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VRChat

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VRChat
Developer(s)VRChat Inc.
Publisher(s)VRChat Inc.
Designer(s)
  • Graham Gaylor
  • Jesse Joudrey
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, Oculus Quest
Release
  • Microsoft Windows
  • February 1, 2017
  • Oculus Quest
  • May 20, 2019
Genre(s)Massively multiplayer online
Mode(s)Multiplayer

VRChat is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online virtual reality social platform created by Graham Gaylor and Jesse Joudrey. It allows players to interact with others as 3D character models. The game was released for Microsoft Windows via Steam's early access program on February 1, 2017. It supports the Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality headsets and the Valve Index, though none of them are mandatory to play. The game later launched on the Oculus Quest on May 20, 2019, supporting limited cross-play with the Microsoft Windows version.

Gameplay

Players in VR chat

VRChat's gameplay is similar to that of games such as Second Life and Habbo Hotel.[1] Players can create their own instanced worlds in which they can interact with each other through virtual avatars. A software development kit released alongside the game gives players the ability to create or import character models from various franchises and adopt them as their personas.[1] Player models are capable of supporting "audio lip sync, eye tracking and blinking, and complete range of motion[2] It also includes several minigames in which players can "Capture the Flag, rob a bank in Steel 'n' Gold, and lob digital discs at each other in a match of Battle Discs."[1]

Although the game was named "VRChat", it is not necessary to have VR equipment to play the game. The game also offers a desktop version for those who don't have VR headsets, but it has limitations such as the inability to freely move an avatar,[3] as well as certain game maps making use of both hands, such as a shooting game where the player must use their other hand to reload a weapon while holding it with their primary hand. Desktop Mode users are restricted to a single hand for interaction.

Hardware support

VRChat has full support for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive (as well as its "Vive Pro" variation) and, depending on the setup used, models for the respective controllers will appear while the player is navigating the menu.

The game allows support for hip and feet tracking, or "full-body" tracking as it is referred to, due to the player being able to control their entire body in-game. Officially, only the HTC Virtual Reality System Tracker, better known as the "Vive Tracker Puck" by many, allows this support if three of them are obtained (one in front of the hips, one on each foot), though unofficial straps must be obtained in order to strap them on. Unofficially, players have made "frankenstein" VR setups such as using a PlayStation VR headset to track the head, Xbox's Kinect for the hips and feet and Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons for the hands (alternatively, PlayStation Move controllers) to simulate the full-body tracking the HTC Vive supports, with SteamVR facilitating the combination.

VRChat is now available on the new Oculus Quest, the first platform other than PC that is able to run the game. However, the players are more limited as to what they may view, with many avatars and maps being specific to the Oculus Quest in order for the device to run the game properly.

As of June 5, 2019, VRChat now natively supports the Valve Index, implemented through an update, that allows even more control for the player in the form of finger tracking through its controllers, better known as their "Knuckles" development name. Like the Rift and Vive, Index controllers are also modeled while the menus are accessed. However, players are no longer able to map Overrides involving the hand to their avatars due to the VRChat developers believing the actions to be "jarring" for the player's hand pose to not match the Override.[4]

Community

The game's popularity has been attributed to use by YouTubers and Twitch streamers.[1] VRChat has spawned media such as a weekly newspaper in its forums, and talk shows and podcasts dedicated to a discussion of the game.[1]

In popular culture

Ugandan Knuckles

VRChat gave rise to a meme known as "Ugandan Knuckles", in which players use in-game models of Knuckles the Echidna from the Sonic The Hedgehog series while repeating the catchphrase "Do you know the way?" in a mock African accent.[5] The players' model and mannerisms originated in a review by YouTuber Gregzilla and Forsen's Twitch stream respectively, in addition to lines from the Ugandan movie Who Killed Captain Alex?[6] This has generated controversy from many sources; Polygon's Julia Alexander labelled it "blatantly racist" and a "problematic meme", comparing it to Habbo Hotel raids,[7] and Jay Hathaway of The Daily Dot called it a "racist caricature".[6] The creator of the 3D model used in the meme expressed regret for having made it, and urged players that they "do not use this to bug the users of VRChat."[8] In response, the developers of the game published an open letter on Medium, stating that they were developing "new systems to allow the community to better self moderate" and asking users to use the built-in muting features.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Alexander, Julia (December 22, 2017). "VRChat is a bizarre phenomenon that has Twitch, YouTube obsessed". Polygon. Vox Media, Inc. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  2. ^ Forrest, Derek (February 1, 2017). "'VRChat' Is A Social Platform, A Dev Sandbox, And A Step In The Right Direction". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  3. ^ Jecks, Chris (January 8, 2018). "VRChat: Do You Need a VR Headset to Play?". Twinfinite. Archived from the original on February 24, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
  4. ^ "VRChat Valve Index Support and the Gesture Toggle System". Medium. VRChat Inc. May 31, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  5. ^ MacGregor, Collin (January 9, 2018). "Controversial 'Ugandan Knuckles' Meme Has Infested VRChat". Heavy.com. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  6. ^ a b Hathaway, Jay (January 10, 2018). "How Ugandan Knuckles turned VRChat into a total trollfest". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on January 14, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  7. ^ Alexander, Julia (January 8, 2018). "'Ugandan Knuckles' is overtaking VRChat". Polygon. Vox Media, Inc. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  8. ^ Tamburro, Paul (January 8, 2018). "Creator of VRChat's 'Ugandan Knuckles' Meme Regrets His Decision". GameRevolution. Archived from the original on January 10, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  9. ^ Alexander, Julia (January 10, 2018). "VRChat team speaks up on player harassment in open letter". Polygon. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  10. ^ a b Wilde, Tyler (January 10, 2018). "VRChat's surge in popularity has created a bizarre scene". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on January 12, 2018. Retrieved January 13, 2018. Second Life developer Linden Lab has been working on a similar concept, called Sansar, Microsoft now has the reins of Altspace, and there are surely many other sandbox-y VR social experiences in the works.

External links

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