Thanksgiving has arrived which can only mean one thing: forced interactions with family members. Some of these interactions will be pleasent. Others will be a bit strained and awkward. And for some of us it’ll be a dreadful night of screaming matches, intercut with tense moments filled with nothing but chewing noises and lack of eye contact. But this year can be different, because you, lovely VR user- You have a secret weapon in your arsenal. A tool that’s almost as good a social lubricant as alcohol. You have a VR headset, and after the shitstrom that was 2016, you’ll probably want to be showcasing it.

Be it a low-level Google Cardboard, or a full room dedicated to your Vive, giving VR demos to your friends and family can be the highlight of the night. But first let’s start with some basic ground rules to make sure everyone has a good time. Or tips… Yeah. Let’s call them tips. “Ground rules” sound kind of demanding.

Don’t drink and dive! Speaking of alcohol… Although VR may seem like the perfect way escape that spirited debate you’re having with Uncle Ricky about the most recent election- It’s pretty clear that he’s had too much to drink! As you already know, motion sickness can be a huge problem in VR, especially for newcomers. Adding alcohol to the mix is just straight up a bad call. Make sure you get the demos done before everyone’s stomachs are filled with wine and turkey. Keep it comfortable! Coming off the last point, I think this one’s sort of a given. Keep the experiences you showcase simple and comfortable for first time users. Remember that even though you’ve become desensitized to VR, Jance, your mom’s single friend who for some reason gets invited every year, isn’t. Simply showing her something like Google Streetview or 360 Photos can be an immersive experience for her. Also, avoid games with tons of artificial locomotion, especially when demoing to the older generations. If people want a second turn with the headset, that’s when I’d start gradually introducing experiences like that. 360 videos…are…meh. Don’t get me wrong! There are some amazing 360 videos/films out there, but they’re often a bit blurrier than we’d like them to be. They’re also rather good at exposing the limitations of the hardware. You’ll surely still get some “oh wows” from the initial shock of using VR, but it’ll usually be followed up by a “this technology still has a long way to go.” Having said that, there’s flexibility to the rule. Animated short films such as Henry, Allumette, and Invasion! are all fantastic to demo. Don’t be a backseat diver: Look! I get it! It bothers me too when people have their hands all over the headset. There’s a strap for a reason dummy! You don’t need to support it with your goddamn hands! Or when people are in a 360° space, but choose to only look directly ahead of them! It drives me crazy! For real. But unfortunately this is how newcomers act in VR, and we have to be sensitive to that. I hate that I’m about to quote Jesus here, but “Forgive them, they know not what they do.” Chances are that your relatives are going to miss cool things because they’re looking the wrong way. That’s just a fact. You need to come to terms with it. Barking instructions at them is arguably worse and will totally break immersion. If it really really bothers you, say something once, maybe twice, but nothing more!

Cool. Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s move on to content. Each HMD has something special to offer and I think what’s demoed should reflect upon those capabilities. (Oculus users unfortunately have to wait until the next family gathering to showcase the true potential of the Rift + Touch)

Let’s start with PSVR.

PSVR

Sup guys! Welcome to the club! Isn’t VR cool? Since you’re the new kids on the block and probably going to be giving VR the most visibly this Thanksgiving, your section is going to be a bit longer.

So, the obvious move for you is to start with something off the Playstation VR Worlds disk. And I agree, you should, but first we need to address something. Tracking. A percentile of PSVR users are experiencing difficulties with hand tracking. So with that in mind, I’m going to break up my PSVR recommendations into two sections: With Move Controllers & Without Move Controllers.

With Move Controllers

Okay. Let’s start with the obvious choices:

London Heist: You were probably going to show this one to people anyway. It’s wonderful. You smoke cigars, shoot guns, there’s British accents, everything a person could want! Maybe mute the TV if there are small children around. Or maybe you want to desensitize them early, and in that case crank that shit up!

Job Simulator: This is a perfect game to show to an estranged Aunt. It’s funny, straightforward, and doesn’t include any artificial movement. It’ll be comfortable for the player, and really enjoyable for the people watching along. Job Simulator has been on the Vive for quite some time and is never fails to impress.

Batman: Arkham VR: It’s Batman. I mean…it’s…it’s Batman. Do I need to say anything else? Batman, dude. Batman. *mic drop*

*mic pickup* Having said that, I’d recommend keeping this one away from young children. There’s some pretty gruesome and intense stuff throughout Arkham VR. Maybe limit them to The Batcave or to some pre-selected sequences .

