Google Earth VR app EarthQuest receives “Space Update”
EarthQuest for Meta Quest now has a realistic Earth atmosphere, making exploration more immersive.
EarthQuest has received a "Space Update" that brings the VR app to version 44.5.
According to the release notes, the update brings the following improvements:
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Introducing: Earth Atmosphere! The Atmosphere is designed to be as realistic and natural as possible, integrating seamlessly with all EarthQuest graphic features and lighting!
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Space navigation has carefully been redesigned to be as immersive, comfortable, and intuitive as possible, integrating lifelike scaling motion and more!
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Immersive Mode 'Time of Day' and lighting effects will now realistically transition between Earth and Space. All hard cuts are gone!
EarthQuest is available from the Horizon Store.
My first impressions of the Space Update
I tested EarthQuest in September last year and took another look at the VR app on the occasion of the recent Space Update. My original review is still valid and reflects what users can expect from EarthQuest.
The addition of Earth’s atmosphere is a welcome improvement and enhances immersion. However, compared to Google Earth VR on PC, there's still a noticeable hard cut between the 3D model and the 2D map of the Earth's surface once you reach a certain distance from the planet. Additionally, it's not possible to rotate the view axis as in the original PC VR version, which means the Earth appears to float below you rather than in front of you. Unless, of course, I’ve completely overlooked something.
There are two alternative Google Earth VR experiences available on Meta Quest: Fly, which is particularly beginner-friendly, and Wooorld, which has been my favorite since the 2.0 update — though that ultimately comes down to personal preference.
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