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[Seiru]

First leaked photo of the Magic Leap prototype, unfortunately from the back.

http://i.imgur.com/HZIn1bU.jpg

Seems to match the description of having two fiber optic cables carrying the image to the visor, or whatever it is. Looks pretty Hololens-y at the moment.

 

[Wollan]

Seems like the next Vive model will have wireless integrated:

"”My expectation is that [wireless] will be an add-on in 2017, and then it will be an integrated feature in 2018," said Newell, as reported by Gamasutra."
http://www.roadtovr.com/gabe-newell...-be-an-integrated-feature/?platform=hootsuite

 

[Nzyme32]

Seems like the next Vive model will have wireless integrated:

"“My expectation is that [wireless] will be an add-on in 2017, and then it will be an integrated feature in 2018,” said Newell, as reported by Gamasutra."
http://www.roadtovr.com/gabe-newell...-be-an-integrated-feature/?platform=hootsuite

I wouldn't be so sure that HTC will be their flagship partner again, but Valve certainly seem to be investing on the research tech side and will licence that stuff out.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Okay, rant: Can everyone PLEASE stop talking about augmented reality and virtual reality in the same sentence? I'm mainly speaking to the general technology press which does this CONSTANTLY. *glares at TWiT*

AR devices need to be light and portable. VR devices need to cover as much of your FOV as possible, portability be damned. AR adds to the world around you, VR creates an entirely new world.

I agree that in 10-15 years, AR and VR experiences will be provided by a single device, but that time isn't now, and even when it comes, the two will continue to be completely different experiences. The only real similarity is that both use a head mounted display if you ignore Project Tango, Miku, Pokemon Go, that thing on the 3DS... their names consist of a futuristic sounding word followed by "Reality".

We can argue about that last point. What matters is that right now, talking about VR and AR in the same sentence is not a useful conversation. Contrasting the two does not tell us anything interesting about either technology.

 

[ThisGuy]

Is there a list of vr games that allow you to move traditionally in game? Without transporting about the game. Or is there a term for that style of traditional movement?

I tried the vive recently, and while I loved the demos I played, and plan on dropping 800 by the end of summer, I do wonder about that. Sitting down and playing occasionally would be the bees knees.

Also, I cannot believe how great it looked. I thought the screen door effect would bother me, but not at all. It was insane looking over a cliff edge and feeling my body fight my brain. Just, absolutely amazing technology.

 

[GuitarAtomik]

Is there a list of vr games that allow you to move traditionally in game? Without transporting about the game. Or is there a term for that style of traditional movement?

I tried the vive recently, and while I loved the demos I played, and plan on dropping 800 by the end of summer, I do wonder about that. Sitting down and playing occasionally would be the bees knees.

Also, I cannot believe how great it looked. I thought the screen door effect would bother me, but not at all. It was insane looking over a cliff edge and feeling my body fight my brain. Just, absolutely amazing technology.

Honestly too many to name. It would be nice if Steam had that as a filter for searching.

 

[Yautja_Warrior]

Really hope Sony will have a good PSVR showing at this year's E3. With Andrew House saying PSVR has sold 915k already, it seems to be doing really well, so I hope they will give it the support it deserves.

 

[cakefoo]

Is there a list of vr games that allow you to move traditionally in game? Without transporting about the game. Or is there a term for that style of traditional movement?

I tried the vive recently, and while I loved the demos I played, and plan on dropping 800 by the end of summer, I do wonder about that. Sitting down and playing occasionally would be the bees knees.

It's generally referred to as sliding locomotion, trackpad or thumbstick locomotion. Supported games don't necessarily allow you to play seated though--- you still need to stand so you can physically crouch, turn, and have unobstructed handtracking. If you want to play seated with a gamepad, you're in luck, because that's a simple store search filter.

For anyone interested in sliding locomotion but fears nausea, I can personally vouch for ginger candy.

 

[ThisGuy]

Honestly too many to name. It would be nice if Steam had that as a filter for searching.

It's generally referred to as sliding locomotion, trackpad or thumbstick locomotion. Supported games don't necessarily allow you to play seated though--- you still need to stand so you can physically crouch, turn, and have unobstructed handtracking. If you want to play seated with a gamepad, you're in luck, because that's a simple store search filter.

For anyone interested in sliding locomotion but fears nausea, I can personally vouch for ginger candy.

This is a huge relief. Thanks for the replies. I cannot not wait to jump in.

Is a 970 serviceable for the time being? I plan to upgrade when the 2070 releases.

 

[Auto-Reply]

This is a huge relief. Thanks for the replies. I cannot not wait to jump in.

Is a 970 serviceable for the time being? I plan to upgrade when the 2070 releases.

