Sony PS4 Virtual Reality Unveil (Project Morpheus)

[mizzou]

Live blog of unveil with photos
http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/17/gdc-sonys-innovation-at-playstation-panel-live-blog

http://www.gdconf.com/

www.ign.com/videos/2014/03/18/oculus-on-sonys-rumored-vr-headset

So it seems this is a day or just days away?

I'm thinking at best, there will be a headset with 720p display. The display will have a blue light on the front for motion tracking, sort of like the controller.

$249.99

We know a sony 720p display is already available and is supposedly impressive...but I wonder how they could possibly make it "affordable" as an accessory to a ps4?

I wish sony/microsoft/steam would just buy Oculus and take it off from there. But from what Iv'e heard, it's so immersive it makes people sick.

Perhaps the Sony one will just be a regular 720p set (no motion tracking) with headphones included.

That would still be neat...but not groundbreaking.

 

[Imported]

$250? If it includes headphones.. Gonna wish I waited before buying the Sony headphones.

 

[mizzou]

$250? If it includes headphones.. Gonna wish I waited before buying the Sony headphones.

I just can't imagine anything being thought of being purchased on a mass level, at $300 and above.

Otherwise it's just an expensive tech demo, like the oculus rift.

Also...perhaps the reason the new driving game was kicked out was because they want to incorporate this VR experience... :hmm:

The OR dev kit is $300.00 I suppose if Sony could mass produce and fine tune a similar product, they would be in that range.

 

[Aikouka]

Sony's GDC conference isn't until later tonight at around 7 or 8PM EST (I can't remember the exact time). However, 720p would probably not excite me much. The original Oculus Rift used 1280x800, and there were numerous complaints of pixelation and nausea. When they raised the resolution to 1080p, pixelation was no longer a problem and most cases of nausea went away. So, unless Sony is working some magic, that doesn't sound effective to me!

 

[mizzou]

Sony's GDC conference isn't until later tonight at around 7 or 8PM EST (I can't remember the exact time). However, 720p would probably not excite me much. The original Oculus Rift used 1280x800, and there were numerous complaints of pixelation and nausea. When they raised the resolution to 1080p, pixelation was no longer a problem and most cases of nausea went away. So, unless Sony is working some magic, that doesn't sound effective to me!

1080p would make sense, but I don't see how it would be useful for PS4, unless developers stopped trying to cram in so much eye candy, which is the real reason why we don't game in 1080p on consoles.


Also, I think technically the OR was 640×800, per eye. 1280x720 per eye would probably yield much better results. But if it was "Effective" 720p, then yes, I doubt it would be worth the headache/nausea. I highly doubt they would release something like that after all the media attention OR received.


Also, supposedly Valve has their own VR set? Does Microsoft have anything in the closet?

 

[smackababy]

I am wondering if the screen technology also had an effect. What did the OR use? I would imagine Sony could use OLED panels that might not have the same down sides as the original OR.


As far as another company buying OR, I doubt it. I don't think MS has anything rumored, but Valve has been working on one. I would imagine MS would probably be better off "partnering" with OR and just giving them additional funding and engineers / developers to help include it in the Xbox API as well as in the DX Api. That would probably be the best case scenario, as it would work very well for both Xbox and PC.

I can't read the sites (one loads, but something is blocked and it is basically unreadable at work).

 

[mizzou]

From I just read,
Valve is working closely with OR...so OR will basically be a steam supported HMD
Sony has their own setup, which resembles Valve's setup
Microsoft will make a late entry to the fray...or bet that this will be a failed undertaking
Nintendo can't even get involved, because the Wii U is so underpowered.

 

[American Gunner]

I just don't see this ever really catching on. Getting third party devs to support it will be an issue, especially since there is no way that the attach rate for this headset will be high.

 

[Aikouka]

I am wondering if the screen technology also had an effect. What did the OR use? I would imagine Sony could use OLED panels that might not have the same down sides as the original OR.

This article says that the original used LCD and the switch to OLED did help quite a bit in screen responsiveness.

I can't read the sites (one loads, but something is blocked and it is basically unreadable at work).

Just a note, but if you enter the URL into Google, you can usually access the Google cache of the website regardless of filters. To get that, just use the down arrow below the search entry's title; it should pop up a context menu with "Share" and "Cache" options.

1080p would make sense, but I don't see how it would be useful for PS4, unless developers stopped trying to cram in so much eye candy, which is the real reason why we don't game in 1080p on consoles.

Most PlayStation 4 games are playing at 1080p though, and one advantage to virtual reality is that by placing the camera into the first-person viewpoint, you usually reduce visual complexity by obscuring a huge amount of the area as it's out of the "person's" peripheral vision.

Also, I think technically the OR was 640×800, per eye. 1280x720 per eye would probably yield much better results. But if it was "Effective" 720p, then yes, I doubt it would be worth the headache/nausea. I highly doubt they would release something like that after all the media attention OR received.

Yep, the Rift splits the screen into a Left and Right section for the respective eye. Ultimately, the Rift is pretty much a 3D setup plastered onto your face.

Also, supposedly Valve has their own VR set? Does Microsoft have anything in the closet?

