How video games save you from motion sickness

All hail the mighty and humble reticle, the hardest-working pixels on your screen. This is how developers can use reticles to stop you from getting motion sick - and why older games are sometimes hard to play.
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[@maidxxxxxx]

makes some good points, but theyre all pretty theoreticle

[@Smudgyglasses]

boooo

[@dylanp7817]

Woooo

[@lemon5389]

this is underappreciated

[@UnholyBasil]

I was gonna say, this is a pretty reticle stance on gaming.

[@sophiad548]

this is godly

[@fernvalemusic269]

as someone who gets super motion sick from riding in cars, i'm surprised that i never noticed the reticle issue. I even played through the entirety of the witness without even noticing it didn't have one. that being said, it wouldn't bother me in the slightest if it did, and it clearly matters for a lot of people. this is basically the heart of most accessibility issues. I support having reticles on every first person game, and would up it by adding that every game should have subtitles for all speech, not just cutscenes, and games should mention if they're going to use sound based hints (and offer an option for a visual hint instead) because i seriously fucked around in the witness for like 2 hours because i had the sound turned down and didn't realize there was a sound hint.

[@milesmendez-haines5869]

Definitely. Games need to tell you if the audio is integral to gameplay. I have problems with not getting enough stimulation a lot, so I listen to podcasts instead of game audio if I'm having trouble focusing. Not knowing the sound was aiding in gameplay could be a one way ticket to a bad game experience. Not to mention if one was actually deaf or hard of hearing and didn't have the option to listen to the game's audio. I agree that all speech should be captioned, but I'd expand it to all noise, period. The subtitles in Minecraft are the only way I'm able to play it - it's just not enough stimulation to listen to just the game audio, but even when I do, I have a hard time hearing certain noises. The subtitles tell me what I'm missing, and how loud they are - the brightness of the text indicating volume of different noises is a genius touch by the Mojang team.

[@SmoothTurtle840]

I noticed that The Witness didn’t have one, but it didn’t bother me. And I, too, get sick easily from motion-related stuff.

[@MorganChaos]

i definitely have gotten motion sickness from games (when minecraft added camera bob i had to turn it off within thirty seconds). agreed totally on subtitles, and i never realized the reticle could help with this! maybe next time i get it i'll experiment with focusing on the reticle instead of looking around the screen a lot.

[@lemonkii2867]

you should grab a sharpie and put a dot on your eye so you dont get motion sickness

[@Yoarashi]

Simulation sickness avoidance tips and tricks: - Set Field of View (FOV) to at least 90. - Turn motion blur, film grain, camera shake and similar visually distracting effects off. - Lower mouse sensitivity to a comfortable level. - Favor 3rd person mode over 1st person mode. - Favor long-distance weapons over short-range ones and slower characters over faster ones. - Favor open areas over cramped ones. - Ensure good lighting through in-game choices or game/display settings. Favor well-lit areas. - Look at your (mini)map often. Make sure you always know where you came in from and how to go back. - If the map is small, familiarize yourself with its landscape and/or architecture beforehand. - Build a resistance by playing in small but increasingly longer sessions. Stop right as you start feeling nauseous. Don't go back before you feel well again. But don't skip a full day, or you'll reset your progress. Basically: visibility is *everything*

[@alyssagoss2299]

Or you know, alternatively just play a game for five minutes, go "nope" and return it before the steam refund runs out and get something better

[@tibbygaycat]

@@alyssagoss2299 you must beat the flesh into submission do not let your mind rule you!

[@jakerowsell8752]

I'm 30 years old and have had this from the age of 9.. Resistance doesn't really seem to be a thing. :-(

[@Yoarashi]

I'm around your age, have had this from around the same age you have (Halo was the first game that made me nauseous). I can't build a permanent resistance either, but I can gradually build a temporary, game-specific resistance for a lot of games that usually make me nauseous, so someone else probably can too. It does take a lot of time and dedication to build though, and I can't do skip days or it's back to instant nausea with me.

[@Thekappa]

played tom clancy's the division .?

