I would have agreed with you both 100% before I tried VR. Story WAS everything. It just does not mater now, truly. And Ill prove it to you... Well, prove it as long as you can except a few of my premises as correct
For the sake of conversation lets say this is really happening to you right now...
Imagine your walking home from a party, or a meeting or whatever. Its Dark, real late, and no one is around but the jogger just ahead of you. Suddenly a figure in a mask comes out of the tree line along the path. The figure grabs hold of the jogger and stabs and slashes. Then another figure comes out of the tree line but this one heads at you in a full charge. you turn and run.
Are you thinking about any persons backstory here? Even your own? You should have just one thing on your mind and it should not even be as complex as a thought. Just Run.
What is your heart doing? Pumping adrenaline enough to kill a bear I would think. Complex thoughts in your mind moving at light speed.
And that fear.
Fear is not the only thing is it though? We have lots of words for it, like the Alaskans have words for snow. Dread, for example, as you hide behind a tree unsure of where the two figures are now.
It only seems like a story because its written. But none of these things would be explained in VR, they simply are. And once you have suspended disbelief, that's all she wrote.
Even lousy graphics and no story are completely immersive so long as a few foundational things are done right.
I demoed a game called crystal rift.
http://www.crystalrift.com. No story really in the demo, just a few hints, and the world was completely off in terms of scale (size of spaces and things) Vs. realty. But I only made it 2-3 "jump scares" before I had to turn the scare part off in order to explore the demo and try to understand how it was made. It was really heart stopping, but really silly. I would not have felt any fear at all seeing it on a tv or computer screen, none. But in VR it is not the same. Its just not the same. IT is so much like reality, that your body completely agrees with what your eyes and ears tell it, what you know does not mater at all.
OF course I have not demoed Doom in VR, or normal either, so I cant say. But Im telling you if it is a good game, it will be better in VR . And if its a very scary game, it will be worse in VR. so long as it is ported properly, and follows the rules of VR.
Having said all that, better graphics makes it all the better in general, in VR, thats for sure.
But yeah, I still want story too, Im just saying that its not necessary to make a good game. Doom looks like it has a story, a crazy messed up story, but a story. And once you are in it it wont mater very much what that story is.
I want to demp it in VR on the public release of rift. But Im not too interested in playing it in the normal way. Either way I would not buy it... probably.