There was a rumor that Valve was making a VR set; however, they've come out and stated that they were experimenting and are providing some of that knowledge to Oculus. They are working Virtual Reality support into Steam though. In fact, the latest Steam client beta provides a toggable VR mode instead of having to use the command line.

 

[iluvdeal]

From I just read,
Valve is working closely with OR...so OR will basically be a steam supported HMD
Sony has their own setup, which resembles Valve's setup
Microsoft will make a late entry to the fray...or bet that this will be a failed undertaking
Nintendo can't even get involved, because the Wii U is so underpowered.

Or Microsoft could just make OR an offer they can't refuse and buy them out.

 

[mizzou]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/17/gdc-sonys-innovation-at-playstation-panel-live-blog

live blog w/ photos and info

 

[SAWYER]

 

[mizzou]

On a positive note, sony doing well can only help OR.

#1, more positive exposure means more looks at a PC oriented system (which Sony will likely not be compatible with)

#2 competition will get those gearheads and investors piling in time and money


I'm not too worried about attach rates or $$$...just think how much easier it will be to program a cheap game for a VR experience. Investing the funds into a project like Skyrim to be VR ONLY would be risky, but some indie developer or big box developer could make a reasonably simple game with great vr experience.

 

[exdeath]

Says 1080p on the slides not 720.

Here we go again!

 

[mizzou]

I've got a question...If I put my cell phone under 6 inches close to my face, I have an extremely hard time focusing on it.

I imagine this VR stuff will be useless to me, unless it has some distance manipulation optics like the OculusRift

 

[cmdrdredd]

I've got a question...If I put my cell phone under 6 inches close to my face, I have an extremely hard time focusing on it.

I imagine this VR stuff will be useless to me, unless it has some distance manipulation optics like the OculusRift

It's not quite the same...I don't know how to explain it technically but it's like focusing on a screen at a distance.

 

[Alienwho]

While intrigued by this, it won't work for me or the very large percentage of people who are like me.

I have a family, Often times I can only get away with gaming because I can either get my wife sucked in the story and she watches the game like a movie or I can fake listen while she has a conversation with me while I'm playing the game. Then when you bring kids into the picture my 2 year old would never let me use this thing, where at least right now I can give her a control and she can pretend to play the game with me. Putting some goofy thing on my face will completely separate me from the family and is simply not feasible.

I wonder if this might work better in Japanese culture but not quite be acceptable in American culture.

 

[Aikouka]

I've got a question...If I put my cell phone under 6 inches close to my face, I have an extremely hard time focusing on it.

I imagine this VR stuff will be useless to me, unless it has some distance manipulation optics like the OculusRift

I'm pretty sure the Rift uses optics to focus your eyes on a specific area of the screen. That's why if you look at the monitor for the computer that's rendering the Rift content, it's all weird and round looking.

 

[xantub]

Will we have to buy the camera in addition to this or will it work with just the console?

 

[smackababy]

It looks like it uses the move to track your head, and it has that big blue orb on it for it. I would imagine you need the move for proper head tracking. I am not sure if it will be required and if so, would it be purchased separately.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I have a feeling that this, Oculus Rift and others are going to end up being like 3D TV. Sounds great at first then you realize it involves glasses, headaches and sickness for some. Plus looking like a total tool to anyone who walks by.

 

[smackababy]

I have a feeling that this, Oculus Rift and others are going to end up being like 3D TV. Sounds great at first then you realize it involves glasses, headaches and sickness for some.

Considering I had zero problems with 3D other than the terrible film making 'inspired' by it, this technology is fine with me.

Plus looking like a total tool to anyone who walks by.

Oh no! While in the comfort of my own home, enjoying a past time using a new immersive technology, I might look like a tool! To all of the one person who lives with me that might walk by... I'm sure sitting on your couch with your backwards hat and head set on screaming about that 'i love you sniper is camping me, bro' makes you look like much less of a tool.

 

[purbeast0]

depending on the price of this device, i'd be willing to give it a shot for sure. but it's not something that i'm going to get excited about.

 

[mmntech]

I'm far from sold on VR. The real hurdles right now are still cost, game support, and simulation sickness.

Sony seems to have the latter dealt with by adding 1080p support and a 1000hz refresh rate. The more natural you make the experience, the better.

However, cost is going to be a major issue. Especially if it's a proprietary device, which it most certainly will be. I think few people are going to pony up the dough for it if it costs $300, like the OR dev kit does. Especially when the entire console costs $400. Non-bundled, non-mandatory peripherals have traditionally sold poorly. Which of course means weaker software support. Much like we saw with the Move and the original Kinect.

 

[smackababy]

I'm far from sold on VR. The real hurdles right now are still cost, game support, and simulation sickness.

Sony seems to have the latter dealt with by adding 1080p support and a 1000hz refresh rate. The more natural you make the experience, the better.

However, cost is going to be a major issue. Especially if it's a proprietary device, which it most certainly will be. I think few people are going to pony up the dough for it if it costs $300, like the OR dev kit does. Especially when the entire console costs $400. Non-bundled, non-mandatory peripherals have traditionally sold poorly. Which of course means weaker software support. Much like we saw with the Move and the original Kinect.

Except the Kinect sold incredibly well for an expensive peripheral. 24 million units is a bit less than 1/3rd of the total Xbox 360 install base.