Valve CEO: 'We're comfortable with the idea that VR will turn out to be a complete failure'

[Elixer]

Also you really need to try VR before knocking it. Having tried both the Rift and Vive, it's hard to take someone's opinion on VR seriously unless they've actually tried it. Not even a Gear VR compares.

Isn't that the main problem though?
These things are just too expensive, so until they can drastically drop the cost down, hardly anyone is going to be using it.
It needs to drop down below $200 before it starts to get more popular.

 

[ImpulsE69]

It's kind of like the NeoGeo. Everyone knew it was better, but they could only afford an SNES.

I will say that the Vive and Rift are mind blowing in some ways, but disappointing in others. It is definitely something everyone should at least try, but right now there's not enough reason to jump fully into it, especially if you are a nitpicker when it comes to graphics.

P.S. You don't need ultra real graphics to be immersed in VR, but you do need good frame rates and decent movement types, and one of the most annoying things is always having to be aware of where your cable is and having to constantly grab it. It becomes second nature most of the time, but always keeps you just out of complete immersion.

 

[Kaido]

Anyway, think of the dead sea. Where you can float in water without sinking. Make a sort of open diving suit with acceleration sensors attached to your feet, lower and upper legs, your hands, lower and upper arms. And your head. Add a waterproof VR set like a diver goggle. Add that with a serious multicore cpu gpu combination like 1080ti or upcoming vega. A soundsystem with speakers that are immersed under water, you hear the sound through the water as well. Add waterproof earbuds. All that and a small water basin filled with a substance like for example salt to give you buoyancy, just like in the dead sea.

That will be a killer gamepark attraction. The salt water will give you total freedom in all axis. And you can simulate walking ,jumping, flying, basically everything by tracking the acceleration sensors on all extremities. People would be standing in line and probably do not want to go home.

edit:

Add actuators to create waves in the water to create the effect of physical resistance or the feeling that something is touching you.
All that controlled by a powerful pc system with good software.

Keep medic staff ready for people with anxiety attacks. ^_^

Boy do I have a good article for you to read:

https://uploadvr.com/tried-vr-headset-underwater-worked/

Check the comments too!

 

[werepossum]

I would love high resolution photorealistic graphics with a VR headset. Especially for racing, combat/FPS, and survival games, that would be awesome. I just don't see how crappy 80s graphics through a headset is more (or as) immersive as cutting edge graphics on a monitor. And the games, ugh. Most are a handful of hours at best, with gameplay that otherwise would be completely unsaleable. Reminds me of Christmas music; buy music from people you otherwise wouldn't listen to for free.

 

[ImpulsE69]

I would love high resolution photorealistic graphics with a VR headset. Especially for racing, combat/FPS, and survival games, that would be awesome. I just don't see how crappy 80s graphics through a headset is more (or as) immersive as cutting edge graphics on a monitor. And the games, ugh. Most are a handful of hours at best, with gameplay that otherwise would be completely unsaleable. Reminds me of Christmas music; buy music from people you otherwise wouldn't listen to for free.

How do I know you've never touched one? Sure there is crap, you have one man dev's learning to code and making stuff for it, but there is plenty of quality material out there. The biggest answer to your question is simple though. It's a completely different medium than a monitor. Think about how much more immersive a 70" TV or IMAX is than a 19" monitor. Then think if that IMAX was actually you inside what you are watching. I'm not saying better graphics aren't welcome (and there is some visually stunning stuff out there), but that is really not even a part of it when it comes to immersion, because it isn't even remotely on the same level as a monitor. They simply are not comparable.

The games, yes the games, there is that. Most of my favorite stuff isn't even games though. It is capable of so much more. There are too many hard to overcome issues to make high quality long hour games at this point. They seem to be stuck in certain genres because of those roadblocks. People praise things and buy up everything just because of the 'support the devs' mentality right now which is pretty annoying. I mean, a bad game is a bad game and even worse when it is obviously overpriced. But....and it's a big but...a good game is a good game, even if it is only 5 hours long and it is way more..impactful in VR.

I don't blame people for not wanting to pay the entry price, but it really is pretty amazing to see how far it's come in my lifetime.

 

[William Gaatjes]

Boy do I have a good article for you to read:

https://uploadvr.com/tried-vr-headset-underwater-worked/

Check the comments too!

Yahooo.
Thank you.

It is just a matter of time. Add acceleration sensors as feedback to the game and one could have a lot of fun when the game engine is aware of you limb movement and body orientation.

multi axes acceleration and gyro sensors FTW !

http://www.sensorwiki.org/doku.php/sensors/accelerometer

 

[zinfamous]

Boy do I have a good article for you to read:

https://uploadvr.com/tried-vr-headset-underwater-worked/

Check the comments too!

I would get confused about my orientation and drown, most likely.

 

[werepossum]

How do I know you've never touched one? Sure there is crap, you have one man dev's learning to code and making stuff for it, but there is plenty of quality material out there. The biggest answer to your question is simple though. It's a completely different medium than a monitor. Think about how much more immersive a 70" TV or IMAX is than a 19" monitor. Then think if that IMAX was actually you inside what you are watching. I'm not saying better graphics aren't welcome (and there is some visually stunning stuff out there), but that is really not even a part of it when it comes to immersion, because it isn't even remotely on the same level as a monitor. They simply are not comparable.

The games, yes the games, there is that. Most of my favorite stuff isn't even games though. It is capable of so much more. There are too many hard to overcome issues to make high quality long hour games at this point. They seem to be stuck in certain genres because of those roadblocks. People praise things and buy up everything just because of the 'support the devs' mentality right now which is pretty annoying. I mean, a bad game is a bad game and even worse when it is obviously overpriced. But....and it's a big but...a good game is a good game, even if it is only 5 hours long and it is way more..impactful in VR.

I don't blame people for not wanting to pay the entry price, but it really is pretty amazing to see how far it's come in my lifetime.

I actually have played around with one at a Best Buy display, although I don't remember which. (The actual console or PC was not visible.) It was December, I had some time between meetings, and even though the store had a fair amount of shoppers there was no one at that display so I played around with it. It wasn't a game I was familiar with, but honestly, the graphics seemed like old 16 color VGA. I haven't touched one since, but I have seen screen shots and everything I've seen (in actual games, not the tech demos) looks comparable. Except the Resident Evil demo - that one did make me want to own a VR system. Otherwise, I like the idea but I don't see it happening for me for five years or so.