Oculus Rift

ScumLord

I think something like Virtual Retinal Display may become more popular for VR as resolution isn't as much of an issue.

jumbobreakfast

Shiminay wrote: »

It's a perfectly valid comparison - it's a very expensive consumer level product that changes how you consume audio visual content. It can't be shared unless everyone in the room has the appropriate gear. It doesn't matter that the experience is as different as it is, as a product that people are trying to convince us to buy into, it faces the same barriers to entry and the same causes for concern. I'm honestly baffled that people don't see that.

You can abstract it back to Techgadget v1.0 versus Techgadget v2.0 all you want but 3DTV (and 3D games) have major flaws and limitations that make it essentially the same as watching or playing 2D content. VR has some flaws that I am still worried about but it is such a different way to consume content that the content itself and how we interact with it has no option but to change. There are also tonnes of developers working on VR whereas 3D has just become a bolt-on effect on top of regular 2D content.

Anyway, you're right to be skeptical and keep tapping the brakes on the hype train but I hope you get to experience the Vive at some stage.

Shiminay

The difference in the tech isn't relevant, the issue is an economic one - people only have finite expenditure and €800 is holiday money to a lot of households. Whilst a 3D TV is hardly the great coming of home 3D as they tried to tell us it is, at least it still works as a high end telly in the sitting room that everyone can share and a single VR headset is certainly not that.

jumbobreakfast wrote: »

Anyway, you're right to be skeptical and keep tapping the brakes on the hype train but I hope you get to experience the Vive at some stage.

Oh believe me, I can't wait to try it! A a big fecking nerd I'm really excited by VR and the Vive in particular seems to be on to a real winner.

lmimmfn

Shiminay wrote: »

It's a perfectly valid comparison - it's a very expensive consumer level product that changes how you consume audio visual content. It can't be shared unless everyone in the room has the appropriate gear. It doesn't matter that the experience is as different as it is, as a product that people are trying to convince us to buy into, it faces the same barriers to entry and the same causes for concern. I'm honestly baffled that people don't see that.

The potential of mobile devices was well known by us techies before the iPhone appeared on the market yet its userbase skyrocketed even though it was a completely different experience to regular phones, is you either got caught in the hype or got a trial of the first decent touchphone

Vr costs around the same as the top tier phones so price isint really an issue, marketing is and the VR devices being released are not for mass market but for enthusiasts. Oculus have already mentioned potentially doing a monthly payment so its more in line with mobile contracts

The barriers will be reduced by having VR trials at tech stores and they're well aware that that is required.

drunkmonkey

What's required is a pass through on your phone, keep the cost of the device down by letting you use your phone as the screen, somewhere between the gear VR and the Vive. That'd drive the cost down significantly but weight is an issue at the moment, I'm expecting the m10 to have a trick up its sleeve whether that's a VR capable video camera or a budget gear VR version to compete with the Samsung.

Skatedude

k, I'll explain it simply for the idiots, 2d, 3d etc is sitting on this side of the tv watching what happens,

VR is climbing through the tv to join in what is happening.

Doge

Shiminay wrote: »

The difference in the tech isn't relevant, the issue is an economic one - people only have finite expenditure and €800 is holiday money to a lot of households.

If you compare the price to high end gaming monitors, or decent triple monitor setups for gaming, it works out about the same.

A budget 4K TV is the same price also.

So when you compare it to those it doesnt seem so bad, and the price will only go down.

jumbobreakfast

Doge wrote: »

If you compare the price to high end gaming monitors, or decent triple monitor setups for gaming, it works out about the same.

A budget 4K TV is the same price also.

So when you compare it to those it doesnt seem so bad, and the price will only go down.

Good point about the price of monitors. There was a timely tweet from HTC today too:

https://twitter.com/urbanstrata/status/702464362640973824

AlmightyCushion

jumbobreakfast wrote: »

Good point about the price of monitors. There was a timely tweet from HTC today too:

https://twitter.com/urbanstrata/status/702464362640973824

Eh, Macs are still $2500 and iPhones are $1100.