The 2070? When is that available?
I personally wouldn't go with a 970, I feel like my 980ti is barely making the cut, I assume you can forget downsampling with a 970 altogether (and downsampling really makes a difference in VR)

 

[ThisGuy]

The 2070? When is that available?
I personally wouldn't go with a 970, I feel like my 980ti is barely making the cut, I assume you can forget downsampling with a 970 altogether (and downsampling really makes a difference in VR)

I have 970 right now, just wondering if I can get away with only spending 800 on the headset till the 2070 releases.

I have no idea when it releases. I hope sometime this year.

 

[Auto-Reply]

I have 970 right now, just wondering if I can get away with only spending 800 on the headset till the 2070 releases.

I have no idea when it releases. I hope sometime this year.

The 970 is always listed as the min req GPU in nearly all VR games on Steam, as you already have it you can try for yourself before buying another card.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Is a 970 serviceable for the time being? I plan to upgrade when the 2070 releases.

As a temporary measure, yes, it is "serviceable". You will however want to upgrade sooner rather than later.

 

[Nzyme32]

Valve & SMI Bring Eye Tracking To OpenVR. Will get shown at GDC

 

[vermadas]

The Khronos VR Initiative is now OpenXR

 

[AllIsOneIsNone]

Wow, I highly recommend the just-released early access game Pavlov VR, it's only 6 bucks. If you like Onward but hate the long lobby times, this game is for you. It's more run and gun and some of the weapon mechanics don't seem as good as Onward, but it still feels great to get a kill, especially a headshot. I think when they flesh it out a little more it could get really popular. Compatible with the Vive and Rift.

 

[cakefoo]

Wow, I highly recommend the just-released early access game Pavlov VR, it's only 6 bucks. If you like Onward but hate the long lobby times, this game is for you. It's more run and gun and some of the weapon mechanics don't seem as good as Onward, but it still feels great to get a kill, especially a headshot. I think when they flesh it out a little more it could get really popular. Compatible with the Vive and Rift.

The official video looks terribad, but Nathie's let's play looks good. Too bad his session was just 1v1. I might pick this up in a week if the player population doesn't drop.

 

[AllIsOneIsNone]

The official video looks terribad, but Nathie's let's play looks good. Too bad his session was just 1v1. I might pick this up in a week if the player population doesn't drop.

I had no problems finding games last night, at one point there were at least 5 tdm games going at once. The game is super light on content right now (1 map, maybe 12-15 weapons), but the gameplay is solid, graphically it looks as good or better than Onward, and there's never a dull moment. For 6 bucks I can't recommend this enough, I really hope more games come out like this, it's what I've been looking for since I got my Touch controls.

Onward is still probably "that game" for me because it has more content and is significantly further in development, but waiting in lobbies after you die is crippling in VR since you can't do anything else (unlike in a standard PC/console game where at least you're already sitting down and can find something else to do in the meantime). I think a lobby shooting range of sorts will be added soon, but as of right now it's frustrating as hell. Of the 150 hours I've put into it I feel like half of it has consisted of waiting or leaving a game and searching for another one since people quit so often after dying.

 

[GuitarAtomik]

This is pretty hilarious: Job Simulator meets Overwatch

 

[GuitarAtomik]

New look at UE4's VR editor.

 

[jediyoshi]

Tested: Hands-On: LG SteamVR Headset Prototype!

Norm really putting the screws in the interviewee, good stuff

 

[Mascot]

What can we expect from the next gen of Oculus and Vive?

When can we expect them?

Seems the VR world has gone very quiet of late.

 

[ArtHands]

What can we expect from the next gen of Oculus and Vive?

When can we expect them?

Seems the VR world has gone very quiet of late.

I cant say they have gone very quiet.

Oculus has announced a slew of new AAA tier games coming out this year and had a price cut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA4JsAjMoGA

And HTC Vive is shipping new Vive Trackers, wireless TPCast add-on and Audio Deluxe Strap this year

Valve is making 3 new VR games

LG just announced they are making new SteamVR headset

Microsoft releasing their headsets this year or something.

 

[Zalusithix]

What can we expect from the next gen of Oculus and Vive?

When can we expect them?

Seems the VR world has gone very quiet of late.

It's only quiet if you're not paying attention. Oculus has lowered prices. HTC will be selling a wireless addon, a new strap, and flexible tracker units. LG has jumped on the OpenVR bandwagon.

As for the question, probably 2018. HTC is more focused on expanding the Vive ecosystem right now than starting the second gen, and Oculus has just recently released the Touch controllers.

 

[SimplexPL]

Seems the VR world has gone very quiet of late.

Only if your're deaf:
https://uploadvr.com/best-week-ever-virtual-reality/

 

[Zalusithix]

Only if your're deaf:
https://uploadvr.com/best-week-ever-virtual-reality/

Ultimately I think the problem is all the VR news is mostly contained in VR-centric websites. The general gaming media doesn't really care about covering it aside from the launch period.

