Final Paper: Fiction and Virtual Reality

Introduction

Virtual Reality (VR) and works of fiction have been influencing and inspiring each other for quite some time. The media, and the general public, has had a fascination with VR since the 1980’s. From films like The Matrix, to more recent works such as Ready Player One, society has hardly lost interest in the topic since. Though fictional portrayals of VR vary, the term “VR” conjures a common image in the context of today: a visor and headset, for visual and auditory output, along with some sort of device for user input. The hardware is currently still hindered by wires, computational power, and other technological limits, which oftentimes is not the case in fictional depictions of VR. Yet, some versions of VR occur in fiction not far from that which exists today. In noticing the differences and similarities between real and fictional VR, some research questions are raised:

· How has fiction inspired VR in the past?

· How does fiction continue to influence VR today?

· What is the current limit of VR technology?

· How are people pushing this limit?

· Which examples of fictional VR technology are feasible? Which are not?

In order to answer these questions, a variety of research was analyzed. Examples of fictional portrayals of VR were investigated, specifically the film The Matrix and the novel – and movie adaptation of – Ready Player One. Additionally examined were a variety of studies related to VR and its applications, along with a series of lectures on the topic of VR. These resources were all found through online research. The general conclusion extrapolated from these works is that VR has a multitude of applications, the technology is continuing to advance – though the direction of advancement is unclear, and that fictional depictions of VR are indeed connected to actual VR technology. This paper will first conduct a literature review of the works considered, followed by a suggestion for future research of this topic, and finish with a summary of everything discussed.

Literature Review

This section of the paper aims to examine literature that is able to shed light on how works of fiction and virtual reality (VR) technology have influenced and continue to influence each other. This is important because, as they have affected each other in the past, it is reasonable to assume they will continue to do so in the future, meaning future trends in both areas may be predicted. Sources include three studies on different aspects of VR, the novel Ready Player One along with its movie adaptation, cult classic film The Matrix, and a series of lectures on various VR topics. Common points of discussion among the sources are limitations of technology, applications of VR, possible future technology, and social ramifications of VR. First, a handful of terms and definitions will be explained. Points of agreement will be examined, followed by a consideration of points of contention. Finally, a connection between fictional works and VR technology will be made based on the sources.

Before diving into discussion of the sources, some terms must be defined. The definition of VR is difficult to pinpoint, but the general goal is “to alter one’s perception of reality by tricking the senses, by providing artificial computer-generated stimuli.” This includes the use of what is known as a virtual environment (VE), which “provide[s] the illusion of presence in a place different from one’s current physical surrounding.” VEs can range from social networks, like Twitter and Facebook, to the kind of 3D environments that are brought to mind by the term “VR.” This paper will be maintaining a perspective of VR in terms of these 3D environments, mostly in the application of video games. Additionally, the term “hardware” refers to the physical tools one needs to interact with VR, such as a headset and handheld controllers, while “software” refers to the programming behind VR and the applications and games themselves (Stankoviä). Other terms used in this paper are self-explanatory or should be already familiar to the reader.

A number of the sources agree that the limitations of technology cause limitations of VR itself. Aaron Duane and Cathal Gurrin, in their study on whether VR would be an effective platform for searching through large amounts of video data, point out that though arguments against VR exist, they “consider these issues as problems stemming from the current generation of [VR] platforms rather than the medium itself” (29). Their consideration implies that VR platforms now have issues stemming from the limits of current technology. Similarly, in the novel Ready Player One, as well as the film, the main character starts off with school-issued VR hardware, but later obtains cutting-edge VR technology; the difference in his experience is noticeably better with the newer hardware. The limits of the basic school-issued platform affected his VR experience, while the newer technology did not limit him as much. Therefore, according to these sources, VR as a medium is limited by the technology available.

