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[jdmonmou]

How can this be a walled garden?

This is what I am seeing people discuss here. The oculus home games are DRMed within that store. But if you by the same title on steam or from the content creator directly it is unaffected by this.

So why so much discussion. This seems simple. If you do not like this practice then only purchase rift exclusive games using home and purchase everything else on a storefront that isn't doing this.

If they pushed the idea that developers should make for as many HMD's as possible logic dictates that because of Vive, most third party content will end up on steam.

Not sure I get people getting so upset over a silly choice they made with the store that actually doesn't prevent you from acquiring the games or using the hardware in another manner.

I own a Vive and there are some exclusive games on the Rift I would like to play but can't. There's nothing on the Rift that the Vive technically cannot play. Oculus is enforcing artificial exclusivity through DRM. This is why I'm upset.

 

[thomasmahler]

Why is blaze rush VR compatible on the oculus store but not on steam? And the developer has said he has no plans to update the steam version to support VR even though he clearly can.

You should ask the developers. From what I know and the contracts I've seen, unless you're an Oculus First Party, you're not bound to anything. And I think (don't quote me on that), there have even been Oculus-funded games that'll also just ship on STEAM, etc.

Why are oculus apparently withholding their latest SDK updates from developers wanting to release their software outside of oculus home, effectively strong arming them into supporting oculus home.

Give them the benefit of the doubt? It could easily be that it's just not ready yet. Oculus is putting tons of resources into developing their software and are also working hard to get Oculus Touch ready for prime time (and btw, Oculus Touch is phenomenal, probably the best controller I've ever used and the biggest revolution I've seen in gaming since the Analog Stick) - developing all this shit takes time.

End of this year oculus rift will likely be a minority market share and in that position they simply can't afford to be restrictive like this - as tempting as it might feel. Invest in great games to show VR as a whole in a good light. Make the experiences polished on your own hardware, sure. That all reflects well on oculus as a brand and keeps their mindshare high as people decide which headset to buy - bith this gen and next gen. Those that already chose vive are not going to buy another headset for a few bits of software - you made your pitch and they chose the other option. So keep doing good things to persuade them next time.

Which is exactly what they're doing. They're investing HEAVILY into devs that make VR games and into Oculus Touch, which is going to be phenomenal. To me, Touch is far superior and much more ergonomic than the Vive sticks and I can't wait to see what other devs are doing with that stuff. We have something insanely cool in development for it

Honestly the only reason I went with vive was the tracking. If oculus delivered that next gen with a light, comfortable headset I'd be happy to switch. Well, would have been

I'd recommend the Rift at this point simply because it's a much better experience. The software that comes with it is simpler, easier to use and the whole experience is just streamlined. It feels like a device Apple would publish, whereas Vive feels like a cobbled together Android thing. Almost everyone I know who has both kits feels the same. And I think Oculus Touch will persuade a lot of people to buy a Rift, instead of a Vive. Once the second wave of games comes out and Touch is out there, I think people will either pick a Rift or PSVR and Vive will lose quite a bit on market-share, mostly also because Valve isn't directly putting any money towards VR game development, yet Oculus and Sony are.

 

[Chairmanchuck]

You should ask the developers. From what I know and the contracts I've seen, unless you're an Oculus First Party, you're not bound to anything. And I think (don't quote me on that), there have even been Oculus-funded games that'll also just ship on STEAM, etc.

Yes. There are. Some devs (like the dev from Smashing the Battle) is saying he cant release that game outside of Oculus home, because of legal reasons.
Other devs dont want to clarify why (so there might be some kind of NDA they signed).

It feels like a device Apple would publish, whereas Vive feels like a cobbled together Android thing. Almost everyone I know who has both kits feels the same

Anecdotal evidence doesnt proof anything. People here and on reddit and other forums are happy with the Vive. Some prefer the Oculus, some prefer the Vive. But I never heard anyone beside you saying its a cobbled together Android thing...

Spoiler

Btw. your new project will be Oculus exclusive?

 

[thomasmahler]

Btw. your new project will be Oculus exclusive?

