Setting up a VR space

Do you want to start a VR arcade, fill a business space with VR, or just make a good setup for your VR system? We're happy to help you along! In this blog, we'll explain the best way to set up your VR equipment and provide some handy tips to do so.

The easiest way to get VR working is the 'standing only' setup. For this, you connect the VR headset to the computer, ensure that there is at least 1 x 1 m of free space, and you can get started with your VR games. You can also use 'standing only' when you're sitting at your computer to play VR.

A room-scale setup diverges more towards a professional setup. Room-scale means that you're not standing in one place, but can move around with the headset on. For a room-scale setup, you need a minimum space of 2.5 x 2.5 m and a maximum space of 5 x 5 m (HTC Vive) or 10 x 10 m (HTC Vive Pro). If you want to use multiple room-scale spaces as a VR arcade, you can build a 'cubicle'. This is a separate space of about 3 x 3 m where players can play in their own room.

The ultimate way to experience VR is a free-roam setup. The free-roam setup is essentially the same as a room-scale setup, but completely wireless! You can fill a space of 10m x 10m with up to 3 HTC Vive or Vive Pro headsets. Each wireless headset can move freely in a 3m x 3m spot. This way, you can use 3 spots of 3m x 3m to let 3 players walk around simultaneously.

The tracking of your headset and controllers is crucial for the overall user experience. Therefore, it's good to know what types of tracking systems there are and how these systems work. Generally, you can make the biggest distinction between inside-out tracking and outside-in tracking. A VR headset that uses inside-out tracking, like the Samsung Odyssey+, has a camera in the headset. This camera views the entire space and can give an accurate estimation of where the headset and controllers are based on the space. The advantage of this is that setting up the headset is much easier (after all, you don't have to set up external sensors), but the disadvantage is that the tracking is less accurate.

VR headsets with external sensors use outside-in tracking. This form of tracking is more popular with VR headsets that play in a large space, or want more accurate tracking. Therefore, it's also advisable to use external tracking systems in a VR arcade, such as the HTC Vive Pro.

The most used tracking system for professional users are the HTC Vive sensors: the base stations 1.0 and base stations 2.0. The base stations 1.0 - also known as lighthouses 1.0 - are the original tracking systems of the HTC Vive. These base stations work by emitting a 'laser beam'. This beam is received by the sensors on the headset and controllers, so the base stations know exactly where you are in the room. However, more than two base stations 1.0 cannot work together. You can set up a 5 x 5 m space with the base stations 1.0.

The base stations 2.0 - also called SteamVR Tracking 2.0 - work slightly differently than their predecessor. With these base stations, it's also possible to hang multiple ones in one room! This allows you to expand the play area to a whopping 10 x 10 m! Unfortunately, it's not possible to purchase the base stations 2.0 separately, they can currently only be ordered through a new HTC Vive Pro Full Kit.

The ideal placement of the base stations and sensors is opposite each other in the two corners of the play area. The base stations should hang at a height of about 2 meters and aim at a downward angle. You can choose to drill the base stations into the wall, so they are firmly attached and cannot move. But for a mobile setup, it's more convenient to put the base stations on a tripod. An alternative to the tripods is placing them on a mounting clamp, but for this, you need to have a spot where you can hang the clamps.

Tip: if you're using 'cubicles' in your VR arcade, truss systems can provide a good solution for your setup. The mounting clamps are easy to attach to the truss system, allowing you to create an ideal arcade setup.

Screens and computers should be kept at a safe distance. Especially when someone plays room-scale or free-roam, you should always try to prevent them from hitting the screen or computer. Not only because it's a shame for your equipment, but also because the player gets an unsafe feeling when they touch something. The screen is not applicable for the player, but has a huge added value for the spectators. After all, nothing is as fun as seeing your friend or colleague immerse in the virtual world! The best placement for the TV is therefore in a place where the player can't reach, for example, on the outside of the playfield. At that spot, the screen is clearly visible to spectators, and there's little to no chance that the player accidentally hits the screen.

Your computer is perhaps even more important than the screen. After all, the game is played on it, so without a computer, the VR headset won't work. Therefore, always put the computer somewhere where there's no risk of it being kicked or bumped into. Preferably, you even hang the computer as high as possible, so that neither players nor spectators can touch it.

VR is still on the rise, and there are always new developments in this field. One of these new developments is wireless VR. With a wireless setup, you replace your cables with an adapter that you click onto the VR headset. This way, you no longer have a cable running to the computer, but only a short cable to your adapter. As a player, you're no longer tied to a cable coming out above your head, which gives a unique experience. However, this also brings up a few new problems. For example, the player no longer has any orientation of where they are in the room, so you have to pay extra attention to not getting close to the walls. Moreover, a wireless setup can cause connection problems. After all, a wired connection is more reliable than wireless. That's why we always advise VR arcades to - when starting with VR - begin with a wired connection. That way, you at least have the certainty that the VR headset works well, and when you then start playing wirelessly, you can always fall back on the wiring. This way, you always have a working VR setup! For the wiring, we recommend a cable management system to run the cables over the ceiling.

HTC Vive states that a wireless free-roam can be a maximum of 6 x 6 m. However, when you use multiple base stations 2.0 and spread the antenna of the wireless setup well; you can expand this space to a wireless free-roam space of 10 x 10 m. You can place a maximum of 3 HTC Vive or Vive Pro headsets in a room. This has to do with the connection mode. So always check in the settings of the Vive Wireless App if the headset is in the correct mode.

Depending on the number of users, you can fill a 5m x 5m or a 10m x 10m space with wireless HTC Vive Pro headsets. You can do this by hanging four of the base stations (2.0) and adjusting them to each other. For maximum coverage, it's recommended to hang the base stations just past the middle on the straight stretch, rather than in the corners. This gives you maximum coverage of the stations.

It's also important to set each (wireless) headset to a different mode. You can do this by going to the settings in the Vive Wireless App and then changing the 'connection mode'.You can choose from mode 1, mode 2, and mode 3. If you don't, you'll find that when you try to pair a second headset, the first one disconnects. It's also highly recommended to give each wireless user their own 'wireless' space of about 3m x 3m. This prevents players from moving through and against each other and guarantees HTC the best wireless coverage

• Ensure there is as little reflection in the room as possible. Reflection can affect the base stations, causing them to not perform tracking properly. Consider the reflection from television screens, windows, and other shiny surfaces
• Have the player walk on a different type of ground. When someone has a VR headset on, they have no idea where they are. By giving the 'play area' a different type of material (for example, rubber), the player can feel where they are approximately based on the ground. This gives a sense of security

If you need professional advice after reading this article, you can contact us. You can make an appointment with us to have a 'survey' carried out at your location. This has the following advantages for your business:

• We personally come to visit you;
• We map out the required VR equipment for you;
• We help you to fill the room;
• We conclude with a concrete appointment for a custom quote

For more information about installation and our rates? Click on this link to go to our information page