[@catdunkley]

Me: ah it’s like spotting. Jenna like two seconds later: it’s like the technique spotting used by dancers.

[@BEPPEJHA]

Bless ya

[@snaxel6397]

Phoebe Dunkley and then she uses a fricking fortnite dance as an example

[@catdunkley]

Snaxel.Z YT I mean it’s a fairly good example of the technique so I don’t hold it against her.

[@NateSearson]

I'm here for Jenna essay videos hell yeah

[@ExperimentIV]

i watched a video about how GoldenEye N64 speedrunners basically put a physical dot with a marker on their display because the game doesn't have a built-in reticle

[@friend_xtra]

Experiment IV doesn't free aim have one though?

[@OxygenMafiaMgO]

@@friend_xtra you cant move while using it though

[@blindseeing]

I'm OBFUSCATED by my RETICLE

[@brigidt5642]

J i immediately searched for this comment, glad i found it

[@ezmer6932]

Nobody move, I dropped a contact lens AND my husband

[@blindseeing]

@@brigidt5642 glad to help lol

[@krisherrick4261]

Thank you for this blessing

[@Ava-km4sc]

lost in the atoms of the linoleum!

[@sportnenny]

my favorite thing about polygon is that the end screen is full of angles that perfectly match my cursor. also i love jenna

[@SolarisMusic]

oh my god it does, this is fantastic

[@dlphelan]

Interesting video, had no idea that they played a role in staving off motion sickness. Solid work Polygon.

[@SeptemberManHey]

i preferred when fps didn't have one in all honesty

[@ameladaptivedaydreamer949]

@@SeptemberManHey Probably because you don't feel motion sickness,but a lot of people do so.....suck it up bucko

[@SeptemberManHey]

​@@ameladaptivedaydreamer949 I think some of these things can be of adaptative nature. If you ask most of the people, they wouldn't like to kill the animals they eat (or chop up wood to heat themselves). I think it would be great for the animals if we could understand what it means to eat meat. On that matter, problem resolution in times of crisis (most of video games depict that) work pretty much like all of these points of colors moving erratically on the screen. Adrenaline makes you feel like time is speeding up. I think in a general way it's dangerous to push people to believe that problem solving is that much simpler than it really is. I have the same problem with game design which nowadays pretty much takes you by the hand. I think the industry is dumbing down the population and it can be with some stupid things like the obligatory cross hair in every fucking game. One thing I can add is that i believe that constant stress grinds down the adaptation qualities in people. And constant stress pushes consumerism (fear for tomorrow), births fear of complaining and opposing to a bigger order. And yeah, I get that it can look like a stretch but if you played a lot of old games, with some of those things rapidly and drastically evolving, it can pretty much make sense. = )

[@SeptemberManHey]

Oh and something else, graphics are way more complicated and unreadable than before. And I've seen quite a lot of people arguing than focusing the money and time this much on graphics has put a big big big shadow on gameplay and story itself.

[@ameladaptivedaydreamer949]

