All Mode
Microsoft is going all in with virtual reality, excepting, they don’t want to call it virtual reality. Rather than labeling their platform as virtual reality, Microsoft is instead pushing a “mixed reality” platform. With a little tomfoolery, you can try it out today! Yes, you can sample the Microsoft MR (Mixed Reality) future. Yes, even without one of the new Microsoft virtual reality headsets which are not being released until August.
Accessing Microsoft’s new mixed reality simulator is mostly easy but does require some Windows updating magic which is always a precarious balancing act. If you are willing to brave the Windows update process, you will be granted access to a fairly complete mixed reality experience (minus the headset). If you are ready to try out Windows Mixed Reality and don’t care for reading a bit of background info, skip to the directions below. If you are wondering what Windows Mixed Reality is…read on.
Windows Mixed Reality
Windows Mixed Reality is like a specialized virtual reality home-base for Microsoft Windows. First developed for the Microsoft Hololens, Windows Mixed Reality provides a virtual reality interface for Windows. Typical Windows user interface elements like the start menu are transformed into unique virtual reality buttons and screens. Unlike the virtual reality desktop simulators offered on steam, the virtual elements of Mixed Reality Windows are simplified and enlarged so that virtual reality controllers can be used more easily.
Image credit: Microsoft
Eventually, Microsoft hopes that any application will work with its Mixed Reality home. As of now, many applications work fine, especially first party apps. Microsoft’s Edge Browser is one of such applications that works pretty good even in these early days of Mixed Reality simulation-testing.
How to Try Mixed Reality
As I said before, you may need to update Windows to try Microsoft’s Mixed Reality simulator. If you have not updated Windows to the recent creator’s update, you will now need to do so now. Updating Windows is fairly straightforward nowadays, so I will not go into detail about that here. That said, you can type “update” into the Cortana search box on the lower left side of the taskbar. Click “check for updates” to jump into the options that are necessary to update. If your PC is updated and ready to go, move on to the steps below.
- First, you will be enabling developer mode. Right-click the Start button.
Image credit: Windows Central
- Then, click Settings (above).
- Next, click on Update & Security.
Image credit: Windows Central
- Then, click For Developers.
Image credit: Windows Central
- Now, click Developer mode and then Yes.
- Now, you will be ready to launch Mixed Reality Portal.
Image credit: Windows Central
- Type in Mixed Reality Portal in the Cortana search box and then press enter.
- Next, click Get started and following this, click I agree (below).
Image credit: Windows Central
- Now, click Set up simulation (for developers) and then click Set up once more (below)
Image credit: Windows Central
- Next, click the tools icon which is on the bottom left side of the window.
Image credit: Windows Central
- Click the button “switch” which is below Simulation to turn on simulation mode (above).
Now, you are in your own Mixed Reality version of Windows. It controls more like a game than you would expect. Your mouse allows you to look around and the W A S D keys move you. The enter key or a right click on the mouse is the equivalent of an action button. The Windows key is a Home button and holding Alt while dragging the mouse scrolls windows.
did all these settings but in end it says no headset found. facepalm moment.