E-Book Your Guide to Buying a Successful VR Attraction for Your Entertainment Venue

e-book Your Guide to Buying a Successful VR Attraction for Your Entertainment Venue

expert opinions of tech innovators EBOOK : EDUCATIONAL 2021 introduction

There is a lot of talk regarding Location-Based Virtual Reality whether it’s a solid attraction or a passing trend. People wonder if it’s profitable, easy to operate, and so on.

In this e-book, you will learn what to look for in a VR System for guaranteed success! Check out the most important things to consider if you want to add a VR Attraction to your entertainment venue!

This subject is tackled based on 3 perspectives, as they are all linked together, and they contribute to a successful or a failed investment.

The Technology Part - the hardware and everything it entails, the Content Part – namely VR games, and the Management Part - the dos and don’ts of opera- ting a VR System at your location - these are all important elements that will contribute to the success of your investment!

WE ARE #innovators INOVATE Making VRa Profitable Investment VR Management chapter 3 Quality ContentisVital Virtual RealityGames chapter 2 VR Attraction forYour Center vr technology-Choosing theRight introduction e-book Chapter 1 inowize.com

CONTENT 26-29 22-25 05-21 02-03 21 23 27

VR CONTENT the footprint 32-33 GADGETS CONTROLLERS AND about vr let’s talk INVESTMENT making VRAPROFITABLE vr games king in vrcontentis 19-20 vr technology

Types of VR Technologies

There are a lot of different types of VR attractions out there that are used in entertainment centers. Broadly speaking, there are 4 types: tethered, wireless, simulators, and large-scale free-roam systems. 01 02 03 04 Tethered VR Wireless VR VR Simulators Large-scale System System (Free-Roam) Free-Roam System Tethered vs. Free-Roam

find out the advantages and disadvantages of each type of vr system

5 Choosing the Right VR Attraction for Your Center

6 01 Tethered VR VR SYSTEM

7 System TETHERED VR SYSTEM chapter 01 Tethered VR System

In a tethered system, a powerful and high-quality VR Headset is connected through a cable to computers that run the VR games. It’s quite simple, each headset is connected via a wire to a computer. The most used VR headsets for this setup are HTC Vive Pro Headsets, Valve Index, and others. As computers are concerned, they are VR-ready computers, this means they are high-end PCs, built using the latest parts, to assure a sturdy operation without tech failures.

The most used VR headsets for this setup are HTC Vive Pro Headsets.

Advantages of a Tethered VR System and why is it the most used Location-Based VR

The content is way better (as the tethered VR gives more graphical de- 01 tails as it’s running the game from the high-end computer).

They are very reliable, the physical connection, the wire link between the headset and the computer give you a steady stream of data. You won’t 02 have any interruptions during the games.

The VR-ready computers allow you to play complex VR games with really high-quality graphics, and, as you’ll see further on, content is king in 03 VR.

8 TETHERED VR SYSTEM chapter 01

Advantages of a Tethered VR System and why is it the most used Location-Based VR

Headsets like the HTC Vive Pro have a proven track record in commercial 04 use. They are sturdy, dependable and they don’t break easily.

Safety. Tethered VR systems pin the user in a certain spot. They can move to a certain extent, but they don’t go running off or bumping into 05 other guests.

Operational flow. These kinds of systems are very commercial friendly and very practical. The guests go into the arena, an operator helps them with the headsets, an easy task, and they are ready to go. When 06 they’re done, wipe the headsets with an antibacterial tissue, and the next group can play.

Many wireless solutions take longer to equip compared to the tethered systems. Again, when you have a lot of customers, that time you lose preparing everyone for the upcoming game will reflect on your earnings.

9 TETHERED VR SYSTEM chapter 01

disAdvantages of a Tethered VR System

The wire used to connect the headset to the computer might get dis- connected or broken sometimes and it’s important to find a vendor 01 that helps you with spares and parts fast with zero hustle.

Limited movement inside the VR environment because users are pinned in one spot. However, in Arkadia VR Arena games, players can teleport inside the VR environment using special platforms, or they constantly 02 respawn in different locations in the map of the game. We found a lot of ways to deal with the mobility issue and still retain the immersion factor.

10 02 Wireless VR free-roam VR SYSTEM

11System Wireless VR System (Free-Roam) chapter 01 Wireless VR System

A Free-Roam VR option doesn’t use any sort of wires, hence making it easier for people to move around in the dedicated space. These systems use either a standaloneheadset (it’s similar to the parts of a mobile phone assembled inside the headset) - like the Oculus Quest, or a VR backpack computer, or another type of mobile technology.

Advantages of a Free-Roam VR system 01 Free of movement.

The gameplay might bring more complexity in some situa- tions, as it is tailored for space and has certain immersive 02 sensations.

r 03 Customers have a larger space to move around in.

