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[YuShtink]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-04-is-2014-the-year-of-virtual-reality

I read this article earlier and I feel like the topic deserves a fresh discussion now that we're in the new year and all the next-gen systems are out. I also think this article in particular does a good job of describing the Oculus experience and what sets it apart from conventional gaming in layman's terms.

Like the author I got myself a dev kit a little while back and I was thoroughly blown away despite it's shortcomings. There are a myriad of issues left to be solved but the potential is astonishing, and personally I think Oculus is going about this the best way possible by letting the community have at it long before a consumer model hits the shelves for real. I bought myself an Xbox One and I've enjoyed it so far, but I have to admit it all seems a bit...stale, after playing with a Rift for a while.

With rumors of Sony announcing their own VR headset next week, and with the possibility of Oculus showing a new prototype, it needs to be asked. IS 2014 the year of virtual reality?

Personally, I think we may be getting a bit ahead of ourselves in the sense that, even if the Rift does hit in 2014 and is every bit as good as we hope, this is imo a NEW medium entirely that needs to be built from the ground up, and is going to take a little while to make it's way around and really get noticed. But this might be for the better. If it starts out as a dedicated niche that really provides a fresh, exhilarating experience that regular games just can't deliver no matter how well made (just like how video games themselves started out as a medium compared to both tabletop games and passive video entertainment), people's heads WILL slowly turn and minds will slowly open to the idea of strapping goggles on their head to play, and in another 5-10 years we can have a real, flourishing extension of gaming.

So, realistically I don't see VR taking off like wildfire in 2014, 2015, or even 2016. BUT I think that years from now, people will look back on 2013-2014 as the very earliest success that leads to an eventual massive industry. What do you guys think?

 

[Dennis]

I really, really hope so.

I feel like this should be the next big thing after innovation has stalled in gaming for some years.

I hope and believe in 1080p Oculus Rift.

Gaming is all about immersion, and besides graphics, this holds the best promise to increase my immersion in the games I play.

 

[Man]

VR Cinema on my Oculus Rift kit was/is the most impressed I have ever been concerning computer graphics. Better than the first time I witnessed Doom or Half-life.
It's a genuine game changer.

I think Sony could take the world by storm this fall with a PS4 VR kit. If they have a new Media Molecule IP or similar at launch it will become a landmark title.

 

[Karsticles]

What ways could the Rift really improve gameplay experiences beyond FPS games, though? It won't help fighters, RPGs, RTSes, action games, platformers, etc. I get that it is pretty and immersive, but how does it help games?

 

[Enter The 36 Chambers]

I don't know if it has enough to catch on across the board though.

Seems gimmicky and I'm not interested in it.

 

[Elitro]

Personally i'm really excited for VR and i haven't even tried a rift yet!

With rumors of Sony announcing their own VR headset next week, and with the possibility of Oculus showing a new prototype, it needs to be asked. IS 2014 the year of virtual reality?

It really depends on final speccs and affordability.

If the rift includes the much coveted hd panels with excellent resolutions (1080p would be great for the first consumer version) as well as the promised positional tracking i think it will have a big impact, a solid price point will give it a high market penetration.

Depending on which quarter of the year the consumer version is released it will dictate how big the adoption rate will be in 2014. I believe this year the rift will make headlines and start getting some insane momentum and by 2015 awareness will peak.

I'm very curious to Sony's answer as well, and given the ps4 sales it could be huge! Still at this point is too early to tell, but considering how they are trying to stay competitive my predictions would be a reveal at CES, a hands on prototype by E3 and a consumer version next to the rift's launch

 

[King_Moc]

I don't know if it has enough to catch on across the board though.

Seems gimmicky and I'm not interested in it.

Analogue sticks were gimmicky when they first came out, and now we all use them.

 

[Shard]

Not unless it ditches embarrassing headware.

 

[Canis lupus]

When's OR coming out, Q4 2014, with wide availability sometime 2015? Sony's VR HMD might get announced at CES, but also most likely releasing deep into 2014 if at all.

 

[maquiladora]

I really, really hope so.

I feel like this should be the next big thing after innovation has stalled in gaming for some years.