Okay. Here’s some less obvious picks:

Tumble VR: This simple, immersive, game is an absolute winner for showcasing the Move controllers. It’s one of the more under appreciated PSVR launch titles. I mean what’s more primal and intuitive than playing with blocks?! It’s is a game your grandmother can enjoy! For anyone who’s skittish about using VR for the first time this would be my top recommendation.

Sports Bar VR: Especially with the newest update, Sports Bar is a great example of VR’s online capabilities. With games like pool, darts, dominos, skeeball, and air hockey, there are endless hours of entertainment here. The virtual space is also uber interactive. There’s tons of items to pick up and play with, and this is arguably one of the game’s best features. And because it’s another game that features a point-and-click teleportation mechanic, it’s pretty light on motion sickness too. Highly recommended.

Harmonix Music VR (The Easel): Even though this game is pretty much a glorified music visualizer, it does have a component called “The Easel” which allows players to draw in 3D space. It’s basically the closest thing you’ll get to Tiltbrush on PSVR at the moment. There’s something about drawing in VR that brings about a weird childlike joy in people.

Without Move Controllers

Just because the hand tracking is a little wonky, doesn’t mean you don’t still have access to some phenomenal content to demo on PSVR.

Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes: It’s a game that was designed to be played at parties, and once you get into it everyone will be having a blast. (I swear that pun was accidental. I swear to god.) In this cross platform hit, a player in VR must defuse a bomb while the others rustle through printed instructions to try and guide him/her on how to do it. What emerges is an constant, and often hilarious, dialogue between players. I’d highly suggest this game for Thanksgiving parties that require some form of icebreaking.

The Playroom VR: It’s a free download. So basically this one’s a no brainer. Some really great social, on-the-couch, gameplay. Robot Rescue gives a good example of 3rd person gaming in VR. Recommended for folks of all ages.

Superhypercube: This VR-Tetris hybrid really defies expectation. For a game that seems so basic on the surface, it offers and tremendous amount of excitement and replay value. I haven’t heard of people getting motion sickness playing this game, but you are constantly moving forward, so I’d be cautious showing this to anyone who seems susceptible

Headmaster: Head-butting virtual soccer balls into a net is a fabulous way to showcase the PSVR’s tracking abilities without using the move controllers. It’s also good humoured, challenging, and perfect for a jock-ish Dad or Uncle who has contempt for video games in general.

Ocean Decent (VR WORLDS): I can already see it. Tomorrow, youtube’s going to be flooded with videos of mothers screaming out in horror as a virtual sharks swim by their faces. Ocean Decent was the first PSVR game I got to try, so I may be slightly biased. Still, I think it’s visually quite beautiful and a really good introduction VR. Look forward to seeing those videos.

Honourable Mentions: Until Dawn, Robinson: The Journey, RIGS Mechanized Combat League. Rez infinite.

Oculus Rift

As a Rift owner, there’s really only one thing you’ll thinking about this Thanksgiving.

With the holiday falling nearly a week and half before the launch of Oculus Touch, it’ll be hard suppress the hype. But fear not- good things come to those who wait. In the meantime, you can vicariously re-experience VR for the first time through the eyes of your relatives! Woot! Wooot!

Here’s some Rift suggestions:

I’m going to leave out the Oculus Dreamdeck because that one’s kind of a given.

Obduction: Without motion controllers, the two main things that stand out about the Oculus Rift is the beautiful display quality and the beefy PC powering it. Released last week, Obduction compliments these traits fabulously. It also uses comfortable, teleportation-based locomotion which is perfect for first-timers. The game is super immersive, unsettling, and constantly engaging.

Lucky’s Tale: This one’s another obvious choice. Between the colourful environment, simplistic platformer style, and loveable characters, this game is a fantastic introduction for anyone who’s new to VR. It’s the type of game most people can just pick up and play intuitively. There’s a reason it was bundled with The RIft.

Farlands: Although the consensus on Farlands is that it doesn’t offer the most dynamic or exciting gameplay, it’s perfect for a quick demo. Let the family explore an alien planet for a little while, meet some new friends, and take in the scenery. The visuals are crisp and beautiful and they utilize 3D audio wonderfully.

Honourable Mentions: Assetto Corsa, Minecraft, Edge of Nowhere (VR sickness possible), Chronos, Henry, Allumette, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes.

