Before we dive in to the differences between Room Scale VR and 360˚ VR, there’s something you should know: We’ve chosen these specific types of VR activations because they both represent the best possible event experiences on the market today. As we cover more details about both types, our hope is to find out which choice is going to help you achieve all of your event goals. No two events are the exactly the same, and we want to consider your event from every angle before pairing you with the VR tech that’s right for you. Simply put: both of these types of VR are awesome, but there are key differences to consider before incorporating VR into your next event plan.
All of the VR activations that we can bring to your events fall into one of two categories: 360˚ VR and Room Scale VR. As you will see on this page, both types of VR are capable of producing amazing events; however, the right choice for you will come from your specific event goals. We’re here to help you think through all of the possibilities of VR as an event activation and understanding the difference between 360˚ VR and Room Scale VR is a great place to start.
Below, we’ll discuss differences in equipment, differences in the experience, differences in the event setup, and the different event benefits of both types of VR. Let’s go!
The Room Scale VR experience gives your guests full control of their virtual world. They get to actually interact with virtual objects while controlling their experience. Imagine dropping a pen on the floor and reaching down to pick it up. In Room Scale VR, you would need to bend down the same way to grab a virtual pen. That’s because Room Scale VR tracks your body’s full movement, giving your guests the ability to explore VR at the most immersive level.
Take a look at the videos to the right and you’ll see how each example includes the user interacting with a virtual object whether that’s swinging lightsabers, walking a plank, or using their controller as a paintbrush:
In 360˚ VR, your guests will be surrounded on all sides by awesome 360˚ videos, animated videos, and even 360˚ games; however, they will not be able to fully interact with what they see. Imagine sitting in a speeding Ferrari on a racetrack. In 360˚ VR, you would be the passenger; able to see everything and experience the rush of being there, but without the ability to grab the steering wheel. Though slightly less immersive than Room Scale VR, 360˚ VR is actually our most popular event activation due to it’s huge range of available experiences.
Notice in the videos to the right that they are guided experiences, letting the users explore their virtual world without having to control what’s happening.
In order to create an experience where your guests get to move around and interact with their digital world, we’ll need to use special Room Scale Equipment. Infrared sensors are used to track the movements of your VR headset as well as your controllers. In order to run that experience, a high-powered computer is needed. To have all of your guests see your awesome event space, a monitor is used to show what’s happening inside the VR headset. Of course, at the most basic level you also need at least a 6 foot by 6 foot VR area and easy access to a standard 3 prong power supply.
That might sound like a lot, but we aim to create the cleanest looking event space possible. Plus, you have the option of branding your VR equipment so that it becomes a part of the experience itself!
Headset. Headphones. Controller. That’s it! Without the need to track your movements, and with it being a seated experience, 360˚ VR is definitely our most streamlined event activation. Unlike Room Scale VR, where the experience is spread over a large area, the 360˚ VR experience is all located right inside the VR headset. There is no need for standing or moving through the event space as it will not have an effect on what the guest is actually experiencing.
With so little equipment needed, 360˚ VR offers the ability to creatively think about how your activation plays into your overall event space.
We often hear the concern: Does Room Scale mean I need a whole room for this? Luckily, the answer is no; in fact, we only need a minimum of a 6 foot by 6 foot space for some of our most popular room scale experiences.
In the image to the right, the dark blue square represents the play area for the VR experience. This is the area where your guests will move around and play through the experience that we’ve developed for your event plan.
Just above the play space is a monitor that allows other guests to see what the player is experiencing. In this area will also be our main computer.
Not pictured in the image are the two sensors that will define your play space. The specific event setup will determine where we place the sensors but if you imagine one at the upper right corner and another at bottom left corner of the play space then you will have a good picture of where they will be.
Only one guest will be allowed in the play space at a time so consider what the best setup for your event might be. We want as much attention on your space as possible without anyone walking through the experience itself.
![[Branded]_Floor_Plan_-_01_-_One_(1)_Event_Manager_+_One_(1)_Room_Scale_+_Three_(3)_360s (3).jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56e70ceb4d088e6f05b8de00/1552590876483-0O1UPPOJK7AHQWPHD4ZT/%5BBranded%5D_Floor_Plan_-_01_-_One_%281%29_Event_Manager_%2B_One_%281%29_Room_Scale_%2B_Three_%283%29_360s+%283%29.jpg)
VR Headset
VR Controllers
VR Capable Computer
Infrared VR Sensors
Event Manager
VR Content
Monitor To Show VR Experience
Access To Standard 3 Prong Power Outlet
Platform/Table To Hold Computer
Minimum 6 Foot by 6 Foot Event Area
(If Outside) Three-Sided Tent To Protect Infrared Sensors From Sun Interference and Other Equipment From Weather Damage
As seen in the image to the right, the biggest benefit that 360˚ VR has on your event layout is the ability to have multiple guests experience virtual reality in a small area. With a seated experience, you can easily fit 5-6 people around a table and allow them each to experience different 360˚ content at the same time.
