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The High-end VR Discussion Thread (HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Playstation VR)

Zalusithix

Member
I'm hyped.
For some reason seeing your name in a VR thread just connected capture cards and VR together in my mind. Any plans on integrating your PtBi functionality into a VR application for getting "virtual cinema" style gaming from any console on the PC? (Not that I have a compatible capture card or any real desire to do so. Just thought it could be an interesting project.)
 

Durante

Member
For some reason seeing your name in a VR thread just connected capture cards and VR together in my mind. Any plans on integrating your PtBi functionality into a VR application for getting "virtual cinema" style gaming from any console on the PC? (Not that I have a compatible capture card or any real desire to do so. Just thought it could be an interesting project.)
I've thought about it before, but I'm not really that interested. I have a projector (and don't need to compete with anyone for time on it :p). If the SteamVR virtual screen works as I believe it will you should be able to just load PtBi into that actually!
 

Cimarron

Member
Who knows. Valve moves at ValveTime(tm).


I really look forward to impressions from first timers in Elite and EVE. The former is my most anticipated game of all and the later is one I'm really looking forward to playing when it becomes available on other platforms.

WE ALL 'BOUTS TO BE EATIN, BOYS

NOT MANY DAYS HENCE.

(hopefully with far less sodium. people are sapping the fun out of what has been a great thread.)


I have been using the DK2 with Elite and its great! The immersion is excellent. Last night I was dog fighting a Cobra and the pilot decided to buzz me head on with full pips to engine! It was an effective strategy because it actually felt like a "car crash" was about to happen. I yelp in fear ducked under my hotas as I frantically tried to evade. Good times! :)

I think it'll appeal to folks looking for horror games, but I don't think it'll scratch the itch for those looking for a more traditional survival horror type experience.

I'd use some caution when looking for horror games especially in the first year or so of consumer VR. Jump scares are unbelievably effective in VR as an easy, cheap way to cobble together "horror" games, and I think you're going to see a lot of developers run in that direction trying to get YouTubers to show their game in the inevitable deluge of "watch me have X reaction to VR" channels about to spring up. Horror is one genre that has incredible potential that is not going to be well explored for a while in this space, I think.

Alien:Isolation worked quite well in VR (except for reading monitors.) It stressed me the hell out and it was glorious! Hell at times the tension was so bad that I felt like the Alien was trying to creep up on me IRL while I was blinded by the headset! LOL!
 

Zalusithix

Member
I've thought about it before, but I'm not really that interested. I have a projector (and don't need to compete with anyone for time on it :p). If the SteamVR virtual screen works as I believe it will you should be able to just load PtBi into that actually!

True. For some reason I didn't even think of the possibility of using the provided VR tools to load an existing desktop application. Like you, I don't have any need for it though. I could use a real projector if I wanted, but frankly I don't really care for that style of play outside of couch coop.
 

KaiserBecks

Member
Probably a stupid question but I can't seem to find an answer:

Does the PSVR offer something similar to the "Steam VR Desktop Theater" mode? Can I watch movies, play PS4 games through PSVR etc?
 

Nafai1123

Banned
Probably a stupid question but I can't seem to find an answer:

Does the PSVR offer something similar to the "Steam VR Desktop Theater" mode? Can I watch movies, play PS4 games through PSVR etc?

Yes, all regular content (games/video) will be playable via the cinematic mode. It basically just displays the PS4 menu as a screen in VR and you have full access to everything.
 

Athreous

Member
I have a google cardboard, and I didnt have the chance to check the "real" vr systems yet, so...

They have different lens for each eye, right?

Won't you see the divisions of those lens while using it? That's actually what killed my VR exp =(

Also, head tracking is poor, so is the graphics... I'm not impressed at all with VR, but as I said, I just tried CB, so...
 

Cartman86

Banned
The most striking thing about the photogrametry in The Lab is how bright and blue the sky is. I don't know if that's a result of the displays in the Vive specifically or just how realistic this capturing method is, but it really stood out in a fantastic way.
 

Peterc

Member
I doubt that very much.