12 Wireless VR System (Free-Roam) chapter 01

disAdvantages of a Free-Roam VR System

If the connection fails, even for a short while, you’ll either experience 01 glitches inside the game, or your game will stop altogether.

Battery life. All mobile or wireless devices function using batteries and they all have a life-span of about 2-3 hours, but take around 3-4 hours 02 to fully recharge.

VR games. Using mobile or wireless technologies will not allow you to 03 run complex or high-quality graphics games.

Concerns regarding the safety of guests. For multiplayer games, you have a huge chance of people bumping into each other, or losing their 04 balance and falling, hurting themselves, or damaging the equipment.

13 what’s better? chapter 01 what’s better? Tethered or Free-Roam?

Depending on what your requirements are for a Virtual Reality System, you have to analyze if the technology is reliable as well as the games you’re offering.

If you want to create a great experience for your guests, one they cannot get at home, then a tethered option is what you should be aiming for.

However, if you are looking for more complex gameplay, maybe fre- e-roam would be a fit.

14 03 VR Simulators VR SYSTEM

15 VR Simulators chapter 01 VR Simulators

Virtual Reality Simulators are usually experiences designed for 1 or 2 people. This sort of solution can bring a lot of immersion as they use wind, moving platforms, and other elements. VR simulators don’t take a big amount of space and maintain the ease of useand high tech performance that we see in VR Arenas, as most of them are using premium VR Equipment.

Advantages of a VR Simulator

They take a small amount of space and they can fit in most 01 entertainment centers as an arcade game.

Most of the available VR Simulators out there maintain a high stan- 02 dard in terms of graphics quality

Easy to install, basically you just move it from a container into your 03 center.

16 VR Simulators chapter 01

disAdvantages of a VR Simulator

Only 2 people can enjoy the experience at a time, which can affect 01 your throughput.

If the game is bad the guests can easily get motion sickness and 02 never play it again.

The gameplay can get boring pretty fast for your guests (they only 03 sit in one place, enjoying the VR experience).

17 large scale free roam system chapter 01

When it comes to these types of attractions, they use a different type of wireless technology, but take a lot of space, they cost a lot of money, and they require a location with really huge traffic to make them profitable. 04 LargeYOUR IMAGE scale IS HERE free-roam

systems VR SYSTEM

18 The issue

Most of the well-known systems out there have about the same footprint for a 4-player system (especially tethered solutions). There isn’t a standard here but, you don’t want the space to be too small and have people bumping into each other. At the same time, you also don’t want to use a lot of unnecessary space. The Footprint

With simulators, you are looking at a smaller footprint (it depends a lot on the set-up but they usually talk 2/3 of the space an Arena would) while the Free Roam solutions are usually taking a lot more space, around double/triple the space of an Arena or sometimes even more.

19 Our recommendation

We tested a lot with the required space and found a solution that works for us. For example, the Arkadia 4-Player System is about 14.8 ft x 14.8 ft x 8.7 ft (4.5 m x 4.5 m x 2.6m), and our 6-Player system is about 14.8 ft x 20 ft x 8.7 ft (4.5 m x 6 m x 2.6 m).

arkadia vr solutions

Note: Right now, Arkadia is the only small-scale VR attraction with a 6 Player capacity. The best part about the 6-Player system is that it brings 50% more income than the 4-Player system. In those busy days and hours, that 50% will make a difference, and over time that difference will really add up.

the footprint chapter 01

20 01 When choosing a VR system for your facility, focus on safety, quality, and ease of use.

chapter Every system comes with a specific controller that you use in VR games. For example, Arkadia VR Arena inserts the HTC Vive controller in a light-weight gun prop and it works fine, or you can just use the controllers by themselves.

You need to consider how heavy your controller is and how easily manageable. You might find options that are big and heavy and that will put a huge strain on little kids that might drop the controller and damage it.

This advice is also true about any extra gadgets: treadmills, motion platforms, trackers, extra controllers, and so on. They might look cool but they might not be as efficient as you think. If it takes longer to get your customers equipped, that extra time will translate into lost revenue. Plus, you’re going to have extra pieces of hardware that may at some point glitch or break down.

Again, my point is that you should consider all the possibilities before making a purchase. Controllers and Gadgets

21 CHAPTER 2

vr 22 games in vr content is king

CHAPTER 2 VR GAMES

When you put the VR headset on, you are entering another world, you are going on an adventure, joining a competition, doing everything you wanted to, but the real-life limits stopped you. Don’t you want the experience you’re offering to your guests to be entertaining? Don’t you want that world to look good, to be immersive?

