New World Rides<\/a>\u201d of exploration, engaging in games where their movements served as controllers, allowing them to dodge, aim, and navigate through immersive challenges such as archery and zombie hunting.<\/p>\nThe visionary behind this experience is Nicholas Suttell, a Florida State University graduate who earned a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering in 2017 and now a STEM entrepreneur.<\/p>\n
The vision behind the VR spectacle<\/p>\n
Suttell\u2019s journey was the start of something new.<\/p>\n
In 2020, he sought to combine his love for gaming, engineering, and a desire to bring to the community a place where virtual reality serves a meaningful purpose beyond entertainment. He explored deeper, hoping to design rides \u2013 not the digital kind but real, motion-based experiences that inspired wonder.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I didn\u2019t get a job with a big defense company, I knew I wanted to build something meaningful,” Suttell told the Tallahassee Democrat. \u201cIt was always rides,\u201d he said, regarding the vision behind his business.<\/p>\n
He debuted his first rotating motion platform, RotoLoco, at the Fun Station on Sharer Road. This simulation would lay the foundation for what he envisioned for VRcade.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a gimbal that rotates 360 degrees on three axes. We designed a game for it called Shuttle 39, a mission to fly through an asteroid and collect alien artifacts,\u201d he said, describing the development of RotoLoco, and its base in a virtual setting.<\/p>\n
In 2024, a trio of tornadoes hit Railroad Square, damaging several buildings housing local businesses. For Suttell, the storm came as he was finishing renovations inside his operation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt didn\u2019t hit us as hard as others, but foot traffic definitely dipped,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s still a misconception that the area is closed down, but we\u2019ve been smart with how we invest. The space is beautiful now. We\u2019ve added big spectator screens, a lounge area and it\u2019s really a place to hang out.”<\/p>\n
Suttell expanded his business, where enthusiasts can explore captivating games in a free-roam arena, so that people can be comfortable as he implemented ways to make them want to come back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe realized people didn\u2019t just want to sit and watch, they wanted to move,\u201d he said, \u201cAll of our games require physical interaction. You have to get up and walk, throw and dodge. It\u2019s gaming, but it\u2019s active and social.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today, Suttell brings his vision to life for fans of all ages and provides accessibility to a wide range of people who may have physical disabilities. It averages about 120 guests per week. Prices start at $8 for a 12 to 15-minute session. His business is located near the entrance of Tallahassee\u2019s Railroad Square Art District.<\/p>\n
Wyatt Saxton, a 9-year-old enjoying a recent fun day visit with his father, Powell Saxton, shared his favorite part of the arcade experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just cool. I liked being the pilot. It felt like spinning in a hamster ball,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Teaching the next generation through STEM and innovation<\/p>\n
Every Friday, Suttell introduces the VRcade experience to an enthusiastic group of kids enrolled in the Tallahassee Young Engineers Summer Camp, co-founded by Khari Henry, president of the local non-profit, Scientiae. Henry\u2019s camp is located inside the Tallahassee Preparatory Academy, 4351 Mahan Drive.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of synergy between their ambitions and ours,\u201d Henry said of his relationship with Suttell. \u201cIt adds a dimension of exploration and gives the kids a better understanding of where this kind of technology can take them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Henry\u2019s involvement with Suttell\u2019s offerings helps bring awareness and allows young scholars to understand what technology has to offer, not just with gaming, but also in academic development.<\/p>\n
In five years, Suttell envisions his virtual experience growing into various cities and potentially becoming a franchise.<\/p>\n
“I picture it like a modern-day bowling alley,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Families could reserve arenas, grab food, and watch their kids sweat through team VR games. I want to build a space where technology brings people together, not further apart.”<\/p>\n
If you go<\/p>\n
\n- What: <\/strong>New World Rides at VRcade<\/li>\n
- When:<\/strong> 2 \u2013 6 p.m. Thursdays; 12 \u2013 6 p.m. Friday \u2013 Sunday<\/li>\n
- Where:<\/strong> 632-2 Railroad Square<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Tallahassee Democrat writer\u00a0Joel Mitchell can be reached at jmitchell@gannett.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Check out the RotoLoco, a VR ride at VRcade in Railroad Square The RotoLoco, a virtual reality ride…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":47375,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[691,36575,36579,26383,2488,607,3188,723,36577,393,2487,36572,36576,450,1457,1451,27751,290,645,2490,36573,158,646,67,132,4280,68,36574,729,36578,730],"class_list":{"0":"post-47374","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-virtual-reality","8":"tag-ai","9":"tag-augmented","10":"tag-augmented-u0026-virtual-reality","11":"tag-devices","12":"tag-enabled","13":"tag-entrepreneurship","14":"tag-fl","15":"tag-florida","16":"tag-florida-state-university","17":"tag-gaming","18":"tag-highlights","19":"tag-innovative","20":"tag-innovative-gaming","21":"tag-overall","22":"tag-overall-positive","23":"tag-positive","24":"tag-reality","25":"tag-state","26":"tag-story","27":"tag-story-highlights-ai-enabled","28":"tag-tallahassee","29":"tag-technology","30":"tag-u0026","31":"tag-united-states","32":"tag-unitedstates","33":"tag-university","34":"tag-us","35":"tag-virtual","36":"tag-virtual-reality","37":"tag-virtual-reality-devices","38":"tag-vr"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114814909129446394","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47374"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47374\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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