If you are looking at making your virtual reality development career smooth and even that more enjoyable – than you want to look at investing in some nifty accessories. If you’ve done some web search by yourself you’ll soon notice that there are tons of recommendations that are just for organizational or aesthetic purposes – and then there are some that are actually pretty useful.
The accessories you buy will be dependent on which headset you’ve invested in. We’ve recommended our top pick headsets, and based on those, we make the following recommendations:
The best virtual reality accessories for the Samsung HMD Odyssey are the Hard Carrying Case and Foam Replacement.
The best virtual reality accessories for the Valve Index are the Anti-slip Controller Grip Cover, and the VR Cover.
A good investment for them both is a VR Cable Management Ceiling Pulley System.
There are a lot of accessories on the market that just look cool or that promise some sort of function but don’t actually improve your workflow or presentations. The recommendations I’ve made here are useful and will make a difference to your virtual reality development journey.
Odyssey Hard Carrying Case
If you’ve managed to land a gig that requires you to travel, it’s a good sign that your VR career is taking off! I remember the first time someone asked me if I could just ‘pop-in’ and do a virtual reality presentation – and well, my first thought was that it was not going to be that easy. I didn’t have anything to carry my whole VR set in beside the actual box that it came in (which by this point was old, had dents in it, and did not look very professional). Plus, The box was so disorganized and had no room for me to put my adaptors and extra batteries in, which caused me to make a second trip home to fetch.
By my second exhibition, I knew I needed something to carry all my equipment in. So I invested in a presentation-ready laptop, a bag, and a Hard Carrying Case. This time I did not forget any components at home, and I didn’t have to hide any embarrassing old boxes. The Hard Carrying Case is not only definitely worth it, but an essential for me.
Odyssey Foam Replacement
Hygiene has never been so important as it has been in 2020. People have become way more aware of what they touch and how sanitary those objects can be. It is absolutely essential to invest in Odyssey Replacement Foam if you’re looking to be hygienically compliant and if you’re not looking to gross out any clients with sweaty face gaskets.
Valve Index Anti-slip Controller Grip Cover
So, yes – the main difference between the Valve Index controller and other controllers is that you’re not supposed to hold it the whole time. But this also doesn’t mean that you might never want to hold it – so this is why the Anti-slip controller grip cover is necessary for the Valve Index controllers. Especially if you or your clients have slippery or abnormally shaped palms – you don’t want to risk having your controller drop, fly across the room, or get damaged.
Valve Index VR Cover
For basically the same reason as you would need the Odyssey Foam Replacement, you will need the Valve Index VR cover. Foam replacements and waterproof covers are absolutely essential for sweat-proof, hygienic and sanitizable virtual reality experiences. The waterproof covers may not be as comfortable, but they are definitely easier to clean.
VR Cable Management Ceiling Pulley System
This is a great recommendation for presentations. Taping cables to the floor limits the client’s movements is a risk for tripping and is a thing of the past. There are really inexpensive VR cable pulley systems that allow you to suspend all cables off of the floor. This clears up space and ensures your clients have a safer, more confident experience knowing that they don’t have any sneaky cables they could potentially wrap themselves up in or trip over.
