This is why I reckon it'll work best with simulators, or even arcadey driving/flying games, because having a dashboard gives you a static point of reference with everything else moving around / in front of it. Something like Skyrim would make you travel sick.
VR headset Oculus Rift
- Thread starter grit
- Start date
This is why I reckon it'll work best with simulators, or even arcadey driving/flying games, because having a dashboard gives you a static point of reference with everything else moving around / in front of it. Something like Skyrim would make you travel sick.
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
I had a play on the Gear VR whilst at an airport last night and while I was prepared to be underwhelmed, I was actually very very impressed.
The idea of watching movies or TV wherever you like in a cinematic experience is what piqued my interest the most. i.e. being able to watch a movie sat in the living room, but then take it to bed and carry on. Am I right in thinking the Oculus Rift will need tethering to a device? So unless you have one in each room that may not be viable?
This is the future of home entertainment though surely. Only problem with the phone on the device was the weight towards the front.
The idea of watching movies or TV wherever you like in a cinematic experience is what piqued my interest the most. i.e. being able to watch a movie sat in the living room, but then take it to bed and carry on. Am I right in thinking the Oculus Rift will need tethering to a device? So unless you have one in each room that may not be viable?
This is the future of home entertainment though surely. Only problem with the phone on the device was the weight towards the front.
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
2016 looks to be the year of VR. It influenced my choice in buying a PS4, rather then upgrading the PC.
Maybe worth a new thread with the different options (the HTC one looks interesting as well)
Maybe worth a new thread with the different options (the HTC one looks interesting as well)
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
I'm mildly interested in the gaming potential, but I would like to hear more about its potential for watching TV/Films, web surfing, working on documents and general other stuff like exploring space and places on earth like forests, mountains, cities and sealife.
What I like is it's very real ability to create a virtual giant screen and the ambiance surrounding it (like the cinema mode in the Gear VR which I really enjoyed).
What I like is it's very real ability to create a virtual giant screen and the ambiance surrounding it (like the cinema mode in the Gear VR which I really enjoyed).
Crispy
The following psytrance is baṉned: All
The real Big Thing for VR will be light field movies.
What's a light field?
So a regular photograph is a 2D structure. Each pixel has an X and a Y coordinate and you know the colour of the light at that coordinate. You can say the same for a 360 degree panorama, where your coordinates are latitude and longitude.
A light field also captures the direction of the light at each pixel. You're capturing 4D imformation - location and direction of a light ray. With a light field sensor, you can move the "viewpoint" of the image to anywhere within the sensor and get true parallax, reflections etc.
If, instead of a single sensor, you have an array of sensors, you can recreate the genuine appearance of a scene from anywhere within the volume contained by those sensors. You can imitate this effect by moving a camera around and taking lots of photos from different locations in all directions. Within the volume swept out by the camera, you can put your VR head and experience a perfect recreation of a real space. Like this:
Unfortunately, it takes 15m to photograph a full scene so is pointless for capturing movement.
So that's what this camera will do:
Fully immersive, 360 degree, fully 3D recordings of real places and people. Put one of these cameras ringside and you'll really feel like you're there. It's the killer app for VR, imo. Will require TONS of storage and bandwidth.
EDIT: Or just read this excellent article: Light fields – the future of VR-AR-MR | fxguide
What's a light field?
So a regular photograph is a 2D structure. Each pixel has an X and a Y coordinate and you know the colour of the light at that coordinate. You can say the same for a 360 degree panorama, where your coordinates are latitude and longitude.
A light field also captures the direction of the light at each pixel. You're capturing 4D imformation - location and direction of a light ray. With a light field sensor, you can move the "viewpoint" of the image to anywhere within the sensor and get true parallax, reflections etc.
If, instead of a single sensor, you have an array of sensors, you can recreate the genuine appearance of a scene from anywhere within the volume contained by those sensors. You can imitate this effect by moving a camera around and taking lots of photos from different locations in all directions. Within the volume swept out by the camera, you can put your VR head and experience a perfect recreation of a real space. Like this:
Unfortunately, it takes 15m to photograph a full scene so is pointless for capturing movement.