I hope and believe in 1080p Oculus Rift.

Gaming is all about immersion, and besides graphics, this holds the best promise to increase my immersion in the games I play.

.

 

[Krilekk]

No.

 

[Dennis]

No.

Do you perhaps have something to add?

Because that isn't much of a post to be honest.

 

[vpance]

From thuway about Sony's VR headset

http://twitter.com/thuway/status/419193265569943553

 

[Blizzard]

I am waiting to see what shows up at CES. If the updated Oculus Rift devkit is good, developers may start making stuff for it and things may do well. Otherwise, I suspect it will be very niche, at least for this year. The Rift thread on NeoGAF hardly ever gets posts anymore, and I hardly ever hear any news about games or demos being created for the Rift.

I would not be surprised if the consumer Rift, if it comes to fruition, will have to wait until late 2014 or into 2015.

Some developers may have plans but have not yet added support.

I could see it being reasonable that in 2015-2018, virtual reality could be more popular.

 

[LemonGremlin]

I think people underestimate VR Cinema as a killer app and a conduit to the mainstream. In a few years time we will have mobile VR systems capable of watching stuff like Netflix at 4k resolution on an IMAX sized screen. 3D comes for free.

 

[Jinko]

I'm ok with it as long as it doesn't mean everything will be First Person.

3D movies could look stunning on a VR 1080p headset also.

I meant more in regards that what else other than fps games will vr really innovate on. That seems gimmicky to me

VR can work with non first person stuff just as well, it would provide a tangible 3D effect you can't get anywhere else.

 

[Enter The 36 Chambers]

Analogue sticks were gimmicky when they first came out, and now we all use them.

I meant more in regards that what else other than fps games will vr really innovate on. That seems gimmicky to me

 

[jon bones]

i haven't tried a rift yet but it seems very promising. would love to play something like the witness in VR.

No.

drive by one posts are discouraged, if not an outright bannable offense

be a more contributing poster and you'll have a much better time here!

 

[Rogue_Ledr]

I want to get my hands on a VR headset ASAP!

This technology excited and enthralls me FAR more than the motion control stuff that was all the rage last generation.

 

[tripleV]

I'm there when it happens on consoles as I'm not currently in the market for a new pc (although I wish I was). I hope Sony brings something viable to the market or Occulus produces a console variation of the Rift. I'm excited for new gameplay experiences and that's what VR will bring. Even simple things like a rollercoaster ride or walk through of a haunted mansion could be revolutionary with VR. I'm in and I hope it happens this year.

 

[jeffers]

What ways could the Rift really improve gameplay experiences beyond FPS games, though? It won't help fighters, RPGs, RTSes, action games, platformers, etc. I get that it is pretty and immersive, but how does it help games?

Why im hoping castAR does well (sad its not mentioned by EG...), AR for RTS' and stuff, VR for first person stuff.

 

[francisnobleman]

Isn't there a ps3 game that already uses the move and a vr headset ??

Its a weird game about moving a hand around, don't remembr the name.

 

[SneakyStephan]

I really want to try OR for myself once there's a higher res version with a decent (oled?) display

Really curious for impressions about the new prototype

 

[Man]

I want to get my hands on a VR headset ASAP!

This technology excited and enthralls me FAR more than the motion control stuff that was all the rage last generation.

They complement each other perfectly however.

 

[VanWinkle]

I can't afford this stuff, brah.

 

[Mr Nash]

I'm sure VR will find its niche. It could work quite well in driving / flying simulators and FPSes, areas where the emphasis is heavily on the ol' "immersive interactive experience" that seem to show up in a lot of folks talking points. There are still so many other games that are just that: games. For them, VR won't make sense. I don't see every RPG suddenly going first person, platformers are still around, puzzle games, strategy games, and a wealth of others can do just fine without ever touching a first person perspective.

The question will be just how wide reaching the interest is in getting VR units. Among the hardcore it's even being hotly debated, so it's hard to tell if it's just a vocal minority or if there are a lot of people eager to get it.

