How to deal with motion sickness?

[Sgt.Nuclear]

A couple months ago i bought a VR Headset (HTC Vive) and ever since i haven't used it that much.
some of the reasons are: setting it up and sweating but the main reason i think is motion sickness in games where you have to move with a button like vrchat.

I don't know if this is a thing i should try and overcome or just use other locomotion options instead.

I presume there's a lot of people who had/ still have this problem, if so note what you did against it, i'd appreciate it.

[Vatarga]

For me personally, it just took time. Don't push yourself too long though. Gradually use it more and you will get your vr legs.

Another thing to try is "Natural locomotion" from the steam store. What it does is makes you walk by moving your arms as if you're walking (a trigger is pressed to activate it). I thought the idea was kinda silly at first, but i tried it and it worked pretty well.

I couldn't judge it based on motion sickness because i don't feel it anymore, but it was built with the purpose of combating motion sickness by using natural walking movements to help your brain expect movement. I've heard that it's helped some pleople

[Bamboot]

About motion sickness- The best the trick that worked for me is to make sure you aren't moving your body/head while you are moving(walking) in game. In my case, that really helped. Otherwise, it takes a while to get used to, but you eventually do and the nausea gets less. Stop playing if you feel sick, and go do something outside of VR until your brain feels better. Certainly try other locomotion options. Some are much easier than others to deal with.

About sweating - It is sooooooooo worth investing in a removable, washable / wipeable facerest cover. This prevents all that nasty sweat from accumulating and building up in your headset face cushions (trust me you don't want to let that happen over time, it's like never changing your socks or something ewwwww...). Also, if you start sweating, it's super easy to clean, just wipe it off and you are good to go for round 2. Seriously, I can't recommend these enough.

Good luck, dont barf!

[Johnny-Boy]

Some game places black borders around your screen when you move forward, like in fallout 4.
Myself, I 'cured' myself from motion sickness by simply ... playing long enough. And I adapted.
You can, however in vrchat move by teleporting.
For sweating issues, you can use a fan pointed at you while you play. This is how I survived a couple of rounds in beat saber.

[JDumbz]

typically the more you play, the less chance you become when playing VR games, or using VR in general.

I felt weird and trippy for the first week, it felt so cool and relaxed me. After a month later, it went away unfortunately.

[TheShadowHatter]

I pushed through it and just kept playing with locomotion on because it was my dream to experience VR to the fullest ever since I was a kid. Now I rarely ever get motion sickness unless I ride on VR roller coasters or something. From what I'm told there's an ingredient in ALLERGY medication that also helps with motion sickness, so maybe taking some prior to playing would help you ease into it while not getting motion sickness (or not getting is as badly). Hope this helps!

[ArcticuKitsu]

Originally posted by Ferbinago:

typically the more you play, the less chance you become when playing VR games, or using VR in general.

I felt weird and trippy for the first week, it felt so cool and relaxed me. After a month later, it went away unfortunately.

This ^.

It's basically taking babysteps so you go with locomotion as movement to then scale it up higher, and higher. Get used to locomotion, then go visit a motorbike world where you can drive bikes, then go visit a world called 'Heavy Cruiser Suzuya' to go fly a plane on the back of the ship, or Japaneland to fly with jetpacks, or the amusement park.

It's all about getting used to it. At first I gained a 2 day stomach pains that it was rough. I spent 6 hours playing VRchat to stream to then be knocked out for 2 days that I suffered at work with stomach pains. It was like a stomach flu or hangover, but you gain resistance for it.

I now happily fly WW2 planes being able to do barrel rolls, loops, and such. I can even play the fangame 'M.A.D.N.U.G VR' (Gundam VR fan game) with little to no VR sickness with how I'm getting used to it. Plus, you find ways to smooth out how to play.

I still fear heights though that I end up sweating like mad. Heights is something I'll probably struggle for a long time because it's heavily tied to death that I do not want to die from a fall.

[DeathsEye]

Hello, VR user of 3 years here. I've seen this issue many many times and i've seen a universal 3 answers.