Nope, it's not even VR exclusive. We'll support VR for every game we're making going forward and I just like the Oculus guys. They're smart and they're making the right moves. They have guys like Abrash and Carmack and a bunch of other super smart people that want VR to succeed and I'm sure they're currently burning insane amounts of money to ensure that VR becomes the next cool platform for gaming, which is why I think it's a little silly to step on their feet every step of the way. You're not able to play Oculus-funded games on the Vive? Well, that's just the cost of creating a platform, this stuff somehow has to be made financially viable.

We haven't been paid or made any deals with Oculus, I just personally think that what they have coming up is much more compelling for gamers and the mass market than what Valve is currently doing. I'm a huge Valve fan, but the Vive definitely doesn't feel like the right thing to me - personally.

 

[GearDraxon]

I'd recommend the Rift at this point simply because it's a much better experience. The software that comes with it is simpler, easier to use and the whole experience is just streamlined. It feels like a device Apple would publish, whereas Vive feels like a cobbled together Android thing. Almost everyone I know who has both kits feels the same. And I think Oculus Touch will persuade a lot of people to buy a Rift, instead of a Vive. Once the second wave of games comes out and Touch is out there, I think people will either pick a Rift or PSVR and Vive will lose quite a bit on market-share, mostly also because Valve isn't directly putting any money towards VR game development, yet Oculus and Sony are.

Since we're in the Magical Land of Anecdotes here, I'll put in my 2 cents: the above is not at all my experience, as someone who had both a Rift and Vive set up in my home, and uses Macs for all non-gaming purposes.

My install experience wasn't what I'd call perfect on either end, but the Rift was significantly more finicky.

The Rift's box/packaging *is* nicer, however.

I just personally think that what they have coming up is much more compelling for gamers and the mass market than what Valve is currently doing.

This may be true, but their handling of almost every aspect of this launch is poisoning whatever awesome hardware well they may have.

 

[jmga]

I am still unable to understand why someone would prefer the Apple's business model of monopolizing hardware market and software distribution that Oculus is pursuing instead of Valve/Google's model of creating a platform for software and hardware vendors to compete in a healthy market. Specially a dev.

 

[jdmonmou]

I am still unable to understand why someone would prefer the Apple's business model of monopolizing hardware market and software distribution that Oculus is pursuing instead of Valve/Google's model of creating a platform for software and hardware vendors to compete in a healthy market. Specially a dev.

Even Apple lets Windows users install iTunes and purchase content from the store.

 

[Zalusithix]

It feels like a device Apple would publish, whereas Vive feels like a cobbled together Android thing. Almost everyone I know who has both kits feels the same.

Yes, it certainly feels more and more like a device Apple would have made. Right down to the curated walled garden approach.

Thanks for confirming that I made the right decision going with the Vive. Never have been a fan of the Apple way of doing things - be that phones, media players, or computers. If Oculus stays steadfast on their course to become the Apple of VR, then they'll never see a dime of my money at any generation. By extension, nor will any developer publishing solely on Oculus Home.

Sure, I'm just one person, but I'm hardly alone with my sentiments.

 

[tuxfool]

I'd recommend the Rift at this point simply because it's a much better experience. The software that comes with it is simpler, easier to use and the whole experience is just streamlined. It feels like a device Apple would publish, whereas Vive feels like a cobbled together Android thing. Almost everyone I know who has both kits feels the same. And I think Oculus Touch will persuade a lot of people to buy a Rift, instead of a Vive. Once the second wave of games comes out and Touch is out there, I think people will either pick a Rift or PSVR and Vive will lose quite a bit on market-share, mostly also because Valve isn't directly putting any money towards VR game development, yet Oculus and Sony are.

Given all the other misinformed statements regarding the Vive, I don't think your recommendations hold that much value.

 

[jdmonmou]

This may be true, but their handling of almost every aspect of this launch is poisoning whatever awesome hardware well they may have.