Just to explain you a bit more of why i think it will happen:

First you can't play games where you have to move with a controlled. You automatically get motion sickness after 20min. So that only leave you by games where the camera doesn't turn with the controller but only with your head

Second, wii motion controller can only be used for some games. It's the same for Vr headsets, people get tired of it and don't want to use the headset anymore. The same happens with oculus users.

Next, like wiiu tablet. You can't use 2 helmets at home to play 1game. Even if it's possible. It's way to expensive. And what about the kids? Nobody can see the game at home.

Next. Nintendo failed to create libraries for handheld and console. The same will happen with console and Vr. And Sony will specially focus all attention on their Vr system.


People will get tired of it and again will stop playing it and going back to console with a standard controller.
The only ones that can benefit is Nintendo if they don't bring vr with NX

Don't get me wrong, I love all Innovations, even from Nintendo. I've an oculus already for 2years, I'm talking about experience. The first year sales will be good like the wii, but it wouldn't last long.
It will work good on pc for p#rn and some other not gaming stuff
 
The most striking thing about the photogrametry in The Lab is how bright and blue the sky is. I don't know if that's a result of the displays in the Vive specifically or just how realistic this capturing method is, but it really stood out in a fantastic way.

Dude, don't just spill one bean... Spill all of the beans!!!
Please tell us more. :D

Edit: Also, you should post your experience here! http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=198482483#post198482483
 

Zalusithix

Member
That's great news, thank you!

Keep in mind that games will look worse than they would on on a real display. Potentially useful for offscreen play, but it's not really something you're going to want to use if other options are there.
I have a google cardboard, and I didnt have the chance to check the "real" vr systems yet, so...

They have different lens for each eye, right?

Won't you see the divisions of those lens while using it? That's actually what killed my VR exp =(

Also, head tracking is poor, so is the graphics... I'm not impressed at all with VR, but as I said, I just tried CB, so...

Not sure what you mean by the lens thing, but tracking of a real VR headset is an entirely different animal than something like cardboard. They're not in the same league as far as accuracy goes.

Needless to say the graphical capabilities of PCs and a PS4 also exceed that of a phone.
 
I have a google cardboard, and I didnt have the chance to check the "real" vr systems yet, so...

They have different lens for each eye, right?

Won't you see the divisions of those lens while using it? That's actually what killed my VR exp =(

Also, head tracking is poor, so is the graphics... I'm not impressed at all with VR, but as I said, I just tried CB, so...

Google cardboard is such a terrible representation of VR. You should assume everything is significantly better about real VR headsets.
 

vermadas

Member
If there isn't some comprehensive list of games coming to Oculus Store that are already available on Steam, and whether or not current owners will have to rebuy for VR support, there should be. I'm finding very little official answers on the topic.

Personally, I own the following games on Steam already:
Project CARS
Radial G
Vanishing of Ethan Carter (redux)
Blazerush

I also own almost every Gear VR game coming to Rift - I would hope those would be cross buy.
 
Off topic but is there a good, cheap mobile VR for something like an Xperia Z5 just so I can try out VR? I have PSVR on pre-order but I have no idea whether I actually want it...
 
I have been using the DK2 with Elite and its great! The immersion is excellent. Last night I was dog fighting a Cobra and the pilot decided to buzz me head on with full pips to engine! It was an effective strategy because it actually felt like a "car crash" was about to happen. I yelp in fear ducked under my hotas as I frantically tried to evade. Good times! :)
:O

this pleases me greatly.

If there isn't some comprehensive list of games coming to Oculus Store that are already available on Steam, and whether or not current owners will have to rebuy for VR support, there should be. I'm finding very little official answers on the topic.

Personally, I own the following games on Steam already:
Project CARS
Radial G
Vanishing of Ethan Carter (redux)
Blazerush

I also own almost every Gear VR game coming to Rift - I would hope those would be cross buy.
Your existing CARS purchase won't work for this new VR thing they're doing for awhile yet. They're still working on the upgrade. If you want to play Cars on the 28th in VR, you'll need to pay them again. Which is to say, you'll have to wait. :(
 

Zalusithix

Member
Off topic but is there a good, cheap mobile VR for something like an Xperia Z5 just so I can try out VR? I have PSVR on pre-order but I have no idea whether I actually want it...
Generic mobile VR wont accurately represent PSVR. Making a decision on one using the other is pointless. Even highly tuned mobile VR like the Gear VR is inferior to the options discussed in this thread.
 
