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

taoofjord

Member
This 35 year old man hasn't been as excited for a new tech launch since I saw Mario 64 all them years ago!

My only VR experience has been through Google Cardboard, my mind is ready to be blown!

I hope it will be. I'm 34 and I still get a little tense thinking back on the underwater Vive demo I experienced last Fall. That whale coming so fucking close to me and then just staring before swimming away while I was hoping it didn't accidentally hit me with its tail made me more nervous and tense than any horror game experience I've had. And I love horror games. Then there's my wife who couldn't finish the Portal tech demo because the FRIENDLY robot that comes into the room that needs to be prepared scared her so much. Hahaha.
 
Yeah it started today, but press embargo is on until wednesday. I'm hoping leaks before that :p

These two caught my eye from the picture, hopefully some cool fantasy VR games.

cHv7ZLQ.jpg


AHXLim3.jpg

That looks amazing. More Oculus moneyhats would make me sad, though.
 

harz-marz

Member
I hope it will be. I'm 34 and I still get a little tense thinking back on the underwater Vive demo I experienced last Fall. That whale coming so fucking close to me and then just staring made me more nervous and tense than any horror game experience I've had. And I love horror games. Then there's my wife who couldn't finish the Portal tech demo because the FRIENDLY robot that comes into the room that needs to be prepared scared her so much. Hahaha.

That sounds amazing! I've went with the OR but the more I hear about the Vive the more I've thought about changing. Ultimately I hope both succeed and VR takes off in a big way.
 

Mindlog

Member
If we're talking about the "types of games" people will be playing in VR, I think useful categorization really comes down more to controls than anything else. There are a few options there:
  • Casual, with headset tracking being the only input.
  • Traditional controls, seated or standing. Where you use a gamepad, or flight stick, or wheel, or whatever to paly the game.
  • Fully tracked VR controls, standing or room-scale.

I'm really most interested in the third one by far at this point (something I never expected 2 years ago!). The second is still useful, but primarily for cockpit games or adaptations of non-VR games.
That's actually a very fair VR scale as well. I would call those entry, standard, and the last one is what I consider high. I won't have a first-gen Vive, but if someone asked me for a high-end VR headset Vive would be the only one that springs to mind.
 

Cartman86

Banned
According to Ars the final retail Vive will come with mounts.

As Kyle wrote, the box contains a head-mounted display (HMU), two motion-tracked controller wands, and two tracking stations with matching mounting hardware. Valve has confirmed that retail Vives will also come with little mounts that can either be drilled into a wall or ceiling or stuck in place using adhesive (and they should be superior to the ugly-but-functional mounts we got with the "near-final" set).
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
That's actually a very fair VR scale as well. I would call those entry, standard, and the last one is what I consider high. I won't have a first-gen Vive, but if someone asked me for a high-end VR headset Vive would be the only one that springs to mind.

I think that is unfair, as seated and standing experiences are very different but not necessarily better or worse than each other.



random edit: Watching a video of the guy setting up the vive, he mentioned that you get a little aux USB socket hanging off the back as well as a 3.5mm socket for headphones. He also said that USB headphones appear to work if you plug them into the headset, which is pretty great.
 

tr00per

Member
Yep. Cosigned.

Fantastic post. "a rising tide lifts all boats" :p



I believe that the wire that connects the headset to the processing box (and thus to the PS4) has a place where you plug in your headset. I don't know if wireless headsets will be supported (since the external box does the 3D audio) but it is just a standard audio jack from what I've heard.


Iirc, there's a 1/8" headphone jack on the hmd itself. I don't think you would get the 3D audio if you connected a headset before the box (unless it supports some kind of return channel)
 

DJ88

Member
Valve added it natively to the Steam VR Unity plugin last week. Really hope this makes it dead simple for most games to implement it for outlets like Giantbomb to use in their coverage.

This is amazing!

I never thought it could be done in real time! This is the de facto way VR should be shown to consumers. I agree with you and really hope sites like Giant Bomb use this for quick looks instead of the traditional POV shot you see right now. It's perfect for Twitch streamers too. Man! I'm actually really thrilled about this, it's the perfect solution for the problem of how we were going to convey this stuff in the media. I honestly never thought that problem would be solved this perfectly.
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
This is amazing!

I never thought it could be done in real time! This is the de facto way VR should be shown to consumers. I agree with you and really hope sites like Giant Bomb use this for quick looks instead of the traditional POV shot you see right now. It's perfect for Twitch streamers too. Man! I'm actually really thrilled about this, it's the perfect solution for the problem of how we were going to convey this stuff in the media. I honestly never thought that problem would be solved this perfectly.

