“What do I need to get started doing VR Art and or Development?” is a question I find in my inbox all the time.
In this series of VR Tutorials you will learn what Hardware you need so you can paint and sculpt in virtual reality.
I´ve also been interviewed by Tom´s Hardware about this topic a while ago so here is a summary of my current Setup.
Creating or even just gaming in Virtual Reality is insanely demanding on your PC. The computer has to generate a seperate image for each of your eyeballs at a very high framerate and a decent resolution.
Therefore your best bet at getting started is a decent gaming PC.
My current VR Art PC
| Processor | Intel Core i7-6700k |
| Main GPU | Nvidia GTX 1070 for general tasks and gaming |
| RAM | 32 GB DDR4 |
| Work Storage | 500GB Samsung 950 EVO SSD |
| Archive Storage | 2TB HDD |
| PSU | 1000 Watt Corsair HX1000 80 Plus Platinum PSU |
| Motherboard | Asus Z170 Pro Gaming Z Edition |
| Display | Dell UltraSharp 34-inch Curved Ultrawide Display |
Except for the Monitor everything else is pretty much mid-tier gaming stuff.
But wait there is more!
Which VR Headset do you use for your Artwork?
This one is a bit tricky and boils down to your preferences and usecases outside of content creation. Like gaming and development. To keep this short I only talk about the two I use the most. The Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive.
Oculus Rift with Touch Controllers
Currently my go to device for anything VR. Also one of the more portable devices of this generation. I use a two sensor setup and take it with me on most of my travels. The ergonomics are amazing and everything is ready to go after 10 minutes.
HTC Vive
This is the one that I started with. It´s still my go to HMD (Head mounted Display) for gaming because if its crazy good roomscale tracking. Although the ergonomics aren´t on par with the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive is a great device.
So which one should you get?
Choosing the right VR HMD
Please try both of them at events or at the store and spend some time in different scenarios. Paint in Tilt Brush for a couple minutes and play something fast paced like beatsaber. While you wear the headset check if you can adjust the device to the shape of your head. Are you wearing glasses? Check throughly if they fit into the headset. Otherwise you might have to look for addons that replace your glasses.
In the end the device that feels right or the less wrong on your face should be the one you get. Keep in mind that you easily loose track of time while creating art in Virtual Reaity. So comfort is the most important aspect when you choose a VR HMD as your next art tool if you want to spend a good amount of time painting and sculpting.
This is just a small summary for artists who played with the idea of adding VR to their palett. In the next part of VR Art tutorials we will take a look at VR painting and sculpting software.
Do you have questions left? Leave a comment below or throw me a message on Twitter and Instagram!