We’ve also included an icon for a table top sign to make sure people know that your VR area is up and running. We like to think of all the extra details that help grab peoples attention. For example, we can help you brand the front of your headset just to give your space that additional detail to set yourself apart.
A layout like this allows you to maximize the number of people that come through your event space while helping you start conversations and capture great reactions.
![[Branded]_Floor_Plan_-_05_-_One_(1)_Event_Manager_+_Six_(6)__360s_VR_Kits (2).jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56e70ceb4d088e6f05b8de00/1553090890353-QOYJ62CZYDM4SVR20Y9D/%5BBranded%5D_Floor_Plan_-_05_-_One_%281%29_Event_Manager_%2B_Six_%286%29__360s_VR_Kits+%282%29.jpg)
VR Headsets
Headphones
Paired Controllers (If Applicable)
Event Manager
VR Content
Table For Headsets
Seats For Guests
Room Scale VR is the craziest, coolest, and most immersive event activation that you will find. The goal of every one of our room scale rentals is to produce a “wow factor” that draws attention to you and your brand.
We do this by turning every one of you guests into a moving billboard for your event space. Each time someone steps into your VR area, they are drawing a crowd, creating conversation, and inviting others to join in.
Simply put, Room Scale VR means being the center of attention. If you want to take your event to the next level, then there is no better way to create an awesome guest experience.
Drives Leads
Promotes Your Brand As Innovative And Fun
Creates Awesome Reactions And Lasting Memories
Draws A Crowd To Your Area And Encourages Repeat Visitors
Takes Full Advantage Of your Event Space
Allows you To Think Outside OF The Box
360˚ VR is an awesome event experience in an easy-to-use package. It is our most popular activation with event partners because of it’s ability to offer a huge number 360˚ videos and games while also allowing for multiple people to experience it at the same time.
360˚ VR is great on it’s own, but that hasn’t stopped many of our event partners from deciding to use a Room Scale VR - 360˚ VR combination at their events. With their complementary event benefits, it’s not hard to see why.
If you want to get the most bang for your buck, then consider the impact that the combination of both VR types could have on your next event.
Easy To Use
Streamlined Rental
Huge Library Of Videos And Games
Multiple People Able To Experience VR At Once
Complements Other Event Activities
Very Immersive
Increases Guest Throughput
Immersion:
Tracking:
Experience:
Equipment:
Event Layout:
Event Benefit:
Best Friend:
10 / 10
Full Body Tracking (free movement)
Guest Has Complete Control
Full, Specialized Setup
Single Player Inside Of Large VR Area
Wow Factor, Center Of Attention
Loves Going To Events With 360˚ VR
8.5 / 10
Head Tracking (stationary experience)
Guest Is Guided Through Experience
Streamlined, Easy Setup
Multiple Guests Seated At table
User Friendly, Tons Of Content
Perfect Match For Room Scale VR
Room Scale VR represents the most immersive type of virtual reality on the market today. When your guests step inside of a room scale experience, they are in complete control of their virtual world and are able to actually interact with virtual objects. For example, just as you might reach out to grab a pen from your desk, someone in room scale VR could reach out and pick up a virtual pen in the same way. If that pen fell, they would need to bend down in the virtual world to pick it up. This is because room scale uses special equipment to track your body’s full movement. This unmatched immersion gives you the ability to transport your guests into a huge number of different VR environments where they are able to do things they never imagined.
Below, we’ll cover the equipment that comes with your room scale VR rental, some of the experiences that will give you a better idea of your guests’ experience, a sample layout of a typical room scale VR event space, and a breakdown of what’s included with your rental beside what you will need to supply yourself.
Our Favorite Event Benefits Of Room Scale VR Include:
Produces “Wow Factor”
Draws A Crowd To your Space
Most Immersive Form Of VR
Best Way To Promote Your Brand
Center Of Attention
Customizable For Your Goals
When your guests are inside Room Scale VR, we need to be able to track their movement as they explore their virtual world. That means bringing in specialized equipment capable of creating an amazing VR area. In order to run room scale experiences, we will provide you with:
VR Capable PC
VR Headset
Motion-Tracking Controllers
Two VR Sensors To Track your Guests’ Movement
Event Manager To Run The Experience
Here’s where all that equipment comes in handy! Room Scale VR allows you to interact with the virtual world in ways you have to experience to believe. As you can see in the videos to the right, the possibilities of this type of VR are endless. You can interact with virtual objects, explore your new virtual world, and even add unique options like a functioning racing seat and a stationary bike. All of that is possible because of the special VR PC, controllers, sensors, and headset.
Room Scale VR is the ultimate event activation for creating a “Wow Factor” that drives people to your event space.
