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[dLMN8R]

Google Cardboard with an iPhone (iPhone = LCD screen) never made me sick per se, but the way everything blurred when I turned my head was dizzying, which discouraged actually looking around. It wasn't something I'd ever want to do for more than ten minutes.

I'm lucky in that I'm basically immune to VR sickness, but there's a large divide between "not sick" and "actually pleasant"

I haven't used it much, but when I tried Google Cardboard, the thing that made me sick was the lack of proper head tracking. Sure rotation worked....fine....but the real killer is when my head moved forward or backward and it didn't know how to account for it.

I won't try to assume what you experienced, but is it possible that perhaps that blurriness you saw was orthogonal to the discomfort you experienced from poor head tracking?

 

[Wowfunhappy]

I haven't used it much, but when I tried Google Cardboard, the thing that made me sick was the lack of proper head tracking. Sure rotation worked....fine....but the real killer is when my head moved forward or backward and it didn't know how to account for it.

I won't try to assume what you experienced, but is it possible that perhaps that blurriness you saw was orthogonal to the discomfort you experienced from poor head tracking?

The lack of positional tracking certainly doesn't help, and it's one (of many) reasons my Vive is so much more immersive. That said, I definitely think it was the blur that made me uncomfortable.

The Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream headsets don't have positional tracking either. I've never used them, but I've heard that they are much more comfortable and pleasant. The main difference, as far as I'm aware, is that the phones these headsets work with use low persistence OLED screens, just like the rift and vive.

Edit: Also, I can watch 360 degree videos on my Vive, and while I don't find them particularly immersive, the experience is a lot more pleasant than cardboard.

 

[DieH@rd]

So it seems this HMD is actually using a LCD screen and not OLED:
https://twitter.com/kentbye/status/863102537418686464

"Modern VR needs low persistence OLED. You can see DK1-era LCD ghosting on Acer VR HMD when turning head quickly, esp on MSFT Datascape demo"

Garbage-tier if so.

:-/

 

[cakely]

Perhaps... I dunno how many kinectless OGS they sold before they started shipping xb1s w/ ir blasters... seems to be a moot point if this would introduce latency.

On another note, how exactly does the Vive track controllers?

Lighthouse base stations are used to track headset and controller movement.

The lighthouse base stations basically ... emit light*, which is tracked by sensors on the Vive and on the controllers. The headset and controllers can sense their exact position down to millimeter precision by sensing the light emitted by each station.

*The base stations send IR pulses, and a horizontal and vertical IR laser.

It's ... kind of how the old Wiimote worked, meaning that the camera (IR diode) is on the controller and the base station is really just a light, but it's much more advanced.

 

[Arulan]

In addition to the explanation above:

 

[cakely]

In addition to the explanation above:

That's really cool.

 

[Theonik]

That's really cool.

The other thing to note is that the two lighthouses sync with one another either by looking at each other or via cable. The beam itself flickers which allows timing the pulse. Oculus dots also use flicker to identify the dots iirc.

 

[FutureLarking]

Huh, the review linked to in the tweet indicated the screens were fine...? http://www.revvrstudios.com/product-review-acer-mixed-reality-headset

I can totally agree with this, and the screen door effect is less pronounced than the rift. The only downside is the field is a bit smaller than one would like, but it's budget compared to the rift. Didn't notice any object blur - especially in the datascape demo. Perhaps he was literally just getting the optics blurring because it wasn't set up / strapped to his head properly, the demo setup didn't really allow you time or even instruct you on that.

Considering the price of the unit, and it's fantastically accurate tracking (based on stripped down Hololens tech - same IMU, half the environment sensors), its pretty cool. It's *good* VR/AR/MR at a more affordable pricepoint, without any horrible cut corners. Still not mass market pricing, but progress is being made here. It's also literally called developer edition, so who knows if a retail version of this will change anything.

Also cool is you can just flick the headset goggle up whilst it's still strapped to your head.

 

[ArtHands]

So it seems this HMD is actually using a LCD screen and not OLED:
https://twitter.com/kentbye/status/863102537418686464

"Modern VR needs low persistence OLED. You can see DK1-era LCD ghosting on Acer VR HMD when turning head quickly, esp on MSFT Datascape demo"

Garbage-tier if so.

