When I was 12, I celebrated my birthday at the futuristically named Cybersmith in Palo Alto, California. This cutting edge facility (for the early 2000s, mind you) offered such thrills as virtual Pacman and simulation snowboarding for about 30 cents a minute. As I recall, the experiences were short, didn’t allow for any socialization, and, ultimately, the space didn’t survive.
Flash forward several years later and with green screen implementation, motion trackers, social experiences, and a selfie cam we’ve come a long way in VR. And Sandbox is hoping to not just be a major name in the VR space, but a destination for social gathering, parties, and corporate events.
Now open at The Village Westfield Topanga in Canoga Park, California, Sandbox VR offers four unique virtual reality experiences for you and your friends. While Canoga Park is the first Southern California experience, more locations are slated San Diego and Cerritos.
Sandbox VR is like an escape room and laser tag on steroids. You still work together, but you’re in a malleable and reactive virtual space, 100% of the time. You can pretend you’re in a movie, or a sci-fi adventure, for about 25 blissful minutes. Sandbox offers four different experiences, including their newest space elevator/alien invader game, Amber Sky (that one features the big guns. Literally). We had the opportunity to suit up for the Davy Jones’ experience at Sandbox in Canoga Park. Ahoy!
All the gear
If you check out the Sandbox website, you might think all you have to do to participate is wear a sleek jumpsuit and you’re off and running. But, first, there is no running, and second, no such luck: to ensure your motion data is accurate, you’re outfitted with a vest, backpack, and individual motion tracks for your legs and feet. You’re literally carrying a laptop on your back (and I have the bruises to prove it). If you wear glasses, they offer a prescription based pair to incorporate into your oculus device; nonesuch luck for folks like me that have different prescriptions for each eye. Strap up, strap in, and escape our world.
Motion trackers
Now, if you, like me, are worried about potentially feeling ill during VR, I have great news: if you get motion sick wearing goggles, you should be ok in this experience. Being in a space with other people seems to help bypass any illness. In fact, Sandbox staff state that despite hundreds of people using their experiences, they’ve only seen one person step out.
Sandbox VR markets itself as the most realistic virtual reality experience, but in reality (pun intended), it should be celebrating its most unique asset: the communal experience. You have a common goal in the game (“defeat Davy Jones” or “kill all the zombies) and you can pass weapons to each other (though we didn’t realize this was a strategy). You can heal your teammates by placing your hand on their shoulder. And, when you get shot, your vest vibrates. The space is perfect for three people, but after that, it might be a bit tight (I managed to run into someone with my torch/stick).
I swear we’re not shooting each other
There are limits to self-discovery. Relying on the ingenuity and inquisitive nature of your guests can only get you so far. We had to be told a few hints along the way, but it never took away from our fun.
It’s fun and games until something goes wrong, and in VR, that literally means no game anymore. Our computer crashed during our experience. And, when the motion tracking devices are a little off, the ensuring projection can be hilarious: someone’s foot by their head or a gun pointed in the wrong direction. While the bugs keep it light, it does interrupt the flow of the experience.
All in all, we had a blast in the Sandbox. VR has come a long way from the days of my middle school birthday. And maybe this time, it’s here to stay.
Sandbox VR is now open at The Village Westfield Topanga in Canoga Park. More at https://sandboxvr.com/losangeles/