I think another element that will be important is just how well game developers take advantage of the technology. I remember when Nintendo announced motion controls on the Wii and gamers were getting excited for all of the possibilities that this could provide. Looking back now, results feel mixed. Nintendo did a good job of it, and some of the third party content was respectable, but there was also a lot of crap that did a piss poor job of taking advantage of the technology.

Granted, VR strikes me as something that is a lot harder to screw up, but the onus will really be on the game devs to make the content for it compelling.

For me, I'm content using a monitor. Personally I like having a degree of separation from myself and the game that I'm playing.

On a side note, I say every Occulus Rift should come with a pack-in game called "So Many Spider!" Tee hee. =p

 

[DieH@rd]

I am a big fan of car simulations, so VR will be perfect for me. And I also want to experience VR cinema/static movie watching.

The only thing that worries me is that I will have to buy both Rift and PS4 VR headset so that I could play everything [GT7 in VR = fucking nirvana]. Hopefully Sony will be smart and enable full PC compatibility for their headset.


BTW, 3rd person games are great in VR. People should not count them out as unsuitable for VR gaming.

 

[DieH@rd]

From thuway about Sony's VR headset

http://twitter.com/thuway/status/419193265569943553

Very interesting. That means that 1080p is not a lock. I don't believe they will go below it, or that they will use dual screen setup.

 

[YuShtink]

What ways could the Rift really improve gameplay experiences beyond FPS games, though? It won't help fighters, RPGs, RTSes, action games, platformers, etc. I get that it is pretty and immersive, but how does it help games?

First of all I think it's a bit short-sighted to have the mindset of "how can this conform to what I think of as good games in X genre and Y genre?" instead of "what entirely new genres can come with this type of sensory experience?" and the potential of how much this opens up first person gaming. A lot of third person games are only 3rd person because of how limited and clunky our vision/perspective of the game world is when being restricted to a rectangular window.

But, even if we are talking strictly in contemporary gaming, the Rift BY DEFAULT increases the quality of game experiences in a couple ways. You honestly CAN play any game in a rift, RTSs, 3rd person RPGs, platformers, etc. Playing those types of games in the rift feels like you are a floating spectator IN the actual game world, with natural 3D and true life-size scale. Even if NOTHING else changes, it's a cooler way to play the same old games vs. looking at them through a flat TV screen.

Any added input source is a universally useful tool. Being able to control the camera in ANY type of game with your head instead of having to dedicate an analog stick to it, or force the game to control the camera movement, is liberating. Remember those pesky spots in games where the camera is stuck a shitty spot where you can't really see what's happening? What if you could just lean or turn your head a bit to get a better look at the action?

 

[darkside31337]

If you have to ask the question then the answer is probably no.

VR has major hurdles to clear that really aren't just tech related. Besides issues regarding price you have more logistical hurdles to clear, like getting people wanting to wear goggles around their head all day to play their games. It's a really basic thing but I don't see a general audience willing to do this - I still feel like this is one of the basic things that sunk 3D on top of the other issues like price and lack of content which is something VR will have to deal with as well.

 

[Oriel]

I still think of the Virtual Boy when I hear of VR. TBH it comes across as a bit of a gimmick, rather like 3D gaming. The laziness factor will creep in where it will be too much hassle wearing massive hardware on one's head to play games. A few will appreciate the immersive nature of OR, most will simply rather play their games on their large HD telly.

 

[Bsigg12]

If the Rift consumer version is released this year and has implemented all the head tracking stuff, I could see 2014 being the year VR became mainstream and 2015 the year of VR with Rift support for almost everything.

 

[YuShtink]

I think people underestimate VR Cinema as a killer app and a conduit to the mainstream. In a few years time we will have mobile VR systems capable of watching stuff like Netflix at 4k resolution on an IMAX sized screen. 3D comes for free.

Yes, it is a major major selling point. Resolution is the only thing keeping that from coming to fruition immediately.

 

[Orayn]

If you have to ask the question then the answer is probably no.

VR has major hurdles to clear that really aren't just tech related. Besides issues regarding price you have more logistical hurdles to clear, like getting people wanting to wear goggles around their head all day to play their games. It's a really basic thing but I don't see a general audience willing to do this - I still feel like this is one of the basic things that sunk 3D on top of the other issues like price and lack of content which is something VR will have to deal with as well.