Like I said you pay for what you got.

So now this thing is in the same tier as PSVR

 

[Vital Tundra]

Headsets are already getting smaller. Nice. Can't wait to get one in a few years.

 

[Peterc]

you gotta buy a house to put all this stuff in, too. sucks.

Seriously though, you haven't been paying attention to VR software. Games like Robo Recall, Battlezone, Chronos, RE7, Polybius, Elite Dangerous, Serious Sam, etc are not "gimmick games".

I need to agree, it are gimmicks and still allot of people has motion sickness.
VR isn't ready and the price is way too expensive, it should only be the price of a add-on.
Like motions controls.

 

[oldergamer]

Im curious to see what games will support it. A halo or forza enabled headset might be enough to convince people. Im actually more interested in the AR and how it works. Ive seen hololens and its impressive.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Like I said you pay for what you got.

So now this thing is in the same tier as PSVR

PSVR is low persistence though.

(Although, again, impressions are that the LCD screen Microsoft is using is fine, for some reason.)

Im curious to see what games will support it. A halo or forza enabled headset might be enough to convince people. Im actually more interested in the AR and how it works. Ive seen hololens and its impressive.

This headset doesn't do AR.

(Yeah, I know, Microsoft's "mixed reality" branding is confusing)

 

[cakefoo]

PSVR is low persistence though.

(Although, again, impressions are that the LCD screen Microsoft is using is fine, for some reason.)


This headset doesn't do AR.

(Yeah, I know, Microsoft's "mixed reality" branding is confusing)

Don't the stereo cameras allow it to do AR?

Does it just replace real world geometry with computerized furniture etc?

 

[Ehker]

Don't the stereo cameras allow it to do AR?

No, just look at where the cameras are placed. You wouldn't want to see video feeds from those angles.

 

[TheStruggler]

My friend who works for a VR company in Victoria recently went to a Microsoft conference last week and tried this out, he said it was meh. He never tried the PSVR to compare but he said generally it wasnt good. Also he got to try holo lens and his exact quote was "its a waste of time"

 

[VoodooProject]

My friend who works for a VR company in Victoria recently went to a Microsoft conference last week and tried this out, he said it was meh. He never tried the PSVR to compare but he said generally it wasnt good. Also he got to try holo lens and his exact quote was "its a waste of time"

So YOU'RE saying the PSVR was a waste of a hardware?

 

[NolbertoS]

So YOU'RE saying the PSVR was a waste of a hardware?

He meant the MS hardware was a waste of space. GAF doesn't represent the casual market, so let them decide if VR is DOA or will succeed.

 

[cakely]

My friend who works for a VR company in Victoria recently went to a Microsoft conference last week and tried this out, he said it was meh. He never tried the PSVR to compare but he said generally it wasnt good. Also he got to try holo lens and his exact quote was "its a waste of time"

To add another anecdote to the pile: I know a developer (3D artist) that's writing a HoloLens application and he's done nothing but rave about the HoloLens hardware.

 

[TheStruggler]

So YOU'RE saying the PSVR was a waste of a hardware?

I didnt mean he said the PSVR wasnt good he meant the one microsoft has wasnt good, he was also comparing it to his Oculus Rift the company gave him as well, since he doesnt have a PSVR, to each there own for everyones experiences

 

[MosquitoSmasher]

Please let this section not be too long during the E3 show. I can't think of many, if any AR/VR demonstrations that were truly worth it and not cringe worthy in some way.

 

[jbug617]

Please let this section not be too long during the E3 show. I can't think of many, if any AR/VR demonstrations that were truly worth it and not cringe worthy in some way.

I think they might show this at the PC Gaming Show. It was announced today that MS will be there.
http://www.pcgamer.com/playerunknow..._source=twitter&utm_campaign=buffer-pcgamertw

 

[hanspampel]

HMD don't have to be ugly

"Dues Ex"

"WALL-E"

 

[Trup1aya]

HMD don't have to be ugly

"Dues Ex"

"WALL-E"

I care more about what I see inside the HMD than how it looks on the outside- no matter how sleek the design, hmds will all look goofy, until the are the size of a pair of glasses.