![[Branded]_Floor_Plan_-_01_-_One_(1)_Event_Manager_+_One_(1)_Room_Scale_+_Three_(3)_360s (4).jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56e70ceb4d088e6f05b8de00/1553090986057-973N25M1U1K872HAG7EK/%5BBranded%5D_Floor_Plan_-_01_-_One_%281%29_Event_Manager_%2B_One_%281%29_Room_Scale_%2B_Three_%283%29_360s+%284%29.jpg)
The “room scale” in Room Scale doesn’t mean that you’ll have to dedicate an entire section of your event to incorporate it, but you will need some space! Specifically, you’ll need a minimum of a 6 foot by 6 foot area to run the experience. This is because the options for this type of VR require moving around in physical space. As you can imagine, having a dedicated VR space at your event is a great way to drive guest engagement, so let’s think about where it makes sense for your event!
In the image to the right, you can see an example room scale area in dark blue. The headset represents the center of your space while the TV/TV stand shows how we can display the experience to everyone at the event.
Additionally, we’ve included a 360 VR area in the floor plan. There’s no reason you can’t bring both types of VR to your event!
VR Headset
VR Controllers
VR Capable Computer
Infrared VR Sensors
Event Manager
VR Content
Monitor To Show VR Experience
Access To Standard 3 Prong Power Outlet
Platform/Table To Hold Computer
Minimum 6 Foot by 6 Foot Event Area
(If Outside) Three-Sided Tent To Protect Infrared Sensors From Sun Interference and Other Equipment From Weather Damage
360˚ VR is our most commonly requested rental type for many reasons including: it’s flexibility to fit into nearly any event space, it’s ease of use, it’s smaller equipment needs (compared to room scale), and it’s huge variety of experiences to present to your guests. In 360˚ VR, you get to experience real world adventures as well as animated 360˚ video. Imagine stepping into the passenger seat of a speeding Ferrari or sitting back and being led through a virtual meditation experience. While you don’t have direct control of what’s happening in your headset, you still get to experience amazing content. Plus, you can also play 360˚ VR games designed to be really fun while also being very easy to use even for first time VR users.
Below, we cover everything you need to know before deciding if a 360˚ VR experience is right for you and your guests. We’ll detail the equipment included in your rental, the type of experiences you can expect, a common layout option for this VR rental type, and a breakdown of what your rental includes along with what you will need to supply yourself.
Our favorite event benefits of 360˚ VR include:
Very User Friendly
Tons Of Videos And Games
Allows Multiple Guest Participation
Streamlined Setup
Immerses Guests In Virtual Reality
Most Popular Event Activation
In order to use 360 VR, you will need less equipment because instead of tracking your movement within an entire area (like in room scale) you will only need to track your head motion while seated. The equipment provided for 360 VR includes:
VR Headset
VR Controller
Headphones
That’s It!
Don’t be fooled by the compact setup. The 360˚ VR experience includes a huge variety of VR videos as well as some of our favorite games. 360˚ VR really shines when it comes to delivering a huge VR impact in a user-friendly package. While seated, your guests can travel around the word, experience extreme sports, visit your own back yard, or try out fun, new games that will keep them coming back for more.
No matter what theme you’re working with, there is guaranteed to be a 360˚ VR experience to match your needs. We’re always expanding our library of experiences so we’re excited to see what you have in mind.
As you can see in the image to the right, 360 VR is perfect for any event where you want multiple people to experience VR at once. Unlike Room Scale VR, this option allows you to fill your space with a group of guests all using VR at the same time. Plus, with so many videos and games available, they can each have their own individual experience.
As a seated experience, we suggest a rounded cocktail table along with five or six chairs. This maximizes the space and keeps everyone comfortable as they look around their virtual world.
Also notice the table top sign and pull up banner. Don’t forget about branding your VR space / showing off your VR activation!
![[Branded]_Floor_Plan_-_05_-_One_(1)_Event_Manager_+_Six_(6)__360s_VR_Kits (2).jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56e70ceb4d088e6f05b8de00/1553091043466-MLHX20YNXXMX0BRJSNJC/%5BBranded%5D_Floor_Plan_-_05_-_One_%281%29_Event_Manager_%2B_Six_%286%29__360s_VR_Kits+%282%29.jpg)
VR Headsets
Headphones
Paired Controllers (If Applicable)
Event Manager
VR Content
A Table For The Headsets
Chairs For Your Guests
Fill out the form and we will be in touch shortly.
William Griggs
CEO
After filling out the form above, we’ll be in touch to help you think through our VR event partnership. Plus, you’ll get access to all of our official partner resources. We’re excited to start putting together awesome virtual reality event plans for you and your guests!
Of course, we're also available via email [contact@virtualrealityrental.co].
Learn how to leverage Virtual Reality to achieve your event goals.