 

[cakefoo]

What can we expect from the next gen of Oculus and Vive?

When can we expect them?

Seems the VR world has gone very quiet of late.

You won't have to wait for a Vive 2. LG at GDC showed their headset with Lighthouse tracking, Vive-like controllers, a higher resolution screen, a PSVR-like headstrap, and a flip-up visor.

Expect wireless (or at least optional accessories), eyetracking and higher-res screens from all headsets going forward.

 

[Zalusithix]

You won't have to wait for a Vive 2. LG at GDC showed their headset with Lighthouse tracking, Vive-like controllers, a higher resolution screen, a PSVR-like headstrap, and a flip-up visor.

Expect wireless (or at least optional accessories), eyetracking and higher-res screens from all headsets going forward.

The LG unit is more of a Vive 1.5 IMO. Need eye tracking, wireless, and/or new style controllers to feel truly next gen. A more comfortable head strap and slightly higher resolution alone doesn't really warrant it being treated as next gen.

 

[Auto-Reply]

Interview - Ted Price and Jason Rubin

Interesting how much I disagree with Jason Rubins view on many things, from the (imo) distorted view of rejecting technical evolution like eye tracking and instead driving the price down to reach a bigger market (you're still in the 500+ range which does nothing and is not comparable to a 99 dollar Gear VR) to the idea that vr gamers will eventually go back to gamepad games because they don't want to stand and move their arms and hands, which is the exact opposite of what I want.

 

[The Broker]

After playing London Heist in PSVR I want all my FPS in VR.

 

[GuitarAtomik]

Interview - Ted Price and Jason Rubin

Interesting how much I disagree with Jason Rubins view on many things, from the (imo) distorted view of rejecting technical evolution like eye tracking and instead driving the price down to reach a bigger market (you're still in the 500+ range which does nothing and is not comparable to a 99 dollar Gear VR) to the idea that vr gamers will eventually go back to gamepad games because they don't want to stand and move their arms and hands, which is the exact opposite of what I want.

I don't think this is an either/or. I'd say probably the biggest hurdle to VR adoption is price. If we're only focused on chasing the high end with technical innovations, we'll never get cheaper headsets because they'll always be a premium product. On the flip side, the only way to advance the medium is to chase that technical innovation. Ideally, those technological advancements will drive the medium forward and over time will get cheaper (or create cheaper opportunities) and trickle down to more budget conscious headsets. Luckily we have multiple players in the industry right now so we are getting both sides.

 

[cakefoo]

I don't think this is an either/or. I'd say probably the biggest hurdle to VR adoption is price. If we're only focused on chasing the high end with technical innovations, we'll never get cheaper headsets because they'll always be a premium product. On the flip side, the only way to advance the medium is to chase that technical innovation. Ideally, those technological advancements will drive the medium forward and over time will get cheaper (or create cheaper opportunities) and trickle down to more budget conscious headsets. Luckily we have multiple players in the industry right now so we are getting both sides.

From what I've read, the cost to add eyetracking is only $10 if a manufacturer commits to 1M pieces. It will improve social VR and interactive features, but combined with foveated rendering, it will also allow less-expensive PC's to run VR. I don't know exactly how much processing power is saved, but it's pretty safe to assume eyetracking will actually save you money on a GPU.

 

[GuitarAtomik]

Arthands made a thread for it, but I thought it was worth mentioning here. Stress Level Zero's (Hover Junkers) new game is Duck Season VR. It's described as "Duck Hunt meets Five Nights at Freddies".

Teaser Trailer

Upload VR preview:

When I get to the Duck Season cartridge I actually go inside the television. If I turn around I can see the little boy that is me staring back through the television screen. It is a bit trippy. I pick up my shotgun and start loading shells to take out the ducks flying back and forth. Between rounds a creepy dog pops up from the brush and starts dancing. So I shoot him, just like I did that laughing mutt from the original Duck Hunt.

This might have been a mistake.

Later, when it is near midnight and I leave the game world, the lighting in that living room has darkened. Now it looks like something straight out of a childhood nightmare. If I stare at objects around the room, like the clock, the sound I hear slowly changes into a more haunting version of itself. Imagine listening to the slight ticking of a clock until it is the only thing drumming inside your skull.

My skin starts to crawl and shivers run down my spine. I pick up the toy gun off the ground — will that help me here in the “real” world? I peek out the window nervously, turn around for fear there’s something hiding behind the couch and finally focus my attention on the door open a crack just to my left.

“The various endings are determined by the players actions,” wrote Stress Level Zero’s Brandon Laatsch in an email. “Some elements of the sound design are driven subjectively. Focusing on them causes you to hear them how your mind might imagine them rather than how they actually sound.”

The dog is coming for me and I’m so scared.

