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60 Days later: VR owners was it worth it?

mr stroke

Member
VR has officially been out for 2 months, what are your feelings 2 months out?


Personally as someone who owned a Vive and Rift(sold the VIVE already) I feel incredibly underwhelmed. The headsets are understandably very "1st gen"(Terrible resolution, Poor
FOV, screen door, cables everywhere, etc..) But the biggest problem-90% of the software are mini games, sure there are stand out titles(The Climb, Vanishing Realms) But over the last serval weeks, every time I sit down at my PC, I want nothing to do with VR and go straight back to Overwatch & Uncharted. Once the wow factor is gone, everything feels empty.


VR owners was it worth it? Do you still use it on a day to day basis?
 
Still pretty jazzed about the technology, even after the "waow omgosh" phase has worn off and it's now "normal." At no point did I expect truly compelling non-cockpit games within the first few months, so I'm not underwhelmed on that point. I picked up Hover Junkers a few days ago and I've been playing that pretty frequently, otherwise most of of my time is spent in racing games.
 

gdt

Member
I've had my Rift for a few days, and it's been incredible. Lucky's Tale has blown my mind to pieces with the possibility of VR. And been really digging theater mode stuff.

Just tried Ethan Carter VR and I got a little sick from it lol.

Overall I'm so stoked for it. Can't wait for more VR games especially horror ones.

Edit: I didn't expect there to be a ton of instant classics at first. I can wait.
 
VR has officially been out for 2 months, what are your feelings 2 months out?


Personally as someone who owned a Vive and Rift(sold the VIVE already) I feel incredibly underwhelmed. The headsets are understandably very "1st gen"(Terrible resolution, Poor
FOV, screen door, cables everywhere, etc..) But the biggest problem-90% of the software are mini games, sure there are stand out titles(The Climb, Vanishing Realms) But over the last serval weeks, every time I sit down at my PC, I want nothing to do with VR and go straight back to Overwatch & Uncharted. Once the wow factor is gone, everything feels empty.


VR owners was it worth it? Do you still use it on a day to day basis?

Every serious publication said you needed to wait
 

jaypah

Member
Closing in on a month with the Vive and I still use it daily. I haven't played any non-VR games since I got it, actually. Hell, I'm still pretty wowed when I put it on and walk around my little floating island before I even launch a program.

Edit: for reference I have a DK2 that I used regularly for over a year and I've had a GearVR for about a year.
 

Caleb187

Member
The most interesting vr experience for me wasn't even a game, it was Will Smith's Foo VR.

I think with VR, the social experience is going to have a greater impact than the gaming experience, at least for this generation of headsets.
 

artsi

Member
I got my Vive in April, used it for a month happily, and sold it this week.

Not because I was disappointed in the tech. I think VR is worth the price, but content is still pretty slim as many might agree.
Anyway, I could have just waited but I experienced all the VR games I wanted so I decided it's smart to sell it while I could still profit from it.

I'll follow the VR software scene closely, and re-buy when I see it worth it again. Next time from retail though, I will never want to play the RMA game with HTC if I happen to get a lemon.
 

Qassim

Member
I'm still very much into it (Vive), it's suffering as much as any new console launch would in terms of content, so I can't judge it on that really - it's no worse than most of the console launches I've been through - except the fact the technology carries it much further than a standard console launch would.

Not played as much recently due to DOOM, Uncharted 4, Forza 6 Apex and soon The Witcher 3: Blood & Wine. But always itching to get back into it.

I'd say it has been worth it to me, as an enthusiast.
 

thiscoldblack

Unconfirmed Member
I am enjoying games more now. Feeling like you are part of the world is just what gaming needed now. The immersion and the new techniques being implemented in the infancy of modern VR makes me look forward for more to come.

Currently own both the Vive and the Rift, but will be selling my Rift soon.
 
Nope. I've had Rift now almost a month and it hasn't been touched in a week or two. It feels like slightly better 3D more than anything else, I never feel very immersed, the cables are annoying, the display is not anywhere near as good as it needs to be for me not to feel like I am always in a headset.

The games out so far for VR too are all pretty disappointing, although to be fair I haven't bought Chronos or Elite Dangerous yet. The Oculus store is just awful, I sorta wish I had bought a Vive instead but I'm glad I didn't in many ways since it would be annoying to have those lightpost things around my office.
 

tokkun

Member
I have a Vive. It was worth it to me, because my expectation was that I was buying something that was bleeding edge technology, that there would be a severe shortage of content, and that by the time there was any truly must-have game there would already be a better headset on the market. I was willing to pay a high price to get an early preview of what games might be like in 5 years. Within the context of those expectations, I was satisfied. As far as the technology itself went, I was disappointed by how bad the screen door effect still is and how poor the quality of the optics are. There is definitely a long way to go in terms of optical quality in future headsets. On the other hand, the 3D, motion controls, and general sense of presence exceeded my expectations. On balance, I would say I was happy to see where the tech is because I feel like improving SDE and lens issues are tractable issues within the timeframe of a few years.

