BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN MAINSTREAM GAMING AND IMMERSIVE VR: A REVIEW OF KEY TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

In recent years, virtual reality has become more and more developed and has revolutionized the gaming industry and provided more engaging experiences, but still, the integration of mainstream 3D games into VR spaces is an issue since VR pipelines are quite strict and users expect high-quality graphics and low latency. In this review, the main technologies used in VR Transformation, namely real-time frame capturing, depth estimation, stereoscopic rendering, GPU-based optimizations, and middleware frameworks, are analyzed. Also, the role of AI-enabled approaches, including deep learning models based on convolutional neural networks and transformers, in enhancing the depth estimation and the system's scalability is discussed. However, there are issues which include latency, scalability, and discomfort that come with using the system for long periods. Therefore, as a part of this review, we establish the existing barriers, look into the emerging trends, and suggest possible directions for future research to solve these challenges. However, this review also notes the absence of a methodology for the conversion of typical 3D games into virtual reality. Thus, it is meant to give a general overview of the VR pipeline and to suggest a plan of action to create such VR gaming systems.