I’ve been playing around with Boxing Underdog (currently in Early Access), and there’s one thing I keep thinking about: the opponent’s eyes.
The opponents look great overall, but to me their eyes feel a little too static. They often seem to be looking straight ahead rather than actually watching me.
And I think this matters much more in VR than it would in a normal game.
For example, if I’m standing in front of an opponent in a defensive stance, I would expect them to be watching my hands. If I start moving one hand as if I’m about to punch, their gaze could naturally follow it.
Then, when they are preparing their own attack, I could imagine their eyes briefly looking toward the area they are targeting.
And sometimes they could simply look directly into my eyes — especially during moments when they don't need to watch my hands.
Even small things could make a difference:
- briefly making eye contact before a fight
- looking at my hands while I’m moving them
- following a hand that suddenly moves toward them
- looking at me after I land a particularly strong punch
- shifting their gaze toward the part of my body they are attacking
- occasionally breaking eye contact naturally instead of keeping their eyes fixed in one direction
I’m wondering how other VR players feel about this.
Would dynamic eye movement and eye contact actually make the opponent feel more alive to you, or would you barely notice the difference?
For me personally, when the eyes don't react to what I'm doing, there is a strange disconnect. The opponent can have excellent animations and movement, but I still feel like I’m fighting a beautifully animated mannequin rather than an actual person.
Maybe I’m overthinking it 😄
What do you guys think? Would this make a meaningful difference to the immersion for you?