Well so far this is for devs only. They'd need to build in options to let normal folk do that for streaming etc. I hope they do
 
Awesome thread, subbed for sure.

"High End" to me, at least at this stage, is 90hz+ screen, and positional tracking. Motion controllers while amazing, I don't think quantify something as a more robust experience per se (perhaps the experience you're in doesn't rely on input, just speculation), but proper depth tracking is super important.

I wan't a Vive pretty bad, but I have a feeling PSVR will be my first HMD.
 

Mindlog

Member
I think that is unfair, as seated and standing experiences are very different but not necessarily better or worse than each other.
I don't mean to disparage the other categories at all, but that's the clearcut way I would measure the experience. When Oculus first arrived I immediately wanted one to play all my space combat games. During this time the main piece of demo software was VR Quake. Getting full room scale tracking so quickly is well beyond my initial expectations.

I'd actually like to see some cockpit games use detailed environment tracking to influence their setting. It would be great if cameras noted the position of my HoTaS, rudders and keyboard and map the spacing accordingly. PSVR has a leg up since the controller all have track points, but it would still be great to see my arm when reaching for a controller.
 

Metal B

Member
I'd actually like to see some cockpit games use detailed environment tracking to influence their setting. It would be great if cameras noted the position of my HoTaS, rudders and keyboard and map the spacing accordingly. PSVR has a leg up since the controller all have track points, but it would still be great to see my arm when reaching for a controller.
A cockpit like the Millennium Falcon would be awesome. A piece of junk always almost falling apart. You have to constantly jump around fix it, while piloting it, even try to defend yourself and other people interfering. Like you said, the game knows the position of your chair and properly other input devices, so you can leave your seat.
 

iceatcs

Junior Member
if you only can get one VR at the moment. It would be ideal to wait for full launch software list after this GDC week or few weeks later, then you can have better decision.
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
if you only can get one VR at the moment. It would be ideal to wait for full launch software list after this GDC week or few weeks later, then you can have better decision.

If you can only get one then any of the three in the OP is probably fine.

Any exclusivity on oculus is hopefully short lived and more to do with tools and devkit availability for a wider number of developers than any moneyhatting by oculus.

Likewise any vive exclusives will likely be functional exclusives due to the motion controllers.

When oculus touch is out and more people have vives, I think you'll see a rapid normalisation of title availability across all three platforms - it'll be a small addressable market initially so developers will need to cast a wide net to get the best returns.

So while you might get some exclusives initially whether you buy OR, vive or PSVR, I think they'll mostly be timed exclusives and you'll get the chance to enjoy everything within 6-12 months
 

Dr.Acula

Banned
I actually just realised that now that I'm buying both the Rift and Vive, I'm really going to be struggling for USB ports. I should be fine with my display outputs with some rejigging and a mini DP to DP connector (Vive box has a miniDP output as well as HDMI).

The USB issue will have to be solved with a PCI-E expansion card, I suppose.

You mean the Rift will have you struggling for ports right? You're not going to be struggling for ports because you're going to have them both plugged in simultaneously, right?
 
According to Ars the final retail Vive will come with mounts.

As Kyle wrote, the box contains a head-mounted display (HMU), two motion-tracked controller wands, and two tracking stations with matching mounting hardware. Valve has confirmed that retail Vives will also come with little mounts that can either be drilled into a wall or ceiling or stuck in place using adhesive (and they should be superior to the ugly-but-functional mounts we got with the "near-final" set).

excellent. gogo adhesive
 

Monger

Member
if you only can get one VR at the moment. It would be ideal to wait for full launch software list after this GDC week or few weeks later, then you can have better decision.

Launch software isn't always a great judge either. More so considering the Vive hasn't been around that long. Best thing would be to give it six months or a year but who's that patient.
 

artsi

Member
I have no idea what kind of magic this is if it works, but sounds very interesting.
Or maybe I should rather say "holy shit this sounds fucking awesome"?

http://vrscout.com/news/samsung-entrim-4d-vr-motion-headphones/

Samsung to Unveil Entrim 4D VR Motion Headphones

According to Samsung, the idea behind the Entrim 4D headphone accessory is to synchronize your body with changing movements in VR video content. This is accomplished by using a “combination of algorithms and Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS), a safe and simple technique that sends specific electric messages to a nerve in the ear.”

Entrim 4D delivers electrical signals – like the ones used to help restore balance in stroke patients – via headphones equipped with electrodes that correspond with movement data input by engineers. This allows you to feel a sense of direction and speed movement according to Samsung, potentially eliminating the need for expensive 4D motion chairs.

entrim-4d-vr-gear.jpg

Basically, a solution (or one towards it) to eliminate VR motion sickness, and of course to provide better immersion.
 

