{"id":88256,"date":"2019-03-13T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-13T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2019\/03\/talking_point_we_shouldnt_saddle_labo_vr_with_unrealistic_expectations"},"modified":"2019-03-13T18:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-03-13T18:00:00","slug":"talking-point-we-shouldnt-saddle-labo-vr-with-unrealistic-expectations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2019\/03\/13\/talking-point-we-shouldnt-saddle-labo-vr-with-unrealistic-expectations\/","title":{"rendered":"Talking Point: We Shouldn’t Saddle Labo VR With Unrealistic Expectations"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"QGoggles\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

Nintendo\u2019s long-rumoured foray into virtual reality with Labo: VR Kit<\/a><\/strong> has set some heads spinning with dreams of high-end experiences featuring all manner of Nintendo franchises. Imagine Mario Kart VR<\/strong> on Switch!<\/em> they say. What about Animal Crossing VR<\/strong>! Where\u2019s Metroid Prime Trilogy VR<\/strong>-astered?!<\/em> Okay, we made up that last one, but we\u2019re sure the idea must be on a forum somewhere.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve already taken a look at the pros and the cons<\/a> of Nintendo\u2019s upcoming toe-dip into the world of VR, and while the company wisely kept the announcement low-key \u2013 releasing a press release<\/a> with very little fanfare \u2013 the lack of game footage or simulated screenshots gives enthusiastic fans a blank canvas on which to scrawl their imaginings based on the more advanced VR experiences available elsewhere.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s only natural to compare what we\u2019ve seen to concepts we\u2019re already familiar with, but unlike the initial Labo offerings, those \u2018VR\u2019 initials conjure up some serious expectations that risk being hopelessly dashed by the end product. Nintendo repeatedly said that Labo was aimed \u2018at kids and kids at heart\u2019, but that didn\u2019t stop some<\/em> of us being disappointed. It’s right there in the press release title<\/a> \u2013 ‘shareable, simple VR gaming experiences’ \u2013 but despite all the warning signs, it seems that once again<\/em> people are setting themselves up for disappointment when Labo VR doesn\u2019t measure up to expectations, ignoring what the cardboard oddity really is<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot<\/a><\/figure>\n

It’s an introduction to VR for kids; a ‘taster’, plain and simple. If there was any doubt from the promo art and the stated intentions of the Labo product line, a video from a VR developer that we reported on just yesterday<\/a> highlights the Goggles\u2019 fixed (and relatively narrow) Inter Pupillary Distance, meaning it\u2019s designed for smaller heads. That\u2019s not to say that us \u2018kids at heart\u2019 can\u2019t enjoy it (the cranially-gifted of us notwithstanding), but we aren’t the target demographic; never have been, never will be.<\/p>\n

All that said, there\u2019s still plenty<\/em> of scope for this kit to entertain, just so long as we consider its context and technical limitations. For one thing, the graphics and art design of the games will have to account for a mightily reduced resolution. That\u2019s not to say Nintendo can\u2019t work with restrictions \u2013 the company\u2019s experience handling stereoscopic 3D at low resolutions on 3DS will be invaluable \u2013 but dividing the Switch\u2019s 720p screen between two eyeballs means you\u2019ll be going up close and personal with those pixels. The result needn\u2019t be \u2018ugly\u2019, but any decent workaround will involve some creative artistic choices. Latency presents another<\/em> significant hurdle that must be negotiated if this is to function well. Nintendo has form in tailoring software to work around hardware limitations, and we\u2019d hope the company has learnt from the VR boom of the past few years, and<\/em> from its own past mistakes.<\/p>\n

We shouldn\u2019t expect too much from controls, either. While the Joy-Con gyros are adequate for general rotation and aiming, they\u2019re easily confused and require manual resets \u2013 something we\u2019ve been used to since the Wii days with Skyward Sword<\/a><\/strong>. The lack of positional tracking means \u2018look to aim\u2019 mechanics are likely to be Labo VR\u2019s meat-and-potatoes input; again, not a problem in itself, but it limits the potential number of gameplay applications.<\/p>\n

\"LABO\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

We\u2019d wager that neither our patience or the strapless cardboard of the Toy-Con itself is going to withstand prolonged periods pressed to our sweaty brows; anyone getting their hopes up for an immersive Mario Kart<\/a><\/strong> or Skyrim VR<\/a><\/strong> patch is asking for trouble \u2013 we should be thinking Wii Play<\/a><\/strong> rather than Wii Sports<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

While everything until now may read like we\u2019re sending Debbie Downer to the Labo VR launch party (on the contrary \u2013 we\u2019re still convinced there\u2019s loads<\/em> of potential for delightful experiences), we\u2019re just keen to keep our expectations in check. There\u2019s arguably no better company in the industry to make this work with the kit\u2019s inherent restrictions. With details still thin on the ground, it\u2019s fascinating to speculate as to what the kits could<\/em> have in store.<\/p>\n

Looking at the revealed VR Toy-Con, their various forms (and the images surrounding them) give us some clues about what to expect. The Blaster is blindingly obvious, the missile on the promo poster indicating that \u2013 shock!<\/em> \u2013 you\u2019ll be shooting projectiles with it. The fish swimming around the boy brandishing the Camera suggest a little underwater photography is on the menu (we can imagine plunging into the ocean in a cage and gaining points by snapping the various forms of marine life). The planet and stars surrounding the kid with the Goggles indicate there\u2019s a little stargazing on the horizon, too. So far, so predictable.<\/p>\n