The possible applications of VR are agreeably varied. Duane’s and Gurrin’s study shows it as a platform for database navigation. Pablo Figueroa details how creating a single programming language for VR development is challenging because of the variety of applications that exist. In terms of fiction, Ready Player One shows a version of VR that is an escape from reality, as well as a video game. Furthermore, The Matrix showcases a post-apocalyptic future where robots use VR to keep humans unaware of the reality of the world. In addition to these possibilities listed in the sources, there are also medical applications, uses in job training, therapy applications, and more. It is clear that the variety of possible uses for VR that exists is undisputable.

Ready Player One and The Matrix paint extremely different pictures of what VR technology may look like in the future. Ready Player One showcases technology that is similar to but more advanced than what exists today. Some aspects are familiar to us, like the headset (25). Others are known but not yet common, like haptic feedback gloves and suits, and yet more are unknown to us (25, 192). Because this technology closely matches what already exists, it seems a realistic projection of what VR could look like in a few decades. However, like today, user immersion is limited by the available technology. Contrastingly, in The Matrix, the technology was designed by robots, so it is vastly different. It involves a much more invasive method of a port at the base of the skull and a needle that feeds directly into the brain. Unlike the technology highlighted in Ready Player One, it is completely and totally immersive; the body actually feels everything as if it were in the virtual world, and movement in the real-world is prohibited. The Matrix’s version of VR technology is obviously more advanced than, and highly foreign to, any in existence. Not only that, but it appears to be based in medical and biological sciences as well as engineering, where Ready Player One’s – and current – technology is mostly based in engineering. The difference in depictions of VR in these two works is also partially due to the time in which they were produced; The Matrix was created at the turn of the century, while Ready Player One was written over a decade later. These two fictional works are able to show two entirely different possibilities for future VR technology.

Certain sources disagree on the social ramifications that VR will bring. For instance, Valentin Schwind et al. conducted a study on the social acceptability of wearing VR glasses. The participants did not consider it acceptable to wear them in a public place, like a café or restaurant, or when leaving someone out, such as if all but one person was wearing them. This expectation matches what is already seen with, for example, cell phone use; it would not be considered socially acceptable to talk or play on one’s phone in a situation where they were expected to be interacting with others. In addition, the study found that wearing VR glasses in private places, like the home or car, was acceptable, as long as no one was being left out as mentioned previously. This is again consistent with the cell phone use comparison. Broadly, Schwind et al. were able to predict that acceptability of wearing VR glasses would follow trends that are already familiar, like the use of a cell phone. In Spielberg’s take on Ready Player One, however, the glasses can be seen to be acceptable in fairly every situation. This is partially a product of the environment the characters are in; as resources run out, people have nothing to turn to but VR to escape from their dystopian reality. The point is brought up that the entire social environment affects what is and is not acceptable, not just the technology. Because the current social environment is different from that portrayed in Ready Player One, the social expectations are different as well.

The sources cited in this paper show a connection between current VR and fictional portrayals of VR. Duane and Gurrin assert that they consider issues with VR today related to the technology and not the medium itself, pointing to the fact that they believe VR will advance to fix the issues. Additionally, Figueroa implies that the technology will evolve by attempting to create a programming language that is universal and adaptable to every possible type of VR application. Furthermore, Schwind et al. also imply that VR will continue to advance, as their study focuses on the social ramifications that it may have in the future. Though none of these studies directly look at how VR technology will change in coming time, it is clear that all of them expect it to do so. This connects to the works of fiction looked at in this paper because they focus on what VR could look like in the future. Ready Player One is a near-future projection of what may happen to current technology, given a few decades. The portrayal of VR in the book, and movie, is most likely what the three studies expect from VR in the future. Adversely is The Matrix, which focuses on a wildly different prediction. Again, these technologies are partially the product of their environments, which should be considered as one tries to predict where VR technology will go from today. The studies and fictional works examined in this paper are connected in that they all look to where VR technology will go in the future.

Clearly, VR encompasses a wide variety of topics. Those discussed in this literature review include technology limitations, possible applications, future technology, and social consequences. Sources agree that limits on technology cause limits on VR as a whole, and that there are a wide variety of applications for VR. Differing views are presented on what the technology will look like in the future, and what the social ramifications of VR may be. Furthermore, a relationship between the fictional works and technical studies examined is formed in that they are both concerned with what will happen to VR as it advances. This relationship is significant because it can be used to predict trends in both current VR technology and fictional works related to VR.