This right here. Oculus has really crapped the bed with the launch of the Rift. The launch is a disaster and they are going back on what they initially said about the software being open. They have made a habit of pissing the community off that they need the most support from. The casual market is not going to have a high end PC and spend another $600 on a Rift. That early adopter community is flocking to the Vive right now because of the terrible decisions Oculus is making.

 

[mrklaw]

Isnt the Adr1ft Vive version out yet?

Right now the thing is still, that if Oculus doesnt make money with their Headset, they need to make money with the software. And if they have the Vive audience, they could still easily make money with Oculus exclusive games, if people buy them from their storefront. The thing is all the non-exclusive games, people will buy on Steam because honestly besides the nice Oculus Home in VR, Oculus Home itself is bad. Really really bad when it comes to being consumer-friendly. Can only pay with CC (and CC isnt as common in europe as it is in the USA). Cant refund. No reviews. No chat. A store, that doesnt even offer a search-function. No community-features. No achievements. No cloud-saves. It feels totally barebones and people are still defending that because "its just the beginning"....

Supposed to be coming in May.

Spekkeh, I think it is a bit disingenuous to dismiss games like vanishing realms, audioshield, holopoint etc as 'tech demos'

 

[mrklaw]

You don't get it, if they have no edge over the competition come the end of the year they don't have a smaller market share, they have NO market share.

And you think a meaningful way to achieve market share is to do stuff like this? If they'd launched a black box with their headset I wouldn't mind so much,but this is on PC and that approach will piss people off faster than it'll draw them in.

I applaud them investing in software with high production values. I don't mind them selling those exclusively through their store. I even don't mind them not actively supporting other use they want to focus on their own. But to actively block other headsets like this is just wrong and it sends the wrong message to consumers.

This is the quickest way to poison their own brand in the eyes of PC users IMO. Existing rift users can just start to buy games from steam to minimise any walled garden impact and then switch to a vive 2 or a headset from a completely different company next time out.

 

[KingSnake]

It's their own platform. It's what they need to do in order to make their moves financially viable. I'm pretty certain that if there'd only be a VIVE out there, VR just would never take off - That fucking thing ships with NAILS and a camera that you need to drill into your walls. No normal person is going to do that, it's not a mass-market device.

At this point, after this post I feel the need to ask you if you have an Oculus game in works? Edit:This was clarified already somehow, not clear if it comes to Vive too though. Anyhow, seems to be more lack of knowledge than self interest.

Because this post is the mother of hyperboles. I have the Vive since one and a half months and I haven't drilled any of my walls. Also there is no camera in the Vive package.

Edit:

I'd recommend the Rift at this point simply because it's a much better experience. The software that comes with it is simpler, easier to use and the whole experience is just streamlined.

This is again a very strange statement to make. Just search on youtube for "my father/mother/wife/husband/friend/kid trying a Vive". Playing with a HMD and a gamepad is nowhere streamlined and easier or doesn't constitute a whole experience no matter how you're trying to spin it. Not for the mass market.

 

[mrklaw]

Give them the benefit of the doubt? It could easily be that it's just not ready yet. Oculus is putting tons of resources into developing their software and are also working hard to get Oculus Touch ready for prime time (and btw, Oculus Touch is phenomenal, probably the best controller I've ever used and the biggest revolution I've seen in gaming since the Analog Stick) - developing all this shit takes time.

I'm afraid they've cocked things up too many times to give them the benefit of the doubt anymore. They need to start acting like a professional company that can ship things on time and not constantly change their messaging to consumers.

 

[hodgy100]

What a crock of bullshit re: the vive.

It's an excellent device that feels well finished. What about it is Cobbled together? You set it up with a nice and easy setup guide. You don't need to screw the base stations into anything. I got 2 light stands for mine and that keeps the lighthouses portable. After setup You just run steam vr stick the headset on and go then you can do everything within the software. Plus the controller's are so good! Personally I feel it's the most complete vr solution on the market.

 

[KingSnake]

If Oculus wants to be Apple or likes the console model they should launch an Oculus box with Rift instead of targeting the PC market.

