Official VR Headset discussion

[demo]

Originally Posted by shadow001

Edit: Now that I think about it, it's also way cheaper than a 120Hz monitor and the 3D glasses sold by Nvidia, which still force you to look directly at the screen with the glasses to have the 3D effect....The rift allows the user to look anywhere in a game, be it up, down, left or right.

3dvision is exactly like using a normal display, but in 3D. I don't see it as being comparable to OR, they offer totally different things. You also get the benefit of 120/144hz 2D for the money.

[jolle]

Originally Posted by demo

3dvision is exactly like using a normal display, but in 3D. I don't see it as being comparable to OR, they offer totally different things. You also get the benefit of 120/144hz 2D for the money.

It also carries the performance penalty of having to render the entire resolution twice, since it interleaves the images in full screen.
So both 3d shutters and multiscreen gaming are both kinda made unnecessary and inferior with a VR kit.

But yeah, VR glasses arent monitor REPLACEMENTS really, I´ll likely still need to have 2x monitors for the things I do, and Im kinda used to 120hz at this point.
I did however see some tools that allows you to run windows desktop in the Rift set, basically you extend the desktop to the rift and the software puts it on a surface in a 3d space so it renders properly in the glasses (normally it just looks like madness since un-transformed it youre looking at the desktop through two paper rolls with heavy lenses on the ends.).

Now I doubt it´s a great experience to use VR glasses on the desktop for any extended period of time, atleast not these dev kits as they arent as light as they need to be, and there is probably some eyestrain after some while too.

But you could buy a pretty comfy chair, sit back however you like, and theoretically atleast setup as many "virtual monitors" you want and position around this 3d space, so if you want to lean back, just move those surfaces to sit above you at whatever distance you want.
You could surround yourself in 8 virtual desktop and swivel around on your chair, or whatever.
You can have 3x 24" virtual desktops half a meter in front of you, or 3x 120" desktops several meters away.
Provided that is that the software end gets to that point, there are some serious limitations to the current software out there for the dev kits at this point.

[KAC]

So any gay got this? How is it?

[demo]

Originally Posted by jolle

But yeah, VR glasses arent monitor REPLACEMENTS really, I´ll likely still need to have 2x monitors for the things I do, and Im kinda used to 120hz at this point.

Yes exactly, its not a replacement. I haven't tried OR yet but I dare say I'd still prefer some games with 3dvision or plain old 2D, plus it looks too physical. Not sure I want to be turning and moving all the time. OR seems like a nice addition though and I cant wait to try it.

[jolle]

Originally Posted by KAC

So any gay got this? How is it?

They wont ship until July.

Originally Posted by demo

Yes exactly, its not a replacement. I haven't tried OR yet but I dare say I'd still prefer some games with 3dvision or plain old 2D, plus it looks too physical. Not sure I want to be turning and moving all the time. OR seems like a nice addition though and I cant wait to try it.

Usually I think the cameras headsensor input is slaved under the "character input".
The demoes I tried on the DK1 set moved the character as you would any game with a controller, and added the head motion ontop of that.
Atleast as far as I can recall, was a while ago now.
So you´re not "steering" with your head, it is a bit more like using Eyefinity as you´re looking forward most of the time but can just flash your head to the side if you see something in the corner of your eyes.

TF2 works like that, your head offsets the camera from the mouse input basically.
As shown here where they test it at about 6.50. (EDIT: they go through a bunch of different control types later on in the video)



VR glasses is a very different thing from using shutters though, you get a very tangible sense of scale and volume on things.
With shutters I feel a bit like I look at 3d miniatures through a small window, and the stereoscopic sense of 3d is not as pronounced.
Also with the extremely pixelated DK1 kit I felt some serious vertigo in some demos walking up to a ledge, it was pretty cool.
Comes with filling your entire viewfield, and removing any fixed points from your view, such as the wall behind the monitor or the desk infront of you etc.