It's all about what sort of expectations you have. Comparatively, I was more disappointed in the PS4 in its launch window. At that time I had been expecting that there would be at least one full length game I would be interested in, and there wasn't until Bloodborne came out much later. You shouldn't go into VR expecting it to be anything more than tech demos and minigames for a while, or you are going to get disappointed.
 

spekkeh

Banned
Yes, though money wasn't an issue. Do I use it often? Not really. It's more for the novel experiences, and there aren't that many compelling ones right now.

I'm still very much into it (Vive), it's suffering as much as any new console launch would in terms of content, so I can't judge it on that really - it's no worse than most of the console launches I've been through - except the fact the technology carries it much further than a standard console launch would.

Not played as much recently due to DOOM, Uncharted 4, Forza 6 Apex and soon The Witcher 3: Blood & Wine. But always itching to get back into it.

I'd say it has been worth it to me, as an enthusiast.
Well console launches are certainly barren too, but the games that are there generally offer a lot more content than what is here, which feels more like NES era of paying full price for one hour games.
 

FlyinJ

Douchebag. Yes, me.
I've had a Vive Pre for about 3 months now, and am still totally enamored with it. Saying it's an amazing gadget does it a disservice... it is a glimpse into an entirely new medium of entertainment, education and workflow that is going to be the most compelling human kind has ever witnessed.

So yeah, I'm still pretty happy with it.
 

tokkun

Member
Interested to know if anyone has eye issues from extended use

I have gotten eye strain using the Vive for like an hour. For one thing, the screens seem to be pretty bright, and that alone will strain your eye pretty quickly. There are also lens quality issues that make them hard on the eyes. There is a lot of corner softness, so things get blurry if you don't have the headset adjusted well or you are not looking at the sweet spot in the center of the lens (or if you smudge the lens, since seems to happen to me a lot for some reason). There is also a fair amount of chromatic aberration. Both of these things are hard on the eyes when you are looking at text.

For what it's worth, the eye strain is less bothersome than the type I get when I watch 3D movies in theaters. That feels more like a headache, whereas the Vive is more like the typical eyestrain you can get if you spend too much time in front of a bright monitor in a dark room.
 

KingSnake

The Birthday Skeleton
I have a Vive since April and I still enjoy it a lot. I knew what to expect and what a launch means. I have quite a long list of games in my library and I still have some that I didn't play yet.

Also Pool Nation VR launching in 4 days.
 

mr stroke

Member
I got my Vive in April, used it for a month happily, and sold it this week.

Not because I was disappointed in the tech. I think VR is worth the price, but content is still pretty slim as many might agree.
Anyway, I could have just waited but I experienced all the VR games I wanted so I decided it's smart to sell it while I could still profit from it.

I'll follow the VR software scene closely, and re-buy when I see it worth it again. Next time from retail though, I will never want to play the RMA game with HTC if I happen to get a lemon.

+1

felt the same way, not many meaty VR games on the horizon. Figured I could sell it now, break even, and re buy 2nd gen or once real games come out. Currently everything feels like the Wii all over again :\
 

artsi

Member
Well console launches are certainly barren too, but the games that are there generally offer a lot more content than what is here, which feels more like NES era of paying full price for one hour games.

I would agree, and usually when a new console launches we have a lot of announced games (or simply a trust in certain franchises to come later, "I can be sure that PS4 will get a Final Fantasy game") while VR is still pretty much a wild card about what is coming.
 

Qassim

Member
Well console launches are certainly barren too, but the games that are there generally offer a lot more content than what is here, which feels more like NES era of paying full price for one hour games.

More content, yeah. But compelling content? Not really. Especially looking at the past console launch.

I don't think I played more than 5 - 6 hours with my PS4 until inFamous: SS came out, games suffer from generally being shallow, not particularly ambitious and generally uninteresting during the console launches. There was basically no novelty that came along with the PS4 and XBO for me. It was just better looking versions of average to below average games of the previous generation. The experience compared to the Vive was night and day.

Maybe I'm setting the bar low with the last couple of console launches, and maybe I came into it with low expectations for the content (which were generally surpassed due to the unexpected novelty of doing quite simple things in VR).
 

