Is it normal to experience this when playing VR?

[rospec]

I just tried HL:Alyx and after 20 minutes, I already felt like my eyes are bulging, my forehead was feeling too hot and I feel like I'm gonna vomit. Are these something normal when first trying VR? Should I just get used to it or is VR not for me? My IPD is 70 and the max IPD setting is 68. I think it's a problem since I always have to cross my eyes and it adds a lot of strain.

[Bob Loblaw]

Motion sickness is common when learning to adapt to smooth locomotion and smooth turning. If you are teleporting and not smooth turning, you should not be getting motion sickness.

Feeling hot is a normal part of motion sickness.

crossing eyes is not a good compensation for wrong IPD.

[Mysterious Drone]

Your head strap is on too tight. Try loosen.

[WarBucks]

if you have an IPD of 70 and the headset is lkmited to 68 then wouldnt that make you be slightly cross eyed in the hwadset? I could see that being a problem?

But give something like "the lab" a try. If you start with that then it might be a good introduction. Plus really rhe archery game is fun

[grzegorz77]

At the beginning, you can play games in which you stand still, or move with the help of a teleporter. Avoid games where the character runs.

Remember to breathe (I'm not kidding).

When you feel a bit bad, take off the goggles immediately, don't play for a minute or 3 longer, even 30 seconds.

Leave running and airplanes for later.

[Duke Leto]

They say you should only play for 20-30 minutes the first times in VR. And if you get sick, you should stop immediately and wait until you feel better. Basically, don't push it.

I know I was concerned about it, in fact I bought my first quest 2 through amazon so I could return it if I got sick. I guess I am lucky, I have never gotten motion sickness in VR.

They say if you play with a fan blowing at you it can help as well, maybe because it helps your body feel like the motion is not a bad thing.

Basically, you mind is seeing motion, but your body is not feeling motion... so your mind reacts and says this is not good... maybe I am poisoned so I should vomit it up.

It still seems like a big barrier to entry for VR, maybe as resolution and refresh rates get better, it might be less of an issue in the future. Unfortunately the resolutions already in use tend to tax the best graphics cards.

[Kangiten]

Originally posted by rospec:

I just tried HL:Alyx and after 20 minutes, I already felt like my eyes are bulging, my forehead was feeling too hot and I feel like I'm gonna vomit. Are these something normal when first trying VR? Should I just get used to it or is VR not for me? My IPD is 70 and the max IPD setting is 68. I think it's a problem since I always have to cross my eyes and it adds a lot of strain.

Feeling discomfort when starting VR is common. The symptoms you described—eye strain, overheating, and nausea—can happen for a few reasons:

1. Your brain may need time to adjust to the disconnect between movement in-game and your body being stationary.
2. VR headsets can trap heat; ensure your play area is well-ventilated.
3. Start with shorter sessions (10–15 minutes) and gradually increase.
4. Enable teleportation or other motion comfort options in HL:Alyx to reduce nausea.

Take breaks as needed, and if it persists, it could be an issue with headset fit or your sensitivity to VR. Many people adjust over time, so don’t give up just yet!

[Maht]

Alyx made me especially nauseated. I couldn't finish it, as cool of a game as it seems.

[leenderm]

You need to have the game running smoothly as well, any perceptible delay in the image when you move your head will likely cause issues. It took me a while to get my VR legs, I tended to feel poorly at 1st so played ADR1FT which is trapped in space in an exploded space station, feeling nauseous just added to the realism. A little trick is to close your eyes each time you start and stop moving as that's when your vision doesn't match your physical movement. If your having problem when stationary your equipment may not be suitable.