Snorri “Snorkling” VR
Produced by VR Coaster
Experienced in Rust, Germany ~ 2024
The Experience & How it Works:
You purchase a ticket, the attendant affixes your snorkel to a VR headset, you get in the water, put on the VR headset and snorkel, grab onto two handles that are underwater, float vertically and then put your face (and ears!) in the water.
We make special mention of “ears” because having your ears underwater seems essential to being able to hear the experience’s audio. It may be a function of where on the headset the speakers are placed.
Why it’s Interesting, IMHO:
It’s not often we can take our computer hardware into the water. Also, VR is perfect for simulating environments and we were super curious to see how adding actual water to an experience that takes place it water enhances the literal and figurative immersion and makes the virtual experience that much more believable.
I had tried one other underwater VR experience previously, but the snorkel mask attached to the VR headset was too big for my face and didn’t properly keep the water out, preventing me from having the full experience. Also, that experience didn’t have a snorkel. I was curious to see how this would compare.
Initial Impression & Critical Discussion:
When the VR headset fit my face and kept the water out, we were off to a good start. While I’ve snorkeled before, it always takes me a minute to remind myself how to breathe with a snorkel. After taking a minute to adjust, I grabbed the handles and put my face in the water and before I knew it, there was someone standing in the ocean talking to me. After a little bit of chit chat, we dove underwater.
From the start, the experience is immersive and the actual bubbles whizzing past your face in the pool definitely enhance the experience, further convincing you that you’re swimming and that you’re swimming fast. (Although, technically, you’re not swimming, you’re whizzing through the water on an underwater scooter of some kind.)
The experience allows you to come face-to-face—and face-to-intestines (#spoiler)—with a wide variety of sea creatures and takes you through different underwater scenes, including a shipwreck.
Currently, Snorri “Snorkling” VR is only available in German, but it does a good job of orienting a visitor who speaks any language. Right off the bat, someone talks to you, making it clear that you are a person or entity, and your role is consistent throughout. There is also no question about what you can or should do in the experience. The visitor feels taken care of.
HOT TIPS:
- Budget for it. This experience is not included in the Rulantica general admission price and you will be asked to pay before entering. The additional cost is negligible and well worth it. You can purchase the separate ticket in advance or at the experience itself. There’s no need to bring cash or credit cards into the water park area; upon entry to the park, they give you a watch-band style device that you can use to charge additional purchases (e.g., VR, food, gluhwein) and pay upon exit.
- Swimsuit Required, Towel Optional. You have to go in the water for this experience, so wear a swimsuit. That being said, the waterpark area is kept rather warm, so you don’t need to bring a towel, but if you’d like to stay warmer before or after your plunge, you may.
- Bring a Shutterbug. Wearing a VR headset underwater is fully instagrammable, but the experience operators aren’t able to take photo or video of visitors. If you’d like some media to memorialize the occasion, bring a friend or trusted stranger—and your own smartphone or camera—to capture the experience.
Experiential Viewpoint Expression (E.V.E.):
Embodied, 1st person visual, 1st person narrative, entity, robot.
In this experience, one is definitely a being that’s physically present, though there’s no action you can take to impact the story or scene and you’re not able to decide where you move or go.
Story Anchor:
There does seem to be a clear story that revolves around Snorri, the mermaid’s relationship with her father and a sea monster. The dialog of the piece is in German and, while it’s very possible to enjoy and understand what’s happening without speaking German (don’t let that stop you!), the language barrier presents a challenge for writing a detailed and specific Story Anchor. Additionally, we would like to avoid spoilers for this short, fun experience.
Pillars of Game:
Voluntary Participation — check!
Goal — unclear (input from German-speaking visitors is welcome!)
Rules —put on a VR headset and snorkel, hold onto the handles and put your face (and ears) in the water.
Feedback — none.
Conclusion: While very fun, this is not a game.
Who Should Experience This?
Anyone who’s willing to get wet. This is a unique, fun experience that doesn’t even require the ability to swim, though you feel like you’re powering through the depths of the ocean.
