Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Q: What is 'A Christmas Carol VR'?
A: "A Christmas Carol VR" is a live theater experience in virtual reality, bringing a unique twist to Charles Dickens' classic tale. The show can be experienced interactively in VR, as a flat-screen first-person experience, or as a passive multi-camera livestream.
Q: How can I purchase tickets?
A: Tickets are available on our TicketLeap page. You can choose between the Interactive VR Experience and the Livestream Experience.
Ticketing Questions
Q: What’s the difference between the Interactive Experience Ticket and the Livestream Experience Ticket?
A: The Interactive Experience Ticket allows you to actively participate in the show using VR or a 2D interactive PC format, and also includes access to the livestream. The Livestream Experience Ticket provides access to view the multi-camera livestream of the performance.
Q: $50? Don’t you think that’s a little steep?
A: Fair question, but honestly, no, we don’t! Keep in mind this is a live show, and it costs a lot to make them. Even without a physical venue, we’ve still got a big talented team of artists, designers, and developers who deserve to be paid for their services, and tickets are our only source to recoup some of that investment.
Q: Is there a discount available?
A: Yes! Just for you, since you were smart enough to ask, use the code FAQ30 for 30% off! (We’re also offering student and teacher discounts, and don’t hesitate to email us if you’re eager to see the show but the price is prohibitive. We're not monsters!)
Q: How do I access the VR/Interactive experience?
A: After purchasing the Interactive Experience Ticket, you'll need to download "A Christmas Carol VR" from the Epic Games Store. Detailed instructions will be emailed to you upon purchase of your ticket.
Q: What devices are supported?
A: If you're accessing the PC experience without VR, you can use mouse/keyboard or an Xbox controller. If you're using VR, every device VR device should work, though there will be some eccentricities with certain SteamVR devices (some controllers, we understand, will look rotated in VR). See below for "SteamVR Questions" and also check out the input mappings here.
Q: How do I watch the livestream?
A: Upon purchasing the Livestream Experience Ticket, you will receive an exclusive link and password to access the livestream. It is also streaming from YouTube, just about any internet-connected device should work! Also note the Christmas Eve stream-a-thon of previous shows will also be public for all on the Agile Lens YouTube channel (share with your friends and family!)
Q: Can I access the livestream more than once?
A: Yes, your Livestream Ticket allows you to join the livestream for any and all scheduled performances.
Participation Questions
Q: Do I need special equipment for the VR/Interactive experience?
A: Yes, you will need a Meta VR headset and a VR-ready PC for the full VR experience, or a compatible PC for the 2D interactive experience.
Q: Can I do the interactive experience on an Apple computer?
A: Unfortunately, this year we can’t support Apple computers.
Q: Will I need to actively participate in the VR/Interactive experience?
A: Participation is optional. You can choose to explore however you like and you can send messages to the performers. We invite you to interact as much or as little as you like.
Technical Support Questions
Q: What if I encounter technical issues?
A: For immediate assistance, join our XR Live Discord channel. For other inquiries, email us at info@agilelens.com.
Oculus/SteamVR Questions
Q: The experience is not opening into VR.
A: Make sure you're seeing desktop VR grid space first before opening (see instructions on Air Link/Quest Link). Check your OpenXR runtime and make sure it matches what you're using (e.g. SteamVR / Oculus).
Q: What do I need to change to run this on SteamVR instead of a Meta headset?
A: In the SteamVR settings, set the current OpenXR runtime to "SteamVR" and set Meta Plugin Compatibility to "Off." See image:
Q: My controllers are not tracking.
A: If you're seeing a yellow sign when opening up the controller interface, you may have controller tracking issues in game. Start Steam and the notification should go away and tracking should be fine.
Q: It crashed! And the error message said "FOculusXRHMD with size 0"
A: It is likely you need to uninstall Virtual Desktop, which can conflict with our application in some cases. Steam Link should work instead!
Q: My buttons are not working.
A: Check the controller bindings in the SteamVR menu (SteamVR - Setings - Controller Bindings). They should look like this:
Q: I'm not seeing the actors moving.
A: There are a number of possible causes for not receiving the motion capture data from our performers. Please try each of the following, restarting the build after each:
a) Disable a VPN if you have one.
b) Restart computer.
c) Install Node.js from the website.
d) Use version 1.15 of the experience, which can be downloaded and extracted here.
And of course remember you can always watch the livestream as well (check your ticket email for your special link).
