Out of everything Microsoft unveiled at its Windows 10 Event this week, there’s nothing more widely discussed than the HoloLens. For a long time augmented reality has been regarded as a dead-end technology, but Microsoft’s presentation on January 21st showed that there’s untapped potential that could shake the future of technology as we know it.
The HoloLens is capable of many things, one of which is enhancing the gaming experience. With this in mind, we got to thinking about where it could best be applied. There are thousands of games that come out every year, many of which simply have no reason to support augmented reality. But those that do could benefit in big ways.
Related: Microsoft’s HoloLens Will Help NASA “Explore Mars”
We have five examples of where HoloLens would fit well into the framework of modern gaming. You can read about them in the gallery below.
AR Revolution: 5 Gaming Applications Where HoloLens Could Be Awesome
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Forza Vista - Examining and Editing Cars in the Living Room
Forza Motorsport 5's Forza Vista would be a great mode to support the HoloLens with. In its current state, you can closely examine cars, but within a virtual framework. Dropping the vehicles into the living room to be experienced in our world as they are meant to be would be a dream come true for auto fans like myself who don't necessarily expect to ever get hands-on with the world's hottest exotics. And really, this could be a great way to shop for cars without having to drive to dealerships.
Once a car is in your living room, imagine you are granted access to Forza's wide range of customization tools. You can modify the drivetrain, exterior, engine, and more on the fly. Additionally, you have access to the Decal Designer making it easier than ever before to ornament cars with elaborate designs.
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Halo 5: Guardians - A Dynamic HUD
In recent years developers have toyed around with minimizing HUD elements on the screen. Some have even opted to remove the HUD altogether, or at least have an option for doing so.
Instead of outright eliminating the HUD, imagine you're playing Halo 5: Guardians and all the UI elements are on your HoloLens. You can view the mini-map on the bottom left, and even the scoreboard when you press the menu button. But they aren't on your television or monitor. Instead, they are floating right in front of you, as seen in some sci-fi films.
Moving HUD information to the HoloLens would also allow video capture and live streams to only see gameplay, eliminating the distraction of the HUD for viewers.
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Halo Wars - Command Troops in Augmented Reality
Strategic implementation of augmented reality is its greatest asset, and Halo Wars is a great example of a game that could benefit greatly from it.
In the original Halo Wars, you had to cycle through troops and command them with the nuances of a controller. Instead of making things so complicated, what if the HoloLens allowed for you to point and command units in your army? Not only would it make you feel like a real commander, but it'd make input faster and more intuitive.
It's no wonder the United States Military is currently developing a Battlefield Hologram System for its real-world application.
There's supposedly an Age of Empires game in development, so that'd be another great RTS game to incorporate HoloLens support.
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Star Citizen - Exploring Space Holo Style
Out of all the space-borne games known to man, there is none more ambitious than Star Citizen. Arriving next year, it will allow you to exist in the outer reaches of space, exploring and combating in the most beautiful environments you can imagine.
The HoloLens could be of great benefit to the Star Citizen experience. As with the Halo 5: Guardians example, UI elements can be shown on the lens, including all of your ship's vitals in addition to intelligence on enemy space craft.
It could also be beneficial for immersion in non-combat situations. Imagine you head to the local station and trade with other players using an interface on the HoloLens. Or, while exploring the vast reaches of space, you can view and interact with a star map on your lens, even have access to data regarding planets and locales. These interactions would help bring the world of Star Citizen to life.
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The Sims 4 - Building a Home in Your Home
There's a reason the first HoloLens trailer showed several minutes of creative people crafting objects in the virtual space, it's arguably the device's greatest asset.
While Minecraft was shown as one build-style example of its gaming implementation, The Sims 4 could similarly benefit from the HoloLens. Editing a home is a very intimate experience for Sims fans. They care very much about the minutiae of each room, whether it be where windows are placed, or where a dining table sits. Moving this home into the real living room where it can be easily interacted with using the hands would make it easier to fine-tune and make sure the product of your work is something you love.
