Gaming Forums => General Gaming => Topic started by: MagicCow64 on May 10, 2013, 07:46:40 PM
Title: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: MagicCow64 on May 10, 2013, 07:46:40 PM
I've been seeing more and more about the Oculus Rift bubbling up, with seemingly a lot of excitement about this representing the first occurrence of true VR (wireframe game mall kiosks notwithstanding).
My question is: is this a viable route for the industry to take? It seems to me that this is more likely to be a dead-end stopgap, much like 3D TVs. Wearing glasses produces a 3D illusion, but it's clunky and nothing approaching an actual hologram.
Similarly, this isn't "real" VR, it's just jamming stereoscopic lenses in you eyes with a head tracker and maybe being on a tread mill. The actual tech to do something like a sanitary Existenz probably won't be around in our lifetimes (and I wouldn't put much better odds on practical holography).
But will this see any kind of mass adoption? The basic headset looks like it will be affordable for consumers, but its difficult to see how this will be anything other than a niche. Has anyone here tried it who can chime in? Is the illusion good enough for this to come off?[/youtube]
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: pokepal148 on May 10, 2013, 10:57:11 PM
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: Oblivion on May 10, 2013, 11:07:18 PM
Who the **** cares what you look like? Do you honestly think you like a solid 10 when you're slumped over, playing a game with a traditional controller?
I say the same with Google Glass. People like you need to stop worrying how people view you and just be yourself. Jesus.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: pokepal148 on May 11, 2013, 12:08:00 AM
so oblivious to the point I'm trying to get across (seriously I'm pointing out the similarities the rift has with the virtual boy
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: Oblivion on May 11, 2013, 01:09:59 AM
Instead of posting images, just fucking say what you want to say.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: ShyGuy on May 11, 2013, 02:26:23 AM
I want to try one.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: ThePerm on May 11, 2013, 04:32:17 AM
I have one of these (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/VictorMaxx-StuntMaster.jpg/250px-VictorMaxx-StuntMaster.jpg)
actually played perfect dark with it once.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: S-U-P-E-R on May 11, 2013, 04:59:03 AM
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: MagicCow64 on May 11, 2013, 12:05:35 PM
I have one of these (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/VictorMaxx-StuntMaster.jpg/250px-VictorMaxx-StuntMaster.jpg)
actually played perfect dark with it once.
Damn, I'm assuming that was a mod? The fact that this StuntMaster existed as what appears to be a low-res monocular version of the Rift does not exactly inspire confidence in the Rift.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: oohhboy on May 12, 2013, 07:59:17 PM
It's going to be pretty niche stuff. As a 3D display don't see a problem with it, but the head tracking is just asking for trouble. Unless the head tracking in near perfect, they would be fighting the persons biology the entire time. Even then it has pretty limited gaming potential. It's too unwiedly for FPS. It might work pretty well for flight/racing sims, but seemingly pretty pointless for everything else. Then there is the issue of the device drifting away from zero unless it can read an external fixed point.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: Ian Sane on May 13, 2013, 12:30:58 PM
I think what everyone really wants is something like the Holodeck or the Matrix where you just connect in and it's like you're really there. But technology won't just jump to that level overnight, if it even can. So we'll get in-between stopgaps and they'll be unfulfilling.
But then I see motion control as an unfulfilling stopgap towards the Holodeck but the public ate that up. Something like the Oculus Rift could probably take off with the right piece of software and the right price point. A big reason why the Virtual Boy failed was that is was red & black Gameboy graphics released the same year as the Playstation. The technology was not ready yet. With today's technology it might do better. Though I don't see it as the new standard of videogames as it will be too restrictive. Hell, true VR would need like a room to run around in.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on May 13, 2013, 09:14:41 PM
If this thing had any real mainstream potential they wouldn't have had to fund it through Kickstarter, they'd have had electronics and toy companies busting down their door. This is a product with a small niche appeal (think smaller than the Ouya) that is really only possible to produce through something like Kickstarter.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: pokepal148 on May 13, 2013, 09:37:24 PM
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: ThePerm on May 14, 2013, 01:58:40 AM
This seems like a thing that belongs in a futuristic arcade. Arcades just died in the water, what they should have done was become ridiculously more powerful than a home console and offered an experience akin to prostitution.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: Stogi on May 14, 2013, 02:05:18 AM
OR
(http://i.imgur.com/eJ1mn.jpg)
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: azeke on May 14, 2013, 02:11:20 AM
The future of looking like an idiot while playing a game, oh wait, that's already here, it's called Kinect :Q
I was thinking just dance, rock band. Most party games make the users look like idiots so others at the party can have a good laugh.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: Ceric on May 14, 2013, 12:35:02 PM
I see this as a PC accessory. A virtual Monitor Setup would be powerful in that setting. Here sitting at my desk doing my particular job it be nice not to have to worry about people looking over my shoulder and screen configurations how I would like them.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: MagicCow64 on May 14, 2013, 03:14:03 PM
The disconnect between the headset and the controls seems like one of the bigger issues. Having a VR headset while still using an analog controller for actions seems like it's somewhat purpose defeating. And to fix that with current tech you'd need one of those omni treadmills from the video in the first post, and probably a camera and wands and stuff, to the point where it would just be ridiculous.