[demo]

Yeah I thought that would be the case, but that means crosshair aim is independent of movement and a large dead zone is needed to accommodate both. Not exactly ideal, but I haven't tried it and it's probably better than I imagine.

Yes I find shutter glasses give the same sort of effect, I think I prefer that for RTS or 3rd person. I would imagine first person is OR's realm, I cant wait.

[jolle]

Originally Posted by demo

Yeah I thought that would be the case, but that means crosshair aim is independent of movement and a large dead zone is needed to accommodate both. Not exactly ideal, but I haven't tried it and it's probably better than I imagine.

Hmm, well it´s basically business as normal, except you can offset the camera from the crosshair with head movement, atleast one of those modes they try, the one that seems preferable IMO.
So sorta like a 3x screen setup, except you cant look outside of the screens.

Originally Posted by demo

Yes I find shutter glasses give the same sort of effect, I think I prefer that for RTS or 3rd person. I would imagine first person is OR's realm, I cant wait.

I would imagine there would be no tracking in a RTS anyway, since that´d be like cheating hehe, well atleast in something like StarCraft 2 that has a fixed camera by design.
And third person cameras seem like they could be a bit wierd with VR.
The 3d part of it would probably good and the tracking could still be useful I suppose for looking around if you play with a controller, but the idea is to immerse you and floating around behind "yourself" isnt really ideal for that.

Playing Diablo 3 atm, was thinking about if I´d even WANT to use VR for it.
Possibly not, if so it´d be for the stereoscopic 3d effect.
The way the world is built out of a lot of 2d elements, banking on the fixed perspective camera, you couldnt use the tracking at all I think without breaking it.

But yeah, FPS is definitely where VR comes into it´s own, sortof the way it was ment to be used to put you IN a virtual world.

[shadow001]

Originally Posted by demo

3dvision is exactly like using a normal display, but in 3D. I don't see it as being comparable to OR, they offer totally different things. You also get the benefit of 120/144hz 2D for the money.

Which is what I said, you're forced to look in a single direction( the screen) to get the 3D effect....With OR, you can look everywhere and get the effect and it may come into it's own in FPS games.....I wouldn't want to use it in RTS or 3rd person games.

[demo]

You're "forced" to look at a display with anything that is not VR, 2D or 3D. They aren't really comparable, one is VR, the other is regular gaming on a monitor - it just happens to be in 3D. I don't see it as a downside anymore than regular 2D gaming "forces" you to look at a monitor.

[shadow001]

Originally Posted by demo

You're "forced" to look at a display with anything that is not VR, 2D or 3D. They aren't really comparable, one is VR, the other is regular gaming on a monitor - it just happens to be in 3D. I don't see it as a downside anymore than regular 2D gaming "forces" you to look at a monitor.

You have 6 degrees of freedom since the VR display is attached you your head, it tracks the movement and moves accordingly.

You look way up to the ceiling, it shows you the ceiling in the game, you look all the way down and it shows you the floor, and so on and without ever moving the mouse at all.

[demo]

Yes I know

[shadow001]

Originally Posted by demo

Yes I know

So it's more immersive than using regular shutter glasses and looking at a screen while having to use the mouse to change the viewpoint...AKA all the current 3D hardware on the market.

[demo]

It's a nice addition and offers something unique, but its not a replacement for gaming on a monitor, 2D or 3D.

[jolle]

What di fak?
http://www.destructoid.com/facebook-...n-272450.phtml

Facebook to acquire Oculus VR for around $2 billion

[shadow001]

Originally Posted by jolle

What di fak?
http://www.destructoid.com/facebook-...n-272450.phtml

WTF indeed...

[kboye]

Yeah, just happened. I mean literally 31 minutes ago.

https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10101319050523971

Don't know whether I should cry or take a 6 floor flight outside, this is nuts. I mean, head Oculus did say "Don't buy Rift now! Just wait!", but this..this is scary as hell. It will change Facebook, and it's a big FU to Sony and Twitter.

