadmill we saw last year, the Virtualizer uses a ring to hold the player in place while he or she “walks” or runs in any direction. It also allows for walking backwards, jumping, crouching and even sitting, according to the Cyberith website, and operates “steplessly,” making it possible to move at the same speed in-game as in the real world.
There’s a long way to go before this sort of thing becomes a practical method of game control, but I won’t pretend that I wouldn’t love to try it myself – it looks like a blast. Cyberith says videos for games including Battlefield 4, Left 4 Dead 2, Call of Duty: Ghosts and Crysis 3 are in the works, and in the meantime you can find out more about the Virtualizer at Cyberith.com.