Helznicht

Member
As far as the technology itself went, I was disappointed by how bad the screen door effect still is and how poor the quality of the optics are. There is definitely a long way to go in terms of optical quality in future headsets.

I do not think it was the headsets that are limited in technology. They could have put higher res screens in them. The issue is the graphics card tech cant push that many pixels. When we have VR games that the just released 1080 cant push max AA in VR without stuttering, what would better screens get us? just a more expensive headset....

As for me, I still play my vive everyday and 100% of my VG playing time is in VR. I just wish I could buy a GPU that can run Elite Dangerous with SSx2 and max HMD quality at 90 fps, or a GPU that can run Pcars with DS9 AA at 90 fps.
 

MaDKaT

Member
Vive owner. Still play almost daily and is really the only way I want to play games. I havent touched any non VR game since I got it. Still need to setup my rig for racing games but Im waiting on a new graphics card. Unfortunately that may be on hold for a bit since I just got a new (to me) motorcycle.
 

mr stroke

Member
I do not think it was the headsets that are limited in technology. They could have put higher res screens in them. The issue is the graphics card tech cant push that many pixels. When we have VR games that the just released 1080 cant push max AA in VR without stuttering, what would better screens get us? just a more expensive headset....

As for me, I still play my vive everyday and 100% of my VG playing time is in VR. I just wish I could buy a GPU that can run Elite Dangerous with SSx2 and max HMD quality at 90 fps, or a GPU that can run Pcars with DS9 AA at 90 fps.

Uh?
 

tokkun

Member
I do not think it was the headsets that are limited in technology. They could have put higher res screens in them. The issue is the graphics card tech cant push that many pixels. When we have VR games that the just released 1080 cant push max AA in VR without stuttering, what would better screens get us? just a more expensive headset....

Even with the same resolution, if the dot pitch was better there would be less SDE. The resolution itself is fine most of the time, unless you are trying to use a virtual desktop and read text. That is the use case where more resolution is definitely needed. In any case, the GPU industry is still chugging along making good performance gains with each generation, so I feel confident that the resolution will improve within a few years time as we get GPUs that can push 90fps at 4K resolutions. I'm not really sure about the dot pitch issue, since that's more of a manufacturing issue, but it feels like a solvable problem based on non-expert intuition.

I'm somewhat more worried about improving the lenses. Lens technology is fairly mature already from its use in other industries, so unless it's just a bad implementation in the VR devices I'm not sure how much better it can get without adding cost or weight - the sort of tradeoffs you have to make with camera lenses.
 

NateDrake

Member
Gear VR is my only VR headset right now, but I enjoy it for the VR experience type applications. Titans of Space is cool, and Sisters was a neat little thing. Some of the games are fun for short sessions - Lands End and Esper.

Not sure if I'll invest in Rift, Vive, or PSVR just yet. Really need to see some must-play software.
 

Sky Chief

Member
Totally worth it. Still waiting on my Rift, had a Vive since launch, had a DK2 before that.

I've said it before but I actually think the Vive had these best launch lineup I've ever seen for gaming hardware. Sure, it's mostly tech demoish stuff but boy are those tech demos compelling!

The only traditional games I've played since getting the Vive was Uncharted 4, which was fantastic, but since finishing that I went right back to my Vive. Traditional gaming had become stale and this is such a breath of fresh air.

And I just can't believe how much good software there is, I've sunk dozens of hours into SPT, the Lab, Holopoint, Audioshield etc... If this is just the beginning I can't wait to see what there future holds and couldn't be happier that as an early adopter I get to experience it all first hand.
 
Audioshield and The Lab were enough to keep me from regretting my purchase. Haven't had time for much else. But man oh man I love Audioshield.
 
It's cool to experience and demo (rive) but fresnel lens and resolution are biggest issues, then followed by FOV, which is much less than an imax screen.

The casual gamers I demo to, none of them want to buy one for themselves after the demo, even though they agree it's interesting and fun in small doses. I feel like I bought a pro karaoke machine or something.
 

Blizzard

Banned
I woke up one morning about 4.5 weeks after I got my Vive and I felt like my eyesight got cut in half. I have no idea if the Vive contributed to this or not but I did play with it everyday for hours on end.
Please consider going to a doctor if it clears up and happens again. I don't want to scare you but that can be a MS symptom.
 

Qassim

Member
I'm somewhat more worried about improving the lenses. Lens technology is fairly mature already from its use in other industries, so unless it's just a bad implementation in the VR devices I'm not sure how much better it can get without adding cost or weight - the sort of tradeoffs you have to make with camera lenses.