 

[The Faceless Master]

I know this isn't the popular opinion, but a lot of you guys are acting insanely hypocritical here and I doubt that you guys have a long-sighted view towards VR development.

Oculus is spending a fortune on software and obviously they want to push their platform, which - honestly - is a good thing. If history has taught us one thing, it's that hardware will only get adopted by the mass market if there's proper software support and it's a GOOD thing that Oculus is actually investing a massive amount of resources into helping developers make VR games. VR could end up being forgotten and in the gutter again if we don't see fantastic VR games coming out within the next 2-3 years that make VR a must-have.

If you guys are all so against Oculus preventing you to play Oculus games on the Rift only, you should also be all up in arms about Nintendo only publishing Nintendo-software on Nintendo consoles, Sony only publishing their first party titles on Playstation platforms and Microsoft only publishing First Parties on Microsoft devices.

I'm OK with Oculus locking things down and understanding that they need to pour lots of money into making great software - They wouldn't do that if there's no business-case there for them to make their money back, since no business can survive on making constant losses (and honestly, the deals Oculus is making with devs are already not going to make them a lot of money, so they're definitely trying to do the right thing here). As a developer, Oculus is one of the better companies to deal with, they've been nothing but supportive to us and all the devs we know and they're making the right moves.

So before you actually go raise the DRM flag and shit on a company, you should really get a little more insight. I'm usually not that harsh here, but the way you guys are acting is just really shitty and what a lot of you guys want could easily lead to VR to fail once again.

I personally want VR devices to become a new, fantastic standard and I want to see amazing VR games being made. Apart from Sony (who are also not allowing their VR games to be ported to other platforms, btw) and Oculus, there is no other VR platform holder out there that's putting proper budget into VR game development, so really, think twice before you go and shit on the only companies that actually ensure that you all will get good software-support.

nah, this is like the new Spiderman game comes out on Xbox but it doesn't work on Vizio TVs.

 

[Trouble]

That's the point though, the Rift isn't just a HMD. It's very similar to a console-launch, they're spending tons of money on their store, software support and on really building a proper VR platform, it goes way beyond a Hobbyist HMD where you cobble your own shit together (personally, that's what the VIVE feels like to me, which I'm not a fan of - VIVE feels like a quickly cobbled-together HMD with Steam support, but the Oculus stuff personally feels more like what Apple would do).

Yes, the one that shipped with tightly integrated motion controllers and full roomscale support is the cobbled together one.

 

[Durante]

It feels like a device Apple would publish, whereas Vive feels like a cobbled together Android thing. Almost everyone I know who has both kits feels the same.

I actually have both and feel the same, which is why I prefer the Vive by a good green country mile or ten.

In any case, Valve have pushed a single unified vision of room-scale VR with tracked controllers from the very beginning, while Oculus seems to have cobbled together a launch without either a satisfying input device or sufficient production resources.

 

[GearDraxon]

More specifically, there's an option for those who want a console-like experience: the one that is coming out for a console.

Why anyone would think that the PC market (let alone the gaming PC market, who have shown time and time again a love for tinkering and extending their chosen hobby [like the man above me]) would be ok with this is beyond me.

 

[Durante]

More specifically, there's an option for those who want a console-like experience: the one that is coming out for a console.

Why anyone would think that the PC market (let alone the gaming PC market, who have shown time and time again a love for tinkering and extending their chosen hobby [like the man above me]) would be ok with this is beyond me.

Exactly.

If you guys are all so against Oculus preventing you to play Oculus games on the Rift only, you should also be all up in arms about Nintendo only publishing Nintendo-software on Nintendo consoles, Sony only publishing their first party titles on Playstation platforms and Microsoft only publishing First Parties on Microsoft devices.

Some of us are fans of the PC platform exactly for the reason that it doesn't have an all-controlling sugar daddy.

 

[Zalusithix]

What a crock of bullshit re: the vive.

