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[Krejlooc]

Accidentally revealed in their intro video yesterday for their mobile SDK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiLOX06sobc

Hero Bound is likely the new title for what was previously known as VR Quest:

This is the only public leaked image of VR Quest from the Samsung GearVR UI unveil. VR Quest is supposed to be a top-down dungeon crawler in the vein of games like Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past.

Also launching with GearVR, and likely bundled and built into the application itself, is VR Cinema:

This is a personal movie theater app that is a direct continuation of VR Cinema from the early days of DK1 (Oculus actually snatched up and hired the Koren developers). VR Cinema supports skinning so that the environment can be changed. Want to watch a movie on the beach with a huge floating screen? Feel free.

VR Cinema will also eventually support networking, where different users can meet in a virtual cinema space to watch the same movie, together, side by side, as though they were physically next to each other, even if they are miles apart.

Also, I've been sitting on this information for a while, but it's likely that GearVR will launch without any payment methods in place for VR applications. As in, early developers won't be able to actually sell their apps, only give them away. Oculus has maintained that they are developing a webstore solution but it's looking increasingly likely that it won't be ready for launch. Many GearVR developers have known this since at least September. Maybe Feep can come and comment.

 

[twdnewh_k]

Im looking forward to see how this turns out.

My decision between a note 4 and nexus 6 will come down to this.

 

[pixlexic]

Nice, I have a galaxy s5 and just got a gear s and I am extremely impressed with both.

 

[Mister_Bubbles]

Also, I've been sitting on this information for a while, but it's likely that GearVR will launch without any payment methods in place for VR applications. As in, early developers won't be able to actually sell their apps, only give them away. Oculus has maintained that they are developing a webstore solution but it's looking increasingly likely that it won't be ready for launch. Many GearVR developers have known this since at least September. Maybe Feep can come and comment.

That seems like kind of a big deal...

 

[Krejlooc]

Im looking forward to see how this turns out.

My decision between a note 4 and nexus 6 will come down to this.

Just a heads up, gear vr, while a consumer product, won't be available in stores. It's only available by order online, as this is an "innovation edition." The next version, which presumably will be sold in stores, will release in 6 months along side the galaxy s6.

 

[Alx]

I know there are people interested in that, but VR Cinema sounds crazy. Why would you want to simuate the most annoying part of going to the cinema, when all you want is the big screen and nothing else to distract you ?

 

[Krejlooc]

That seems like kind of a big deal...

It is and it isn't. The first edition of gear vr is essentially a test run meant for the earliest of early adopters of consumer vr. Think of it like a public beta test.

Presumably this will be solved in time for the non-innovator edition gear vr. In a lot of ways, you could think of the gear vr being similar to the apple I, with the apple II waiting in the wings.

 

[Krejlooc]

I know there are people interested in that, but VR Cinema sounds crazy. Why would you want to simuate the most annoying part of going to the cinema, when all you want is the big screen and nothing else to distract you ?

You can put yourself into a void with an impossibly large screen if you want.

 

[Seanspeed]

Also, I've been sitting on this information for a while, but it's likely that GearVR will launch without any payment methods in place for VR applications. As in, early developers won't be able to actually sell their apps, only give them away. Oculus has maintained that they are developing a webstore solution but it's looking increasingly likely that it won't be ready for launch. Many GearVR developers have known this since at least September. Maybe Feep can come and comment.

We've known that for a while, actually. A bit of a disaster.

I wouldn't expect a whole lot from 'VR Quest' given its early release and generic name, but I hope it'll at least be solid from a tech perspective and show off what 3rd person games in VR can do(which I think are gonna rock).

VR Cinema also looks nice, obviously. Any word on if there's any heat issues for watching a video with your smartphone in VR for 120 minutes, though?

I really think Samsung are rushing this. I'm sure it'll be capable of some cool stuff, but its hard to shake the feeling that they were way more concerned with being quick to market and pushed Oculus hard for it(in exchange for Samsung's crucial display technology).

 

[Alx]

You can put yourself into a void with an impossibly large screen if you want.

And that I would understand. But for best experience I would have it statically appear in front of my eyes without any motion tracking, like the current Sony HMD does for example. The whole VR thing will only take you out of the movie and remind you that you're in a projection room/beach/void (or give you that illusion anyway, which is why it is absurd when it's the thing you're usually trying to forget when watching a movie).
I suppose people will want to experiment it for funny or scary movies, so they can laugh and gasp together... but it's a bit "meta".

 

[shark sandwich]

I know there are people interested in that, but VR Cinema sounds crazy. Why would you want to simuate the most annoying part of going to the cinema, when all you want is the big screen and nothing else to distract you ?

Yeah this sounds like some bad idea left over from the early 90s. The kind of thing that sounds cool at first but then when you think about it you realize it's worse than what you already have.

