Oculus needs to be careful with shit like this. They're within their right to close off their platform, but moves like this are going to shun gaming early adopters. I want all the platforms for VR to succeed, but I'm really happy I went with the Vive over Oculus after their recent track record.
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Oculus Store update ties DRM to headset
- Thread starter Zepp Twofist
- Start date
Personally, I don't think this is a move against the Vive, at least not exclusively. It's a move against cheaper manufacturers of VR sets coming from China.
The fact of the matter is that most of the hardware on the Oculus can be reversed engineered and built cheaply enough out of easily accessible parts, and the competition in the Chinese market is building a critical mass that will end up spilling to Western markets.
I mean, look at the number of headsets in this article, or the mentions of higher quality offerings in this other one. Headsets under or around $200 are very close, and most of what's being developed now in China already boasts its compatibility with Oculus-developed software.
The only chance that Oculus think they have is to close down the software and tie it up to their machine.
The fact of the matter is that most of the hardware on the Oculus can be reversed engineered and built cheaply enough out of easily accessible parts, and the competition in the Chinese market is building a critical mass that will end up spilling to Western markets.
I mean, look at the number of headsets in this article, or the mentions of higher quality offerings in this other one. Headsets under or around $200 are very close, and most of what's being developed now in China already boasts its compatibility with Oculus-developed software.
The only chance that Oculus think they have is to close down the software and tie it up to their machine.
This. This descision is really terrible, but Facebook has literally no history when it comes to shitty DRM. This is all Oculus.
Netherscourge
Banned
Palmer Lucky flip-flopping again?
Chairmanchuck
Member
Palmer was too...
The thing is how come that Oculus stance on the DRM thing changed after being bought. Following Oculus since the DK1 days there was a change after the buyout. From "We need to have it open and available for other HMD manufacturers. Its about making VR available for the masses and a closed system would work against that" to what we have now.
Zepp Twofist
Member
I'm torn.
I hate this practice.
But I also understand that Oculus has footed the bill as publisher for full-game experiences to be made like Chronos and Lucky's Tale. So I understand why they would gate this stuff.
Steam needs more complete VR games.
Really, there are so few VR offerings from either outlet that are more than just tech demos at this point.
I hate this practice.
But I also understand that Oculus has footed the bill as publisher for full-game experiences to be made like Chronos and Lucky's Tale. So I understand why they would gate this stuff.
Steam needs more complete VR games.
Really, there are so few VR offerings from either outlet that are more than just tech demos at this point.
"IM RICH BIIIIIITCH"
Netherscourge
Banned
Since when has Mark tried to lock Facebook into a single, company-owned device?
That's even worse. You want cheap Chinese clones of you are trying to prop up a medium. The eventual emergence of cheap clones is integral to the technological adoption curve. Every transformative technology eventually gained prominence thanks to clones. Clones are how technology spreads. Hell, Palmer luckey spoke about this back in 2014, how the low end clone market is important down the line.
The thing is, it doesn't matter if you play Chronos on your Rift or Vive, if you buy it at the Oculus store, they'll get the money.
There is no financial reason to do this other than "Well if you bought a Vive you shouldn't be allowed to play any of our games!"
GhostTrick
Banned
First fragmentation then hardware DRM. VR isnt ready yet we get a standzrd.
BleedOrange
Banned
I agree with this analysis. Tying down the software platform to the hardware makes sense if they want to justify the existence of the Oculus publishing arm.
SneakyStephan
Banned
Disgusting.
@people asking why they're doing this:
because if people are buying vives (or other headsets when those come to market) they're also shopping outside of the oculus store (most of their shopping will be outside of it)
It's just a continuation of the anti competitive splitting of the VR userbase, they are counting on their headset coming out on top eventually.
It's 'be the platformholder of VR on PC' or nothing for them.
edit : to clarify: they want to force every headset vendor to be on their store, officially, and exclusively. Like what google does with the play store. Since it's early days of vr and it's a duopoly for now they think this is as good a shot at achieving that as they'll ever get.
It's not going to happen though.
I will dance on their grave when they end up with nothing.
@people asking why they're doing this:
because if people are buying vives (or other headsets when those come to market) they're also shopping outside of the oculus store (most of their shopping will be outside of it)
It's just a continuation of the anti competitive splitting of the VR userbase, they are counting on their headset coming out on top eventually.