VIVE

To be honest, you lot could probably keep the entire group entertained by exclusively showing The Lab all night. It’s sort of the perfect demo. It showcases VR as a whole while also giving us a glimpse of what makes the Vive special. Remember how you felt the first time you played Aperture Robot Repair? Now it’s your turn to gift that joy and wonder to somebody else!

If your families appetite for VR isn’t satiated after you’ve worked your way though all the demos in The Lab, here’s a few more suggestions:

Tilt Brush VR: As I mentioned earlier, there’s something about being able to draw in a three dimensional space that brings out an immense joy in people. It’s like a kid playing with bubbles (or more appropriately finger painting) There’s a weird, primal, enjoyment to it. Grown adult stand in awe,giggling at the mess of squiggly lines they just drew. It can be extremely social app too if people are willing to share their work. Let the young ones draw something to show their parents. That kind of thing.

The Blu: This underwater adventure is the VR equivalent of getting a massage. It’s serene, relaxing, isolating, visually stunning. Yet it’s peppered with these unbelievable moments of immense scale that almost boarder on scary. I couldn’t think of anyone who wouldn’t like this. Also, If someone wanted a seated experience Vs. a room scale experience (perhaps an elderly person) this would be a perfect option.

Accounting VR: I’ll start of by saying that I’m personally a fan of Accounting VR. It’s pretty damn hilarious and I think most people would agree. Justin Roiland, William Pugh, and Dominik Johann really came together to create something special here. The game isn’t that long, so you can probably let people run through the whole thing. The voice work is superb all across the the board. Oh! Did it mention that it’s also free? Need I say more? If your a fan of Rick and Morty or The Stanley Parable you’ve presumably already downloaded Accounting. If not- Do it! Do it now! Do it for yourself! Forget Thanksgiving! Go! Go get this game!

[This one’s also not really suitable for kids. Unless they’re like 14 and you want to be solidify your spot as “the coolest uncle/cousin/brother ever!”]

Honourable Mentions: Budget Cuts, Diner Duo, Obduction, Audio Shield, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, Job Simulator, Pool Nation VR, Carnival Games.

GEAR VR

Gear VR users! You’ve got the one thing those Rift-ers or Vive-rs don’t! Full! Untethered! Mobility! Now do a big ol’ spin in your office chair and show those bastards that we ain’t fucking around!

Land’s End: If you own a GearVR chances you’ve already tried Land’s End. It’s simple, calming, and let’s you experience the joy of using telekinesis in VR. It was made to be super comfortable and easy to navigate. It’s a perfect, smooth, introduction to VR.

(Note: I personally like to turn the brightness down a little before playing Land’s End. It might be the color palate, but this game tends to give me eye strain pretty fast.)

Tactera: In this futuristic, real-time-strategy game, you take lead a holographic army and fight for control of a virtual game board. Tactera shows off VR’s 3D capabilities superbly while also having dynamic and addicting gameplay.

Smash Hit: Based on the popular mobile game, Smash Hit has players shooting small metal balls at oncoming panes of glass. In the early stages, theres a certain “zen” aspect to it, sort of like popping bubble wrap. But as the speed picks up, the game becomes a scramble to survive. Like SuperHyperCube there is some artificial locomotion, but people only tends to get dizzy during the later levels when the game-world begins to spin.

360 Photos (3D Art): I know it’s weird choice, but hear me out for a second. I’ve been demoing my GearVR to people for almost a year, and the 3D art that was entered in OTOY’s Render the Metaverse contest always gets a good response. They’re wonderfully original and pretty immersive given that they’re only images.

Honourable Mentions: Altspace VR, Anshar Wars 2, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, Oculus Video, Oculus Arcade, Adventure Time: Magic Man’s Head Games, Ocean Rift, Introduction To VR, EvE: Gunjack, Invasion!, GrooVR, Vtime,

GOOGLE CARDBOARD

Go get a real VR headset! You dicks! *spit*

No! Wait! I was totally kidding! Come back! Bad joke! Sorry!

Actually, my first VR headset was a Mattel View Master and I absolutely loved it! I spent hours in that thing, marvelling at the level of VR experience an iPhone 6 could produce.

Don’t take any offence to this, but the strange beauty of Google Cardboard is that it sets relatively low expectations. People look at that dinky cardboard headset and don’t expect much in terms of quality. Then they actually get to use it and are often blown away! With that in mind, the best cardboard games to show off are the most immersive or graphically demanding games. Show them that this headset is more than just toy strapped to a cell phone.

