The release of Google Cardboard last year gave a lot of us an early taste of the "nearly here" world of virtual reality. But early content offerings were, to be blunt, pretty underwhelming.
To be fair, Google Cardboard (GC) was only ever meant for developers and was not released as a consumer product. That hasn’t stopped developers, and manufacturers, from getting on board early and producing and distributing content. And for those who gave up on the scant early offerings, or haven't tried it yet, the news is good. VR content suitable for GC has expanded, and there is now some content genuinely worthy of downloading. The headsets have improved too. No longer are you stuck with just a cardboard option that you need to hold to your face.
Even more, Google announced in early November that not only can you use your headset and phone to view specific VR content, but by using the new theatre mode, you can watch YouTube content in your virtual theatre. Exciting times indeed!
Elsewhere, though, wading through available GC content can be a bit hit and miss. So we’ve done the hard yards to pick out some of our favorite – free – VR experiences for GC. Because it’s an early development platform, it’s hard to recommend shelling out your hard earned cash for these kind of apps, but the freebies can be fun.
MUSIC and MOVIES
Although it’s only one song (a cracking version of Live and Let Die recorded at Candlestick Park in 2014) Paul McCartney (By Jaunt) gives a serious glimpse at the potential future of entertainment. Starting out on stage sitting next to the former Beatle, you're then teleported to the front of stage to watch a spectacular pyrotechnics display, before returning to stage to finish the song with Sir Paul. A genuinely immersive experience, recorded on 360 degree camera rig and with 3D sound. Headphones are recommended, but not essential.
Jack White Third-D is another Jaunt production along the lines of the Paul McCarney experience. Except this one offers three tunes to watch. Some of the settings are really quite beautiful and if you’re a fan of the music, well worth downloading.
Another content developer, VRSE , offers a growing umbrella of content which might show a glimpse into the future of movies and watchable VR. Currently there are about half a dozen high quality clips, ranging from an on-set Seinfeld experience, some documentary material and a couple of beautifully rendered short films. You need to download the clips from within the app, so start there. In all of our trawling of apps, this one provided one of the most polished VR experiences for CG.
A highlight, called Evolution of The Universe, is a surreal journey from a Canadian lake swamped by birds (or butterflies) which transform into colorful streamers swirling around the lake before the viewer rises high above the scene and into a whole other world, with a bit of a 2001 A Space Odyssey feel to it. If we say more, we’ll spoil the surprise. Ironically, the computer generated world is more realistic than a lot of VR video content shot in the real world. If you have it all set up right, be prepared to hear some gasps of amazement from those trying it for the first time.
The other compelling film is Clouds Over Sidra. It’s a beautiful and simply told glimpse into the life at the Zaatari Refugee Camp – home to 130,000 Syrians fleeing the worst of what humanity has to offer. It’s actually quite a moving video and, despite a few rough edges around the technical production, is a compelling few minutes of viewing. Narrated by a young girl in a refugee camp, it’s a mini virtual reality documentary which highlights, among other things, how privileged many of us are to be living in first world countries.
Global mega-band U2 have also made an appearance for VRSE with Song For Someone.The app describes the venture between creator Chris Milk, Apple and Bono’s band as a "revolutionary new visual interpretation" of U2's song of the same name. And it is. It’s one of the smaller downloads in the VRSE suite, but still 500 MB, and well worth the time downloading. It begins with the viewer sitting in the middle of the band as they start performing before they fade away and musicians from all around the world take over the performance. It’s a joint venture between the band, Apple and VRSE - and a pretty compelling one at that.
There are a handful more clips in this app, but the one I’m looking forward to most has been "coming soon" for quite a while now. It’s called Catatonic and promises an "immersive journey through an insane asylum in which the audience, bound to a wheelchair, undergoes a sensory shocking horror experience." The teaser suggests it as adult viewing only … so keep the kiddies away from this one.
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