It's an excellent device that feels well finished. What about it is Cobbled together? You set it up with a nice and easy setup guide. You don't need to screw the base stations into anything. I got 2 light stands for mine and that keeps the lighthouses portable. After setup You just run steam vr stick the headset on and go then you can do everything within the software. Plus the controller's are so good! Personally I feel it's the most complete vr solution on the market.

Technically it's the only complete VR solution on the market until Oculus ships their Touch controllers. Actually, PSVR might be the second one if Oculus has as many issues getting the Touch controllers out as they currently do getting the headsets out. For the sake (and sanity) of Rift owners, I hope that isn't the case.

But yeah, the Vive is incredibly easy to set up if everything goes smoothly. It's not like Oculus is going to be any easier when they release the Touch and have another camera to set up somewhere and route back to the computer. Especially if you want an opposing camera setup for standing 360 or roomscale experiences. Inside-out and outside-in tracking are both beholden to line of sight issues, so placement requirements for both systems are exactly the same. At least if you're going for similar capabilities. Just that with one you only need power near the placement locations, and with the other you need to run USB cables back to the computer. The former is almost always going to be easier to accomplish than the later.

The only thing the Rift is going to be easier with, going by most accounts, is getting a comfortable fit. Unless you wear glasses. Then it's likely going to be the other way around with the Vive being easier. Oculus could have avoided that if they didn't cheap out and actually shipped the secondary face cushion that they originally were talking about. (Which is all the more ridiculous when you factor in how overboard the packing is. I'm sure they could have afforded to ship another piece of foam if they cut down on the extravagance of the box a bit.)

 

[KingSnake]

Guys, guys. Don't you want an Apple like experience on your PC? Get a Mac and enjoy VR on it.

 

[Trouble]

If Oculus wants to be Apple or likes the console model they should launch an Oculus box with Rift instead of targeting the PC market.

Pretty much how I feel. If they want a platform, they need to make a platform, not a peripheral. I'm willing to hitch my wagon to Steam for my VR games, since I hitched to that particular wagon for PC games a long time ago. I am not willing to tether myself to a HMD manufacturer. If HTC wants my money for a 2nd generation HMD, they need to earn it by offering the most compelling HMD. Thanks to OpenVR I know the games I purchase on Steam will work on whatever HMD I buy in the future.

 

[Durante]

Nope, it's not even VR exclusive. We'll support VR for every game we're making going forward and I just like the Oculus guys. They're smart and they're making the right moves. They have guys like Abrash and Carmack and a bunch of other super smart people that want VR to succeed and I'm sure they're currently burning insane amounts of money to ensure that VR becomes the next cool platform for gaming, which is why I think it's a little silly to step on their feet every step of the way. You're not able to play Oculus-funded games on the Vive? Well, that's just the cost of creating a platform, this stuff somehow has to be made financially viable.

We haven't been paid or made any deals with Oculus, I just personally think that what they have coming up is much more compelling for gamers and the mass market than what Valve is currently doing. I'm a huge Valve fan, but the Vive definitely doesn't feel like the right thing to me - personally.

Your perspective seems strongly colored by a "mainstream at all cost" attitude. Just like I feel Oculus' has been for a while.

Personally, I'm insanely grateful to Valve and HTC because they didn't decide without trying that room-scale VR was impossible to sell. Without their -- frankly courageous -- venture we'd still be sitting at our desks with controllers. Now that enough people have tried it the room-scale cat is out of the bag, and it has resonated so deeply with almost everyone who tried it that I strongly believe it can't be re-bagged again. So the most important battle is won already.

What remains is separating VR software platforms from VR hardware platforms, so that we can have healthy independent competition in both without consumer lock-in.

 

[KingSnake]

We'll support VR for every game we're making going forward and I just like the Oculus guys.

Will your games use the motion controls on any HMD or just exclusively the gamepad?

 

[flamesofchaos]

Even Apple lets Windows users install iTunes and purchase content from the store.

That's because of necessity. If Apple kept iTunes Mac exclusive when the original iPod came out, it would of never been as popular as it would of been.

Same reason why Apple music is also on Android, too much of a market available to not release it.

