How Is VR Doing?

[rayvio]

VR is just like 3D movies, something overrated and overpriced that crops up every decade or so, causes an awful lot of hype and after a little while people get bored of it and move on until the next time the fad's revived

[dope_danny]

It's funny when someone tries really hard to defend their investment in VR when every sane person sees it for what it is. A shit gimmick with lots of tech demos and shovel ware being pushed on it. VR will be as dead as the kinect soon enough, maybe when it reappears in 20 years again it will actually be good the 3rd time's the charm right?

The whole "falling for the VR meme" consumer is very similar in responses to those guys that go "my wife found out i remortgaged our home for a ship in star citizen" and then go nuclear when its called 'scam citizen'. There is a 'criticism of the product=criticism of my purchase=i am under direct, malicious attack and must go on the attack!' paranoia but theres a few things that go above and beyond. Time was i thought the cultish behaviour of extreme SC fans was the worst but the "I-ITS NOT JUST KINECT 3.0, LOOK AT ALL THESE 40 DOLLAR BOW AND ARROW TOWER DEFENCE EARLY ACCESS GAMES? P-PRACTICALLY MUH SWORD ARTS ONLINES, IM ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY!!!!!" crowd goes above and fucking beyond to heavens gate tier dedication.

[Slirith]

VR imo will go the way of Nintendo's Virtual Boy

[Ravex]

Kinda like a Blue ray that can barely play cassette tapes.

Why they bothered without having software to back up the hardware is beyond me.

- - - Updated - - -

VR is just like 3D movies, something overrated and overpriced that crops up every decade or so, causes an awful lot of hype and after a little while people get bored of it and move on until the next time the fad's revived

I think you are being very kind to VR saying it got anywhere close to 3D movies.

[Davemetalhead]

The software is there - they may not be your kind of games, but for simming VR is revolutionary. I've not had the chance to try it yet but I've read overwhelming praise for the Rift when it comes to sims like DCS World, IL2, Euro & American Truck Sim, Project Cars and Elite Dangerous.

Just a shame there's such a small market for proper sims nowadays.

[dope_danny]

The software is there - they may not be your kind of games, but for simming VR is revolutionary. I've not had the chance to try it yet but I've read overwhelming praise for the Rift when it comes to sims like DCS World, IL2, Euro & American Truck Sim, Project Cars and Elite Dangerous.

Just a shame there's such a small market for proper sims nowadays.

Thats the issue though isnt' it? no software devs willing to put the time in as more than an afterthought. I mean god knows i adore lightgun games but lets be honest devs stopped trying with the dreamcast. There were a few Wii and Xbox releases but even after the hardware issue of switching from CRT to modern tv's the time has passed and devs dont make good lightgun games anymore even though wiimotes alone meant the tech was easily there for them.

But without the software why bother right? Thats just an example based on my tastes in niche gaming hardware but the point stands. They need a Virtua Cop, a Dance Dance Revolution, they need something that is a game and not a tech demo or optional addition to something else. Its the reason i dont see VR going anywhere, devs arent going to put the money into software for niche hardware that requires more work than simple controller/keyboard interfacing. The hardware is okay and can totally improve, but without the software its the going to end up seen as the vita at best and kinect at worst.

[freezion]

The software is there - they may not be your kind of games, but for simming VR is revolutionary. I've not had the chance to try it yet but I've read overwhelming praise for the Rift when it comes to sims like DCS World, IL2, Euro & American Truck Sim, Project Cars and Elite Dangerous.

Just a shame there's such a small market for proper sims nowadays.

VR would be great for some Simulation games, i would personally love it for FS:X to smoothen up the cockpit navigation. but multi-screen setup with an track-IR is cheaper.

but the whole problem with ''true VR'' is that the entry cost, even for the cheapest (PSVR) is asinine.
400 USD for PS:VR and oculus/HTC vive is even more costly.
you can literally build a decent desk-cockpit with specialised sim-hardware for that price (Yoke & pedals for flightsim, even more shit like gauges and autopilot if you compare to the VIVE price).

VR can, and will not become a common occurance or worthwhile to develop for till the entry cost is affordable for the common consumer.
paying a minimum of 400 (and own a PS4) just to TRY the basic VR experience is the reason its going nowhere.

in all reality it requires a fairly good PC to run it smoothly, then you need a expensive as fuck pair of VR goggles, and then you need games that it will work with.
VR is for ''wealthy'' gamers at the current prices.

[Tech614]

VR is for ''wealthy'' gamers at the current prices.

Opposite actually.

In my time on this earth I have learned wealthy people usually don't blow money on stupid shit that's how they became wealthy. I would wager VR owners are mostly starving college kids who bought the hype or people barely out of school living in mid range apartments.

[freezion]

Opposite actually.