@@SeptemberManHey Well yeah,a lot of modern game SUCK cause they want it make all pretty and shit,and the gameplay and story??? There's none. But about the other comment......what was the point you're trying to show me??? I Just said there's people that actually NEED a reticle or else they get sick and can't play the game,and you're saying to them (EVEN THOUGH ITS NOT THEY'RE FAULT) that they just have to deal with it???? And they'll "naturally adapt" (whatever the fuck your perception of "natural adaption" means). Please would you kindly fuck off -_-" Why not tell a disabled person that we don't need more ramps,they just have to deal with stairs and "naturally adapt".......bitch they can't change the fact of they're problem so don't just fucking say deal with it,AND before you say "YOU'RE COMPARING DISABILITY TO MOTION SICKNESS??!!" YES I AM,cause ALL of the problems being physical or mental should be considered and not ignored as a "lesser problem",a lesser problem doesn't exist,a problem is a problem,being mental or physical it should be taken with seriousness,some people need medication for motions sickness,other people need antidepressants for they're depression,and disabled people (depending on they're disability) needs a wheelchair,they all have a problem and they're trying the best to deal with they're problem the best they can,even though they have to deal with annoying pricks like you who keep saying "JUST NATURALLY ADAPT,ITS EASY" you asshole. Also,is the reticle taking ALL of the screen??? No. Also reticles help people like me that are really bad a FPS's but still want to play some,like I'm really bad a aiming in FPS,yet I still wanted to play Mass Effect.But if I depended on a asshole like you,I wouldn't be able cause you would take the only thing that's not bothering anyone and that could make me have a better time playing,you selfish prick,thank God you're not developing games,don't want to EVER play something coming from someone whit such a disgusting broken mind like yours. Also what's the point with the animal rant???? I hate killing animals but I can't stop eating meat cause I'm a bitch I know it,but I can give back to them by making sure they're lives isn't being thrown away,but again why the fuck are we talking about morality and stress when we are talking about reticles in video games??? I repeat RETICLES IN VIDEO GAMES???!!!!! Oh wait,you're trying to hide how selfish you are with a "educated" rant to make you look smart.....honey get this,you're a bitch,you say it's natural to adapt,but some people can't,so what do you do???? You throw them away and let them rot??? Fuck you,since you wanna be "deep" let's be deep. That's why society is crumbling with each day,selfish people like you are the cancer of society,people with the mindset of "oh you don't like this,then adapt",so you're saying that because I don't like the fact that I'm seen as the devil by society just because I'm gay,I Just need to adapt and shut up??? NO FUCK YOU,YOU SHUT UP AND ADAPT TO THE FACT THAT NO ONE NEEDS TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF STUPID SELFISH PEOPLE WHO ONLY CARE ABOUT BEING ON TOP, DOESN'T MATTER IF MEANS KILLING ANOTHER PERSON. So now MY deep rant sum is,no one should or need to bow down to other people that think that they're need is granter than the next -_-" You're a fucking asshole and I hope you never EVER bother me again cause it's NOT my obligation to answer disgusting selfish people like you. Also don't even try,you're gonna be arguing alone bitch,hope you have a horrible day,you disgusting piece of shit -_-"

[@facelessjack442]

Finally, some recognition for all those reticles working hard out there.

[@Tobascodagama]

"Simulation thickness". Yes, thank you captions.

[@Feasco]

Ooo ooo aah get down with the thickness

[@guitarguy42394]

*captions auto-generated by Mike Tyson*

[@Dctr-mg8km]

The reticle may prevent me from getting sick, but reminding me that Junji Ito exists definitely does not.

[@NickJerrison]

Uzumaki is getting an animated mini-series on adult swim btw. Just so you know.

[@FLFL-Cookays]

@@NickJerrison Having seen the movie, i am incredibly unhyped.

[@tybahr8719]

@@FLFL-Cookays uh that movie is live action, 20 years old, and was made before the manga was even finished.

[@FLFL-Cookays]

@@tybahr8719 Theres also the previous junji ito anime which was absolute trash.

[@tutterbear98]

To be completely fair to the new Uzumaki show, related to hype in comparison to the Junji Ito collection: The collection was done by Studio Deen, who usually works well for horror, they did Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni and their inconsistent, insane looking facial expressions in that show are legendary. However, in this case, Deen fell flat, which makes sense considering the detail in the source material they were working from. The new Uzumaki series seems to be recreating the style of the manga, to the point of it being in black and white, and from how the trailer looks really nails it. As well, the Junji Ito collection's director had only directed a music video before this, so not only was this her first attempt at horror, it was also her first series in general. It was a bad thing to cut your teeth on, really. Uzumaki is going to be directed by the guy who did Mushishi and the Flowers of Evil, which are two shows I've never watched, but I know people love for their atmosphere. Plus, the guy actually worked on horror before! In other words, yes fans of Ito have been burned, but I honestly really have hope for Uzumaki, not just because it's an adaptation of Uzumaki. The staff and team working on this looks great.

[@yophey]

"My eyes: I'm moving My ears: Definitely moving Inner ear: *YOU FOOL*"

[@TheEsdaniel]

Inner ear: brrrrrrraaakamonoga !

