…granted, that’s not much different than how the rest of the world reacts to it in their first try of VR, but this video (above) in the ‘Elders React’ series is too good to pass up.

public-perception
See Also: Insights into the Public Perception of VR from Viral Video Reactions

Fine Brothers Entertainment took a group of older folks through three popular HTC Vive games and filmed the reactions to their first time in the VR system.

What amazes me most is that all of these folks have no problem using the system even to do traditionally complex tasks for the inexperience, like digital content creation (as they did in Tilt Brush) or playing a first person shooter (as they did in The Brookhaven Experiment); this speaks to the power of natural motion input, and that VR can be accessible to everyone.

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Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • DiGiCT Ltd

    Seeing people using VR also can be very entertaining, at least it does many times for me.
    The unpredictable fun really starts when people get in VR situations what they normally would not be into in the real world.
    It will show this persons response for the 1st time.

    • J.C.

      Oh, absolutely. It’s fun to see people flip out over odd things. The deep underwater portion of The Blue has had two people panic in the first few seconds, and they’d clearly shut their eyes inside the Vive and beg for it to stop. Nothing scary happens in it, but the setting is …a bit spooky.

      We have a rule of “no filming people in VR”, because some games make you look incredibly silly without seeing what they’re doing. SPT makes people look like they’re doing some weird interpretive dance. Job Sim makes people look like they’re doing that stupid Shopping Cart dance move.

      Holopoint and Longbow, though, are immediately recognizable from their movements, without seeing the system screen. You can even tell which one they’re playing, as Holopoint has you dodging a returning shot most of the time, and Longbow has you aiming down more.

      Unfortunately, Elders also found the Wii super accessible (oh boy Wii sports!), and that bubble burst. VR *NEEDS* a killer app or game style, or it’s gonna die smothered in a heap of half baked tech demos.

      • Charles

        “Elders also found the Wii super accessible”
        I see your point, but this is different. Motion controls while looking at a screen is a gimmick – a novelty. VR, on the other hand, is making people feel like they’re in a different place. Very different.

      • Kelly Larsen

        My classmate at university had a wii and we spent many hours playing it. It was fun, but the tracking was very inaccurate, it was especially noticeable on that shooting gallery game. IMO VR is already off to a much better start than wii. it is much more intuitive, and much better from a technology standpoint.

        Maybe it’s a bubble… who knows… But I’m optimistic for it’s future

      • DiGiCT Ltd