It's 'be the platformholder of VR on PC' or nothing for them.
edit : to clarify: they want to force every headset vendor to be on their store, officially, and exclusively. Like what google does with the play store. Since it's early days of vr and it's a duopoly for now they think this is as good a shot at achieving that as they'll ever get.
It's not going to happen though.
I will dance on their grave when they end up with nothing.
That makes absolutely no sense. By artificially limiting the headsets that work with their software, they limit their market. Vive owners buying software on oculus home is still a sale. If we believe oculus that the book the cv1 is almost retail price, they aren't making money through hardware sales.
Mister Zimbu
Member
Argh, and I just got my "order processed" notification too.
It sounds like that this only applies to games bought from the Oculus Store, not Steam? That's not *as* bad, but still, fuck Oculus for this shit.
Still debating cancelling the order.
It sounds like that this only applies to games bought from the Oculus Store, not Steam? That's not *as* bad, but still, fuck Oculus for this shit.
Still debating cancelling the order.
Chairmanchuck
Member
Yeah. And this is from 5 months ago too from Palmer Luckey:
Of course it doesnt state that they wont break it if someone does it, but still...
Zepp Twofist
Member
DK2 still works. People who have both DK2 and Vive can just keep the former connected to still use the injector to play games on Vive if they want to.
While Lucky's is somehow understandable because anybody can get it for free (and it's only them to blame for choosing this solution - or they could DRM just this one) the rest of the games you still need to buy from Oculus Home, so this explanation doesn't hold.
Yeah, I was also thinking about that, Revive will become from a mod a crack by going around DRM.
So I should sell my DK2 and bill it as an Oculus emulator for Vive owners, got it.
(Thanks, good to know they didn't close that door today too)
Netherscourge
Banned
Apple tells everyone not to Jailbreak their iPhones too...
This only affects oculus home, as it's part of the oculus home storefront drm, not the SDK. Oculus rift only games sold on other store fronts still work with revive.
Example - technolust is sold on steam and oculus home. Both versions only officially work with the rift. The Steam version can work with revive, the oculus home version cannot. But this is because steam drm doesn't check to make sure the headset is a rift.
Zepp Twofist
Member
They did, but most people probably assumed that it was because they didn't want to be responsible if the mod accidentally broke in an update. Turns out they did it deliberately.
Still, after that whole comment I decided not to buy anything from the Oculus Store in case they did something stupid. Unfortunately that turned out to be a good decision.
I get the feeling their line of thought was "if everything on the oculus store needs an oculus hooked up to work, then future customers who are less savvy about different acquisition methods will think they need an oculus to have the best selection, which will draw them more to our store where we'll get a bigger cut".
Oculus products. You can get around this right now by plugging in a dk2 when launching your game through oculus home. If the drm detects any oculus products connected to the PC, they will pass and boot, even if you are using revive to run them on a vive or osvr headset.
This is literally only a check when starting the game, on their server side drm, to make sure an oculus headset is connected. It serves no other purpose.
Zepp Twofist
Member
This is why you don't Kickstart a medium
The kickstarter was great for the medium. Most Vive owners would probably not be that today was it not for the Oculus kickstarter.
RealityCheque
Banned
Nice work there.
Makes my choice of headset a whole lot easier.
Hint: its not going to be Oculus.
Makes my choice of headset a whole lot easier.
Hint: its not going to be Oculus.
Zepp Twofist
Member
DK2s have suddenly turned into those USB sticks or printer port dongles you needed to run expensive CAD software.
yanipheonu
Member
Compsiox
Banned
I was kidding and I was all for Oculus even after the Vive was announced just so you know. It was the launch and things like this that turned me against them.
Mobius and pet octopus
Member
Oddly, I always felt rift was a poor choice, even before competitors were announced.
Zepp Twofist
Member
Yeah, I know (I remember the thread
). I had pretty much the same trajectory as you when it came to my pivot from Oculus to Vive.You should listen closer, then.
Like, for example, yesterday Google announced DayDream.
SneakyStephan
Banned
You live and breathe VR stuff, most of us aren't hearing or seeing much about VR anymore. Haven't see ANY talk on reddit either
StrangeTaco
Member
Welp was leaning towards probably getting the Vive over the Rift, only hangup I had was the price difference. But with this news now I'm solidly in the Vive camp and I'll just save a few more months. Sorry Oculus.