Skerries

OR to get some of the spatial awareness of the Vive

http://www.engadget.com/2016/02/25/oculus-rift-valve-chaperone/

drunkmonkey

Stumbled across this device from Eos, there looking for funding, it's NSFW but gives you an idea where some of the gaming industry is going https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/virtuadolls-an-adult-vr-game-controller--2#/story
Suddenly every single man will want a PC..

MarkAnthony

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Stumbled across this device from Eos, there looking for funding, it's NSFW but gives you an idea where some of the gaming industry is going https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/virtuadolls-an-adult-vr-game-controller--2#/story
Suddenly every single man will want a PC..

All I can say is that's a very small hole. :pac:

dunworth1

drunkmonkey wrote:

Stumbled across this device from Eos, there looking for funding, it's NSFW but gives you an idea where some of the gaming industry is going

I bet you "stumbled across it alright"

But it's pretty much a good bet that the tech will do well when the adult industry gets envoled.

Blowfish

dunworth1 wrote: »

But it's pretty much a good bet that the tech will do well when the adult industry gets envoled.

It already has, there's already VR porn out there. Adding new 'controllers' is just a step further.

Robert ninja

Porn has always been one of the big players to help drive consumer tech. If it wasn't for porn we wouldn't have functional scrubbing of video timeline w/ previews. I expect porn to help VR become great and lucrative. It'll be interesting if these sex devices start being 'upgradable' in the sense that the user places their own toy of preference in a holder rather than one being hardlocked to it. Similar to using phone screens in a skeleton headset to take advantage of the user's phone screen. Sex toys overall are going to get a huge new userbase if VR actually turns out as a really good platform for porn and masturbation. The salt alone will be enough entertainment for me, though.

Skerries

dunworth1 wrote: »

I bet you "stumbled across it alright"

But it's pretty much a good bet that the tech will do well when the adult industry gets envoled.

there's a bestiality one as well!?

drunkmonkey

Skerries wrote: »

there's a bestiality one as well!?

Rule #34

drunkmonkey

Pricing released, €899 here, included tilt brush and job simulator.

http://blog.htcvive.com/us/2016/02/international-pricing-for-vive-pre-order/

Falthyron

'Adrift's VR Version Exclusive to Oculus Rift at Launch, But Not Forever'

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/adrifts-vr-version-exclusive-to-oculus-rift-at-lau/1100-6435160/

drunkmonkey

Falthyron wrote: »

'Adrift's VR Version Exclusive to Oculus Rift at Launch, But Not Forever'

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/adrifts-vr-version-exclusive-to-oculus-rift-at-lau/1100-6435160/

The oculus consumer version won't have shipped before the game is released, I'd say by the time Vive is shipping it'll be supported.

The Randy Riverbeast

http://blog.htcvive.com/us/2016/02/international-pricing-for-vive-pre-order/

€899 for the vive. Assuming 50 ish for shipping 200 more than rift but also comes with controllers. Will be interesting to see how things go.

EDIT: just seen it was already posted.

drunkmonkey

The rift doesn't include the controllers though you just a get a priority when ordering them when they go on sale.

Dunno what to do, sold the dk2 Friday so thinking I might pre order the vive, still we're heading into summer so might not use it much then, might be better to sit back and see what way the land looks like in September. I presume the Oculus CV2 and Vive2 will be gearing up for release this time next year or could you see the shelf life been a bit longer?

Dyr

drunkmonkey wrote: »

The rift doesn't include the controllers though you just a get a priority when ordering them when they go on sale.

Dunno what to do, sold the dk2 Friday so thinking I might pre order the vive, still we're heading into summer so might not use it much then, might be better to sit back and see what way the land looks like in September. I presume the Oculus CV2 and Vive2 will be gearing up for release this time next year or could you see the shelf life been a bit longer?