Guys/Gals, please help. I have a PC that's more than capable of running VR, but for reasons unknown to me (I have a few actually), I'm being drawn to PSVR. Talk some sense into me lol.
 

Athreous

Member
Keep in mind that games will look worse than they would on on a real display. Potentially useful for offscreen play, but it's not really something you're going to want to use if other options are there.


Not sure what you mean by the lens thing, but tracking of a real VR headset is an entirely different animal than something like cardboard. They're not in the same league as far as accuracy goes.

Needless to say the graphical capabilities of PCs and a PS4 also exceed that of a phone.

Google cardboard is such a terrible representation of VR. You should assume everything is significantly better about real VR headsets.

Hmm I see, but... How better would the exp be? I still can't think of a better device quality, where you can't see the black bars, light and the stuff inside the VR when you use it =(
 
What the RoadtoVR write-up describes is pretty much all I am willing to speak on and I don't have more to add to what they saw. I know that's annoying, but that sky really left an impression.

(︶︹︺)... Keep your beans canned then!
(っ˘̩╭╮˘̩)っ continues to F5 GDC threads all day.
 
Eurogamer's Vive launch lineup:

  • #SelfieTennis
  • Adventure Time
  • Altspace
  • Arizona Sunshine
  • Audioshield
  • The Brookhaven Experiment
  • Budget Cuts
  • Cloudlands Minigolf
  • Elite: Dangerous
  • Envelope Eve
  • Everest
  • Fantastic Contraption
  • Final Approach
  • GiantCop
  • HoverJunkers
  • Job Simulator
  • John Wick: The Impossible Task
  • La Peri
  • Marble Mountain
  • Modbox
  • Pool Nation
  • Raw Data
  • Roadside
  • Space Pirate Trainer
  • The Gallery: Call of the Starseed
  • The Lab
  • The Rose and I
  • The Wave
  • Thunderbird
  • Tilt Brush
  • Time Machine
  • Universe Sandbox 2
  • Unreal Editor
  • Unseen Diplomacy
  • Vanishing Realms: Rite of Steel
  • VirZoom
  • Waltz of the Wizard

It says "current", so I'm assuming this list may expand; it's the games they have confirmed so far. No, I'm not going to link those to Youtube videos because fuck you, buddy.
 
Hmm I see, but... How better would the exp be? I still can't think of a better device quality, where you can't see the black bars, light and the stuff inside the VR when you use it =(

You're thinking about the wrong things. Latency, tracking accuracy, and framerate are all huge factors in the quality of VR, and those are all things that Google Cardboard fails at. Phones aren't designed to have super fast movement-to-photon rates, gyros and accelerometers aren't accurate enough, and most phones have 60 hz displays which is insufficient.

Add to that poor quality optics and (depending on your device) a poorer quality display... there's just no comparison. Google Cardboard teaches you nothing about whether or not you'll enjoy real VR, it only lets you know your tolerance for bad VR.
 

From the link,
"We have no exclusives," said Valve's VR evangelist Chet Faliszek. "We don't think that's a good thing for the industry, especially in VR where we're starting out with a promise of presence after so many years. We want to do everything we can to make sure VR succeeds, regardless of the platform. I don't think a customer ever thinks a platform-exclusive game is a good thing."

This and not hardware is ultimately why I chose to go with the Vive.
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
i think i'll want a list showing which games are exclusive to rift, which to vive, and which will be on both.

chronos looks great, but I'm not liking Ars' comments about tracking and also the limited access to launch games.
 
Guys/Gals, please help. I have a PC that's more than capable of running VR, but for reasons unknown to me (I have a few actually), I'm being drawn to PSVR. Talk some sense into me lol.
You're not crazy

Sony will have better standards control, probably more exclusives, bigger userbase, and a more universal experience

But PC man. PC is just a wonderland of possibilities. Better HMD hardware, better PC hardware, and probably more experimental/indie VR development that pushes the genre with more unique experiences. Room scale alone is an example of that; experiences you won't get on PSVR

Just depends on what trade-offs mean more to you
 
Less than two weeks away. My hotas for ED arrived today, along with my USB3 hub. It's really happening.

