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The closest thing we have to a Grand Theft Auto holodeck

And it will only cost you a thousand dollars.

 

Dennis Scimeca

Internet Culture

Posted on Apr 17, 2015   Updated on May 29, 2021, 1:23 am CDT

If you think virtual-reality rigs are nothing but toys for extreme video-game enthusiasts and the wealthy, you haven’t seen anything yet.

Someone’s done the Steam VR system one better, in terms of allowing users to physically move around in a virtual environment. The Virtuix Omni system is an omni-directional treadmill coupled with waist support that prevents the user from running off the treadmill, no matter which direction they move in. A VR rig and controller complete the package.

In this demonstration, a Virtuix Omni user puts the hardware through its paces, taking a run and a drive through Los Santos in Grand Theft Auto V.

You can pre-order a Virtuix Omni system for $700, but that doesn’t include a VR rig itself like the Oculus Rift, or any kind of controller like the gun being used in the demo. You’re probably looking at over a thousand dollars when all’s said and done to make use of the Virtuix Omni. If you have that kind of money, this would make for one hell of a conversation piece.

Screengrab via Virtuix Omni/YouTube

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*First Published: Apr 17, 2015, 1:07 pm CDT