[@noctuadiscipulum9715]

@@TheEsdaniel You utter fool! [In german]

[@eliseholbrook2963]

Yep thats what the video said... 😂

[@ObjectsInMotion]

*_YOU FOOL_*

[@iamhereblossom1588]

So you just copied what the video said?... Ok my turn. Physical stability sense of balance sense of self-motion spatial orientation.

[@djfrogtime9956]

i’m living for these shout outs to tiny but essential game mechanics. thanks polygon!

[@meganorbecky9827]

"Special Thanks | Every reticle that ever saved me from vomiting No Thanks | The Witness (2016)"

[@dreamybluepiecupcake7072]

RETICLE VALIDATIONS, FINALLY

[@brandonminer1914]

Reticles are the aglets of the gaming world.

[@RhinoHand]

I always take a moment to appreciate the reticle whenever I start playing a new game, like there's so many designs, like it's the small elemtns that make the gaming experience we all love

[@strawberry_ASMR1]

Lol literally started to feel simulation sickness while watching this

[@tonybarnes2920]

Impressive. I've been at this games thing for over 3 decades and you'd be surprised how many developers don't know about camera movement, stabilization and ... the reticle's importance in it all. Great vid.

[@hvnspwn]

Jenna has given voice to why I too never felt fully comfortable playing The Witness, and I am so grateful.

[@AskForDoodles]

First time I encountered this fps motion sickness was pretty recently. I rarely play in fp, but looking back, they usually had a reticle, so when I started playing Edith Finch I couldn't figure out why I got so incredibly sick after 20 minutes... Consulted the forums and discovered the magic of the reticle (I had it off because IMMERSION, as you do) ... depth of field can def also play a part, at least for me.

[@Motholithic]

I went through the same thing with mincraft

[@WTFPr0m]

Reticles have been protecting my tummy this whole time... Unsung heroes

[@bunslinger]

this is why the outer worlds' lowered crosshair also makes me sick because it's not centered like every other game i play

[@__Razer]

Ya like Halo where it's in the lower third of the screen

[@TheCattilyn]

i absolutely loved listening to this video bc i am sadly one of those who still get motion sick even when there is a reticle, but it was very cool!!!!! i learnt new things!!!!!!!!

[@Faisure]

I initially mistead this as how to keep your reticals from getting sick and I am concerned as to how little I questioned this idea... It just be like that sometimes ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, gotta show some care for them reticals, we don‘t want them to be sick

[@kurekureci]

Me in the beginning: oh, shes gonna praise the witness for having it optional Me at the end: YOU FOOL

[@weir9996]

Kuře Kuřecí It wasn’t an option at launch however so her complaint is valid

[@veralium]

I was looking for this comment lol

[@malenalombardi4766]

As someone who gets motion sickness out of literally everything I'm glad now I can thank reticles for allowing me to play videogames and not die in the process

[@tsunamininja]

The witness not having a reticle is definitely a stylistic choice, but good to know that designers should implement a toggle for them at least, in the case that the player has motion sickness :o

[@guywith_dog]

cheap reticle: tape hole punch chad to monitor

[@bunnybreaker]

I'd never thought about it reducing motion sickness. This is good info.

[@ljyearwood9]

As a sufferer of motion sickness can’t tell you how much of a relief it is to have such a simple setting of a reticle

[@mikerice868]

I've always suffered from this, I always assumed it was motion sickness, this was actually quite informative, thanks Jenna!

[@JustinY.]

Imagine using reticles This comment was made by bugged game gang

[@slippingbugs]

I T S H I M

[@RhinoHand]

Damn, hey Justin. Nice to know we're awake and watching the same thing around the same time 😂

[@vvitchofthewest]

found him

[@everfaithful9272]

Yeah I agree, reticles are terrible and for noobs. If you get motion sickness unless you're disabled it's probably because you didn't grow up playing video games.

[@vvitchofthewest]

@@everfaithful9272 r/woooosh

[@Rafmorna]

this is probably my favorite video jenna ever made (which says a lot because i love aaaaaall of jenna’s videos) i come back to this one a lot. it’s just a good mix of information, humor and jenna-sass. love love love it!

