Metallix87
Member
Sony throws a lot of money around, but they fail to make killer apps on a regular basis. Third parties drive the sales of their hardware, and getting them on board PS VR will prove difficult, IMO.
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EDGE: Sonys VR tech will be revealed at GDC
- Thread starter stryke
- Start date
MS never earned much from Kinect, but they are not giving it up. Sony's move into VR will be similar, hardware sold at minimal profit, earning little from both 1st and 3rd party software. What they REALLY want however is for Kinect/VR to attract BRAND NEW NON-GAMING customers, or customers who would have bought their gaming hardware years down the line when it is cheaper. This move will be pure gamble on "expanding the user base", which will if its successful also attract healthy dose of developers who will start making software for it. Sony is much more open to Indies, so there is a good chance that their VR solution will have good support.
Also, while Kinect was possible to be used only in some gaming experiences, VR headset is can be used for all games. VR games in fullscreen, and 2D games in virtual cinema mode. Sony can also promote that this way users don't need to take TV for themselves, similar like with Remote Play. This would work perfectly if their headset has cameras on it. This way, user can SEE THEIR LIVING ROOM, but instead of their standard TV [that is used by other members of the family] they can see BIGASS VIRTUAL SCREEN. Communication with other house members can then remain strong, you can continue looking and talking with people around you.
How many VR games are going to be exclusive to the consoles, though? I'm thinking not a whole lot. Especially not anytime soon. We'll see.well whether you want one is different to whether it'll be compatible
Realistically if you loved the PS4 software for VR, you might want to get the PS4 headset and use it on PC for some games. Or if you have a good enough PC and the OR is higher res or otherwise better, get that and forego the PS4 games. Or buy both
they still would. If they were PC compatible and affordable, people may buy them initially for PC and then be attracted to the PS4 for the VR games they can't get on PC. Just like you might now buy a PS4 for its exclusive games, the same can apply to VR too.
They fail on a regular basis, and sometimes they don't fail, sometimes they make some of the best games ever, no other developer will make VR exclusive content at that standard, because no one else can justify the expenditure on something which is a small proportion of an audience.
You realize that there is profit for VR beyond games right? One thing Oculus Rift has going for it is it can be used in the medical field, architecture, and so on.. Its actually "asinine" to have the device stuck to a limited closed device.
viveks86
Member
Callibretto
Member
even if it's not officially supported by Sony, it could be reverse engineered to work on PC isn't it? there's tons of console only stuff that end up working on PC, Wiimote, Dualshock 3, PS Eye, PS Move, etc.
Nobody has reverse-engineered PS4 camera yet. It uses special port on the back on the PS4. Similar to USB3, but not quite.
How about Driveclub?
Prefer my racers to be a bit more sim like and by all accounts Driveclub is more like PGR. Still very much looking forward to it but at this time, is not THE game that would get me on board Sony's VR plan. Shore up GT6s performance and port it to the PS4 with VR and I would be sold.
SolidSnakex
Member
Third party support. The third party support for the Move was garbage to put it lightly. None of the games that could actually help it (major shooters for example) had support for it. They can't afford for this to be yet another device from them that gets terrible third party support. And if making it compatible with the PC is one way to do it, then so be it. It'd sure as hell be better than it being completely exclusive to the PS4 with bad third party support.
BloodMoney
Banned
Great, can't wait for tht $150 price reveal.
If Sony wanted to produce VR headsets for commercial use, they'd probably produce a different unit. They'd want to produce an alternate version of the camera which uses USB3 anyway.
Callibretto
Member
well considering the special port will be used by PS Camera, maybe that mean the VR device will have to use the USB port so nothing stops someone to try make it work on PC. lol
HelghastDancer
Banned
$200 - $350 or not.
I think it will be $250. Still very affordable price of HQ VR experience, with window for Sony to drop the price later on.
Yeah, HDMI + USB port. That would be perfect.
Nightengale
Member
If you're talking about headset/VR products for use in other fields like medical, etc... Sony's already launched the HMS-3000MT, for use in endoscopic surgeries in Japan. It hasn't been approved for other markets though.
When it comes to imaging technology being utilised in professional sectors, Sony actually has its hands in a lot of pies. However, that is Sony Electronics, not Sony Computer Entertainment.
SCE is only concerned about games, because their core business is games, games, games. Sony Electronic's is where they're doing all the other non-gaming side of VR.
Dr. Kitty Muffins
Member
I just think VR is a huge mistake and an eventual money sink. I'm highly skeptical of it. I'll not be there day. I'll be watching with interest hoping to be proved wrong though.
Callibretto
Member
they're gonna have multiple bundle for this, the SKU with camera and headset, stand alone head, maybe the complete package with PS Move as well. it's gonna be pretty pricey.
Callibretto
Member
I think it has the potential to make new audience for it like what Buzz and Singstar, but it's not gonna replace gaming as we know it like the move from 2D to 3D
BloodMoney
Banned
Well if we are talking about what could, possibly, maybe, potentially happen, my money is on $350 w/ camera which will be required for tracking.
pizzapizza64
Member
This is the list excited I've been about something new in gaming since the analog stick on the n64 controller!
Work is ongoing and someone has managed to load custom firmware to the camera and get a feed into a mac:
http://ps4eye.tumblr.com/
https://github.com/ps4eye/ps4eye
http://www.psdevwiki.com/ps4/PlayStation_4_Camera
Which is cool for more adventurous tinkerers. But the hardware tinkering element will limit the audience for these hacks I guess
Maybe someone can develop and sell an adaptor without stepping on Sony's toes. But official support ain't happening. If they had remotely planned for official PC support they wouldn't have funked with the usb-interface for starters.
Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't Minecraft resolved ages ago? Specifically, I thought Jeb and Notch were two of the first developers to ever GET an Oculus Rift, and even leaked an early image of it, and then had to take it down.
And then after experimenting with it, they either didn't think they could do a good job of implementing Rift support, or did not want to do it, so it was left to fans to make mods instead.
Has anyone heard of recent official plans for support that I am not aware of?
or, it is a relatively inexpensive to produce accessory that enhances the PS4's position as 'next gen', without costing Sony too much other than an incremental cost on the development budgets for some of their first party games to accommodate VR.
It is also a nice logical extension of the work Richard Marx and co have been doing over the last 10+ years
It's been mentioned, yeah.
While it's probably safely assumed Sony have a few major VR titles coming, Until Dawn, MM's game, or whatever. GDC isn't really the place to announce new software if they want to blow up E3, so only demoing with announced games makes sense, and of course, DC should be a great fit.
There's a lot more synergy between Sony's various units now because there needs to be. I wouldn't expect this to remain in a purely SCE vacuum if it catches on in any way. Actually, to catch on at all, I don't think it can stay in a SCE vacuum given the risk aversion most pubs have these days.
Callibretto
Member
maybe the reason they make the camera proprietary is because they're planning to let the VR headset open for PC. the headset will be usable for PC for people to play around, but the thing that make it special/different from Rift, which is PS Camera and PS Move, will stay with PS4 console.
BloodMoney
Banned
It would be great to see VR debut along side new Driveclub footage that highlights the units functionality.
When it comes, be sure to try it.
I've tried the 1st Rift and am completely convinced. It's the future.
Work is ongoing and someone has managed to load custom firmware to the camera and get a feed into a mac:
http://ps4eye.tumblr.com/
https://github.com/ps4eye/ps4eye
http://www.psdevwiki.com/ps4/PlayStation_4_Camera
Which is cool for more adventurous tinkerers. But the hardware tinkering element will limit the audience for these hacks I guess
But official support ain't happening. If they had remotely planned for official PC support they wouldn't have funked with the usb-interface for starters.
This is annoying as hell none the less! Using a projector the camera needs to be placed to far away from my PS4. And with the old camera I could just use a regular usb extension. Now I just can't....
The camera is for positional tracking, without it, it's a poor VR experience. Sony don't benefit from putting out a bad VR unit on PC at all.
They have no reason to support the PC, it means they have to inflate the price, and it encourages VR sales on PC, where they don't make money.
Callibretto
Member
is that even realistic? first of all, I don't think Sony will want to sell this VR device at a loss like PS4.
viveks86
Member
Agreed. I'm starting to think the title is indeed a hint. Given all the rumors and your point about using an existing ip, i'm quite convinced now
Can't really see the point of putting official weight behind a gimped version for PC. Don't think devs would support it if it wasn't feature compatible with OR (e.g. with positional tracking from the camera).
flyinpiranha
Member
I'm really hoping DriveClub is VR. I'd bite. I just like racing games, prefer sim-style but will definitely take an arcade-ish game too. I really want to see what their devs can do. Even if the graphics are 'dumbed down' I'd be happy with a VR option in some of the big 1st party titles.
SALES MEENS GUD!
SALES MEENS GUD!
viveks86
Member
Itshappening.gif
Codiox
Member
This is all I need
where is waterworld??????
chrishackwood
Member
Sounds logical!
I'd like a demonstration from Driveclub and Media Molecule at GDC.
One would believe that Sony has figured it out, Vita has crashed and burned because its a expensive handheld compared to the 3DS. PS4 however has succeeded immensely because of its cheaper than Xbox One price.
I can easily see a future where Oculus Rift is the better, more advanced device, however costly and only aimed at enthusiasts. Where as the Sony VR is slightly worse, but also more affordable.
I think everyone here can at least agree that we want the best VR we can get, but also we want it to succeed on a commercial level so that it actually lives and gets software for decades to come. But those 2 things can potentially not co exist together for the same device.
I can easily see a future where Oculus Rift is the better, more advanced device, however costly and only aimed at enthusiasts. Where as the Sony VR is slightly worse, but also more affordable.
I think everyone here can at least agree that we want the best VR we can get, but also we want it to succeed on a commercial level so that it actually lives and gets software for decades to come. But those 2 things can potentially not co exist together for the same device.
I want first person Journey.
It's the perfect VR title, and we know it's being ported.
Come on Sony.
TimFL
Member
It'd be dead on arrival without head movement tracking. No competition for the OR once that is out.
Sentenza
Member
I wonder why people have a hard time graspiong that the "Valve VR device" and "Oculus Rift" are more or less the same thing.
They may be two different pieces of hardware, strictly speaking, but they are relying on the very same API and even sharing most of the work in terms of software engineering.
Both companies stated it explicitly.
I would say we grasp it fine, we just prefer to use accurate device names when discussing very specific devices like in this case.
Good point. To tell you honestly, I don't think Sony will announce a price at GDC. Might save it for E3. I'm guessing at GDC it'll be more of a reveal and what they plan to do with it in the future.
That's what I keep on saying here in GAF. In the long run, the Oculus will become the better VR solution, but in no way will it become mainstream. A computer able to handle VR and the Oculus unit itself will be out of reach for the mainstream. Minimum, you'd have to spend 1300 dollars or more for both things.
Sony has an opportunity here to take the mainstream market. Price it right and if rumors are true and what they have is actually a little bit better than the Crystal Cove Unit, then I think Sony will be fine in that regard.
Callibretto
Member
well I don't mean officially supported, I mean like DS4, you can connect it to PC and it recognize it, but Sony isn't doing anything more than that. people than come up with the rest like DS4 tool to make it more compatible with everything else.