Qassim

Member
You mean the Rift will have you struggling for ports right? You're not going to be struggling for ports because you're going to have them both plugged in simultaneously, right?

I was planning to if I could disconnect the cables at the headset end on the Rift. I know you can on the Vive (or alternatively, on the breakout box). It'll just be a lot easier to leave them plugged in all the time at the PC side then reconnect them on the headset side when I want to use either one of them.

Unless of course there are no problems with leaving both of them plugged in properly and just disabling them in software, which I'd prefer.
 

Mindlog

Member
A cockpit like the Millennium Falcon would be awesome. A piece of junk always almost falling apart. You have to constantly jump around fix it, while piloting it, even try to defend yourself and other people interfering. Like you said, the game knows the position of your chair and properly other input devices, so you can leave your seat.
Now I'm imagining an Escape room with a VR headset.

@_@

Halfway through solving a puzzle the floor falls out and it looks like you have to tight walk on girders.... So much potential in VR. My first sets are looking to be Rift/PSVR though.

And then I look up and notive we're already nearing consumer GVS. The future is hear!
Should probably New Thread that.
 

Monger

Member
I have no idea what kind of magic this is if it works, but sounds very interesting.
Or maybe I should rather say "holy shit this sounds fucking awesome"?

http://vrscout.com/news/samsung-entrim-4d-vr-motion-headphones/



Basically, a solution (or one towards it) to eliminate VR motion sickness, and of course to provide better immersion.

I wonder what happens to your balance? If you're turning really fast wouldn't your body try to counter the forces it's expecting? The idea of messing with my vestibular system that way and damaging it in some way also freaks me out a little bit.

Feeling like you're superman does sound pretty amazing though.

Users thus feel as if they are a part of the on-screen action, and can also sense direction and speed of movement. And, when paired with the team’s Drone FPV, which utilizes data from the drone’s motion sensors, they can even feel like they are flying.
 

artsi

Member
I wonder what happens to your balance? If you're turning really fast wouldn't your body try to counter the forces it's expecting? The idea of messing with my vestibular system that way and damaging it in some way also freaks me out a little bit.

Feeling like you're superman does sound pretty amazing though.

Yeah I don't think it's something you can just push to the market, and I would be super skeptical if it was some random kickstarter or something.
But it's Samsung and it seems like they do have an actual working (experimental) device, so I'll be following the developments closely.

Apparently Palmer was also talking about this tech some years ago, but their limited budget (before the FB acquisition) didn't allow them to research it much back then.

It's just amazing how fast things seem to be moving forward. Foveated rendering, haptic gloves, full body tracking, this... VR future is bright and I can't wait to get stuck in an MMO world in 2022.

 

mr stroke

Member
Have booth pre ordered but have zero clue on which to keep :\


The deciding factor for me will probably be UI. Are there any demos or impressions on which unit has the better UI & store front?
 

iceatcs

Junior Member
Launch software isn't always a great judge either. More so considering the Vive hasn't been around that long. Best thing would be to give it six months or a year but who's that patient.

That's what I mean, in the first 6 months is still launching titles to me. Most titles will be heard on Day One anyway.

I have no idea what kind of magic this is if it works, but sounds very interesting.
Or maybe I should rather say "holy shit this sounds fucking awesome"?

http://vrscout.com/news/samsung-entrim-4d-vr-motion-headphones/



Basically, a solution (or one towards it) to eliminate VR motion sickness, and of course to provide better immersion.

Quite dangerous if tip over by losing the balance lol.
 
Gonna be interesting to see who's leading the race in a couple of years time.

I can see Valve releasing Half Life 3-D to get a leg up in the VR market!
 

tr00per

Member
I thought I'd post this for those who haven't seen it. It's a talk demonstrating the psmove as an input device (with Q&A at the end). It's a good video for people curious about what the new controllers can do that gamepads or things like the wiimote can't. It's with 2D demos on the ps3, but you can imagine how VR would change the experience. Feel free to add it to the OP if you think it's helpful.

https://youtu.be/sRtF3qMucuA


Bonus info if you didn't know, this guy is designing the UI for the game Dreams, which is rumored to come to PSVR
 

taoofjord

Member
Fantastic post. "a rising tide lifts all boats" :p)

I wish it was possible. There's little more infuriating than fanboy bullshit on gaming message boards. That said, in the 20ish years that I've been on gaming boards I've never seen things go differently. I don't think it's possible as it's just human nature for certain people to come in and rile up other people that can't hold their tongue and ignore the childish behavior.
 