If you have bad content in VR is like trying Developing VR experiences that are high- to play bowling on a broken down lane, end is the key when it comes to Location- and this brings zero points to the guest Based VR. The games have to be appealing experience that you want to create! to the public and profitable to location owners.

chapter 02 vr solutions arkadia

Arkadia VR Arena has an exclusive game library with content made in-house. The VR System combines the quality of the experience with the thrills of socializing to create an end-to-end seamless customer journey. All games are family- friendly and appeal to a wide audience.

23 What makes VR an experience and not just a game?

High-quality graphics

High-quality graphics make the games more appealing to your audience, increase the immersion factor, and they give the game a much better overall feel. The graphics are point zero in the entire experience. Engaging and dynamic gameplay

A great game has to involve players, to make them believe they are part of that scenario, to give them something unique to do. Moreover, competitive games are much more engaging than the ones that are player versus environment. Why? Well, it’s all about interaction, of people enjoying time with their close group (especially during these times).

High-replay value

An extremely valuable trait for location-based VR games is replay value. If the games are good enough, people will play them again and again, and they will tell others. From our experience, PvP competitive games have the biggest replay value.

Specific game time

Game duration is also an important factor that influences throughput and revenue. For example, Arkadia’s games have about 5 minutes of game time, but they are very intense and very absorbing. Customers love it, and owners have a great throughput rate. But also things are different for any venue, depending on the city, country, continent and we’ve developed a solution that allows the owner to select the best gameplay time for his location and his guests.

Appealing to a wide audience

Games should be appealing to a wide audience, or you should have a library of games fit for different audiences. For example, our games work amazingly for both kids’ birthday parties and corporate events.

24 DEMOGRAPHICS chapter 02

When it comes to a Virtual Reality System, you want to know who you want to target. This means that you must look at the local demographics.

Think about your audience

suggestions solutions

VR is slowly growing to By knowing this, it will be easier for you to determine general consumer usage, what type of VR attraction and content would work for as there are headsets that them. If your target audience is kids and family, you’ll are affordable for the user want to choose a VR System that can be easily enjoyed to buy, that your guests by this target audience. This means content that’s not can purchase at home and scary and can be fun for the whole family! it’s so important to choose the right set-up. With a VR System, you can easily organize perfect events for them. You can host VR gaming tournaments, A Virtual Arena is what private events, birthday parties, team buildings, awards a facility needs in order and competitions, festivals, parties. This will guarantee to attract more guests! you a bigger number of visitors and However, the focus should will trigger online posts. There are plenty of occasions to be on the experience the celebrate, from private events to Halloween or Children’s guest is having! Day, and you can even come up with your own special days that are safe for your audience. The goal is for your guests to interact with one another and have lots of Offer a unique experience your guests fun! This can be easily can’t get at home with a VR Arena! done through high-quality and engaging VR content.

25 CHAPTER 3

MAKING VR A PROFITABLE INVESTMENT

26 VR Arenas have displays, thus a great attract mode, but if you don’t put it in plain view, or if you don’t advertise it well enough, that’s not going to be good for business. And sometimes guests are shy to ask. If they don’t ask and you don’t tell them, your new arena is just going to sit there in the corner without customers.

When you first get a VR arena in If your facility’s design allows you your center, promote it like crazy! to place the VR arena in plain view, Use social media, newsletters, an- actively tell your customers about ything that you have at your dispo- it, advertise it on social media, sal. Come up with special prices and the results will start coming. and package deals. Your goal is to grab people’s attention and to get the word of mouth going. Virtual Reality is a great attraction with a huge novelty factor, but you can’t expect it to generate income on its own, without you and your staff promoting it.

Do package deals, especially for If you have Player versus Player birthday parties and corporate games in your library, organize a events, Virtual Reality is amazing tournament. Invite clients in, give for events. Combine VR with other out a little prize for the winners attractions and do special deals. – money, redemption tickets or Once in a while, discount the pri- gifts, whatever you want. ces for the VR arena for the entire weekend. Virtual Reality is no longer a new attraction, it has a proven track record and it’s here to stay. VR systems can be very profitable for your business but there’s a couple of things you have to do:

27 HOW TO Successfully Operate It

28 how to successfully operate it

Usually, Virtual Reality systems should be easy to operate (this means that they most often require only one of your staff members and it quite hassle-free) Turnkey VR Solutions shouldn’t need a lot of work to be managed, as you should be able to get a lot of people in during a short amount of time.

Needless to say, when looking for a Virtual Reality solution, considering a provider that’ll offer learning materials, 24/7 support is a must, as certain operational aspe- cts can arise at any time. Here is what you have to keep in mind for having a huge success with a Virtual Reality Attraction! 01 02 03

Carefully choose what Research for the most Make sure it’s easy type of VR attraction you reliable technology! to use and you have purchase so it meets good tech support. your needs 04 05

Get a VR System that Put in the work and comes with high- promote your attraction. quality games!

29 let’s talk about vr!