 

[Mihos]

At this point, artificially locking out vive isn't going to make me buy an Oculus headset, it just 100% insures I won't be buying the title. It also just insures an Internet full of people dead set on breaking the DRM to play the way they want.
Apple pulled this stuff with iTunes music early on and spent a fortune fighting the inevitable. In the end, they allowed other devices and are probably better off now.

 

[Azure Dream]

It also just insures an Internet full of people dead set on breaking the DRM to play the way they want.

Which they may have not had (or as much) if they themselves hadn't created the expectation it was fine to do.

 

[charlequin]

If history has taught us one thing, it's that hardware will only get adopted by the mass market if there's proper software support and it's a GOOD thing that Oculus is actually investing a massive amount of resources into helping developers make VR games.

If history has taught us one thing, it's that you make money in the computer entertainment space by selling software and that if you sell hardware it should be mostly as a way to induce people to buy that software.

 

[Tain]

What I like about Oculus: they're funding relatively big-ass games, the headset itself is really nice (the headphones are such a godsend), the portability, and the promise of Touch (seems nicer than the Vive's motion controllers).

What I like about Valve+HTC: just about everything else, lol.

 

[Zepp Twofist]

HTC did put a hundred million dollars into VR content recently. It's just going to take a while to see the results of that I think.

 

[Quasar]

Not really a surprise. Expected this once we started to see headset exclusives announced.

 

[tuxfool]

What I like about Oculus: they're funding relatively big-ass games, the headset itself is really nice (the headphones are such a godsend), the portability, and the promise of Touch (seems nicer than the Vive's motion controllers).

What I like about Valve+HTC: just about everything else, lol.

I am very curious as to how they'll solve their occlusion issues and therefore as a consequence make their touch system more viable.

The lighthouse system is such a godsend for sensing freedom. The Base stations function independently from the PC, hence only need power (from the socket or *even* a battery).

By contrast the Oculus system requires both cameras to actually be connected to the PC, thus limiting practicality of their placement. The computer vision solution employed is also a much more complicated solution (for the same effect) than what is used by lighthouse. More complexity means it is liable to be more finicky.

So basically what I'm saying that as nice looking as the Touch design is, in practice they may well work less well than the Vive.

 

[Compsiox]

HTC did put a hundred million dollars into VR content recently. It's just going to take a while to see the results of that I think.

A year at most i'd say. I doubt many are going to make large games.

 

[Tain]

I am very curious as to how they'll solve their occlusion issues and therefore as a consequence make their touch system more viable.

The lighthouse system is such a godsend for sensing freedom. The Base stations function independently from the PC, hence only need power (from the socket or *even* a battery).

By contrast the Oculus system requires both cameras to actually be connected to the PC, thus limiting practicality of their placement. The computer vision solution employed is also a much more complicated solution (for the same effect) than what is used by lighthouse. More complexity means it is liable to be more finicky.

So basically what I'm saying that as nice looking as the Touch design is, in practice they may well work less well than the Vive.

The fact that two need to be connected to the PC is a very real issue, but the Fantastic Contraption devs say the effect is pretty much the same once everything is set up. But yeah, maybe once more people try it out more issues will pop up.

 

[kinggroin]

The fact that two need to be connected to the PC is a very real issue, but the Fantastic Contraption devs say the effect is pretty much the same once everything is set up. But yeah, maybe once more people try it out more issues will pop up.

They should ship the second unit with a 50ft. USB cable.

 

[thomasmahler]

Will your games use the motion controls on any HMD or just exclusively the gamepad?

Honestly, after using Oculus Touch, I'm just not that interested in VR that doesn't use this stuff. VR to me is a way to quite literally 'change the game', to come up with new genres. New input methods have always driven developers to do new, cool things with them and I think the stuff we have could set a new standard for how to interact within a 3d world, IF we'll ever fully finish and release it, which is still up in the air at this point - but it's goddamn fun and I love how Oculus Touch is really the first input device that pretty much everyone knows how to use and doesn't feel intimidated by. I even had my mom playing our prototype for hours. She's the complete anti-gamer and was never able to get used to normal controllers, but Oculus Touch... no problem, since it's really just 'using your hands'.