BTW there have been head-mounted displays that simulate a gigantic screen for many years now.

 

[pixlexic]

Yeah this sounds like some bad idea left over from the early 90s. The kind of thing that sounds cool at first but then when you think about it you realize it's worse than what you already have.

BTW there have been head-mounted displays that simulate a gigantic screen for many years now.

And they have all had horrible resolution and refresh rates.

Is this one any better?

 

[Krejlooc]

I really think Samsung are rushing this. I'm sure it'll be capable of some cool stuff, but its hard to shake the feeling that they were way more concerned with being quick to market and pushed Oculus hard for it(in exchange for Samsung's crucial display technology).

This isn't samsung's call. This is Oculus' decision and Carmack wants a 6 month refresh cycle, with the only way to do that to be to actually release hardware every 6 months.

Incidentally, today John Carmack posted more progression on his markerless vision tracking for GearVR:

No external markers, done entirely using continuously tracked features. Apparently it works well.

 

[Krejlooc]

But for best experience I would have it statically appear in front of my eyes without any motion tracking

You can do that, too. But doing so naturally limits the maximum size of the screen.

And they have all had horrible resolution and refresh rates.

Is this one any better?

This is the single best VR display ever released to consumers at the moment. It works on a 1440p display, which is even higher than Oculus Rift DK2.

 

[Ursiform]

I work for Samsung and wut is this

 

[Krejlooc]

I work for Samsung and wut is this

Samsung's virtual reality headset for their Galaxy line of smart phones, powered by Oculus Mobile SDK.

 

[Alx]

You can do that, too. But doing so naturally limits the maximum size of the screen.

Sure but what's the point of having a screen bigger than your field of view ? All it does is emulate being too close to the screen in the cinema, which is also a con and not a pro.
I could understand simulating a stadium, where both the crowd and the ability to look around the pitch are important.
But for movies, the optimal situation is having the whole movie in your field of view at all times, and nothing else.

 

[Chairmanchuck]

I dont think it will become big.

Didnt even the lead designer for the GearVR say something its made for like 15-20 minute experiences?

 

[Krejlooc]

Sure but what's the point of having a screen bigger than your field of view ? All it does is emulate being too close to the screen in the cinema, which is also a con and not a pro.
I could understand simulating a stadium, where both the crowd and the ability to look around the pitch are important.
But for movies, the optimal situation is having the whole movie in your field of view at all times, and nothing else.

You realize you're trying to argue preference, right? There are people who sit in the first row of movie theaters on purpose.

 

[Krejlooc]

Didnt even the lead designer for the GearVR say something its made for like 15-20 minute experiences?

No, John Carmack did not say that. That's Samsung PR. Carmack tweeted the exact opposite of that the same day Samsung's PR claimed it was targeting 20 minute experiences that he's watched 2-hour movies in his GearVR.

 

[Alx]

You realize you're trying to argue preference, right? There are people who sit in the first row of movie theaters on purpose.

They purposely want to see only one part of the screen at a time ? I find it hard to believe. What's the point ? Maybe they want more light or more sound, but I doubt that their goal is to miss part of the action...

 

[Krejlooc]

They purposely want to see only one part of the screen at a time ? I find it hard to believe. What's the point ? Maybe they want more light or more sound, but I doubt that their goal is to miss part of the action...

You find it hard to believe people purposely sit in the first row of movie theaters? You should get out more, then.

http://online.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203513604577140700006095264

a whole article on people who prefer to sit in the first row.

More than that, I like scanning the frame in great sweeps and even sometimes turning my head to follow the action.

 

[vazel]

Can anyone explain why Oculus Rift is taking so long. I keep checking Amazon for it and nothing.

 

[ThatsMytrunks]

This was a big part of me getting the Note 4. I love my DK2 and I'm excited to try this when it comes out.

 

[Alx]

You find it hard to believe people purposely sit in the first row of movie theaters? You should get out more, then.

http://online.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203513604577140700006095264

a whole article on people who prefer to sit in the first row.

First time I've ever heard of that... and yeah I frequently go to the movies (I have an "all you can watch" card), and by here the front rows are always the last to be filled. But I suppose there are all kinds of people out there.... like your article says, I suppose "most people find this sheer madness".

 

[diablos991]

Can anyone explain why Oculus Rift is taking so long. I keep checking Amazon for it and nothing.

Because it is now owned by a large corporation which has lots of bureaucracy and is more adverse to taking risk because of the inherent duty to please stakeholders.

Basically Oculus will likely not be the industry leader. They will come in and try to dominate market share after others get the kinks worked out.

 

[Krejlooc]

Because it is now owned by a large corporation which has lots of bureaucracy and is more adverse to taking risk because of the inherent duty to please stakeholders.