So that's what this camera will do:
Fully immersive, 360 degree, fully 3D recordings of real places and people. Put one of these cameras ringside and you'll really feel like you're there. It's the killer app for VR, imo. Will require TONS of storage and bandwidth.
EDIT: Or just read this excellent article: Light fields – the future of VR-AR-MR | fxguide
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skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
Sounds awesome.
From a purely practical/lazy sense, I'm also interested in watching things in bed lying down without having to hold an ipad/laptop etc. I'm sure there's a huge market there from non-techy everyday people who just want to watch TV in bed, or while travelling somewhere without having to take a screen.
From a purely practical/lazy sense, I'm also interested in watching things in bed lying down without having to hold an ipad/laptop etc. I'm sure there's a huge market there from non-techy everyday people who just want to watch TV in bed, or while travelling somewhere without having to take a screen.
elbows
Well-Known Member
Forget anything that involves a lot of text for now - unless my DK2 experience is not typical, text is really quite horrible on the device. I assume because none of the devices around so far really have a resolution thats perfect for sticking right next to your eyeballs. And its not just that you can 'see the pixels', under various scenarios you can also see the separate colour elements of the pixels start to show up. I look forward to seeing how much improved this is on latter Oculus Rift models.
I haven't used mine anywhere near as much as I should of because my time and attention is spread too thin at the moment. But certainly there is lot of potential for stuff that doesn't have anything like as much going on as typical games. Some of the best demos so far are paced very leisurely, e.g. one I've forgotten the name of that placed me inside a small scene that was based on various Van Gogh paintings.
Since I've had a 15 year obsession with using game engines for non-games, VR at its current stage should be right up my street, just need to find time to play with it. And decent hand tracking controllers to make much better that side of the immersive experience. I've not had a chance to try anyones offerings on that side of things, and thats probably why I haven't prioritised messing around with VR development yet. I'm in no rush, I'm only going to briefly dabble until I see how various consumer launches in 2016 go.
elbows
Well-Known Member
An attempt to describe a major component of the wow factor:
When I read a good book, hear great music, watch a film etc, I may lose myself, and my imagination may be transported elsewhere. When I put on a VR headset, it feels like I, as a whole conscious self, have been transported somewhere else. When I take the headset off, it feels like I have returned home after being out somewhere interesting. Its going to be bloody brilliant for people who don't get out enough.
When I read a good book, hear great music, watch a film etc, I may lose myself, and my imagination may be transported elsewhere. When I put on a VR headset, it feels like I, as a whole conscious self, have been transported somewhere else. When I take the headset off, it feels like I have returned home after being out somewhere interesting. Its going to be bloody brilliant for people who don't get out enough.
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
That's how I started to feel. And that was just a demo of the Gear VR with no headphones in an airport samsung store. I could imagine just how cool the oculus rift would be with a nice comfy seat and some good cans. Absolutely awesome. Just want to lose myself in other worlds and fly through space an that.
Fishco would be quite good too I'd imagine.
elbows
Well-Known Member
I've not tried with headphones yet either, Christmas holiday will be my chance to dedicate some proper time to it.
One of the bigger downsides I came up with while pondering over the consumer launches is that it may make a lot of children very upset, if they are too young to have the right sized heads and be within the right eye distance range. There is a bloody annoying warning message that shows up on the rift headset screens and I forget what minimum age it says, might be 13. Younger kids seeing people having a great time wearing such headsets and not being able to have a go is going to be a right tantrum generator. I should probably research this topic more, especially in relation to the playstation vr thing.
One of the bigger downsides I came up with while pondering over the consumer launches is that it may make a lot of children very upset, if they are too young to have the right sized heads and be within the right eye distance range. There is a bloody annoying warning message that shows up on the rift headset screens and I forget what minimum age it says, might be 13. Younger kids seeing people having a great time wearing such headsets and not being able to have a go is going to be a right tantrum generator. I should probably research this topic more, especially in relation to the playstation vr thing.
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
So much awesome in this tech!
elbows
Well-Known Member
Since 2016 will feature the launch of at least 3 mainstream VR systems, there has been a predictable deluge of IT articles about the year ahead that don't say very much.
eg: 2016: the year when VR goes from virtual to reality - BBC News
Still CES is next week and there should be some actual meaningful news at that event.