[@bloodykon1]

Make sense since when you spin your so supposed to focus on one spot to keep from getting dizzy same logic woahhhh

[@UltimateKyuubiFox]

They mention that in the video. You know, with the ballerinas.

[@BarbarianGod]

Didn't Deus Ex have the interactive crosshair thing before Halo? I think there were probably other examples that predate it, Starlancer comes to mind. Also Vermintide 2 does a lot to communicate hits and if you did damage, hit a weak spot, hit a shield or armor, etc. And why can't games bring back Quake 3's hit sound, that was one of the best feedback mechanisms in any FPS in my opinion.

[@mrslovvet]

Omg The Witness made me feel so sick too and I never realized why until now

[@benadrylthundercrotch7144]

Super interesting, I've always wondered why first person games made me feel terrible but I also get motion sickness so this makes a lot of sense.

[@ince55ant]

this video is reticulously good 😎

[@Playproof]

watched this yesterday and came back today just to say how much i enjoyed it. thanks!!

[@intraum]

Jenna is channelling SEO Play energy here, and i am enthralled

[@matthewjones2271]

Jenna you’ve done it again. You killed it. All you guys at Polygon are. I really appreciate all of you.

[@clemandrieu6764]

The Jenna videos are always so relaxing, like a really cool prof lecture. I can imagine her with a pipe in hand, with a warm fireplace crackling behing her. I love it

[@FernandoDolande]

Someone please send this video to the developers of Kingdom Come Deliverance.

[@noodroid6736]

jenna's tiny talks are one of my favorite series. learning about video game history and mechanics is cool as frick. amazing work as always, jenna! thank you!!

[@localcaitortot]

Jenna (and the editing team) constantly make me appreciate things about video games that I never would have thought of on my own. I love it.

[@claytonandres1194]

Question: I’m prone to intense motion sickness on the subway/metro. If I put a dot on my glasses, will that stabilize me?

[@DigiMatt52]

No. Motion sickness and simulation sickness share a lot of the same symptoms, but have different origins. Also, you won't see the dot. It will disappear like your nose since your brain will decide it is obsolete.

[@Zhevros]

oh no jenna has the black lodge floor on her shirt oh jeez

[@tjzambonischwartz]

I KNOW! IT DISTRACTED ME THE WHOLE TIME!

[@nihil8471]

that's because this isn't the real Jenna it's her tulpa you can distinguish them by observing the hair right side: our dear girl-gang leader left side: omg a doppelganger

[@tibbygaycat]

@@nihil8471 the real 200 iq master hides in the comments. Thank you for your service.

[@Tiger-ds9nd]

hellooooooooooo

[@marinasanrib]

Thank you for this. I have a very intense motion sickness and I was never able to play ANY games in which the camera moves a lot for more than 10 minutes, even though I really enjoy them. This video made me think of it in a totally different way and, by focusing on the centre of the screen, I was able to watch it almost entirely!

[@pinstripeowl]

This is absolutely why I stayed away from first person games for so long - it hurts my head like anything.

[@48Murillo]

Jenna explaining shit to me while sitting with a confident pose on an armchair makes me think of my therapist. Dope vid

[@rebeccatrishel]

I get motion sick if I read in cars, and I don't usually grt motion sick from games ... But The Witness made me want to hurl even with a reticle

[@competentwoman9137]

jennaaaa this is so cool!! I get headaches in the car and would also always get headaches when playing minecraft (a reticle-free game) unless I opened it in a smaller window on my screen (thus giving me whatever I had in the background as a stable reference). thank you for explaining, you genius!!

[@SergioEduP]

ah that explains why my friends didn't enjoy "the witness" that much, I never knew about the importance of the reticle but to be honest I don't remember ever feeling motion sickness, that being while playing videogames or just spinning around like crazy

[@cruz6550]

onece it happened to me playin Unreal Tournament, there was a station in the space and the station had a big window where you could see the earth AND you could realize that the station was spining kind of fast, and looking through that big window (that occupied my entire screen) seing thins rotating crazy that maked me feel VERY. V E R Y. sick. instantly.

