The One Magazine team swap real life for the virtual world to experience a new kind of reality
Forget computer gaming as you know it – now you can live the experience. Ever wanted to be a racing driver and experience the feeling of being inside a high-powered purpose-built racing car on some of the most iconic tracks from around the world? Fancy yourself as the hero in a zombie apocalypse situation? Or perhaps you want to experience the thrill of the theme park without having to put up with the long queues. At Dreamscape VR you can immerse yourself in over 30 new (vastly different) worlds and activities for an exciting escape into virtual reality.
The experience is created using the latest VR technology. A HTC Vive headset coupled with a pair of motion controllers will ensure your arms and head are fully motion-tracked so that you become entirely immersed in your new surroundings. Stretching your arms out in front of you and examining your new hands is very surreal – ‘is this really me?’
It didn’t take long for us to forget our ‘real world’ surroundings however. I soon found myself ducking for cover from low flying birds and jumping backwards when I noticed a rogue droid clawing at my feet from below. Even for those personality types who struggle to really let themselves get absorbed in a fantasy experience, I challenge you to not get even slightly taken by the feeling of hurtling over a drop on a rollercoaster or avoiding a fast moving object being fired right at you. The human survival instinct can only be suppressed so much, and when the immersion is this good, there’s really no fighting it.
The experience caters for groups of between 1-6 people for an hour long session. I’d say that six would be too many in an hour simply because of how addictive it is – ten minutes is not going to cut it when you get a taste of VR. For anything over four people it would probably be best to book yourself in for two sessions back to back in order to really enjoy your time here. And with a huge projector displaying as close to what the user is experiencing, the rest of the group will have plenty of laughs watching their friends or family.
One of the big appeals of this unique experience is that it really is suitable for the whole family – catering for both children and adults of all ages and abilities. There is no minimum level of fitness or vision test required. All you need is yourself and a willing mind. Dreamscape even tailor their experience to groups of children with autism and other mental health issues or disabilities so that as many people can enjoy this form of escapism.
As I stepped back out into reality once the session was over, I was surprised to feel as fatigued as I did. But I guess taking down a horde of zombies probably would leave me feeling a little exhausted, or trying to land a plane on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean would likely have me breaking out in a mild sweat. Thinking about it, my mind was put under that same pressure as it would in real life. I mean, it was virtually reality after all.
Location: Matford Barton, Dawlish Road, Exeter, EX2 8XW
Opening hours: 9am – 10pm
Cost: £80 per hour session for up to 6 people
Suitable for: Everyone!
Book your virtual experience using our unique discount code ‘ONE35’ by calling 01392 949018 or by booking online at www.dreamscapevr.co.uk
