Training in virtual reality

[Idahou]

Kinda impulse buy, but few weeks ago i bought oculus quest 2 and it was quite a supprise - didnt expect that this technology will be in this price range so advance in sence of comfort and even technology.

Naturally FPS shooters was my first interest and with first games came another supprise - its actually quite usable for training.
Of course, you will not train your grip, recoil managment or certain situations, but you can work on your aiming, transitions, decision making and mostly - dealing with stressfull situations (depend on level of immersion in game) and muscles - fact that you really not holding rifle, doesnt mean its easy to have hands in position like you do. Specially if you add some wrist weights
Another thing is that you can train with weapons system what you dont have acces to - AK/AR, machine guns, Sniper rifle, Battle rifles etc...

Its not ideal and real life training will be almost always better, but in quarantine, ammo shortage or just as part of dayily "fun drill" it have some benefits.

My personal issue with that is space and too often i end in my guardien (virtuall walls what you set up to not collide with real ones) and apps/games

So do you have some your own tips for training in virtual reality?
So far i did try Pavlov VR (which si free) - thats basicly counter strike in VR, but offers quite decent shooting range, killhouse (i guess thats more usefull if you have enough space), guns and its details. Game itself is playable maybe more than paid contractors and you can just pick map and let bots attack you so you can work on your transition, reloading and motion sicknes
Then i got contractors and its a quite dissapoinment - it have more options for shooting ranges, including sniper ones, with popping targets but graphics looks worst (keep in mind that VR games have more version depending on platform), sounds are off and its harder to train. Its more like COD in PC.
Next is Onward, which is more "realistic" focused, i guess something like Sandstorm on PC. I dont have that one, since i already burned on contractors and dont want just to throw money

All mentioned games have multiplayer and coop mode.

But there is much more apps and games focused on guns and i would like hear some recommendation if you have some.

 

[shafter]

I think if they wanted to they could make some pretty good simulations just like a FATS machine. Doubtful Facebook would make one for the masses and kind of doubtful they would make one for law enforcement either unless they saw some pretty big dollar signs.

 

[Idahou]

Well, the thing with this device is that you can connect to your PC and use it as PC VR headset, so there is a lot of options. But i didnt mean to focus just on this device, the goal is open such a topic for disscusion

Some mil. simulators is avalaible from diffrent sources, but the thing is they are designet for specific controllers and accesories like multidirectional treadmills and so... But there are more possibilities with wireless headset since there are aps to scan your room and transfer it to VR - so teoretically you can use that and some existing app to make killhouse in your own space

 

[hso]

quite usable for training

Nope

Much of using a weapon is muscle memory from actually handling it. The weight, balance, grip, recoil, recovery from recoil, etc. Then there's the ability to actually aim with the sights of a weapon in hand aligned with your eyes. Gaming systems can't give you any of that. I'm not sure that there are any simulators that do.

What they can do is help you with decision making and reaction time. Shoot/No Shoot, Good guy/Bad guy, decisions to shoot based on what's behind or around the target and where the bullet might end up.

I've used expensive VR training systems and the one thing they lack is the physical aspect of movement, inertia, eye hand coordination/alignment, muscle memory.

 

[Jeff White]

Much of using a weapon is muscle memory from actually handling it. The weight, balance, grip, recoil, recovery from recoil, etc. Then there's the ability to actually aim with the sights of a weapon in hand aligned with your eyes. Gaming systems can't give you any of that. I'm not sure that there are any simulators that do.

Robbec, (not sure if it's still in use) F.A.T.S., MILES, Simunitions all use actual weapons modified for the simulation.

I'm not sure what you can learn in a VR environment. As far as I know there are no publicly available VR programs that were specifically designed to be used as part of use of deadly force training program. A first person shooter game played through VR is not training to fight, it's only training to play the game.

 

[Idahou]

Not sure, but i think you guys takes it as substitute for real training while i had in mind more like "better than YT video" situation + additional part of training.
And if im saying training i dont mean law or army training, but civilian "i like to shoot" training as hobby. Pardon me, if i wasnt clear in this.

With that in mind, i think that its great for creating situations when you are really feel under preassure - you cant feel physical objects, but you still need folow same-ish steps to reload gun
Not every one have acces to 360 shooting range or so much ammo/targets
You dont have to clean guns
Power up headset and you are on shooting range/killhouse/combat
I really cant think better place to practice transition from target to target and decision making
Its fun

Thats said - i also didnt find proper training software which would allow me simulate malfuctions or field striping
It can be "bad-habbits-maker" if not connected to real training - you dont feel recoil even used app have some recoil-based impact and so on...

Mayabe its just me because i didnt fire gun for 7 months now (shooting ranges are closed and we cant use guns outside ranges or self-defence situations, Czech republic), but i really thinks it have some benefits and value. I would not recommend to buy VR headset just for that, but if you have one...
Still need to find some better app

 

[1942bull]

The military uses artificial reality to train personnel with certain MOS designation. Pilots, tank crews are among those. I read that the Army was experimenting with for training infantry. I think the major benefit for infantry is to hone situational awareness to a keen edge because they can program in all types of situations.

 

[AVERAGE-JOE]

Not the VR/AR route as described but I built myself a designated smokeless range setup which uses front projection, lower end gaming PC, “smokeless range” software and a combination of SIRT and MantisX Blackbeard trainers for more “active” DryFire practice in a variety of scenarios. It’s worked out well enough for me during the past year. I’m basically in for the cost of a SCAR 17 though so it isn’t w/o an expense and does take space in your home.