[@cruz6550]

You keep looking at the earth all the time, the spining was like a tornado, not spining 360°. Also The game has crosshair so idk

[@evilbananatwins]

This sometimes almost seems random because there are so many components to simulation sickness I think, so I get it happening even with a reticle on. One of my favorite games is Dragon Age Origins and my first playthrough I never experienced motion sickness, but when I replayed it a few years later I had to stop after 15 minutes because I was so sick. Maybe the constant of the reticle helps, but other factors like the ones listed here (screen size, lighting, cursor sensitivity, etc) may be more comprehensively important for preventing motion sickness.

[@ap0calypse5]

“The Beginner’s Guide” gave me such terrible motion sickness in a way a game never has before. I wonder if it would have been better with a reticle.

[@lukahhhhhhhh]

I find this interesting because I've always had the opposite problem! Games that have the reticle make me more likely to get motion sick than the games that don't! My working theory is that it's because I focus on something still but everything else moves around it/behind it in a way similar to when I read in a car, the moving background I can see through the window out of my peripheral view makes me feel carsick.

[@Ruperth316]

frame rate helps a lot on preventing motion sickness on FPS

[@VincentGonzalezVeg]

yeah i actually want some on some secondary lenses so i can do some quick math on distance also elevators make me feel like im falling into my boots when i get out

[@live_kaito_reaction]

The hl2 crosshair had your health and ammo status as two oval bars around the crosshairs, those were really useful

[@cookieintheinternet]

I had no idea simulation sickness was a thing. I do appreciate reticles though

[@cjrockband]

Ok, but I was not expecting either to see the witness being played by someone else or being disliked by someone else...

[@teasp00ns]

My mother is a neuro psychologist who specializes in perception, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the info in this video came from her research. One of her other findings is that simulation sickness is frequently caused by “framerate” discrepancies between the game and real life, and the lack of eye-tracking in VR systems. When you turn move your head or eyes to look at something in real life, your brain “blurs” the period of motion to create a seamless transition between focusing on point A and point B. Most games don’t do this, and having that quick pan between points in full clarity is confusing and distracting to your brain. What it’s seeing *does not* match what it expected, and it begins to either over-compensate to adapt, or start making you feel ill to discourage this new behaviour or make you vomit up whatever poisonous substance you ate. This is also why High Framerate movies look so weird. The eye-tracking bit is less important, but being unable to change your field of view by moving your eyes (since you have to move your head) is also counter to how we’ve spent our whole lives perceiving things visually. Interestingly, some people get simulation sickness to the point of vomiting within 20 min, and some are not affected at all! Thanks for listening to my fun brain fax

[@zware88]

I'll tell my reticle to be thankful of my thankfullness because of Polygon

[@YaRaz]

so glad I wasn't the only one who got super sick trying to play the witness

[@theothermorgan69]

I’ve learned more from this video then I’ve learned in my entire art class today

[@AutumnRain]

wow! i will add a reticle to that first person game i was making

[@sharkofjoy]

I played the Witness when it had a reticle and I found it to be one of the greatest games ever made, so I highly suggest you go back and give it a look now that it has a reticle! It's so worth it. It's a slow and ponderous game with substance.

[@hoppareiter]

I never knew it was such a reticle change in gaming history

[@rubyc102]

I had to go lie down after 5 minutes of the witness and I was so disappointed I couldnt play it

[@zacpier]

it's optional, now!

[@somer4213]

Life hack: just put a little cross of opaque tape on the middle your screen when playing The Witness and other games w/o a reticle. Boom stationary spot to focus on

[@MultiSuperMarion]

Thank you Jenna for the great video! Did not know that the reticle served any other purpose outside of aiming, so I learned something new today :D

[@plat553]

FOV for me is always the thing that stops me from feeling sick in games, i always have to crank it right up (like in KF2 and etc) but after that I'm all good. Great video!