I had a chance to play with my DK2 again yesterday. The wow factor is still there, especially when trying it with my own stuff made in Unity. Shame it completely sucks away my limited time, and I can't really explore more complex and immersive ideas until I've got the proper controllers. Mid you I have one idea up my sleeve that doesn't really involve control so I might try and get it into shape in time for hardware launches or soon thereafter.
eg: 2016: the year when VR goes from virtual to reality - BBC News
Still CES is next week and there should be some actual meaningful news at that event.
I had a chance to play with my DK2 again yesterday. The wow factor is still there, especially when trying it with my own stuff made in Unity. Shame it completely sucks away my limited time, and I can't really explore more complex and immersive ideas until I've got the proper controllers. Mid you I have one idea up my sleeve that doesn't really involve control so I might try and get it into shape in time for hardware launches or soon thereafter.
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
I can't wait. I know all this gen of kit will still need a lot of work and it will take a while for developers to make the most of it, but I'm going to buy one anyway.
Will be interested what Sony make of it. Lower hardware system spec, but potentially many more consumers.
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
https://www1.oculus.com/blog/oculus-rift-pre-orders-to-open-on-january-6/
Oculus Rift Pre-Orders to Open on January 6
And
Oculus founder Palmer Luckey will be answering questions during a Reddit AMA this Wednesday, January 6 at 6pm Pacific Time
Oculus Rift Pre-Orders to Open on January 6
And
Oculus founder Palmer Luckey will be answering questions during a Reddit AMA this Wednesday, January 6 at 6pm Pacific Time
beesonthewhatnow
going deaf for a living
It all just seems so... I dunno. Antisocial. Hiding away in a stupid looking headset.
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
This will definitely be a big barrier to add option as many will feel the same.
Mind you gaming is for many a solitary activity.
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
All the kickstarter backers are getting a free Occulus Rift final unit. :thumbs :
Oculus Gives Original Kickstarter Backers The Final Rift Headset For Free
Oculus Gives Original Kickstarter Backers The Final Rift Headset For Free
elbows
Well-Known Member
If it was £500 including the hand controllers then I'd still be a little reluctant but would probably have pre-ordered. But £499 without them, and the controllers being delayed to the second half of the year, has stopped me in my tracks. I was expecting more like £350-£400 so I am not a happy man right now.
And HTC's 'tech breakthrough' excuse for missing their initial launch window didn't turn out to be anything too radical either - yes there are some apps where the addition of a camera so you can do a bit of AR and not bump into furniture etc makes sense, especially given the HTCs greater scope for tracking the headset moving across a larger physical space.
And HTC's 'tech breakthrough' excuse for missing their initial launch window didn't turn out to be anything too radical either - yes there are some apps where the addition of a camera so you can do a bit of AR and not bump into furniture etc makes sense, especially given the HTCs greater scope for tracking the headset moving across a larger physical space.
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
This seems a pretty cool use for VR 
I guess the other advantage is they can keep the ride fresh by changing what is running on the headset.
Alton Towers to open 'Galactica' VR roller coaster in April
I guess the other advantage is they can keep the ride fresh by changing what is running on the headset.
Alton Towers to open 'Galactica' VR roller coaster in April
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
Does anyone see much point in this tech in the year other gaming which would make it worth spending the money on?
Just been looking at the Samsung Gear which has to be powered by a smartphone. Powerful as they are these days, that still has to be pretty limiting right? I'm wondering if Sony actually have enough power in a PS4 to make it good (although I hope they do)
Just been looking at the Samsung Gear which has to be powered by a smartphone. Powerful as they are these days, that still has to be pretty limiting right? I'm wondering if Sony actually have enough power in a PS4 to make it good (although I hope they do)
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
virtual tours. Imagine how cool it would be to have a float around in the VR ISS? I think theres already a vr Starship Enterprise
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
Sure, that would be nice, but I'm not sure there is enough stuff I want to look round to spend that much on a VR headset. Great for places where you go and use it, like the Alton Towers ride, not for the home.
I want to kill things.