YuShtink

Member
Well I'm officially ready for VR. The summary:

Bought my new parts last weekend. The main components:

- i7 6700k
- 16GB Corsair Dominator 3200MHz DDR4
- 512GB Samsung 950Pro M.2 PCI-E SSD
- Geforce GTX 970 (swapped from old PC - will upgrade once Pascal releases)


Built and upgraded to Windows 10 (finally).

My case (Corsair 600C Inverted) has 2 USB 2.0 slots and 2 USB 3.0 slots on the front top corner, which is perfectly adjacent as one of the corners of my VR space. In theory I should be able to have both the Vive and the Rift hooked up simultaneously (will prob hook up the XB1 controller to rear slot). 1 USB2 for Vive, 2 USB3 and 1 USB2 for Rift. So it should work perfectly and get maximum slack!

Installed an extra PCI-E USB 3.0 card giving me an extra 5 options in the rear come Touch.

Also cleared out every bit of available space in my large bedroom. I now have a 14' x 11' VR room space set aside with my computer in corner position next to my desk.

One other corner has a bookcase for Lighthouse 1 with a power outlet right below. The opposite corner has a french door that Ive pinned open, hoping to rig up Lighthouse 2 on top of the door or just get a support pole if it won't stay still for good tracking. Outlet on wall just next to door.

I had to re-arrange a ton of stuff including my entire bedroom entertainment stand, which is now a tiny 10" deep IKEA table stand. Have to maximize space LOL! Took the majority of last weekend and this weekend. But I think i have EVERYTHING covered guys. Going to be a long two weeks. At least we have Sony's PSVR event Tuesday and then Rift launch preview embargo ends Wednesday! It's finally upon us! Rejoice VR brothers and sisters!
 

tr00per

Member
I wish it was possible. There's little more infuriating than fanboy bullshit on gaming message boards. That said, in the 20ish years that I've been on gaming boards I've never seen things go differently. I don't think it's possible as it's just human nature for certain people to come in and rile up other people that can't hold their tongue and ignore the childish behavior.

And the funny thing is if everyone bought only their platform of choice (therefore there was only one platform to buy) they wouldn't be very happy. The fact that we have options is a great thing. But I guess that's the same mentality that encourages racism. :/

/tangent
 
Ive got my oculus order and I should be a day 1 guy, so lets hope that works out. I like a lot of what the vive is showing off but I think I'm gonna stick with the oculus as my first headset.


Does anyone know if the headphones are removable from any of the headsets? My wife has hearing aids and needs to use her own headphones, and the ones attached to the rift look like shit. I'd hate for the audio to be a reason that her VR experience is hindered
 
Ive got my oculus order and I should be a day 1 guy, so lets hope that works out. I like a lot of what the vive is showing off but I think I'm gonna stick with the oculus as my first headset.


Does anyone know if the headphones are removable from any of the headsets? My wife has hearing aids and needs to use her own headphones, and the ones attached to the rift look like shit. I'd hate for the audio to be a reason that her VR experience is hindered
I believe I heard that they are. And I also think I heard the headphones were actually pretty good.
 

Bsigg12

Member
Ive got my oculus order and I should be a day 1 guy, so lets hope that works out. I like a lot of what the vive is showing off but I think I'm gonna stick with the oculus as my first headset.


Does anyone know if the headphones are removable from any of the headsets? My wife has hearing aids and needs to use her own headphones, and the ones attached to the rift look like shit. I'd hate for the audio to be a reason that her VR experience is hindered

They are detachable. I would give them a shot before pulling them though as some people have claimed their soundstage is actually really good.
 

Cartman86

Banned
I remember, however, this is a weeeee bit different. Especially if those people bought a Rift, lol.

Valve VR games will most certainly run on OpenVR and thus support any PC headset with motion controllers. This includes Oculus Touch which Valve has confirmed is coming to SteamVR once they get those controllers so if Oculus supports a 360 degree room scale space I can't imagine Valve artificially limiting their games to Vive. Assuming of course that there isn't some major hardware change (finger tracking or something) between them in the future.
 

tr00per

Member
Edit: beaten twice

Also, fwiw i have used psvr + headphones both with and without glasses and found no additional discomfort
 
They are detachable. I would give them a shot before pulling them though as some people have claimed their soundstage is actually really good.


Thanks.


And it was more of a comment on how they sit on your head, based on the pictures. She gets weird feedback if the wrong thing bumps into her earpiece so I'm glad they come off if the included ones dont work for her
 
Does anyone knows how PSVR handles IPD, seeing that it is only one screen. anyone that has used give any comments on how effective it is?
 
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