Oh for ED? You better get that HOTAS configured right now, no bullshit. It will take you two weeks to get used to learn how to fly (if new) and to get comfortable with where all your buttons are. It's important because once you put that HMD on you won't be able to see your HOTAS anymore. I think I actively use about 85 buttons on my HOTAS for ED and I'm pretty sure it took me at least the first 2 weeks to commit everything to memory well enough to be able to recall anything under pressure.

I do recommend anyone planning to jump into ED to get comfy sooner rather than later. It's not simulator-grade levels of complexity but there's fair amount of basic mechanics to learn, much more than 99% of games out there. If the game had a printed manual it'd be one of the bigger ones to be sure.
 

Durante

Member
Eurogamer's Vive launch lineup:

  • #SelfieTennis
  • Adventure Time
  • Altspace
  • Arizona Sunshine
  • Audioshield
  • The Brookhaven Experiment
  • Budget Cuts
  • Cloudlands Minigolf
  • Elite: Dangerous
  • Envelope Eve
  • Everest
  • Fantastic Contraption
  • Final Approach
  • GiantCop
  • HoverJunkers
  • Job Simulator
  • John Wick: The Impossible Task
  • La Peri
  • Marble Mountain
  • Modbox
  • Pool Nation
  • Raw Data
  • Roadside
  • Space Pirate Trainer
  • The Gallery: Call of the Starseed
  • The Lab
  • The Rose and I
  • The Wave
  • Thunderbird
  • Tilt Brush
  • Time Machine
  • Universe Sandbox 2
  • Unreal Editor
  • Unseen Diplomacy
  • Vanishing Realms: Rite of Steel
  • VirZoom
  • Waltz of the Wizard

It says "current", so I'm assuming this list may expand; it's the games they have confirmed so far. No, I'm not going to link those to Youtube videos because fuck you, buddy.
I think I already found one which is missing, Water Bears VR.
 

Doom.

Banned
Eurogamer's Vive launch lineup:

  • #SelfieTennis
  • Adventure Time
  • Altspace
  • Arizona Sunshine
  • Audioshield
  • The Brookhaven Experiment
  • Budget Cuts
  • Cloudlands Minigolf
  • Elite: Dangerous
  • Envelope Eve
  • Everest
  • Fantastic Contraption
  • Final Approach
  • GiantCop
  • HoverJunkers
  • Job Simulator
  • John Wick: The Impossible Task
  • La Peri
  • Marble Mountain
  • Modbox
  • Pool Nation
  • Raw Data
  • Roadside
  • Space Pirate Trainer
  • The Gallery: Call of the Starseed
  • The Lab
  • The Rose and I
  • The Wave
  • Thunderbird
  • Tilt Brush
  • Time Machine
  • Universe Sandbox 2
  • Unreal Editor
  • Unseen Diplomacy
  • Vanishing Realms: Rite of Steel
  • VirZoom
  • Waltz of the Wizard

It says "current", so I'm assuming this list may expand; it's the games they have confirmed so far. No, I'm not going to link those to Youtube videos because fuck you, buddy.
time to put some of these games on my wishlist

my most anticipated is Tilt Brush. :p
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
Guys/Gals, please help. I have a PC that's more than capable of running VR, but for reasons unknown to me (I have a few actually), I'm being drawn to PSVR. Talk some sense into me lol.

i like the look of some of the software coming to PSVR. how about a rift/vive and then you have 6 months to decide if you get PSVR?
 
I'd be curious as to how many games Valve is funding. Have they spoke about that at all?

I've not seen anything printed about anything to that end.

