When it comes to VR content, there is a wide range of comfort settings that can make a big difference in the overall experience for players. For both seasoned VR enthusiasts and newcomers, understanding and having access to these settings is crucial. To help clarify this often confusing topic, here is a checklist and glossary of essential VR comfort settings that developers should clearly outline for their customers.
Update July 24th, 2024: Road to VR now offers developers private comfort design audits for XR apps. Your app will get an overall ‘Comfort Grade’ with a straightforward list of comfort issues and suggested fixes. Reach us at consult [at] roadtovr.com for details.
Let’s delve into the VR comfort settings checklist using examples from two popular games. While this list is not exhaustive, it covers many of the basic comfort settings found in VR games today. It’s essential for developers to communicate these settings clearly so that potential customers know what to expect.
Want expert insight on your app’s comfort design? Reach us at consult [at] roadtovr.com to discuss a personalized comfort design audit for your XR app.
We selected these two examples because a game like Beat Saber, although very comfortable for most players, may have many ‘n/a’ entries on the list due to its lack of artificial turning and movement. Conversely, a game like Half-Life: Alyx offers more options for player comfort with its inclusion of artificial turning and movement.
Half-Life: Alyx
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Beat Saber
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Turning
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| Artificial turning | ✔ | ✖ |
| Snap-turn | ✔ | n/a |
| Adjustable increments | ✔ | n/a |
Providing customers with this level of detail beforehand can help them make better-informed decisions when purchasing VR games.
For those new to VR, the terminology around comfort settings can be confusing. Here’s a glossary with basic definitions for each VR comfort setting.
Want expert insight on your app’s comfort design? Reach us at consult [at] roadtovr.com to discuss a personalized comfort design audit for your XR app.
Turning
- Artificial turning – Allows players to rotate their view independently of their physical orientation
Movement
- Artificial movement – Enables players to move within the virtual world independently of their real-world movements
Posture
- Standing mode – Supports gameplay while standing in the real world
Accessibility
- Subtitles – Includes subtitles for dialogue and interface elements
While this list is not exhaustive, it serves as a starting point for better communication between developers and players regarding VR comfort settings. For developers looking to explore different locomotion methods, the Locomotion Vault is a valuable resource. Additionally, players seeking more accessibility options can explore the WalkinVR custom locomotion driver.