You haven't been following the shareholder meetings.

Basically Oculus will likely not be the industry leader. They will come in and try to dominate market share after others get the kinks worked out.

This doesn't mesh with current reality. At all. Oculus are the ones getting the kinks worked out. This is from oculus.

 

[Bsigg12]

Well, shit. Do I wait for the GS6 and retail version or do I grab a Note 4 and order the innovation version?

 

[Krejlooc]

Well, shit. Do I wait for the GS6 and retail version or do I grab a Note 4 and order the innovation version?

I bought a Note 4 for this, but I would advise others to wait. If nothing else, I'd expect the GS6 to do positional tracking better in the future. The note 4 has a 120 hz camera inside for displacement measurement which is being done for positional tracking, but Carmack wants a 240 hz camera inside eventually.

 

[Ziffles]

Incidentally, today John Carmack posted more progression on his markerless vision tracking for GearVR:

No external markers, done entirely using continuously tracked features. Apparently it works well.

Yesssss. This is what we need.

 

[Bsigg12]

I bought a Note 4 for this, but I would advise others to wait. If nothing else, I'd expect the GS6 to do positional tracking better in the future. The note 4 has a 120 hz camera inside for displacement measurement which is being done for positional tracking, but Carmack wants a 240 hz camera inside eventually.

Fair enough. I'll wait for your impressions/review of the GearVR and go from there since I know you've been followong everything very closely.

 

[Krejlooc]

Fair enough. I'll wait for your impressions/review of the GearVR and go from there since I know you've been followong everything very closely.

Feep is even closer to GearVR - he already has a kit and is releasing software for it. VR is a big field already, I work closest with Sixense and Valve.

 

[Krejlooc]

Incidentally, on the subject of android VR, I bought like 50 google cardboard kits online and I've been handing them out left and right as stocking stuffers. They can be had for like $2 and aren't that bad. Orbulus and VR Cinema Cardboard seem to be the most liked apps so far, with Google Street View also getting a rise.

The trippiest thing to do with cardboard is try the video passthrough, it's extremely disorienting. It's weird because the video passthrough is fed from one camera, but since both your eyes are open, it feels very different from just closing one eye. Essentially, you lose all depth perception, and it kind of feels like you're drunk. I tried to grab a cup with my google cardboard on and my friends were laughing because I was a good foot away from the cup.

The best game on Cardboard is probably Vanguard V, which is also coming to the Oculus Rift, GearVR, and IIRC Sony Morpheus eventually, too.

 

[Starviper]

I just wish there was a more up to date version of the Oculus to purchase, or that they would allow me to pre-order a retail kit.

 

[Bookoo]

Really hoping that $199 Note 4 price point holds until Dec 14th. I wish I could upgrade right now!

 

[Pie and Beans]

I was on the fence of getting a Note4 almost exclusively because of GearVR, but it sounds like its a bit too much of a DK1 situation where the proper model will be out next year.

Problem there is I love having the Note 2 size and pen, so an S6 won't interest me either. Constant hardware refreshes is just not gonna be a good idea for VR's commercial market. I want to buy in on a device and get at least something close to a console cycle out of it considering the price. Worse still when its slotting a £500 phone into a £150 device as a beta test.

 

[Krejlooc]

Really hoping that $199 Note 4 price point holds until Dec 14th. I wish I could upgrade right now!

I don't think it'll go back up. I paid $299 for mine

 

[Krejlooc]

I was on the fence of getting a Note4 almost exclusively because of GearVR, but it sounds like its a bit too much of a DK1 situation where the proper model will be out next year.

Problem there is I love having the Note 2 size and pen, so an S6 won't interest me either. Constant hardware refreshes is just not gonna be a good idea for VR's commercial market. I want to buy in on a device and get at least something close to a console cycle out of it considering the price. Worse still when its slotting a £500 phone into a £150 device as a beta test.

Ya, I didn't get a note 4 because of gear VR, it was just a happy coincidence. I got my note 4 because I have never been more satisfied with a phone than I was with my note 2. I adored my note 2, and knew from the get go I'd get the latest version when I could upgrade. Had my upgrade fallen on the wrong refresh cycle - i.e. if the galaxy S6 was out now and the note 4 was 6 months away, I would have waited.

GearVR is pretty much just icing on the cake for me. Unfortunately for you, it sounds like you'll have to wait a year for the Note 5 if you want to play with GearVR. You'll wind up with a better product, though.

A constant refresh cycle is essential to VR right now. This is going to mirror what 3D accelerators went through in the mid 90's. The reason for a constant refresh cycle is that this technology is so young that each improvement yields enormous gains. The note 5 in 1 year will undoubtedly provide a far superior VR experience to the one I'm getting this month. And, in many ways, the VR experience I'm getting this month will be superior to the one I got 6 months ago (DK2, although to be fair there are noticeable trade-offs, namely no positional tracking and a lower refresh rate of 60 hz vs 75 on my DK2).

