I woke up from a nap and started questioning reality.

[Ericshelpdesk]

I've been rifting now since last Friday for a few hours here and have been having a blast with it. This afternoon I played Dear Esther for about 10 minutes and then took a nap. When I woke up I got the weird feeling that reality wasn't "right" anymore. Things look "off", and everything seems too close, or too far away, or too fake to be real.

I really can't explain it much further than that, and the feeling seems to be fading the longer I'm awake. I can look at this clinically and realize that I'm a little bit crazy and just get over it, but the ability the rift has had to put me in that state of mind speaks to the awesome power it has to create a new reality.

Can't wait for the consumer version now to see if real reality becomes just one of those places I go.

[Direlight]

It's psychosomatic reaction unless someone can demonstrate the Rift altering brain wave patterns even after use. Long-term effects might be very real though, that's why ergonomics seem to be big with Palmer since he is a heavy user himself.


Disassociation can be a mental illness, so maybe it's stressed induced and the Rift triggered it.

If this was brain or Retina VR, I'd be more concerned but we're looking at lenses & screens.




Eye fatigue, eye strain, electric shock, and motion sickness/vertigo are the main issues with VR that I see. Maybe some horror games too.

[colocolo]

that sounds strange. Yeah, video games can have a really great effect on the brain.
At the weekend i played for a few hours Crysis 3 Mulitplayer and as i went to sleep i experienced
for the first time that my brain was out of control. It kept playing Crysis 3 MP everytime i closed my eyes. New enemies appeared and i started to play it, literally.
I had to stay awake for a few hours.
Lets hope VR wont become a disaster to mankind.

[Direlight]

Lets hope that VR wont become a disaster to mankind

Mankind is so destructive that a hardcore addiction like VR would probably ease many problems. Especially if you live in US or downward countries, reality is a polluted cess pit you have little control of.

VR people would consume less resources and probably be more inclined to get things done via automation.

The "dark side" of VR is of course using it for drone warfare or living your whole life in it, which probably will happen.

[Trabbi]

Wasnt there a thread about something similar here?

Sounds a bit like derealization. I got something that feels like this sometimes when I'm very tried and/or doing hard physical work or sports. I'm not very fit at this time.

I hope the rift won't affect me like this

[Marulu]

There were some people on reddit a few weeks ago who experienced the same you did.
There also are some who stop to associate themselves with their own body after VR usage.

[Trabbi]

There were some people on reddit a few weeks ago who experienced the same you did.
There also are some who stop to associate themselves with their own body after VR usage.

Depersonalization, I know someone who had this for a few days, that's really scary.

The worst thing a computergame did to me was that I saw parts of the hud when I closed my eyes, or the health bar of some enemies, I hope the rift won't change that

[unsilentwill]

Let there be no mistake, you will continue to experience reality optimally.

Your response has been noted and authorities are on course to take appropriate action to repair faculties that may have been damaged in your temporary delusional state.

Thank you and have a nice day.

[Pokey]

I get this way sometimes when I wake up after having vivid dreams, and my Rift hasn't even arrived yet

some of us are just a little crazy

[mgood]

Yeah this type of thing happens to me often enough as it is. You just get used to it. The main rule, as always, is don't panic.

[Ziggurat]

I've been rifting now since last Friday for a few hours here and have been having a blast with it. This afternoon I played Dear Esther for about 10 minutes and then took a nap. When I woke up I got the weird feeling that reality wasn't "right" anymore. Things look "off", and everything seems too close, or too far away, or too fake to be real.

I really can't explain it much further than that, and the feeling seems to be fading the longer I'm awake. I can look at this clinically and realize that I'm a little bit crazy and just get over it, but the ability the rift has had to put me in that state of mind speaks to the awesome power it has to create a new reality.

Can't wait for the consumer version now to see if real reality becomes just one of those places I go.

Have you ever taken Acid? Could be a small flashback.

[Teddy0]

If ever you're not sure if it's real or virtual, just try to scratch your nose.


Works for me

[Ericshelpdesk]

I've been rifting now since last Friday for a few hours here and have been having a blast with it. This afternoon I played Dear Esther for about 10 minutes and then took a nap. When I woke up I got the weird feeling that reality wasn't "right" anymore. Things look "off", and everything seems too close, or too far away, or too fake to be real.

I really can't explain it much further than that, and the feeling seems to be fading the longer I'm awake. I can look at this clinically and realize that I'm a little bit crazy and just get over it, but the ability the rift has had to put me in that state of mind speaks to the awesome power it has to create a new reality.

Can't wait for the consumer version now to see if real reality becomes just one of those places I go.

