If you play VR games, I am interested in feedback regarding these intensity levels. Is there a higher level that your mind can tolerate better than a lower level of Room Motion? Is there something not listed that you think should be? I’d love to hear your input!
Levels of Room Motion Intensity
Level 0: No Room Motion
If the player needs to move to a different location in the game, a translocation device or some sort is used. A common method of this is a “teleport here” selection, with either no travel time between the locations or a short fade to a solid color and fade back transition.
The game Budget Cuts has a neat way of handling this non-locomotion translocation action.
Some games will use an animated zoom effect between two teleported locations to help players understand visually where they are traveling. These usually have comfort blinders that reduce the view to a window for where the player is going. I consider these to be level 1.
Level 1: Basic player Enacted Locomotion
Traveling using a joystick, touchpad, or button press with the controller facing the direction of travel are common actions. There are requirements that when input from the player stops, the movement stops as well. This level allows for deviations in turning (yaw only), but not in roll (falling over), or pitch (walking up a wall). An example would be Rec Room’s default movement option “walkers.”
Level 2: Advanced Player Enacted Locomotion
Much like level 1, but after the player input ends an understandably expected direction of travel continues, such as traveling by vehicle or by maintained momentum. Jet Island is an example of a game that does this.
Level 3: Uncontrolled Locomotion Events Outside of the Player’s Direct Control
These uncontrolled events cause movement of the player’s POV (Point of View), but can reasonably be expected by the player. i.e. a user pushing their head into a wall, and their position is virtually held inside the room. Riding a roller coaster while being able to see the track, or at least having an idea of where the vehicle being ridden is taking you. A player’s room position deciding if they should fall down a cliff ledge.
Level 4: Space like player enacted locomotion
Like level 2, but allows pitch and roll room rotations as well. Generally, this only occurs in zero gravity space like simulations.
Level 5: Uncontrolled unexpected locomotion
Events outside of the player’s direct control causes movement of the player’s POV. An unseen NPC shoving the player around. A vehicle the player doesn’t control moving them. An otherwise level 0 game that has a trigger that pushes the user to a new location.
Level 6: Non-Euclidean
A level upon itself. The majority of players, even the most seasoned veterans of Virtual Reality, will have difficulty playing a non-euclidean game.
Comfort Options
A+: The developers display a clear understanding of Room Motion mitigation options, with options to provide additional room presence, reduce player vision during Room Motion, or remove Room Motion entirely by providing alternate control options.
A: Comfort options are available for the majority of primary gameplay. Room Motion unmitigated sections may exist.
B: Comfort options exist, but large sections of primary gameplay still has unmitigated Room Motion.
F: No comfort options available, and are needed for primary gameplay.
Games I've Reviewed for Room Motion
Check out my Steam Currator VR Motion to see games a list of VR games that have Room Motion, and what kinds of Room Motion they have.