[@misakichoi636]

Wow, this video made me feel very seen and heard. I have trouble explaining my motion sickness to other people as it’s not very common. I don’t play first person games, i get cold shivers, i start sweating HARD and my bowels go crazy. I’ve tried to teach myself not to get sick by watching fps game clips from time to time but no luck. I hope researchers hear our voices and come up with a non-motion sickness pills or something. We would also appreciate more motion sick-friendly games 😢

[@Nicole-tc3kd]

Wow definitely made me realize I took the reticle for granted. Good info.

[@UsotheMarshmallow]

This was a great vid, super interesting! also jenna's voice is super soothing to listen to, very enjoyable

[@anile1416]

oh THAT'S WHY I FEEL SICK PLAYING THE WITNESS I don't usually have motion sickness and couldn't understand why

[@amytg777]

my only comment, being someone who gets motion sick a just a tad bit earlier than the average person: ... yeah, you right.

[@Whatisthishuhhmm]

So THAT is why i didn’t get motion sickness when playing RIGS on psvr, and i do in any other that has locomotion. I wish more VR games had this type of ui built in whether you are piloting a mech or just plain walking as a normal human being. This would make it so much easier!

[@catthefanatic5551]

i thank the reticle mother, Jenna, for preventing motion sickness on this fine day 👏✨✨✨✨

[@twistysunshine]

Very good metaphor there Jenna. I appreciate it

[@riskoflobsters]

I knew Jenna had great taste but the Uzumaki reference absolutely confirms it.

[@ChuckYoder]

This video is great. Hope to see more like it in the future

[@MagmaLair13]

The video game of Peter Jackson's King Kong didn't have a reticle (or even a HUD for that matter), and I don't recall anyone having problems with motion sickness but of course I may be wrong. I felt that this was revolutionary at the time because it used the gun and hand on screen to display information, and you had a button to count how much ammunition you had left (or your character would tell you at certain intervals when reloading.)

[@theaviary5322]

me: hmm that reticle seems kinda annoying video: shows the witness, which has no reticle me: PUT IT BACK

[@ares540]

Nice to see Marathon get mentioned. Thankfully the updated Marathons have them now.

[@AltecE]

I’ve heard that cases of VR simulation sickness dramatically decrease when a virtual nose is added between the player’s eyes. I guess it serves the same purpose-a static, unmoving point where your mind can use to reassure itself it’s not moving.

[@Logan-tinyplanetss]

i love when jenna teaches me about videogame things i never knew i was curious about

[@el5694]

i finally understand why I get so nauseous playing minecraft lol i never even knew this was a thing

[@StupidPoetry]

I never noticed it before! Thank you, Jenna!

[@brennanruiz1803]

God, this feels like a shitpost from the framing even though it’s actually all completely accurate.

[@RaccoonLaundry]

VR games have this game problem - but what's interesting is that some of them have a "bird cage" feature, specifically for people that get motion, where it puts lines around your character like you're in a cage with very widely spaced bars. This tricks your brain into thinking "I'm looking around in game and in real life, but also my body is stationary, also in game and in real life. I am sitting in a sage and turning around, while I am also sitting and turning around in real life. We gucci."

[@i_fish6657]

The witness did add a settings to add the cross hairs back in

[@babyboy1971]

THANK YOU!!! This is very helpful! I get motion sickness plating some games and turning this on helps.

[@ethan-loves]

If you're playing a game without a reticle, just make your own by sticking a little piece of post-it note to the middle of the screen!

[@clottedscream]

I think my favorite video game reticle is Minecraft’s, because instead of having a solid color that might not contrast against some of the colorful blocks in the game, it’s 9 pixels of photonegative effect, meaning it always contrasts no matter where you are

[@frog_pogs]

even the silhouette of mr. mime haunts me

[@oliviasdoom]

the 2 seconds of apex footage at the beginning are whats keeping me going while i wait for the maps to switch

[@oliviasdoom]

ANOTHER snippet of apex footage? youre spoiling me jenna

[@oliviasdoom]

wait are you a bangalore main

[@joetheeskimo8885]

Is it weird that I've played videogames for hours each day and have never experienced simulation sickness?