Have you ever taken Acid? Could be a small flashback.

Unfortunately, no, I've never dropped acid.

If ever you're not sure if it's real or virtual, just try to scratch your nose.


Works for me

The only issue is that I felt like I wasn't real, so scratching my nose, which didn't feel real, wouldn't help.

I've mostly come out of it now, but for that first hour nothing felt real at all.

[Evenios]

ive had some thoughts like that too not after a nap though just sitting in church and wondering hmm what if theres a way to take this reality off lol silly.

[cybereality]

This happens to me sometimes if I get into an argument with someone, or am just having a bad day.

Usually I notice because the world starts to look "2D" and reality seem almost like a movie or something.

Most of the time it will go away after 2 to 3 days. Probably nothing to worry about.

[Pokey]

2 to 3 days? jeez that is long

Mine are more like panic attacks at night

they are short, but powerful

[Bleppe]

We should start a support group by the sound of it. Rifters anonymous

[DannyO]

that sounds strange. Yeah, video games can have a really great effect on the brain.
At the weekend i played for a few hours Crysis 3 Mulitplayer and as i went to sleep i experienced
for the first time that my brain was out of control. It kept playing Crysis 3 MP everytime i closed my eyes. New enemies appeared and i started to play it, literally.

I've had this type of affect after I have finished Snowboarding, when I relax on the couch I have a very strong feeling like I am still snowboarding and having to dodge things, can even happen with my eyes open if I'm not really paying attention to what I am looking at. Love this feeling though.

I get a similar feeling after I have done Autocross or Rally racing. When I am sat down stationary, I get the same type of feeling and "vision" of still racing, although it is not as strong as when I have been snowboarding. Oddly enough I don't feel it when in a car still driving around after a race, just when I become still for a while.

It will be interesting to see what the long term affects will be after a few years of a consumer version being in peoples hands, but I do worry about the fire Oculus and the industry will come under after the first killing from some guy who has been playing a FPS with the Oculus Rift, you know it'll happen eventually.

I think we will see people at both ends of the extremes for coping in a VR environment for extended periods of time, some will be able to deal with the switch from VR to Reality without issues, where as some other people may start to be very disconnected, but they continue to use VR due to what it can do for them, leading to who knows what after prolonged use.

All said and done though, I very much look forward to being my own guinea pig and seeing how it affects me.

[garagebattle]

I went through a period of disassociation about 12 years ago. Happened when I worked in a really boring job. I started having these moments of 'clarity' where I could start to focus on my actual impact on the universe. How insignificant I felt, how meaningless it all was, the reality of death. I couldnt hold the thought long because it was too powerful.



Want to mess your head up even more?



Imagine: we are in a game right now, and as VR tech gets better and better, one day we cant tell the difference, and its at that moment you come out of 'this' life...which was all just a simulation/game. there is nothing as impacting as playing the game. you begin to miss it over time, and want to do it again, even though you know that while you're in it, you wont remember anything outside it.


Reality is flimsy, and can easily be distorted by man. Dont stress over it, enjoy it for what it is.

[Ziggurat]

Imagine if a new Assassins Creed would have full VR support, then you would be playing a VR game inside a VR game.

[Nedo]

Imagine: we are in a game right now, and as VR tech gets better and better, one day we cant tell the difference, and its at that moment you come out of 'this' life...which was all just a simulation/game. there is nothing as impacting as playing the game. you begin to miss it over time, and want to do it again, even though you know that while you're in it, you wont remember anything outside it.

If you are interested in this stuff, google for Thomas Warren Campbell, a physicist and the author of the book trilogy My Big TOE.
Virtual Reality: Why It's A Better Model Than String Theory and Holographic Universe. We allready living in a VR ;-D
Very intersting stuff, but just another theory.

[Marulu]

Oculus VR is taking this really serious, they now are hiring Psychologists.

Source: http://www.oculusvr.com/careers/experim ... chologist/

[zalo]

No kidding! I wonder if this psychologist will be able to subtly manipulate the experience to lessen the dissociation effects everyone is feeling.

It might be a bodily reaction to cope with the nausea. Nauseous people don't feel dissociated, and dissociated people don't feel nauseous.



Oculus might have a better time luring the army of experimental psychologists that work at Valve...

[Valez]

No kidding! I wonder if this psychologist will be able to subtly manipulate the experience to lessen the dissociation effects everyone is feeling.

Some are not everyone.

[...]This afternoon I played Dear Esther for about 10 minutes [...]

Some strange feelings during or after gameplay with Vireio may be due to Vireio rendering both cameras alternating.