Archives for “Game Systems”

This looks like the closest thing yet to a real-life holodeck! The Virtusphere is (as the name suggests) a large hollow sphere which sits on a set of computer monitored wheels. This allows the sphere to rotate a complete 360º whilst still allowing the computer to track the movments. For more information please visit www.hack247.co.uk No related posts.


The ill fated GamePro TV did a 1991 “Cutting Edge” feature on the original Virtuality arcade systems, including footage from their premier multi-player Dactyl Nightmare title. Be careful not to fry your eyeballs on host J.D. Roth’s outfit; did anyone actually dress like this? Roth incorrectly attributes the system to Spectrum Holobyte, who was for [...] Related posts:

  1. Aftershock and a Fashion Emergency
  2. All Brawn – Virtuality 1000CS HMD
  3. Urinated in His Pants?


Flashback to 1992. My Silicon Graphics rep, Len, walks in the door with a guy from Sportland,  a mega entertainment center down near the auto-malls north of Philadelphia. You know: pizza, birthday parties, arcade games, bumper cars, tokens, and more tokens. They’re both hyped on the potential of VR in the arcades (I thought that [...] Related posts:

  1. CYBERSEX – You’ll Never Buy An X-Rated Video Again!


On it’s way to the Whistlestop, this VR system (1 of 10 on tour) makes a stop at Louisville’s channel 32 early, early morning show. Perfect makeup notwithstanding, I don’t think the host was thinking that anything below the belt would be on camera. She wore the wrong skirt, for sure. These VR systems were [...] Related posts:

  1. Yet Another Fashion Emergency – J D Roth Talks Virtuality on GamePro TV


You know the wave has crested when Regis and Kathie Lee make your specialty an early morning featurette. Reeg hams it up beautifully. If it hadn’t been for that 3:30am load in, it might have been perfect. Dave Polinchock provides expert narration. Quick glimpse of an SGI Indigo on the left, and the Virtual Research [...] Related posts:

  1. Myron Kruger Takes a Spin in the Flight Helmet
  2. Warning Will Robinson, Warning!
  3. Nothing New Under the Sun!


Proving that VR doesn’t automatically lead to hurling the intrepid subject of this 1995 video wolfs down a cornucopia of fast food and hops on some VR games at Toronto’s CN Tower. The manager of the arcade facility prevaricates a bit, telling us that while he’s never seen chunks, peeing one’s pants is an actual [...] Related posts:

  1. All Brawn – Virtuality 1000CS HMD
  2. Meet My Friend “Ralph”
  3. Yet Another Fashion Emergency – J D Roth Talks Virtuality on GamePro TV


IAPPA 1999 brought us another stand-up VR system from New York based HeadGames, the VR2000. Based on the Forte consumer head mounted display, the VR2000 also featured the “Player Retainer.” Initially I thought this was some special magic which ensured repeat play, as HeadGames projected up to $3,000/mo. revenue for this $25k system. To my [...] Related posts:

  1. Display Mounted Head? – Kimera
  2. Urinated in His Pants?
  3. Another Gyro VR – Orbotron X O Tron VR


The Kimera game system from Immersive Technologies appeared at the 1995 IAAPA show with a solution to the VR arcade’s most vexing challenge: how to keep the helmets from being damaged or stolen without a full time attendant. Taking their cue from the Fakespace Boom, Kimera had a floating/pivoting display, to which the game player [...] Related posts:

  1. Another Gyro VR – Orbotron X O Tron VR
  2. Arcade “Player Retainer” – HeadGames VR2000
  3. Narrow Field of View is Good… – CyberEye 100


1995 brought us yet another Gyro based VR Game system, the X-O-Tron VR, a descendant of the original non-electronic gyro-exercise system, the Orbotron. Initially inspired by the March 1992 release of Lawnmower Man, the first gyro VR systems appeared that summer (full disclosure – my company built a prototype system for a client in the [...] Related posts:

  1. What to do with the Cable? – Dynamic Visions
  2. Display Mounted Head? – Kimera
  3. Myron Kruger Takes a Spin in the Flight Helmet