 

[SomTervo]

FYI the Organ Quarter Kickstarter is in its last few hours

Arthands made a thread for it, but I thought it was worth mentioning here. Stress Level Zero's (Hover Junkers) new game is Duck Season VR. It's described as "Duck Hunt meets Five Nights at Freddies".

Teaser Trailer

Upload VR preview:

The bolded is such a phenomenal idea. The potential is as huge as it is horrific.

I love it when VR experiences also go full meta with 'game inside game' or 'VR inside VR'. Tried to work that into a couple of projects I'm involved with.

 

[Auto-Reply]

Someone made a Pimax 4K VR review/comparison to other HMDs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvl_15UNFYU

Due to no positional tracking and controllers this is completely useless to me, someone bolt some lighthouse sensors on it and I would buy! (though the framerate and latency of the screen itself is somewhat concerning)

 

[SimplexPL]

It has LCD screen which is an instant dealbreaker (pixel swim).

 

[cakefoo]

Someone made a Pimax 4K VR review/comparison to other HMDs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvl_15UNFYU

Due to no positional tracking and controllers this is completely useless to me, someone bolt some lighthouse sensors on it and I would buy! (though the framerate and latency of the screen itself is somewhat concerning)

Paraphrasing: "With 4K comes the need for more processing power, but fortunately the headset is only 60fps max, so that makes up for it."

lmao

 

[Zalusithix]

Paraphrasing: "With 4K comes the need for more processing power, but fortunately the headset is only 60fps max, so that makes up for it."

lmao

In that case, I can't wait for the 8K 24Hz VR headset. It'll be positively filmic!

 

[backflip10019]

Figure I'd mention it here too. For anyone at PAX East, we're showing off Sprint Vector at the Intel booth.

 

[cakefoo]

Figure I'd mention it here too. For anyone at PAX East, we're showing off Sprint Vector at the Intel booth.

On a related note, Tested just released a 30-minute video about their GDC hands-on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hipiHC4GTds

 

[backflip10019]

On a related note, Tested just released a 30-minute video about their GDC hands-on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hipiHC4GTds

Thanks for sharing. It was a blast watching the Tested guys face off in the game. Norm and Jeremy are both aces all around. They have some solid feedback on the video -- it's still a super early build that the team is working on, so there are still some small issues here and there. Sprint Vector is built for multiplayer competition, so it'll be great to see where the game heads in the future.

 

[ThisGuy]

What are some of your favorite vive games that don't feel like 'demo' games?

I got my girl to try vr and she's on board to get one. So now the pressure is twice as bad to buy one lol.


Got a vive. Best video game experience I have had in literal years.

 

[AllIsOneIsNone]

Onward just had a big update with a new map called Baazar which is great and a new game type called Escort, where one player on a team randomly gets selected as the VIP and needs to get to one of two objective points while the other team defends. Also a lot of other tweaks like bullet damage through objects, damage to body/armor, UI optimizations and some other good stuff.

If you haven't looked at this game I highly recommend it, it's still Early Access but it's well worth the asking price of 24.99. It has a really good balance of feeling realistic but with approachable mechanics (in contrast to a game like Hotdogs, Horshoes and Hand Grenades that is realistic to the point that the mechanics can feel awkward doing certain things). I haven't gotten back into it in a while but I've put around 200 hours into it, more than any other VR game by a long shot.

Edit: Going back to a 2D game like Counterstrike is so weird after playing Onward/Pavlov for a while. Everything is so flat and small, lol.

 

[MrMysterio]

What are some of your favorite vive games that don't feel like 'demo' games?

I got my girl to try vr and she's on board to get one. So now the pressure is twice as bad to buy one lol.


Got a vive. Best video game experience I have had in literal years.

I adore Rec Room, which is a multiplayer game. Lots of stuff to do in there from Frisbee golf to 3D charades - you'll probably spend the first time just dancing with people and laughing.

Accounting is another great experience. Kind of a short story in VR by Crows Crows Crows and Justin Roiland (Rick and Morty creator). Very fun.

 

[GuitarAtomik]

7 straight minutes of Star Trek: Bridge Crew gameplay. Looks really good.

 

[Azure Dream]

Accounting is another great experience. Kind of a short story in VR by Crows Crows Crows and Justin Roiland (Rick and Morty creator). Very fun.

Even though it's free, I wish they would buff some of the roughest edges off that thing. It just needs a little more touching up.

 

[Felix Lighter]

The Oculus Touch is now $100? I'm now thinking about picking them up.

 

[The Chef]

Sorry wrong thread!

 

[Confusatron]

7 straight minutes of Star Trek: Bridge Crew gameplay. Looks really good.

That looks so good!

 

[Afrikan]

That looks so good!

Man if they have the older ships bridge's rendered as DLC... I'm down!