 

[borges]

HMD don't have to be ugly

"Dues Ex"

"WALL-E"

Asus one looks really slick!

 

[Compsiox]

I care more about what I see inside the HMD than how it looks on the outside- no matter how sleek the design, hmds will all look goofy, until the are the size of a pair of glasses.

OR they'll stop looking goofy tof most people when they get used to seeing them.

 

[hanspampel]

I care more about what I see inside the HMD than how it looks on the outside- no matter how sleek the design, hmds will all look goofy, until the are the size of a pair of glasses.

why not both?
and especially for MR or AR you really need a lightweight, as small as possible, good looking device, as you're maybe not in total isolation when using it

internals are (more) important, tho. that is not wrong

 

[msdstc]

So it seems this HMD is actually using a LCD screen and not OLED:
https://twitter.com/kentbye/status/863102537418686464

"Modern VR needs low persistence OLED. You can see DK1-era LCD ghosting on Acer VR HMD when turning head quickly, esp on MSFT Datascape demo"

Garbage-tier if so.

woof. This will actually hurt the VR market if that's peoples first venture into it.

 

[Trup1aya]

why not both?
and especially for MR or AR you really need a lightweight, as small as possible, good looking device, as you're maybe not in total isolation when using it

internals are (more) important, tho. that is not wrong

Why not both? Ideally, you would have both, but....

It's always going to be a battle to 1) fit the internals you need to deliver the desired experience, while also 2) making the device comfortable, while also 3) hitting the desired price range.

How the device looks externally far less important that the 3 aforementioned things IMO, since I will be looking IN it, not AT it. As a consumer, I'd be all over a device that nailed those 3 things, even if I looked like a moron wearing it. I'm sure I'll be playing as a badass to compensate.

OR they'll stop looking goofy tof most people when they get used to seeing them.

Perhaps this too

 

[LukasTaves]

woof. This will actually hurt the VR market if that's peoples first venture into it.

Yeah... doesn't sound too hot.

At least the tracking is getting lots of praise, hopefully they can make a hmd that doesn't have the drawbacks without costing that much more.

 

[gafneo]

I wonder how accurate it would be to type in virtual space using this while it tracks your fingers.

 

[msdstc]

I wonder how accurate it would be to type in virtual space using this while it tracks your fingers.

probably awful unless there was significant feedback.

 

[Trup1aya]

I remember their being some discussion in this thread concerning the viability of this inside-out tracking method in games that require your hands to break line of site with the HMD.

I found this cnet article yesterday

Microsoft promises that the controllers can track even when out of sight of the headset's cameras, using the controller's motion tracking sensors and "inverse kinematics" to pinpoint where the controllers should be. I was able to reach down and out of my headset's range, or reach behind my back. It worked. But sometimes I felt the controllers shift a bit. One controller lost charge during my demo, too.

The Verge had this to say

Some of these experiences were simple, like a VR version of the HoloLens tourism app HoloTour — in those cases, I was primarily just using buttons and a thumbstick. But others were full-fledged VR games, including the shooters Space Pirate Trainer, Superhot VR, and Arizona Sunshine. These experiences all require consistent accuracy, and Microsoft’s controllers delivered it in almost every case. The controllers would sometimes snap out of place if I held my arms very wide, but they tracked almost every motion I was likely to take in a game. If they work that well in a home environment, I could easily imagine using them instead of externally tracked controllers.

So it seems quite serviceable, but inferior to other techniques. (I'm not sure what he meant when he said he felt the controller shift - is he saying the tracking shifted or the controller physically shifted in his hand?)

More concerning, imo, is the sensors potential sensitivity to ambient light

Cnet:

What concerned me more was the tracking. My demo was in a dim room, which Microsoft assured me wasn't necessarily to use Windows Mixed Reality. I'm not entirely convinced. The tracking cameras are sensitive to brighter light, and direct light could throw them off. As I ducked and moved around in Superhot, I sometimes found hiccups. Space Pirate Trainer worked well, though. Arizona Sunshine was a bigger test for the tracking range of the controllers, which were a mixed bag.