Syncing Philips Hue lights with Beat Saber won’t make you a better player, but you’ll look cool.
Just when you thought we’ve said everything there is to say about Beat Saber, a Reddit user by the username of SlotTraveler has us talking about thepopular rythym-slaher once again.
One of the few “negatives” about playing Beat Saber is that it can often be a fairlysolitary experience. If you’re throwing a VR party with a bunch of friends, one person is immersed in VR frantically slashing their way through each level while the rest are left sitting on the sideline, rooting them on while watching the action from a standard monitor.
Sounds fun, but what if there was a better way to deliver the same level of immersion the VR player receives to those outside a headset?
SlotTraveler asked himself the same question and saw an opportunity to make spectating VR a little more fun by syncing his Philips Hue Smart Lighting to Beat Saber on PC, creating an incredibly cool, dynamic light show that responds and reacts to the VR experience in real-time.
To capture the at-home “4D” experience, SlotTravel set up a video camera and filmed himself blasting through one of Beat Sabers tougher levels. Each time the user slashed a box, the Hue system would quickly flash to a different its corresponding color throughout different portions of the room. As the track progressed, the speed progressively increased, eventually turning the room into a kaleidoscope of blue-and-red patterns.
One Reddit user asked the question: why would you set this up if you’re the one in VR? SlotTraveler’s response was, “There is not really a point…it just looks awesome when you film it,” adding, “I got the idea when I had friends over and for them, it looks cool.”
To sync up the Hue system with Beat Saber, SlotTraveler used an Oculus CV1 with IR tied to the official Hue Sync App. To setup your own at-home Beat Saber club, connect your PC to the sync box and select the proper entertainment room within the app. When you have everything connected, select your video input and start the synchronization. Just remember to put your Hue sync in video mode and not game mode.
Though it may look daunting, it’s a fairly simple process; no different from syncing up Hue lights with your computer monitor or your television set.
According to the Hue website, there are two super simple ways to sync your Hue smart light bulbs to your media. You can use the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box to sync your smart bulbs to your television, or you can use the Hue Sync desktop app to sync your Hue lights to the media on your computer screen.
One reddit user commented on SlotTraveler post talking about how they employed a similar setup when hosting friends. “I had my screen synced with my TV, which had a Hue Sync running. It gave the friends who weren’t playing a bit more immersion.”
With VR’s stigma as an isolating experience still an issue, home-brewed setups such as SlotTravelers could prove integral in establishing the technology as a socially-viable form of entertainment.
Feature Image Credit: u/SlotTraveler @ Reddit
