New Delhi: An American entrepreneur has taken a page out of Hollywood science-fiction movies and claims to have created a game where the player dies if they are unable to complete the game. Palmer Luckey, who is known as the father of modern virtual reality (VR), has created a headset that "bombards the player's brain with extraordinarily powerful microwaves" if they die in a VR game.
In a blog post, Mr Luckey said that the headset 'NerveGear' perfectly recreates reality using a direct neural interface. The device has three explosive charge modules right above the viewing screen. These charges are aimed directly at the user's brain and are capable of killing them instantly, claims the maker.
"Pumped-up graphics might make a game look more real, but only the threat of serious consequences can make a game feel real to you and every other person in the game," Mr Luckey said.
"This is an area of videogame mechanics that has never been explored, despite the long history of real-world sports revolving around similar stakes," he added.
The headset has been built to commemorate the anime Sword Art Online. The anime, which shows players put on the NerveGear headset, made virtual reality popular across Japan. The series' antagonist, a mad scientist, traps all the players in a 100-floor dungeon in the virtual world. If they die in the game, they die in real life.
"In SAO, the NerveGear contained a microwave emitter that could be overdriven to lethal levels, something the creator was able to hide from his employees."
Luckey said he was unable to recreate this and hence decided to attach explosive charges to the headset.
Would you buy a headset that not only makes the virtual world seem real but also kills you if you can't complete the game. Let us know in the comments.
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