[shadow001]

Originally Posted by kboye

Yeah, just happened. I mean literally 31 minutes ago.

https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10101319050523971

Don't know whether I should cry or take a 6 floor flight outside, this is nuts. I mean, head Oculus did say "Don't buy Rift now! Just wait!", but this..this is scary as hell. It will change Facebook, and it's a big FU to Sony and Twitter.

Changes the whole situation, as it's not just gaming anymore.

[demo]

It's going to have a permanent "share" button in the corner of your vision, in 3D.

[bill dennison]

Originally Posted by kboye

Yeah, just happened. I mean literally 31 minutes ago.

https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10101319050523971

Don't know whether I should cry or take a 6 floor flight outside, this is nuts. I mean, head Oculus did say "Don't buy Rift now! Just wait!", but this..this is scary as hell. It will change Facebook, and it's a big FU to Sony and Twitter.

Originally Posted by demo

It's going to have a permanent "share" button in the corner of your vision, in 3D.

i'll pass now I want no part of it if facebook has it

hope for nvidia's near-eye light field display works out now


what about the kickstarters
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...-into-the-game

thanks your F*cked we sold out

[shadow001]

I wonder the legal ramifications of this since the company was funded on kick starter to get starting funds to develop these( 2.4 million gathered), and now here they are receiving 400 million in cash and 1.6 billion in facebook shares....

[bill dennison]

Carmack fixed it


facebook pays 2 Billion to kill Oculus Rift

I would not want it now if they gave it away free

[Omega53]

Please tell me this is an early april fools joke

[aop]

Hahah, those who backed them in Kickstarter must feel like complete retards.

[Omega53]

Originally Posted by aop

Hahah, those who backed them in Kickstarter must feel like complete retards.

I hope this kills kickstarter as well

[OzzieBloke]

It was inevitable: Oculus developers got greedy, lost focus, and now WE are screwed. Not them. Anyone who thinks this won't be bad is kidding themselves...

[SIrPauly]

Why pay 2 billion?

[shadow001]

Originally Posted by SIrPauly

Why pay 2 billion?

Yup, that's the kind of price you pay for much larger companies, not one that just got started last year.....Capitalism gone mad.

[Argoon1981]

Originally Posted by SIrPauly

Why pay 2 billion?

Because their department appointed to find potential profitable investments think is fair? Or perhaps seeing Sony being serious about VR made them realize VR add a future?
Who knows, all in all i'm not very happy with this news, because now we have a VR solution exclusive for PS4, and another for PC (for now) that is backed by one of the companies i don't trust at all. Has a PC gamer that is not good news at all.

Lets wait and see what comes out of it, but i must say i will only buy a Occulus Rift after seeing if Facebook didn't meddle in anything, and if some new competitor comes that supports the PC then i will consider it strongly.

[shadow001]

Originally Posted by Argoon1981

Because their department appointed to find potential profitable investments think is fair? Or perhaps seeing Sony being serious about VR made them realize VR add a future?
Who knows, all in all i'm not very happy with this news, because now we have a VR solution exclusive for PS4, and another for PC (for now) that is backed by one of the companies i don't trust at all. Has a PC gamer that is not good news at all.

Lets wait and see what comes out of it, but i must say i will only buy a Occulus Rift after seeing if Facebook didn't meddle in anything, and if some new competitor comes that supports the PC then i will consider it strongly.

But normally you buy a start up company for a little as possible as a general rule, even though facebook is worth tons of money and 2 billion may seem like loose change to them.

[lemonhead]

I have been following this product even before the Kickstarter, around the time Palmer Lucky posted in that VR thread asking about community feedback on building such a product.

Terrible news. I hope a competitor emerges soon, because I'll not buy Rift for sure.

The only good thing I can think of is Hitler's reaction when he finds out about this acquisition. Carmack working for Facebook, Occulus Rift in use for social apps etc. It'll be an epic video.