- Desert is undergoing training as a dragon tamer.
Dragon riding has got North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister President Hendrik Wüst hooked. At the Cologne computer games trade fair Gamescom, the CDU politician hopped on the bandwagon of a fresh tech named "Merged Reality" (MR; English: merged reality). He settled onto a high-tech seat, grasped a sort of steering wheel, and donned a virtual reality headset.
Before his peepers, an imaginary world from the "World of Warcraft" gaming universe uttered its arrival, with Wüst nestled upon a dragon, attempting to coax it through the skies. The seat swayed, jolts and tilts to the side - Wüst needed to navigate and steer the supposed dragon. A fan produced a breeze sensation, mimicking wind felt during flight. "Wow, that's incredible," sighed Wüst afterwards, manifestly thrilled about his "flight from Dalaran", the game's title. "It's quite an engaging experience, it's fun."
He could hardly fathom why folks spend countless hours engrossed in such games. "Too bad, there's no place for it in my living room - but I can certainly see why it appeals to many." According to Wüst, games transcend mere amusement. "It's evolved into a genuine art form, boasting intricate graphics, music, and tales that grow more captivating and thought-provoking."
Price, a limiting factor
Besides the spaciousness issue, a second probable reason why the CDU politician might not shell out for this technological behemoth and participate in more virtual dragon rides at home might stem from the price. Bill Wadsworth, the innovation chief of US manufacturer Apex Reality, estimates that such a device costs around 400,000 US dollars (359,000 euros).
"It revolves around 'Merged Reality', so a virtual reality with tactile stimulation," explains Wadsworth. "We've got a six-axis motion control and we've got actuator transducers that create acoustic impulses without producing noise."
Furthermore, there’s a fan controlling wind intensity based on flight speed. And plenty more sophisticated tech to make the experience as lifelike possible, such as high-resolution graphics and a "monsterous supercomputer", as Wadsworth swears by it.
Despite expressing delight in his virtual dragon ride, Wüst might struggle to justify the high cost of such an immersive gaming setup at home. He mused aloud about the limitless hours people invest in such engaging games, but lamented the lack of space for such a technological marvel in his living room.
Such a setup, as Bill Wadsworth, the innovation chief of Apex Reality, described, integrates various advanced technologies like six-axis motion control, actuator transducers, and a fan controlling wind intensity for a realistic experience, accompanied by high-resolution graphics and a powerful supercomputer.
