Time Magazine's Virtual Reality Issue Is... Urm...

[Badnik Mechanic]

So you know Time Magazine, it's kinda respected publication? Well, Time has a new issue out, and it focuses on the Oculus Rift and how it's going to change the world... and it's not quite going as planned. 

Here is their cover, which shows just how hard it's going to be to market any virtual reality thing.

Now you might think, yeah the cover is bad, but how is the actual content of the article? Well... how does, patronising, stereotypical and insulting to anyone interested in hardware or game development or computer science.

Here is a sample of the article.

Yeah, the main target is the cover which is so poor, it's resulted in lots of parody's and mocking of the device and virtual reality for example.

And even some community managers are getting in on the act.

So what do people think? I for one am not yet fully convinced on VR, I think it's still a really gimmicky thing and I'm into game development and computer science. But for people who are not, those who are going to be looking at this cover and the content of it, is VR really going to be as big a thing as some are saying? Looking at this cover and the content of the article, anything involving PC entertainment will always carry a geek or nerd stereotype to it, are the masses really going to buy into this when we have magazines putting out a cover looking that goofy and an article that stereotypical? 

Also if you fancy a laugh, lots more edits at GAF.

Edited August 6, 2015 by Hogfather

[Willsy]

Is it just me or does that guy in the cover look like he's trying to take a....well....you know....

Seriously though, that cover is just terrible. Jim Sterling has been tweeting about it a lot this evening and it's been brilliant. 

[MightyRay]

That cover was made to be a meme. Seriously not surprised that people aren't impressed with Time covering of Virtual Reality... those folks can be really be off with the fairies with regards to some things.

Edited August 16, 2015 by Mightyray

[Failinhearts]

Those cover parodies are just hilarious. I wonder if someone made a Madoka related one already.

As for my view on VR, I really have no opinion on it. I don't really pay attention to anything VR, I just go along my "merry" way paying it no mind.

[Mauro Fonseca]

I used to read a lot of Time when I was younger. I'm now left wondering- were they already shit and I just had no comparison point, or did things really go bad in the last 10 years with the internet? Because this is pretty much Buzzfeed level.

[Bowbowis]

What. The. Fuck. Who thought that cover was a good idea? What is it even supposed to be showing? Seriously just show him playing a game with the Rift on, show him in what is clearly a video game, hell just show the Rift on a flashy background. Something like that would actually communicate VR (or at least have a clearly dicernable connection to it), right now though it just looks like a guy skipping along the beach with goofy eye-wear, and that doesn't exactly scream: "The future of gaming to me."

 

Also here's my contribution to the meme:

Edited August 6, 2015 by Bowbowis

[Balding Spider]

The best one I've seen so far

 

[Diz]

Well yeah, that cover looks odd. I do get what they were trying to do with it, making the experience seem sort of like a lucid dream where you are in control. These parodies, though. Internet, this is why we love you. xD

VR was already probably perceived as a nerdy thing. On the other hand, I do not think most people are going to be affected too much by this. They are probably either interested or not interested from the start merely on the concept of virtual reality, so I do not think this cover or article will have that much a negative effect, if any effect at all, whether or not someone will purchase similar equipment in the near future. On the question regarding VR becoming big, it definitely has loads of potential. Perhaps not in every home or for general everyday usage for a very long time, though.

So what do people think? I for one am not yet fully convinced on VR, I think it's still a really gimmicky thing and I'm into game development and computer science. But for people who are not, those who are going to be looking at this cover and the content of it, is VR really going to be as big a thing as some are saying? Looking at this cover and the content of the article, anything involving PC entertainment will always carry a geek or nerd stereotype to it, are the masses really going to buy into this when we have magazines putting out a cover looking that goofy and an article that stereotypical?

I still think VR has a long way to go in order to be implemented in everyday life, but for gamers it seems almost ready. As of recent years, I am a great fan of horror games, and VR is doing an unbelievably fantastic job enhanching the horror experience. If you look around on YouTube, you may see users that have tried the combination of VR of today and horror works, and it might not look all-that great on a video sharing site, but I will take the chance to say most reactions are genuine. VR is something one simply has to see and experience for oneself to see how far it has developed in this time and age.

For example, if you can tolerate some horror and scares, feel free to visit my channel and look up the clip where I am playing Dreadhalls using the Oculus Rift. It probably looks like garbage on a recording, but with the VR equipment I used, it really feels like you are actually there. I could literally lean my head all the way into the wall and feel like I hugged it, and peeking around dark corners like I was literally standing there. Not only does the equipment track your head positioning, tilting and turning, but the 3D feeling and depth perception is insane. I am definitely surprised and excited, and I had no idea how cool and immersive it was until I tried it myself.

I do not know to which degree this will affect other genres of games, but combined with a good headset, it definitely feels like you are right there, and it is no longer a game on a screen, you are now in the game. For horror, one of the genres which purpose is to immerse yourself as much as possible, this experience is going to be, if not the absolute most awesome thing that will ever happen, then it will definitely be one of them.

[Marcello]

I think the idea of the cover is fine, but they chose a really boring background. It's supposed to show the possibilities of VR and yet the possibility they chose is a beach instead of something like prehistoric times or space or something.

[Short-Sleeved Nook]

Nah, I haven't really jumped onto the virtual reality bandwagon either. I haven't tried any of the new VR tech, tho. Some of it might be cool and interesting... I guess I'm just a person who is yet to be convinced, although I'm not going to say it's failure...not yet, anyway