Hi guys and welcome back to Technology Reviews! First of all, thanks to everyone who’s read my post https://technologyreviews303589869.wordpress.com/2020/01/31/technology-through-the-years-how-technology-has-changed-2009-2019-2020/. Before writing it, I never expected it to get as many views as it has, so I’d like to thank you a lot.
Since getting that post out, I’ve also managed to set up a few more social medias for this blog. You can still follow me on my personal Twitter account: @Phoebslyle, or on my personal Instagram account: therealphoebslyle. But if you want to follow my business Instagram for here, it is: technologyreviewsuk, and the Twitter is @TechReviewsUK_. You may have also seen I’ve been starting work on a new Podcast for Technology Reviews, which you can find by searching for Phoebs Lyle on Soundcloud.
So if you’ve been keeping an eye on my personal Twitter account, you’ll have seen that on 8th January, I celebrated my 22nd birthday. As well as the Turtle Beach headset _ which was featured in my Christmas blog but was actually meant to be for my birthday _ I got a lot of other stuff, as well as a new Blue Snowball ICE to replace the one I thought I lost but only ended having lost the cable _ which I will review as soon as I get through a whole lot of other ones.
I got up at half ten, and then got a lift up to VR City _ where I was booked in for 12 o, clock. I had a brilliant time, and after I finished, I got a Subway for lunch, before coming back home for 4. My full thoughts on my day at VR City are below.
VR City is a Virtual Reality arcade at Cityside, Northern Ireland _ offering Single and Multiplayer games, and doing experiences for ages 7+. You have a choice of 8 VR Stations _ 4 VR machines _ including a VR futuristic bike; Spacepods; a shotgun and a race car _ or 4 VR Booths _ and over 280 games! They have accessibility options available, and great wheelchair access, as well as sensory options. But I think there’s a good amount of accessibility they still need to improve on.
You get a lot of different types of games, but how accessible these are, at the minute, depends on your level of disability. I spent most of my time playing the Roller Coaster games, which you get access to by the Spacepods. They include small and big Roller Coasters, and even a Ghost Train one where various ghouls jump up at your face, but what I liked about them is how I was able to control them by moving my head. These made them feel more realistic and more creepier.
Later on, I got to try a Shooter one, but I didn’t enjoy it as much, as there was no way for me to control it using accessible controls. This is where I feel that Virtual Reality in general needs to try harder in including disabled people, which should be becoming easier with the rise in popularity of accessible controllers. First of all, you need to install a hoist so that wheelchair dependent people can get from their chairs to whichever VR Machine _ even if it’s not an overhead one, but one on wheels _ which I would prefer. But you also need to research into accessible controls for those who come in and need accessibility options, because not every wheelchair dependent person can play games in the same way as their able bodied peers. Such options could include voice control, head controls, or even accessible switches, but I am more than happy to give advice on what all is out there and what would be easier.
Nonetheless, I was able to play a large variety of games for when I was there, and the staff were very, very nice. But with just a few more adjustments, it could be even better.
Either way, I enjoyed my time, and overall, I will give VR CityX ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
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