The most common is time, which isnt wrong. Over time you will adapt to VR and it becomes second nature. I remember the first time i did VR, i played for maybe 20 minutes and was dizzy and sick for the next week. Almost didnt put it back on, but kept going and now i can play nearly 24 hours a day without feeling any side effects.

The 2nd common is taking it slow. VRChat is a good "slow" game, but id probably put it at a level 4/10 for the comfort, especially now with hackers. Start with games that have you just sit and watch. Roller coasters, car trips, and other Experiences can slowly prepare you for more. The more you get used to seeing the 3d screen in front of you moving like a video, the more you will get used to it. Start moving your head after some time, very slowly, and if you feel uncomfortable immediatly return to center and watch like a video again.

The thing that personally helped me get used to VR was learning to split my awareness between reality and the game at all time. If i'm sitting, where is my keyboard and mouse, my mic, the corner of my desk. Easy enough since you dont move much. If i'm standing, where is my door, my desk, my chair, my wall. I want to know where those are at all times, and honestly the best way to know is the direction and height of the headset cable, as well as using the +/- markers in the VR menu.

Knowing where everything is around you at all times helps more then some people think. The primary issues with VR is that you are tricking your brain too much, as well as dealing with potential motion sickness. However, by constantly reminding yourself where you are and where everything is, you make sure that your brain is aware that what it SEES isnt real. It wont be tricked as easily, but you may still have some motion sickness to overcome.

Some people just never adapt to VR. Some people just cant handle it, and thats okay, because as VR is understood more, better methods of delivering it are being made. So just be patient, you might not be chatting, shooting, casting spells and flying just yet, but you might in a few more years!

Best of luck :D

[SugaryMess]

A good way to start is in Seated Play with both movement settings on. I know one is called "Comfort Turning", but I can't recall the other one that is right about it. So, yeah, try it while sitting down to ease yourself into it. After a month or two, give it a try while remove the first movement setting, so you can walk around with more control. Never take off Comfort Turning though. Even I still get dizzy when I uncheck it. Slowly, but surely, you'll get into the groove of things, my dude.

[DeathsEye]

Originally posted by SugaryMess:

A good way to start is in Seated Play with both movement settings on. I know one is called "Comfort Turning", but I can't recall the other one that is right about it. So, yeah, try it while sitting down to ease yourself into it. After a month or two, give it a try while remove the first movement setting, so you can walk around with more control. Never take off Comfort Turning though. Even I still get dizzy when I uncheck it. Slowly, but surely, you'll get into the groove of things, my dude.

Comfort turning is something that actually ended up making me more sick... same with most of those comfort options. The tunnel-vision thing, smooth-turning, all of it, makes me sick to my stomach. I've found that adjusting to it and making it seem like a second vision feels best. But thats just for different people. Thats why theres so many options :D

[SugaryMess]

Originally posted by DeathsEye:

Originally posted by SugaryMess:

A good way to start is in Seated Play with both movement settings on. I know one is called "Comfort Turning", but I can't recall the other one that is right about it. So, yeah, try it while sitting down to ease yourself into it. After a month or two, give it a try while remove the first movement setting, so you can walk around with more control. Never take off Comfort Turning though. Even I still get dizzy when I uncheck it. Slowly, but surely, you'll get into the groove of things, my dude.

Comfort turning is something that actually ended up making me more sick... same with most of those comfort options. The tunnel-vision thing, smooth-turning, all of it, makes me sick to my stomach. I've found that adjusting to it and making it seem like a second vision feels best. But thats just for different people. Thats why theres so many options :D

Indeed! It was just a few suggestions! At the end of the day, they'll find their comfort zone.~

[DeathsEye]

Originally posted by SugaryMess:

Originally posted by DeathsEye:

Comfort turning is something that actually ended up making me more sick... same with most of those comfort options. The tunnel-vision thing, smooth-turning, all of it, makes me sick to my stomach. I've found that adjusting to it and making it seem like a second vision feels best. But thats just for different people. Thats why theres so many options :D

Indeed! It was just a few suggestions! At the end of the day, they'll find their comfort zone.~

Trial and Error + practice, its really the only way. What works for one might not for another.
Unlike general motion sickness, VR is a trick on the brain, and one must find a way to counter that on their own.