I'm a bit disappointed seeing what devs so far have been doing with these motion controls and I doubt we'll see a 'Super Mario 64' type experience that really defines what you can do with VR unless devs really adapt these new input methods and make games specifically designed for and around those things.

 

[Louis Cyphre]

Not really a surprise. Expected this once we started to see headset exclusives announced.

Same here. Once you are selling hardware and investing in software it's only natural to want to force consumers to buy that software specifically for the hardware you are also trying to sell.

 

[aeolist]

Honestly, after using Oculus Touch, I'm just not that interested in VR that doesn't use this stuff. VR to me is a way to quite literally 'change the game', to come up with new genres. New input methods have always driven developers to do new, cool things with them and I think the stuff we have could set a new standard for how to interact within a 3d world, IF we'll ever fully finish and release it, which is still up in the air at this point - but it's goddamn fun and I love how Oculus Touch is really the first input device that pretty much everyone knows how to use and doesn't feel intimidated by. I even had my mom playing our prototype for hours. She's the complete anti-gamer and was never able to get used to normal controllers, but Oculus Touch... no problem, since it's really just 'using your hands'.

I'm a bit disappointed seeing what devs so far have been doing with these motion controls and I doubt we'll see a 'Super Mario 64' type experience that really defines what you can do with VR unless devs really adapt these new input methods and make games specifically designed for and around those things.

too bad one of the first big vr product launches just came with an xbox controller huh

 

[tuxfool]

They should ship the second unit with a 50ft. USB cable.

Problem with that is that it will need power; sending 5V over an enormously long cable will cause the voltage to drop.

too bad one of the first big vr product launches just came with an xbox controller huh

Notably there are a few Oculus exclusive games that are a real shitshow when using the controller. The Climb and a few others seem like they are begging for 1:1 input.

 

[thomasmahler]

too bad one of the first big vr product launches just came with an xbox controller huh

That's unfortunate, yes. But introducing new tech takes time and it's actually a good thing that the Oculus folks take the time to only release stuff when it's truly ready for prime time. VR in itself is currently suffering from not having its Mario 64 yet, it doesn't make sense to try to make VR mass-market ready by throwing stuff on the market that's not fully figured out yet. I think motion controllers will have a huge comeback with VR and I think people will be quite blown away once they try Touch.

 

[kinggroin]

Honestly, after using Oculus Touch, I'm just not that interested in VR that doesn't use this stuff. VR to me is a way to quite literally 'change the game', to come up with new genres. New input methods have always driven developers to do new, cool things with them and I think the stuff we have could set a new standard for how to interact within a 3d world, IF we'll ever fully finish and release it, which is still up in the air at this point - but it's goddamn fun and I love how Oculus Touch is really the first input device that pretty much everyone knows how to use and doesn't feel intimidated by. I even had my mom playing our prototype for hours. She's the complete anti-gamer and was never able to get used to normal controllers, but Oculus Touch... no problem, since it's really just 'using your hands'.

I'm a bit disappointed seeing what devs so far have been doing with these motion controls and I doubt we'll see a 'Super Mario 64' type experience that really defines what you can do with VR unless devs really adapt these new input methods and make games specifically designed for and around those things.

If only there was an HMD set launching with something like this.


Edit: Never mind, this guy's a shill.

 

[aeolist]

That's unfortunate, yes. But introducing new tech takes time and it's actually a good thing that the Oculus folks take the time to only release stuff when it's truly ready for prime time. VR in itself is currently suffering from not having its Mario 64 yet, it doesn't make sense to try to make VR mass-market ready by throwing stuff on the market that's not fully figured out yet. I think motion controllers will have a huge comeback with VR and I think people will be quite blown away once they try Touch.

i'm curious, can you think of one thing oculus has done that's been less than perfect?

 

[Kiyo]

Honestly, after using Oculus Touch, I'm just not that interested in VR that doesn't use this stuff..