You're not crazy

Sony will have better standards control, probably more exclusives, bigger userbase, and a more universal experience

But PC man. PC is just a wonderland of possibilities. Better HMD hardware, better PC hardware, and probably more experimental/indie VR development that pushes the genre with more unique experiences. Room scale alone is an example of that; experiences you won't get on PSVR

Just depends on what trade-offs mean more to you

Agree with this. I expect PSVR to have a consistent stream of *polished* games. Consistent and polished will be regular themes, I think. Better or worse will be a matter of taste but I expect studios backed up by Sony's pocketbooks and decent-sized teams will make some great software. And as the install base grows, so too will 3rd party interest in putting really impressive software on the platform. PC will be the PC though. With all the great things and challenges that come with it. I look forward to a polished virtual desktop experience and other uses beyond gaming. We're already seeing things like Tilt Brush and the dev kits were only out 8 months.

Exciting times, gentlemen.

time to put some of these games on my wishlist

my most anticipated is Tilt Brush. :p

If you're getting a Vive around launch you'll get Tilt Brush for free, good sir! But yes, my personal list is about 10 Vive games deep. Easy.
 

Enordash

Member
Man, all the exclusive content is actually making this really difficult. All three platforms have something that I'm super interested in.

Rift: Chronos, Edge of Nowhere
Vive: Budget Cuts, Hover Junkers
PSVR: RIGS

I need a long-lost rich relative to come into my life.
 
You're not crazy

Sony will have better standards control, probably more exclusives, bigger userbase, and a more universal experience

But PC man. PC is just a wonderland of possibilities. Better HMD hardware, better PC hardware, and probably more experimental/indie VR development that pushes the genre with more unique experiences. Room scale alone is an example of that; experiences you won't get on PSVR

Just depends on what trade-offs mean more to you

i like the look of some of the software coming to PSVR. how about a rift/vive and then you have 6 months to decide if you get PSVR?

Well the Vive is the one I'm most interested in, I just have this irrational fear that the better model will be out when I buy it y'know? I have no idea what kind of incremental updates the HMD's will see in the PC space (should't matter as the base models are already subjectively better I suppose).

And I'm also wondering if Sony's going to lump VR games into the PS+ libraries, which would be so awesome, though I imagine there will be Humble Bundles and such for PC space... Man I'm weird lol.
 

Seiru

Banned
Oh for ED? You better get that HOTAS configured right now, no bullshit. It will take you two weeks to get used to learn how to fly (if new) and to get comfortable with where all your buttons are. It's important because once you put that HMD on you won't be able to see your HOTAS anymore. I think I actively use about 85 buttons on my HOTAS for ED and I'm pretty sure it took me at least the first 2 weeks to commit everything to memory well enough to be able to recall anything under pressure.

I do recommend anyone planning to jump into ED to get comfy sooner rather than later. It's not simulator-grade levels of complexity but there's fair amount of basic mechanics to learn, much more than 99% of games out there. If the game had a printed manual it'd be one of the bigger ones to be sure.

Hm, thanks, maybe I will try playing it some more. I'll have to rely on my keyboard and voice attack a lot too, because I got a pretty entry level hotas (there's maybe only 12 buttons on it).
 

Durante

Member
And I'm also wondering if Sony's going to lump VR games into the PS+ libraries, which would be so awesome, though I imagine there will be Humble Bundles and such for PC space... Man I'm weird lol.
I feel like if you are investing into VR, especially PC VR which really isn't particularly cheap at this point, the cost of software is almost a negligible concern for now.

Also, I'm going to be happy to support any and all devs who dare to create room-scale games this early on.
 
Man, all the exclusive content is actually making this really difficult. All three platforms have something that I'm super interested in.

Rift: Chronos, Edge of Nowhere
Vive: Budget Cuts, Hover Junkers
PSVR: RIGS

I need a long-lost rich relative to come into my life.

Hover Junkers will come to Rift once Touch launches. Budget Cuts is also planned for it.
 
I feel like if you are investing into VR, especially PC VR which really isn't particularly cheap at this point, the cost of software is almost a negligible concern for now.

Also, I'm going to be happy to support any and all devs who dare to create room-scale games this early on.

True, the room scale is really what's sold me thus far on the Vive, and the fact that they've prioritized motion controls. I'm also a huge fan of their tracking methodology from an engineering standpoint. That said, the Oculus touch looks pretty compelling, but there's not enough info for me to consider the Rift currently. The only concern I have with the Vive currently is that I'll need to spend more money than I'm comfortable paying right out. The PSVR price point is pretty attractive.

