The Future Of VR And Interactive Porn
We’re already in a fairly high-tech state, but you know things won’t stop there. Aside from headsets becoming smaller, more sophisticated, and more affordable, bodysuits are probably going to be next in line – there is already research being done on smart textiles.
Not to mention things like the “pleasure chip” which has the potential to be embedded near the spine and deliver orgasms at the touch of a button. Poking around the brain isn’t anything new – there’s the famous case of the rat who chose pleasure over food until it starved to death.
Now, doctors are trying to find ways to use this concept to treat chronic pain. But, whether someone likes it or not, agrees with it or not, the porn industry is a powerhouse when it comes to moving tech forward – like being key in deciding which form of media become mainstream (VHS vs Betamax).
And now, porn has its sights set on VR and interactive immersion.
Curious, or enthusiastic, about the world of interactive porn?
Let’s look at the different kinds, what you’ll need, and what you need to know before you buy anything.
First, and most importantly…
VR PORN vs INTERACTIVE PORN
There’s a lot of confusion in this area, so let’s clear that up first.
VR PORN = you can wear a VR headset and look around the room in either 180 or 360-degree view while the performers do their thing. 180-degree is easier to film, especially so a crew can stand behind the scenes.
INTERACTIVE PORN WITH TOYS = The viewer needs a teledildonic toy connected through Bluetooth. It will move in sync with the performer’s actions.
INTERACTIVE PORN STORY = This is more like a “choose your own adventure” story where you decide what the porn star does to you next and it cuts to that clip (not the focus of today’s article since it’s relatively straightforward).
- The kind with toys and the kind with just a story can be muddled within the same “Interactive” subgenre.
- VR and Interactive can happen in the SAME video, but they are not mutually inclusive.
UNDERSTAND THE MEDIUM RESTRICTIONS
- If you want Point of View (POV), where it looks like the actress is doing something to you, the positions won’t be as varied as in traditional clips.
- If you don’t need POV, there will be lots of clips to choose from, more position variations, but less of a feeling of being in on the action.
- VR clips require a stable camera, so there won’t be any close-ups, cutscenes, or camera movements. You’ll be in one position looking at the scene.
FINDING A PORN SITE
There are MANY sites that support this kind of porn, and they all come with their own pros and cons. Some might offer high-quality videos, but they end up being expensive. Other’s might offer free content, but the production value is less inspiring. Then there is whether you want straight, gay, lesbian, trans, or whatever else this massive buffet has to offer.
There are plenty of others. If you want a more complete list, as well as pros and cons.
CHECKING OUT THE CLIPS
The image below is a good example of what you need to know and what information the site should be offering. Since this one is VR, they tell you the range (in this case, it’s 180). They show which toys are compatible, the download data, and even a FAQ right where you need it.
The free headset with a membership is a nice addition, but honestly, those ones are cheap as chips.
At a minimum, you should also see something like the orange button (on the image below) somewhere on the site/page…
GETTING YOUR EQUIPMENT
If you want VR, you’ll need to buy the headset.
Options range from the cheap cardboard fold-ups you stick your phone into, to the more expensive ones like Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Samsung Gear, Window Mixed Reality, PSVR, or Daydream.
There’s no right or wrong with this choice (yes, there will be quality differences) but it ends up being how much strain your wallet can afford.
NOTE: If you aren’t going VR, you don’t even have to buy this at all.
The one thing you have to buy?
Sex toys. Because, other than your hand, it’s the only way to get that interaction you want.
There are toys that can actually sync to videos. There are lots of toys out there that take on the title of interactive, but it doesn’t necessarily mean with porn.
Which one depends on preference. I can’t say your budget will be the deciders because they are all expensive – understandably so since they are filled with computer chips and require massive programming, algorithms, and things beyond my pay grade.
Lovense and Kiiroo male options are easier to handle, but won’t have the thrusting power of the Launch. However, the Launch is an enormous thing to try to hold onto.
I’m obviously biased towards Lovense and have heard users complain about how buggy the Kiiroo app can be. That aside, I would recommend Launch over Autoblow any day of the week. Hands down.
Unfortunately, these are your only options at the moment. So, I would recommend research before you buy.
NOTE: There is a male and female set called Vitafun His & Her on Indiegogo (2916), but there is no mention of it working with porn. Also, a product called the eJaculator boasts some fairly large promises about massive content with their VR headset and corresponding toy, however, the website only gives you a link to their Indiegogo campaign which started in 2016.
GETTING YOUR STUFF SET UP
Having this experience isn’t as easy as pressing play on your favorite video. Once you have your toy, it will require a bit of set up first – like getting into the app, connecting to your phone, and syncing with the site.
I can’t tell you specifically how, because each toy and site have different protocols, but they should all have their own how-to guide you can follow.
After that, it’s making sure you have a stable internet connection (if you’re going to be streaming), and a decent WIFI connection.
UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS AND LIMITATIONS
[above] Japanese director and actress with male “stand in” preparing for a shot. Look at all the equipment.
Programming the videos and toys to sync up properly isn’t as easy as people think it is.
There are programs that can create the patterns quickly, but they won’t match up very well with the scene. If someone wants a spot-on experience (as in every thrust or buzz of the toy follows every moment on screen) remember that each video must be:
1. Specifically coded one by one, moment … by … moment
2. Matched to be compatible with each sex supported sex toy
That’s a lot of work for every piece of content people want to watch – and some of them go longer than 30 minutes. And even with all of that, the tech is still in ongoing development, so nothing will be 100% immersion.
Then there’s the MOTION SICKNESS WARNING. Because things are moving on camera, but your body is staying (mostly) still, it could screw with your inner ear and make you feel queasy.
FUN STUFF FOR FUN
- Tenga, the makers of some pretty great male masturbators, came out with a full body VR suit – complete with a harness to keep the toy AND fake boob platform in place. It’s clearly experimental, but it looks like they’re not going to proceed past this stage.
- Virtual Real Porn claims to have the first ever interactive porn video.
- Some sex doll makers are trying to figure out how to integrate their toys with VR porn and other sex products.
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Have you stumbled across any other interesting information about VR or interactive porn? Share in the comments!