That's unfortunate, yes. But introducing new tech takes time and it's actually a good thing that the Oculus folks take the time to only release stuff when it's truly ready for prime time. VR in itself is currently suffering from not having its Mario 64 yet, it doesn't make sense to try to make VR mass-market ready by throwing stuff on the market that's not fully figured out yet. I think motion controllers will have a huge comeback with VR and I think people will be quite blown away once they try Touch.

Lol? Do you see how this makes no sense? How can you say they only release things when it's ready for prime time when they launched a VR product without motion controls?

They've completely divided their userbase now between people who will only own the headset and people who will have motion controls. It's the same reason people didn't want Microsoft to unbundle the Kinect.

 

[bloodydrake]

That's the point though, the Rift isn't just a HMD. It's very similar to a console-launch, they're spending tons of money on their store, software support and on really building a proper VR platform, it goes way beyond a Hobbyist HMD where you cobble your own shit together (personally, that's what the VIVE feels like to me, which I'm not a fan of - VIVE feels like a quickly cobbled-together HMD with Steam support, but the Oculus stuff personally feels more like what Apple would do).

It is just an HMD and the fact all it takes is simple redirect commands to work on other hardware via Revive just proves it.

It only seems like a console launch..cuz they're trying to make there HMD and store a console walled garden.
Your probably the first dev that I've heard publicly say they prefer Rift to Vive that isn't being paid by Oculus for content, or has their content exclusive to the Oculus Store. Fascinating Most comments seem to be of the other mind.

Oculus is trying to be apple without having itunes and the 99 cent digital song to make it for them.

 

[bloodydrake]

It's their own platform. It's what they need to do in order to make their moves financially viable. I'm pretty certain that if there'd only be a VIVE out there, VR just would never take off - That fucking thing ships with NAILS and a camera that you need to drill into your walls. No normal person is going to do that, it's not a mass-market device. And in terms of software support for it, that thing is very far away from being a 'premium device' - It's a 'let's be first to market' device, it's not ready for the mass-market at all yet.

Oculus is spending a shit ton of money on developing a VR platform that the mass-market would actually adopt and of course they're tying the games they fully funded to their own platform, otherwise they'd just lose money on both ends (software and hardware) and then it wouldn't make sense for them to support devs financially to make VR games.

ya..i think your kinda jaded and bias ..

Consumers won't screw things into their walls thats not mass-market?.....really....like oh I don't know....wall mounted satellite speakers for their home theather systems..ya 5/6/7.1 speaker surround was just a gimmick no one would consider that..well except the enthusiasts they need to get the ball rolling sure will convince others they should...but IT COMES WITH SCREWS! I mean Jesus thats just barbaric

 

[tuxfool]

If only there was an HMD set launching with something like this.


Edit: Never mind, this guy's a shill.

I hate to say it. But nary a mention of the company that actually launched with proper controllers:

"They are just the fools that want you to screw things into walls".

"Oculus are the first and only ones that are doing it right".

 

[tuxfool]

I think motion controllers will have a huge comeback with VR and I think people will be quite blown away once they try Touch.

You mean the way that they already are when using the Vive controllers?

 

[Kevin]

Honestly, after using Oculus Touch, I'm just not that interested in VR that doesn't use this stuff. VR to me is a way to quite literally 'change the game', to come up with new genres. New input methods have always driven developers to do new, cool things with them and I think the stuff we have could set a new standard for how to interact within a 3d world, IF we'll ever fully finish and release it, which is still up in the air at this point - but it's goddamn fun and I love how Oculus Touch is really the first input device that pretty much everyone knows how to use and doesn't feel intimidated by. I even had my mom playing our prototype for hours. She's the complete anti-gamer and was never able to get used to normal controllers, but Oculus Touch... no problem, since it's really just 'using your hands'.

I'm a bit disappointed seeing what devs so far have been doing with these motion controls and I doubt we'll see a 'Super Mario 64' type experience that really defines what you can do with VR unless devs really adapt these new input methods and make games specifically designed for and around those things.

How does Touch compare with the Vive motion controllers?