Oh man, where to even start with Beat Saber? You might think it’s all about rhythm and music. Well, not quite. Okay, picture this—a game defined by music but actually about how you move. Sounds strange, right? But hear me out.
First off, Beat Saber isn’t your typical rhythm game. Yeah, there’s music booming—beats that get your heart racing. But, funnily enough, the game’s not really about hitting a rhythm; it’s about motion. I know, weird huh? You could whack a block as soon as it’s in reach or at the very last second, and you’d still score the same. Timing? Not the deal here.
So, what’s really going on? It’s all about how you move your arms. Like, big swings and precise cuts through the center are what rack up your points. They’re literally forcing you to move a certain way. Isn’t that kind of genius? It’s like a dance—the music helps, but the motion is the star of the show.
And here’s the kicker: this concept, which I’ve dubbed “Instructed Motion,” can totally be a thing for VR games with zero music involved. Yeah, believe it or not, this idea isn’t glued to music at all.
Let’s take Until You Fall, for instance. Not a rhythm game at all, but still embracing Instructed Motion like nobody’s business. You’re not just swinging wildly; you’re guided. There’s something about a game telling you how it wants you to move—it’s like being choreographed in combat. And if you’re thinking, “But, physics-based VR is where it’s at,” hold up. Imagine Beat Saber with no patterns, just chaos. Not the same kind of fun, right?
Here’s where it gets super interesting. The combat in Until You Fall pushes you into specific actions—blocking, dodging, attacking. When you block, you’re in defense mode. Forces you to react to enemy strikes, creating feeling and tension. Like being caught in a storm of attacks. You gotta react, and fast.
Then, dodging. Sliding with a thumbstick isn’t the same as actually moving your body, right? It’s way more engaging. And when you’re attacking, it’s not just mindless bashing. You’re swinging wide, hitting precisely, feeling like a fighter—and it’s exhilarating when it all comes together.
Control, precision, emotion. Instructed Motion crafts all that chaos into something more structured, more enjoyable. Imagine feeling powerful instead of just lost in the frenzy.
It’s all this organized chaos that gives VR games like these their edge and keeps them fun. Motion really does equal emotion in VR. Weird but true, huh?
