VRSmash.com – Site Review
If there is one website out there that is fully embracing the innovations in VR then it is VRSmash. This week I’ve been using the Oculus Go to test out their site (tough job I know..!) and ensure you know what to expect should you venture over there too.
Content (9/10)
The site has video previews ranging from a couple of mins to full-length. I ended up watching Adriana Chechik ride me for nearly 32 mins at one point. But be warned these are low-resolution video streams that you’re getting for free. If you have never tried watching VR Porn in high-definition (4k or 6k which is common nowadays) then the difference is like looking at the world through a pair of dirty spectacles vs just having had laser eye surgery! There’s no comparison. Conveniently, as you’d expect from any decent porn site, if you want the higher quality stuff you’ll need to pause briefly and take out your wallet. They don’t offer pay-per-download options like some of the other sites we’ve reviewed so you’ll need to be prepared to take out a subscription with one of their content partners, and with over 30 studios displaying their videos on the site the choice is varied. VRSmash has also partnered with Badoink to provide the entire RealVR back-catalogue. So if you’ve already joined RealVR (or have at some stage in the past) then you’ll already have experienced this content.
There’s also a nice easy to reference set of ‘How-Tos’ at the bottom of the home page which we found easy to step-through. Some sites bury this kind of information but having it right there will make a difference to first-time users we feel.
Performance and Downloads (8/10)
The videos tested streamed reasonably fast and we were able to nudge the videos forward and back with minimal delays to the stream. The preview clips are freely available to download are in most cases come in either Low or High-Quality, with some even up to 1440p resolution @ 60 frames per second which is more than enough for most headsets to provide a great experience.
If you want higher-quality or the full-length version then you’ll be redirected to the studios site, which is to be expected.
Navigation (10/10)
As mentioned in the intro VRSmash have adopted a built-in technology called WebVR. This is expected to be the standard technology for websites designed for VR users so this early adoption is possibly a sign of that becoming true. The browser made quite a bit of difference to the experience even over some of the other sites we’ve reviewed, the closest to come to it being VRSumo’s ‘VR Mode’. There were a few technical issues on some of the desktops we tried but as above, this is designed for users with their headsets on and ready to go. The advantage of not having to continually drop back to ‘browser’ mode in the VR headset or worse, take off your headset altogether if you’re using a mobile is obvious.
Overall (10/10)
The free full-length videos and pioneering use of the WebVR technology are key differentiators for VRSmash. That coupled with their expansive range of videos & studios make them a ‘must bookmark’ in any avid VR users browser. Well done guys… keep up the good work!