Topic: Ocular Riff: Is This the Future of Electronic Games?

[MagicCow64]

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).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpHWJMytx5I (Why won't [youtube] tags work?!)

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]

[pokepal148]

you tell me

[Oblivion]

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.

[pokepal148]

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

[Oblivion]

Instead of posting images, just fucking say what you want to say.

[ShyGuy]

I want to try one.

[ThePerm]

I have one of these


actually played perfect dark with it once.

[S-U-P-E-R]

[MagicCow64]

I have one of these


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.

Aslo: http://whitemenwearinggoogleglass.tumblr.com/

[ThePerm]

It had snes cable hookups, SNES and n64 had the same hookups, so that is how that worked.

[pokepal148]

[oohhboy]

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.

[Ian Sane]

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.

[NWR_insanolord]

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.

[pokepal148]

[ThePerm]

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.

[Stogi]

OR

[azeke]

[alegoicoe]

The future of looking like an idiot while playing a game, oh wait, that's already here, it's called Kinect

[smallsharkbigbite]

The future of looking like an idiot while playing a game, oh wait, that's already here, it's called Kinect

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. 

[Ceric]

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.

[MagicCow64]

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.

[ThePerm]

google glass seems like the better option

[pokepal148]

except

[ThePerm]

i mean for gaming...not life