Virtual reality has been booming for several years. The idea, which was previously limited to science fiction, has been turned into a well-founded reality. Which is now being commercialized for wider use in industry and gaming.
Finger Tracking and the Future of VR Gaming
The tech companies, now, have the means and the incentive to further improve this available technology and provide a better Virtual Experience. This advancement has a lot of competition from big tech players such as Sony, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and some startups too that are challenging these titans including Magic Leap, WorldWiz, Snap Speed, etc. All vowing to provide the best Virtual Reality experience available.
Now, there are a lot of elements that are required to provide this unique immersive experience. And although we are still working on some of the raw features of these elements, the world of pure Imagination is not a dream anymore. It’s just a question of ‘when will we get there?’ not ‘can we can get there?’ now.
One of the core features of this idealistic expectation is the ability to interact with the world of code. Being able to touch, feel and change the game environment is every gamer’s long-held dream. And VR provides such opportunities in many different flavors.
Let’s look at what this quirk is, and how it has been implemented by different Tech giants to fit their view of the future.
What Is Finger Tracking
Finger Tracking is a pretty self-explanatory term. It just employs many techniques allowing the user to interact with virtual data. Basically, in this case, a 3D environment, and such objects. Now, this technology is not new, it has been around for decades. But the current advancement and implementations of Finger Tracking are unique.
Valve Index has one of the best implementations of Finger Tracking or Hand Tracking in controllers. They have an intuitive VR interface and games that somewhat utilize these new features. Their system works in a very simple way. They have a controller with sensors in the grips that keep track of each finger. Now, they do have individual sensors for each finger which was much in demand at the time of its release. And Valve has delivered to the request of the clamoring gamers. It provides much more freedom and opens many new possibilities for the developers to expand on. Only time will tell what kind of new features we will have just because of this innovation.
Another fan favorite here that went past every expectation at a much lower price point is Oculus Quest. It has a built-in native tracking system that allows the headset to track hand movement of the hands without the use of any controllers. It has four built-in 360 cams that make this possible through the use of a good AI. Oculus Quest can track individual finger movement through these cameras. Everything for Oculus Quest is built-in and is the only stand-alone headset currently available in the market. You don’t need anything else for this Headset. This speaks volumes for what Oculus is capable of with its software tuning and bleeding-edge innovation.
Now, this does have some drawbacks. You are just moving your hands in the air which takes some time to get used to and can make the experience a little less immersive. But this shows how far this technology can go and build upon given the right environment.
Effects on gaming
This has changed VR gaming for the better. We have more stable game designs and games that take advantage of this newfound freedom in VR. Especially new titles like ‘Half-life: Alyx’, greatly benefit from the flexibility this technology presents. And another major title in VR. ‘Bone Works’, provides the next-gen VR gaming experience. Finger Tracking also enhances one of the core features of Bone works where you get to interact with anything and everything. These games live off of this quirk.
Other such titles too, that had somewhat unstable controlling problems. And despite having a good game design were rendered somewhat unplayable. These have since become more stable and welcoming to new gamers.
Finger tracking has made VR easier to use and has many doors for more players. Especially for 3D sculpting in VR, this has introduced new possibilities that were previously unthinkable. The flexibility with the molding and shaping are just a few examples of what can be done now. Adding to the new painting capabilities, there are a whole plethora of prospects that can be taken advantage of now.
Future of VR
Finger Tracking is a very innovative concept. Gamers have been waiting for something like this since the modern wave of VR gaming began at the turn of this decade. Being able to interact with your favorite game in First-Person without the need for a controller is a novel idea but it is not a dream anymore. It has been done with Oculus Quest and as other headsets follow suit, this feature will open a new door for game developers to design more intricate games in VR. The experience will keep on getting better and will become even more intuitive over time. The unstable and jaggy VR will be a thing of the past and combining this with force feedback haptic gloves. The future is ever bright and evolving with VR.
Final Thoughts
Virtual reality is no longer a thought of the future! It’s here and it is for the taking. VR keeps on growing and the industry is expected to exceed 12 billion dollars by 2026. Even though this industry has been stagnant for a long time now. The wheels have started to turn and we are looking at some serious innovations by big tech giants. The technology more affordable and a better value now. With this shift, now is the time act and take part in this evolution. The early adopters have praised the new implementation and no matter how silly a toaster strapped to your head looks, it is the leap forward. And is the way to experience games in this new Era.