But man I just want to put this computer to good use lol.
 

jotun?

Member
Do we have any idea how these headsets behave when you drop below their ideal framerates?

Does it instantly go to shit, or do they have some kind of dynamic refresh rate similar to gsync/freesync?
 

YuShtink

Member
Eurogamer's Vive launch lineup:

  • #SelfieTennis
  • Adventure Time
  • Altspace
  • Arizona Sunshine
  • Audioshield
  • The Brookhaven Experiment
  • Budget Cuts
  • Cloudlands Minigolf
  • Elite: Dangerous
  • Envelope Eve
  • Everest
  • Fantastic Contraption
  • Final Approach
  • GiantCop
  • HoverJunkers
  • Job Simulator
  • John Wick: The Impossible Task
  • La Peri
  • Marble Mountain
  • Modbox
  • Pool Nation
  • Raw Data
  • Roadside
  • Space Pirate Trainer
  • The Gallery: Call of the Starseed
  • The Lab
  • The Rose and I
  • The Wave
  • Thunderbird
  • Tilt Brush
  • Time Machine
  • Universe Sandbox 2
  • Unreal Editor
  • Unseen Diplomacy
  • Vanishing Realms: Rite of Steel
  • VirZoom
  • Waltz of the Wizard

It says "current", so I'm assuming this list may expand; it's the games they have confirmed so far. No, I'm not going to link those to Youtube videos because fuck you, buddy.

Are The Gallery, Unseen Diplomacy and Budget Cuts actually going to be released at launch? If so, that definitely improves the lineup greatly in my eyes.
 

kinggroin

Banned
I have a google cardboard, and I didnt have the chance to check the "real" vr systems yet, so...

They have different lens for each eye, right?

Won't you see the divisions of those lens while using it? That's actually what killed my VR exp =(

Also, head tracking is poor, so is the graphics... I'm not impressed at all with VR, but as I said, I just tried CB, so...


There you go.
 

Durante

Member
Let's talk about the real-world practicalities of VR setups. I wanted to make a separate thread for this but it should fit in well here. (It's mostly an exercise to contain our hype)

Here's my current plan:
plan1grdk.png


The difficulties and open questions are:
  1. Getting a large enough hole (or multiple ones) in a 30+ cm wall to route USB3, USB2 (for the auxilliary KB/M) and displayport cables through.
  2. Whether to use the upper ~30 cm space (marked with ?), taking into account the obstacle, or stick to a rectangle for easier handling but miss out on it.
  3. Whether to and how to ceiling mount the HMD cable.

For 1), the solution is simply a really large and powerful drill, and the conviction to use it :p

For 2) I'll probably try both and see what works best. From what I can see, there is only one upcoming room-scale game which requires a 3x3m area, most are happy with less than that (often a lot less, e.g. 2.5x1.5). But more is always better, also to simply go exploring around just a bit in a more direct VR "port" like The Witness before having to use a controller.

For 3), I'm quite sure that I do want to mount the cable somehow, but I don't have a solid plan yet. The current idea I favor is to use a retractable dog leash to hold up (and, if required, lower with little resistance) the cable. Something like this:
Mounted on the ceiling. The advantage of this is that they come in all sorts of resistances (for different sizes of dogs) so it should be possible to find one with just enough spring to hold up the cable, but which easily lowers it when required.

Does anyone have any good ideas for cable management?
 
Well the Vive is the one I'm most interested in, I just have this irrational fear that the better model will be out when I buy it y'know? I have no idea what kind of incremental updates the HMD's will see in the PC space (should't matter as the base models are already subjectively better I suppose).
Valve/Oculus need a solid user base right now to sell VR. Their profit comes from selling software, not hardware

The only way to get a big initial user base and drive software sales is by supporting the current HMD hardware and keeping specs stable as PC hardware gets faster and cheaper

This will probably be the longest lifetime of any HMD generation. Any upgrade alienates your user base because the upgrade cost would be a new headset AND a new PC. If you already have a PC capable of VR, now is a good bet to jump in
 
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