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Harmonix Music VR Visualizer Is A Big Reason To Consider Gear VR
When I was in college, my roommates and I swapped WinAmp skins and visualizers (those pulsating graphics that move to the music). As time wore on, my relationship with WinAmp faded. Now, Harmonix is working hard to rekindle that same connection.
Harmonix Music VR advances the core concepts of a music visualizer by placing you in a scene with interactive objects. The demo on the Gear VR units at Oculus Connect was a stylized beach at night, with a boat, lanterns, and plants.
Focusing on one of the slightly glowing objects triggers a related visualizer effect. You can choose to stay focused on one or exit and find another simply by turning your head away for a few seconds.
The scenes themselves aren’t static either, and there is always a bit of motion. I discovered that focusing on some areas of the environment move the view to another location, with its own visualizer elements. It was fun to explore a bit and see the different effects.
For me, plane travel is often time to rest and listen to music. I can easily see myself loading this up and watching it for as long as my battery will allow.
There are a lot of things to like about Samsung’s Gear VR, including games and virtual cinema (and you can read an in-depth preview to learn more about it). However, it’s Harmonix that is working on what has the potential to be the most accessible selling point for the entire device.
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