The latest incarnation of Frank Herbert’s Dune was knocked out of its 2020 release window like so many other projects, but you can still have a taste of the enormity of the sandworms in that story by riding one in a VR headset.
The WebXR experience can be found at https://tyrovr.com/dust-devil/ and if you visit that site in a headset with a VR-capable Web browser you should be able to ride a sandworm. The footage below was captured on an Oculus Quest 2 running that website in the Oculus Browser. The Oculus Touch controllers can be used to pull the reins and steer the sandworm in different directions, or slow it down. There are other sandworms of varying size roaming the vast desert and you can ride up alongside them to marvel at their scale.
We’ve recommended new Oculus Quest 2 owners check out Web-based VR experiences like Moonrider.xyz on the headset for free experiences that explore some of the headset’s capabilities. Dust Devil might get added to the list as another thing to check out because it is so simple and cool. You’re unlikely to spend more than a few minutes with it but it still offers an impressive sense of scale and wish fulfillment that VR is so good at delivering.
There are a couple other WebXR experiences available at TyroVR.com including a real-time strategy game and a shooter.
