It’s not every day that you find yourself fighting Klingons in downtown San Francisco.
But here I am, inexplicably locked in an ultra-intense battle against what feels like endless waves of hostile, sword-wielding, armor-clad alien warriors, who apparently crave my demise.
I take cover and fire upon them repeatedly with my super-cool phaser gun. But they just keep coming and coming.
“Surrender at once, human!” the Klingon commander yells. “And your death shall be quick!”
For a few pulse-pounding moments, I’m able to keep his ruthless troops at bay. Suddenly, though, I turn to discover that one has lurched up from behind and is breathing down my neck.
Aaaaaaggggggh!
It’s a close encounter of the hideous kind — and it would be downright terrifying if it weren’t so fun. That’s because this ferocious firefight is just part of the mind-blowing “Star Trek: Discovery”-themed adventure at Sandbox VR, a virtual-reality amusement center on Market Street.
Sandbox, which also has a space in San Mateo, is one of several companies attempting to take cutting-edge virtual-reality technology and boldly go in a more ambitious, visually stunning, full-body direction while developing a new genre of entertainment.
“A lot of people tend to think that VR is just putting on a headset and watching a movie at home or seeing a game play out in front of you while you have a controller in your hand,” says Susan Washburn, store manager for San Francisco’s Sandbox VR. “We’re making it not only more immersive, but interactive with other people.”
Or as company CEO and founder Steve Zhao puts it: “This is something bigger and better. … It’s not a game, it’s not a movie, it’s not traditional VR. It’s a full-body experience that completely transforms you, where you become the experience itself.”
Also making a big splash in the location-based VR realm is The Void, which offers experiences linked to popular films such as “Star Wars,” “Ghostbusters” and “Jumanji.”
The Void operated a pop-up space in the Atrium at Westfield San Francisco Center late last summer and plans to open a permanent venue there soon. The company has set itself apart from rivals with an approach that moves players across an expansive physical set with sensory elements, allowing them to physically interact with their environment.
Curtis Hickman, co-founder and chief creative officer of The Void, insists that it’s all part of making the experience “as authentic as possible.”
“We take people into these impossible worlds and enable them to live these impossible moments,” he says. “You and your friends become characters in the movie. And if it’s hot, you feel the heat. If there’s a wall, you can touch it. If there’s a waterfall, you feel the moisture.”
Industry insiders hope that free-roam VR experiences, with their communal appeal, lavish settings and powerful storytelling, are the next entertainment craze. Sandbox VR has drawn votes of confidence from investors including Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Will Smith and former Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant.
The Void, meanwhile, has formed partnerships with some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises. It operates 16 centers globally, including 11 in the U.S.
“I’ve seen a lot of skeptics going into (the Void experiences). But I never see one going out,” Hickman says. “It’s not a gimmick. It’s not a fad. It’s the future of entertainment.”
Speaking of the future, I have some pesky Klingons to subdue — and, fortunately, Washburn is kind enough to offer some aid to this awkward rookie gamer.
Our adventure began in a spacious, gray room that instantly transforms into an icy alien planet. Clad in special gear, we (and our avatars) assume the roles of Starfleet officers who are directed to investigate a distress signal. Mission accepted, naturally.
The experience lasts about 30 minutes, during which we are “beamed” to various locales and face off against one menacing threat after another. Along the way, we use tricorders to scan our whereabouts and hunt for clues. Enhancing the immersive enterprise are haptic vests that pulsate during the “teleportation” process.
The “Star Trek” VR experience also contains some competitive elements: The more enemies you kill, the higher your score goes. To that end, Washburn valiantly tries to make up for my slack, blasting away at the targets that I miss or overlook and being a super-good sport about it.
Fortunately, the game has a nice feature that allows participants to revive a “downed” friend. Washburn was forced to revive me more often than I want to admit, while I came to her rescue only a couple of times. Final score? Ugh. She smoked me.
But the stats tell only part of the story. More important is the thrill of experiencing a strange new fantasy world and working together to get through it. As the slogan outside the Sandbox VR facility proclaims: “In here, it’s possible.”
“We have people who are gamers and who aren’t gamers,” Washburn says. “Adults come in to enjoy it with children. And we have a lot of corporate outings where employees work on team building. It can help you figure out who has your back, quite literally.”
Which is vitally important when you’re trying to kick Klingon butt.
Where to play
There are virtual reality game spaces sprinkled across the Bay Area, including Sandbox VR, which is open daily at San Mateo’s Hillsdale Shopping Center at 60 E. 31st Ave. and a San Francisco pop-up at 767 Market St. Tickets are $48 per person. https://sandboxvr.com.
Find more information on The Void at www.thevoid.com.