In my time on this earth I have learned wealthy people usually don't blow money on stupid shit that's how they became wealthy. I would wager VR owners are mostly starving college kids who bought the hype or people barely out of school living in mid range apartments.

people with ''gamer syndrome'' would probably describe it better, i admit that.
RGB everything, edgy industrial and experimental designs, lots of gimmicks etc.
people who want the flashiest and newest gaming tech.
the people who would buy ''gamer gloves'' and ''gaming goggles/shades''

but it's still expensive as F.

[ohiostate124]

Idk. The only way I see VR becoming a non-gimmick is if we get to the point where you have complete ability to move or it become matrix or .hack like. Any of those sound wayyyyy too expensive.

[Bigbazz]

VR seems really popular in racing games.. That said it's taking a compromise for a neat gimmick, since you take a considerable downgrade in visual quality despite your super expensive high end PC you need to run it, and after a while the big ass screen on your head starts to become uncomfortable. I was interested for a while due to racing games, but ultimately decided to wait until it gets considerably better and more affordable.

[mittacc]

VR is just like 3D movies, something overrated and overpriced that crops up every decade or so, causes an awful lot of hype and after a little while people get bored of it and move on until the next time the fad's revived

Do you actually own/have you tried one of the quality headsets? (vive or occulus). I agree that it's overpriced at the moment but as an enthusiast that had followed VR for 3 years that wasn't really my biggest concern (did wait til a sale though before I bought my vive) and I still, about 4 months later, regard it as my best purchase since like forever. It's the same as buying a new killer computer rig.

Onward was the game that finally hit the nail on it's head regarding my decision to purchase it and it's still by far my most favourite VR game. That community is also growing steadily and is regarded as the VR equivalent of counter strike (valve even invited the developer to their HQ and gave him tips and such). That single developer that made Onward has now hired 5 new people to help him and we've already jsut weeks after that gotten a new game mode and a map, bug fixes galore as well!

If you think the immersion is comparable to 3D movies I would have to ask you why I barely can stomach 5 minutes of the available horror games(Don't knock twice, The bellows etc) before I "nope" out of the game (even when nothing really has happened, just the atmosphere is enough for me) but I only jump on jumpscares in horror movies which are cheap to begin with.

[Zephyr Storm]

VR is nothing more than a gimmick at this point in time. Until the technology and applications for it have progressed considerably, it will remain a niche/gimmick and nothing more.

[Bathory]

So much hate.

Dunno about everyone else, but I love my oculus. Just bought Chronos and it's beauuuutiful. I do want longer/deeper games, but these still seem to be early days. Oculus multiplayer suffers from having a smaller market, but things have been getting noticeably better with updates + the drop in price.

[bbr]

The problem is people trying to get "exclusives" on their VR set - such a bad idea,. much hate from that.

[Charge me Doctor]

I can see how VR works for stuff like Zwift, but using it like it is marketed today?.. Nah, thanks, nothing caught my eyes from current "VR games" except RE7 (and mostly because it was RE7, i still finished it without VR on my PC, but it was fun experience).

[mehow2g]

I like the idea for a VR car racing game.

The idea I don't like in general is having screens so close to your eyes/head.

[Rukh]

I like the idea for a VR car racing game.

The idea I don't like in general is having screens so close to your eyes/head.

Why?


When you're with the Flintstones
Have a yabba-dabba-doo time
A dabba-doo time

[Deleted]

VR will happen, it's just a matter of time. The game dev community is very into it's possibilities, but accept that for the majority, they remain with too many trade off's currently.

To avoid a god awful experience you need 90fps/11ms refresh, and it's been hard to deliver this with stability under dx11 and early VR games. Both technology and code will reduce the cost of entry and the bulk of the device, but for most people there are practical reasons not to take up VR currently.

I'm generally happy to early adopt but this is just a bridge too far over the "value" river for me, despite my belief it will happen eventually. I'll become properly interested when higher refresh becomes available and games are a bit more developed.

We are some way off neural "integration" for the populace thankfully. You are not machines, you are not cattle, you are men

[Deleted]

I haven't tried the Vive or new Oculus, but I tried the Oculus DK2 and it was mind blowing. Even though the graphical quality isn't there, playing minecraft where the blocks actual feel as if being one cubic metre was amazing. Also playing Elite Dangerous was absolutely great.

My best experience was with a 'game' called Titans of Space, which is basically just a 'fly-through' our universe. Look at Canis Majoris in 3d gives a sense of scale that no 2d monitor would ever be able to convey.

I think the entry price is too high (very powerful PC + VR equipment), but I think VR is far from a 'gimmick' (unlike 3d movies). I guess the difference is that with 3d movies, you still see your apartment etc. (the movie is still limited to the screen), while in VR...if you turn around, you don't see your apartment, you see what's behind you in the game. This makes it so much more immersive.