@Wnf i do agree with you that the author probably didn't think so far, and we are simple being picky. the story is basically simplified for readability (and author sanity) sake.
but what i think the story is lacking is the basic feeling the rest is at least trying, trying to be competitive and exploring by test/pushing boundaries.
and a fake fairness. at least make it sound like the game is fair and mc is more than an indestructible brick which infinity damage and aim hack.
those two point are basic game concepts that i believe would hold true even in the complexity of a vr environment. and the only reason i bother to comment is because the rest of the story is okay, the characters are consistent and have some flavor, the art is good, but the game itself tho... the contrast is too much. and i believe because of such contrast that we are seeing so many comments about it.
but yeah, maybe it is a bit too much, but i can talk about vr in general!
so while there is quite the difference between what we have and an advanced vr game, it will probably only change how they do it and who does it (depending on the type of interface connection, and the laws the game abide).
being good at a keyboard or controller will not matter, sure, and something like your brain capacity in adapting to the external interference and your mentality to be willing to experience the increased level of realism will matter much more. but that will not change how people will quantify/classify things, and test stuff, and even give numbers where there is none.
how much they will spend will depend on how worth it is (depends on the money and fun involved). that is the point i keep, if it is matter people will spend time on it, and basically build a mini science trying to understand it, monopoly of knowledge would be created, people would them monetize the average data that an average player can use. however how such things would exactly work would depend strongly on how the game system would be, but people would compete and work.
using your example, it may not be easy since it is not always the same value, but people could still make you punch the bag 100 times and said average value maybe 69, ha ha 69 would they joke with you while you probably would be quite tired. once it is 'true vr' the work involved in understanding the laws of game would be so much more elaborate, but if the game holds a really important position would people really not spend the time to understand it? trying, testing, being dumb, once there is competition they will work to be the best at it. because of the realism, there would be a flavor of complexity not seem before in games, but that wouldn't stop people of trying to science it, and 'crack the code' (we do that even to reality itself).
but i don't think such standards applies here, that is a lot more deep than the scope of this story and that is okay since this seems like a light read and authors have much freedom when writing about complicated stuff.
okay, bye, i should shut up now.