It was only a matter of time until social media giants decided to unleash their first VR apps. Facebook has done exactly that, even though their Spaces app is not all that spectacular. It is good to see more VR apps becoming available in the long run, although it is clear there is a lot of work to be done. Ensuring the app only works on the Oculus Touch is not the best move either.
Facebook Spaces Is Fun But Very Limited
It is not surprising to learn Facebook Spaces is only available as part of the Oculus Touch VR ecosystem. After all, one even needs the native Touch controllers to make full use of what the app has to offer. Since Facebook owners Oculus, it is only normal they will test the app on their own platform first. Unfortunately, that is also one of the major drawbacks associated with Facebook Spaces, even though things are not superb in other departments either.
One of the main things people may like about Facebook Spaces is how it provides users with a VR avatar. Although that is auto-generated at first, users can make adjustments where facial features are concerned. That latter part is a good thing, as the automated generator is woefully inadequate to even grasp one’s facial contours properly. It all depends on which pictures are picked out by the VR app’s algorithm. Female users may have plenty of selfies to choose from, but more the male counterparts, things are not that straightforward.
Customization of the avatar only goes so far, though, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The bread and butter of this application is allowing suers to create and share content with others. It is even possible to have some sort of VR meeting in Facebook Spaces, which can be quite useful to a lot of people. As you’d expect, only Facebook friends can be invited, though. A bit of a drawback, but it not necessarily a deal breaker. Luckily, one can communicate with people not fortunate enough to have an Oculus Touch VR headset, although it is a bit of weird experience.
Communicating with other people without a keyboard within the app is also a serious letdown. Transmitting speech is possible, thankfully, but otherwise, communication is rather limited. All of this begs the question why the app requires so many computer resources in the first place, considering there is virtually no third-party app integration within the Spaces app. Moreover, the novelty of the application wears off incredibly quickly. So far, Facebook Spaces is a good attempt, but it is just not living up to its potential. Social media platforms venturing into VR will require a lot more effort than a simple app that, outside of virtual conferencing, brings nothing spectacular to the table.
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