I think VR shifts the balance quite a bit in terms of what you get for your money and inconvenience, though. YuShtink's last post summarizes it really well.

 

[Magnus]

I feel confident that no tech will take the world by storm or define a year while it sits at that price tag AND involves wearing headgear.

I'm sure the experience is amazing (yet to try Oculus myself) but those are real barriers.

 

[mohsinkhan]

I think sony has learnt tons from 3D gaming, and its appeal and implementation. I think they will get it right with VR.

 

[1cmanny1]

I don't think so, because I doubt we will get anything this year.

 

[djplaeskool]

Not yet.
If anything goes commercial this year, there will hardly be the saturation to call it a "Year of..."

 

[Vargavinter]

Give me Skyrim in the PC with a few dozen immersion mods and a descent resolution and im gone.

 

[Sir Garbageman]

If you have to ask the question then the answer is probably no.

VR has major hurdles to clear that really aren't just tech related. Besides issues regarding price you have more logistical hurdles to clear, like getting people wanting to wear goggles around their head all day to play their games. It's a really basic thing but I don't see a general audience willing to do this - I still feel like this is one of the basic things that sunk 3D on top of the other issues like price and lack of content which is something VR will have to deal with as well.

I agree with this sentiment. I think the Rift will face a similar uphill battle that Google Glass does, that while interesting in principal there will be just too many hurdles for it to be a mass market success.

 

[Seanspeed]

I think 2015 will be. We'll be lucky to get the Rift this year, and if we do, it will be near the tail end. If Sony can manage to get theirs out around the same timeframe(or before), then I think 2015 is where we'll really see a full year's worth of continuation and new games and new innovations within virtual reality.

2014 may be where it starts but 2015 will be where it really sets foot.

Also seeing Virtual Boy and 3D glasses comparisons again. Every Rift thread pretty much. I don't think some people quite appreciate how much this changes things. Its nothing short of a complete revolution for gaming. It will also bring in a new era of interactive tech in general.

This isn't just some gaming add-on. This is the beginning of a new line of technological innovations that will propel us to some pretty unbelievable stuff that we probably cant even imagine right now.

 

[JimmyRustler]

No.

I'd edit something to that. This answer is ban-worthy on GAF.

 

[mrklaw]

Very interesting. That means that 1080p is not a lock. I don't believe they will go below it, or that they will use dual screen setup.

Might also suggest they are still early on in development?

 

[Byakuya769]

People are opting for increasingly smaller dwellings, personal viewers and VR are the future. Put that IMAX screen on your head!

 

[oxalicwave]

I think VR will still be too expensive to make a big impact in 2014.

 

[Actionhank]

I for one am really looking forward to VR. An old school jrpg in the style of legend of grimlock were you go through dark caves, dat immersion will be awesome.

 

[1.21Gigawatts]

I think 2014 is when real next gen starts.

Those are next gen things to me(and most of them are coming in 2014):
OculusRift
Sony VR Headset
DDR4 in PCs
Nvidia GSync
Gaikai
OffTV Play
RemotePlay

So, 2014 will be the year of next gen, and VR is part of next gen.

Oh, and the first true next gen games are also in 2014.

 

[Shining Sunshine]

No one posted?

 

[Kaako]

1080P, OLED, very low latency, 60fps(each eye) minimum for around $300 and I'll be there day 1! This is from someone who hasn't even tried Oculus Rift.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Isn't there a ps3 game that already uses the move and a vr headset ??

Its a weird game about moving a hand around, don't remembr the name.

I think that game you're thinking of is Datura?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGJJ8HQu9LI

Plastic, the team behind Datura was asked to implement VR to the game by sony using the HMZ-T1, move, a camera, and a ps3... this was for GDC 2012.

http://vimeo.com/41350330

Also, Datura was made with the help of Sony Santa Monica, which Thuway recently said on Twitter was also working with VR for their upcoming ps4 title. When I first read that tweet, the first thing that came to mind was Datura, so I'm really curious what they might have in store, if this whole thing does pan out.

https://twitter.com/thuway/statuses/418667366981984256