I also personally l think that a little bit of motion sickness isn’t the worst thing when using Google Cardboard. It’s almost humbling to get such a substantial physical reaction from a small cardboard box.

I’m going to exclude all the pre-loaded experiences on the Cardboard app. Definitely show it. Exhibit, Tour Guide, Arctic Journey, Ect. They’re all good choices.

Titans Of Space: Big ups to the folks at DrashVR for making this mulit-paltform powerhouse. I’ve tried both the Cardboard and GearVr versions and it always seems to deliver a tremendous sense of scale. The immersive virtual tour of the solar systems is a wonderful experience that can be enjoyed by people of all different stars and stripes. Highly Recommended.

InMind VR & InCell VR: Purely based on the setting of theses games they could be considered educational, and to an extent they are. In both games you pilot a ship that’s been shrunken down to infiltrate (and fix) parts of the human body. With intuitive head controls, InCell VR has you racing down microtubules towards the nucleus of the cell. You goal is to reach the centre before the virus does. Inmind VR is closer to a on-rails, cockpit shooter, where the player is sent into the brain to help mend disordered neurones. Essentially your physically fighting against depression by healing damaged brain cells. Both are quite striking visually and will leave your friends and family with a great first impression!

Honourable Mentions: End Space VR, Cardboard Camera, Google Streetview, Google Arts & Culture, Bohemian Rhapsody Experience, Vendetta Online VR, Proton Pulse, Caaaaardboard!

A few afterthoughts:

VR Porn: I know. I know. It’s funny to pass around the headset and show off VR’s more NSFW features. And by all means I implore you to do so IF THE SETTING IS RIGHT! Read the room, dude. Does the crowd/atmosphere call for it? Will it make certain members of your party uncomfortable? Will it create a weird vibe for the rest of the night? Just proceed with caution and mindfulness, that’s all.

Eye Strain: At a certain point you’re going to have to play VR bartender and cut some people off. As you’ve probably experienced yourself, eyestrain can be a serious problem during the first few trips into VR. Be sure people are taking constant breaks to combat the potential strain. Maybe even lower the brightness on your headset before giving demos.

Sweaty Faces: There is nothing worse then putting on a VR headset and getting drenched in somebody else's face juices. It is super gross. Depending on where your live this problem will vary, but regardless you should still be on the lookout for those profusely sweaty offenders. (I’m looking at you fellow fat people) However, there are a few ways to mitigate this problem. First, have antibacterial wipes handy. They’re your friend, and should probably be used between demos anyway Aside from wipes, you’ll probably want some form of face cover. Be it disposable or washable, here are some options: VR Cover (Rift, Vive, Gear VR), Memory Foam Cover (Vive), VR Cushion Mask (PSVR) Ninja Mask Disposable Face Cover (Rift, Vive, GearVR, PSVR) VRPadding (GearVR)

Separation Vs. Group enjoyment: This one’s hard. If you have an extensive VR rig set up in your bedroom, chances are you may be hesitant about moving everything to the living room just for the holiday. You’re going to need to make a choice. Would you rather pluck people from the party and bring them to an isolated room to show off VR? Or would you rather the set up be in a public place where everybody can watch along? There’s pros and cons to both, and with certain headsets the choice becomes clearer. Keep safety in mind as well. if your PC and HMD are both in a public place, they have a higher chance or being damaged.

Epilogue

Well, here we are at the end. If you made it all the way through this extensive and in depth guide to Thanksgiving with VR, I want to thank you. You’re a real trooper for getting this far. Go out and treat yourself to an ice cream, or a churro, or a burrito, or maybe some Chinese food. Ohhh! What about a Spicy Chicken Sandwich!? No? Hm. How about Italian? You feeling Italian? Because I could go for some pasta right now. You don’t want anything heavy? Ummm. How does sushi sound to you? Lil’ bit of Sush, bro? There’s this dope place that just opened down the block. Fish allergy? Right, Umm… How about ice cream then? Yeah? You’re down? Cool! Go out and treat yourself to an ice cream.

All joking aside, remember that the beauty of showcasing VR is it’s ability to bring people together. To share in the humbling moments of immersion, to geek-out about the promise this technology offers, and to hopefully find new common ground with people where there otherwise might not have been any before.

*mic drop*