Virtual Targets, Real Skills: VR Experience in Shooting

Öz

This study aims to comparatively examine the air pistol shooting experiences in virtual reality (VR) and realworld environments. The research involved 20 volunteers (10 female, 10 male; mean age 20.55 ± 1.67) with no prior shooting experience. In the study, which used a qualitative research design, participants first engaged in a shooting experience at a real shooting range, followed by a VR environment, after which their experiences were evaluated through semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis with MAXQDA 2025 software. The findings revealed that the real shooting experience was perceived as an instructive experience and involved physical difficulty, while the VR experience was found to be visually successful but haptically deficient. A significant majority of participants expected the real shooting experience to be challenging both physically and mentally, perceiving the VR environment as a safer, risk-free, and more controllable space. The most significant finding of the study is that the major drawback of the VR experience is the lack of haptic feedback (recoil, weight, vibration). In conclusion, it was determined that while VR technology can be a valuable supplementary tool in shooting training, it cannot replace the real shooting experience. To fully leverage the potential of VR, it is recommended to develop haptic feedback technologies and popularize hybrid training models.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Shooting
• Sport psychology
• Virtual reality

Sanal Hedefler, Gerçek Beceriler: Atıcılıkta VR Deneyimi

Öz

Bu çalışma, sanal gerçeklik (VR) ve gerçek ortamda havalı tabanca atış deneyimlerini karşılaştırmalı olarak incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmaya, daha önce atış deneyimi bulunmayan 20 gönüllü (10 kadın, 10 erkek; yaş ortalaması 20.55 ± 1.67) katılmıştır. Nitel araştırma deseni kullanılan çalışmada, katılımcılar önce gerçek atış poligonunda, ardından VR ortamında atış deneyimi yaşamış ve sonrasında yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmelerle deneyimleri değerlendirilmiştir. Nitel veriler, MAXQDA 2025 yazılımı ile tematik analiz yöntemiyle çözümlenmiştir. Araştırma bulguları, gerçek atış deneyiminin öğretici bir deneyim olarak algılandığını ve fiziksel zorluk içerdiğini; VR deneyiminin ise görsel olarak başarılı ancak haptik olarak eksik bulunduğunu göstermiştir. Katılımcıların büyük çoğunluğu, gerçek atış deneyiminin hem fiziksel hem de zihinsel olarak zorlayıcı olacağını beklemiş, VR ortamını ise daha güvenli, risksiz ve kontrol edilebilir bir alan olarak algılamıştır. Araştırmanın en önemli bulgusu, VR deneyiminin en büyük eksikliğinin haptik geri bildirim (geri tepme, ağırlık, titreşim) olduğudur. Sonuç olarak, VR teknolojisinin atıcılık antrenmanlarında değerli bir tamamlayıcı araç olabileceği, ancak gerçek atış deneyiminin yerini alamayacağı tespit edilmiştir. VR’nin potansiyelinden tam olarak yararlanabilmek için, haptik geri bildirim teknolojilerinin geliştirilmesi ve hibrit antrenman modellerinin yaygınlaştırılması önerilmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Atıcılık
• Sanal gerçeklik
• Spor psikolojisi

Kaynakça

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