Methodology

When considering the sources used for this paper, something that is missing from the research is any sort of analysis of fictional portrayals of VR. Sources of this type of analysis would have been the most effective for answering the proposed research questions, but none could be found during the research process. It is therefore proposed that a study comparing and contrasting depictions of VR in fictional works and VR in the real world be conducted.

In order to perform this sort of study, a good amount of observational research would have to be done. Different works of fiction with a focus on VR would need to be examined, analyzed, and compared. Real-world VR technology would have to be qualified and then connected to the data on fictional VR. Difficulties may arise in that the technical aspects of fictional VR, like the mechanics behind it, are not necessarily given. Ideally, a comprehensive work comparing and contrasting the main forms of VR often found in fiction with existing VR technology would be produced.

Another way to approach this sort of study would be to perform single analyses of fictional works with VR to current VR technology. This technique would involve an in-depth examination of the depiction of VR in a single work of fiction, as well as a comparison of this depiction to the VR technology of today. This sort of approach would produce a multitude of comprehensive essays comparing and contrasting fictional and real VR.

The goal of these studies would be to produce data that would more easily be able to answer the proposed research questions of this paper. If there existed the sorts of studies that examined fictional portrayals of VR and its relationship to real-world VR, it would be easier to establish a connection between the two. With that connection, trends in both fictional VR and today’s VR could be predicted, and how they have influenced each other in the past could be clearly shown. The data that would be produced by these studies could also shed light on just how feasible fictional depictions of VR are, as well as where today’s technology is heading. However, it should be considered that these kinds of studies could become outdated as VR technology advances. Overall, studies comparing and contrasting fictional and current VR technology would be highly beneficial to the field of VR research.

Conclusion

It is clear that the topic of VR covers a vast amount of information. Even when looking through the lens of how fictional and real VR technology are related, there is a surplus of data to consider. The literature examined in this paper highlighted topics of technology limitations, applications, possible future technology, and social ramifications of VR. These topics were considered in-depth in the literature review portion of this essay. Upon reflection of the research questions – which spanned the influences of real and fictional VR on each other, current limitations of VR, and just how feasible depictions of VR in fiction would be – it can be seen that the literature was not able to answer them effectively. Therefore, a study comparing real VR to fictional VR was proposed, as well as suggestions for how it was to be completed. A study of this type would decidedly answer the research questions more adequately, as well as provide a plethora of data to extrapolate from. Establishing a connection between fictional VR and today’s VR is beneficial to future research.

Works Cited

Cline, Earnest. Ready Player One. Broadway Books, 2011.

Duane, Aaron, and Cathal Gurrin. “Pilot Study to Investigate Feasibility of Visual Lifelog Exploration in Virtual Reality.” Proceedings of the 2Nd Workshop on Lifelogging Tools and Applications, 2017, pp. 29–32. LTA '17, doi:10.1145/3133202.3133208.

Figueroa, Pablo. “InTml: A Case Study on Virtual Reality Development.” Proceedings of the 24th ACM SIGPLAN Conference Companion on Object Oriented Programming Systems Languages and Applications, 2009, pp. 745–746. OOPSLA '09, doi:10.1145/1639950.1639994.

The Matrix. Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, performances by Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss, Warner Brothers, 1999.

Ready Player One. Directed by Steven Spielberg, performances by Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, and Ben Mendelson, Warner Brothers, 2018.

Schwind, Valentin, et al. “Virtual Reality on the Go?: A Study on Social Acceptance of VR Glasses.” Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services Adjunct, 2018, pp. 111–118. MobileHCI '18, doi:10.1145/3236112.3236127.

Stankoviä, Stanislav. “Virtual Reality and Virtual Environments in 10 Lectures.” Synthesis Lectures on Image, Video, and Multimedia Processing, vol. 8, 2015, pp. 1–197., doi:10.2200/S00671ED1V01Y201509IVM019.

Cover image sourced from Wix's collection of stock photos.