These are largely my feelings too, I think the path to better screens, ways of utilising those screens (e.g. eye tracking, foveated rendering, etc) are clearer than the path to better optics and the optics, for me, are a bigger issue than the screens are at the moment.
 
Still using my Vive. It's been a couple weeks now and I'm having a blast with it. I will say there's a shortage of triple A games at the moment, but I'm having fun with what's already available. And I keep a close eye on the Vive OT as well as Reddit for new experiences or news, like Dolphin VR for instance. I would absolutely say that it was worth it.

As far as eyestrain or loss of vision, I've used my Vive every day of those two weeks for at least three hours a day (the extreme being eight hours a day) with the headset as close to my eyes as possible. I haven't experienced any eye related issues. The only side effects I have are typical discomfort from the device weighing down on my face, (which I think I can make modifications to fix the weight distribution) and also after one long session I had this sensation that if I walked too fast around my house I would run into a wall even though I wasn't in VR.
 
It's cool to experience and demo (rive) but fresnel lens and resolution are biggest issues, then followed by FOV, which is much less than an imax screen.

The casual gamers I demo to, none of them want to buy one for themselves after the demo, even though they agree it's interesting and fun in small doses. I feel like I bought a pro karaoke machine or something.

Try replacing the facial interface with the padding from a Gear VR (or even just removing it altogether). The FOV is vertically bigger than an IMAX screen for me.
 

marc^o^

Nintendo's Pro Bono PR Firm
Audioshield is Samba de Amigo on steroïds. Anyone who values that kind of game can relate with what that means. Arcade games in general are back in the most immersive way. This is a dream I had lost for years AFAIC.
 

Foggy

Member
Still worth it, still enjoying it. If you don't have an early adopter's mentality then I can imagine the disappointment. Fortunately not many people even have the ability or the funds to deal with this yet. The convergence of tech, price, and software isn't here yet.
 
Lucky's Tale and Elite Dangerous are really good. Haven't tried anything else yet, but I'm excited to be on the ride and to see where it goes. No doubt there's gonna be some awesome shit coming our way over the next couple of years.

I have a Rift and am also looking forward to the touch controls. I think that is the thing that will change people's perceptions about the Rift vs. the Vive discussion, as in the Rift won't be looked at so much less favorably, although I admit the DRM implementation is a little shady.
 

ps3ud0

Member
If you dont mind me asking a side-question, for those that use VR mainly for racing, have you found any advantages beyond immersion? Like do you lap quicker or anything (like learn a circuit or spot a brake point quicker/easier etc)?

ps3ud0 8)
 

Zeth

Member
Worth every cent - and I've only used it for Assetto Corsa for the last week. I will try other stuff eventually, but this is really the holy grail for sim racing.

If you dont mind me asking a side-question, for those that use VR mainly for racing, have you found any advantages beyond immersion? Like do you lap quicker or anything (like learn a circuit or spot a brake point quicker/easier etc)?

ps3ud0 8)

I'm still acclimatizing and mostly jumping around to different cars and tracks to take it all in. I don't doubt I will be up to speed eventually. You can judge placement and relative distances in a way that just isn't possible on a screen. Elevation change and cambered corners in particular are suddenly very recognizable, when they're more like subtle details in 2d.
 

mclem

Member
If you dont mind me asking a side-question, for those that use VR mainly for racing, have you found any advantages beyond immersion? Like do you lap quicker or anything (like learn a circuit or spot a brake point quicker/easier etc)?

ps3ud0 8)

I can't speak for VR, but when I've played driving games in 3D I've found it significantly easier to judge a corner correctly, so I'd expect that to be even more pronounced in VR.
 

Enk

makes good threads.
I have had my Rift for about two weeks now but have been VRing for over two years with the DK1 and 2. My enjoyment for the tech hasn't lessened and has increased more since the consumer version is far more polished of a product than the dev kits.

As far as not having content, I guess I'm just a bit more open to different kinds of game experiences so I'm always finding new stuff to play or experiment with. Still love popping into Blaze Rush and Eve from time to time to do a quick round, and once I get done with Chronos I look forward to playing through Adrift, then The Climb, and by the time that's done I'll be delving into Insomniac's game. So yes, still enjoying VR just like I'm still enjoying my TV and radio.
 
"I can't speak for VR, but when I've played driving games in 3D I've found it significantly easier to judge a corner correctly, so I'd expect that to be even more pronounced in VR."

Precisely the case.
 
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