But I would pay $10 once to try out a supercharged arcade rig.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: ThePerm on May 14, 2013, 07:09:11 PM
google glass seems like the better option
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: pokepal148 on May 14, 2013, 07:14:02 PM
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: ThePerm on May 15, 2013, 05:04:30 AM
i mean for gaming...not life
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: MegaByte on May 23, 2013, 04:42:56 AM
I've used it.
They say it has way better head tracking than what's come before... but I still felt motion sick after a couple minutes. I recovered after a couple more, and since I was playing a very rough demo from a company that isn't Oculus, it's hard to say how representative that experience was for the device in general. Now, what I can say is that it is quite low resolution compared to what we're used to, though it might not be as bad once the consumer model comes out. I did actually use it with a pair of motion-tracking joysticks so each hand could move around in virtual space. I'm definitely interested in trying it on the omnidirectional treadmill. I have a dev kit in shipping right now, so hopefully I'll have a better sense of it soon.
Given the isolating nature of VR, this will likely never be a huge consumer device. That said, developers are super-excited about it -- at GDC, they had to dedicate a second booth area just so that people could line up to try it. The wait times were E3-esque. And many people who have been in the VR field for decades think this may be just the thing to really deliver on the promise of VR. It's still going to have a tough time gaining traction unless there are some really compelling apps. I think things like Google Glass will have more success... and I guess Kinect One if it really works as well as they claim.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: MegaByte on May 25, 2013, 01:03:17 AM
I AM HOLDING THE FUTURE.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: MagicCow64 on May 25, 2013, 12:59:20 PM
When this thing is running properly and tuned up, does it actually give you an illusion of "being there"? That's what I have a hard time believing about this thing.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: MegaByte on May 25, 2013, 01:40:42 PM
I suppose that depends on how bad your vision is... the resolution is way too low for me, so the pixels are very evident, and it becomes blurry as you look away from the center. It works much better in situations where you're just looking around (e.g. Google Streetview) or the field of view isn't moving (e.g. Virtual Boy emulator), but not both at the same time (e.g. walking around). The latter is a problem where Oculus support has been bolted onto some older FPSes, and that's what induces motion sickness. But I need to try out some more demos.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: oohhboy on June 01, 2013, 03:40:13 AM
This is unpleasent (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/193439/Report_Oculus_VR_cofounder_struck_dead_by_car.php).
Quote
Los Angeles ABC affiliate KABC has reported (http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/orange_county&id=9122999) that Oculus VR co-founder Andrew Scott Reisse was struck and killed while crossing the street during a car chase in Santa Ana, California. According to the report, Reisse was an innocent bystander struck by a car driven by gang members fleeing police.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: magicpixie on June 02, 2013, 10:33:00 PM
Really sad news.
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: pokepal148 on June 02, 2013, 11:16:33 PM
that is sad... didn't gunpei yukoi go out the same way?
Title: Re: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?
Post by: TJ Spyke on June 03, 2013, 02:29:08 PM
that is sad... didn't gunpei yukoi go out the same way?
Sorta. Gumpei Yokoi (I know many use Gunpei, but his own business cards used Gumpei) got out of his car on a highway after his car broke down, and a car passing by hit him.
Anyways, I don't think most people knew who this guy was and his company's product was gonna be niche at best, but it's a sad way to die.