I think both of the first retail models will be quickly superseded given the pace of developments

drunkmonkey

Yea that's what I'm thinking, the screen would be my biggest concern, how good is it will the next one be a huge jump or is the current one good for a few years? I've only experience of dk2's screen. Controllers etc can all be upgraded but the screen is what will drive the next upgrade I think.

Jerichoholic

There's talk of a subscription service much like phone contracts, if so then upgrading at a small charge would be perfect. I'd go for that option if it came to pass.

Zillah

Plamer Luckey has stated that he expects the generation-life to be longer than phones but shorter than consoles - so you're probably not going to see release of the Rift 2 until 2018.

I'm gonna make a wager that they're going to go fully wireless for the second generation. It's the only big obstacle. Screens might go a little higher resolution but the biggest improvement that they can make is to free you from the cable wrapping around your legs, which people consistently say is the thing that is most distracting and annoying.

I know the technology doesn't exist yet, but I bet they'll have it cracked by second gen. Foveated rendering might help reduce bandwidth to the headset thereby making wireless easier.

Shiminay

Jerichoholic wrote: »

There's talk of a subscription service much like phone contracts, if so then upgrading at a small charge would be perfect. I'd go for that option if it came to pass.

^^^^ This. It'd be a clever means of getting people on board.

Zillah

Jerichoholic wrote: »

There's talk of a subscription service much like phone contracts, if so then upgrading at a small charge would be perfect. I'd go for that option if it came to pass.

Your phone contract provides an ongoing service, you just pay extra to have the phone included. Is there some sort of service involved, or is this just some way to buy a VR headset in installments? Or is it worse than that because you keep paying the fee regardless of when the next one comes out? What if it is delayed, do they get free money?

The more I think about this the less sure I am about what you mean.

lmimmfn

Zillah wrote: »

Plamer Luckey has stated that he expects the generation-life to be longer than phones but shorter than consoles - so you're probably not going to see release of the Rift 2 until 2018.

I'm gonna make a wager that they're going to go fully wireless for the second generation. It's the only big obstacle. Screens might go a little higher resolution but the biggest improvement that they can make is to free you from the cable wrapping around your legs, which people consistently say is the thing that is most distracting and annoying.

I know the technology doesn't exist yet, but I bet they'll have it cracked by second gen. Foveated rendering might help reduce bandwidth to the headset thereby making wireless easier.

Yeah I also wouldn't expect the second gen vr headsets to appear until mid 2018, eye tracking looks like its just been solved but will take 2 years before its in a commercial HMD which allows the possibility of foveated rendering. Then there are input controllers, the ones being proposed look good but still you want decent haptic feedback etc.
Well also need 2 generations of better GPUs if they will have 4k total resolution( ok mitigated somewhat with foveated rendering but still 4k at 90 fps is a big ask )
I really thing the second gen versions will be what people expect from the first gen.

I'm on the fence regarding the vive, will be getting the oculus cv1 for free so might just see how it pans out, really would love the room scale of the vive, even just to mess around with my own creations in

Zillah

lmimmfn wrote: »

Yeah I also wouldn't expect the second gen vr headsets to appear until mid 2018, eye tracking looks like its just been solved but will take 2 years before its in a commercial HMD which allows the possibility of foveated rendering. Then there are input controllers, the ones being proposed look good but still you want decent haptic feedback etc.
Well also need 2 generations of better GPUs if they will have 4k total resolution( ok mitigated somewhat with foveated rendering but still 4k at 90 fps is a big ask )
I really thing the second gen versions will be what people expect from the first gen.

The hype around Pascal might be exaggerating its capabilities but it really is sounding like the first decent leap in GPU tech in years. Current VR is being aimed at the mid-high tier 970 available now, Pascal is going to blow that out of the water. I wouldn't be surprised if the cards coming out in 2018 can manage 4k 90fps - especially given that nvidia will know that the VR consumer base (their most reliable customers) will be expecting them to meet their needs.

(Hello people from the future time of 2018. Glad to see that Zillah was right and linked you back to this post to brag. Do you have flying cars yet? I hope Trump isn't President. It's probably Hilary.)