 

[Bookoo]

I don't think it'll go back up. I paid $299 for mine

I was about to buy it on Friday, but apparently the upgrade was only if I decided to change to the ATT Next program and my 2 year upgrade isn't until the 14th. It sort of worked out because I was ready to pay $299.

Its going to feel coming from a Lumia 1520, the Note 4 feels so small.

 

[Ziffles]

Incidentally, on the subject of android VR, I bought like 50 google cardboard kits online and I've been handing them out left and right as stocking stuffers. They can be had for like $2 and aren't that bad. Orbulus and VR Cinema Cardboard seem to be the most liked apps so far, with Google Street View also getting a rise.

Is there one ready to go (with minimal assembly) that fits a Note 3?

 

[jack...]

I am so stoked for this. Also, the Note 4 is the best phone I've ever owned.

 

[EVIL]

Feep is even closer to GearVR - he already has a kit and is releasing software for it. VR is a big field already, I work closest with Sixense and Valve.

So about that '3'

 

[Krejlooc]

Is there one ready to go (with minimal assembly) that fits a Note 3?

My 5.5" note 2 and note 4 fit the thing awkwardly, but the fix is to just fold the top over with a bit of scotch tape. It's meant to fit something more like the Galaxy S4.

That said, the bigger your phone, the better your FOV in cardboard.

 

[Pie and Beans]

Ya, I didn't get a note 4 because of gear VR, it was just a happy coincidence. I got my note 4 because I have never been more satisfied with a phone than I was with my note 2. I adored my note 2, and knew from the get go I'd get the latest version when I could upgrade. Had my upgrade fallen on the wrong refresh cycle - i.e. if the galaxy S6 was out now and the note 4 was 6 months away, I would have waited.

GearVR is pretty much just icing on the cake for me. Unfortunately for you, it sounds like you'll have to wait a year for the Note 5 if you want to play with GearVR. You'll wind up with a better product, though.

A constant refresh cycle is essential to VR right now. This is going to mirror what 3D accelerators went through in the mid 90's. The reason for a constant refresh cycle is that this technology is so young that each improvement yields enormous gains. The note 5 in 1 year will undoubtedly provide a far superior VR experience to the one I'm getting this month.

I hear ya on the Note 2. I'm just still... too satisfied with it to the point that I just feel no upgrade need. Only VR was whispering to me.

The nonsense is that the choice was this Christmas, Xbox One, Note4, or PC upgrades and I've gone with a GTX 970 for myself in hopes it will be "enough" for at least some good Oculus times down the road next year and beyond (although I do have a middling motherboard and old i5).

I haven't done Google Cardboard yet, but I found a cheap re-sized kit for the Note 2 I've put on the Pie and Beans Christmas List which I'm sure people will get a kick out of around the holiday season if nobody makes the mistake of passing it over. Would be cool if more stuff came to it since the novelty alone is just damn cool.

Is there one ready to go (with minimal assembly) that fits a Note 3?

http://www.imcardboard.com/bigger-v...-yellow-will-start-shipping-on-august-11.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MJPS6ZU/

 

[Krejlooc]

Also on the subject of Google Cardboard, barnes & noble is selling a cardboard kit in stores:

Sells for $9 in store, $17 on amazon.com. Comes with the cardboard kit itself and basically reviews the existing Durovis Dive or Cardboard VR apps available on the google play store.

 

[Seanspeed]

This isn't samsung's call. This is Oculus' decision and Carmack wants a 6 month refresh cycle, with the only way to do that to be to actually release hardware every 6 months.

Incidentally, today John Carmack posted more progression on his markerless vision tracking for GearVR:

No external markers, done entirely using continuously tracked features. Apparently it works well.

But what is the gain in realising this thing to the public? I don't believe that. Why not do a proper public release of the Rift, too?

Any half-assery is going to result in bad impressions. That's the entire reason why they are holding off CV1 til it and the software library is ready for it to come out.

That said, wireless VR is gonna be awesome as shit.

 

[Krejlooc]

But what is the gain in realising this thing to the public? I don't believe that.

The platform is ready for media consumption, which is what this is for. The purpose of releasing this is so that content providers will support thr platform. You cant ask developers to sit on their work for years and years without releasing their stuff.

This is iterative technology. To iterate, you have to actually release.

Why not do a proper public release of the Rift, too?

GearVR's online only release mirrors all the oculus rift releases thus far.

Any half-assery is going to result in bad impressions. That's the entire reason why they are holding off CV1 til it and the software library is ready for it to come out.

That said, wireless VR is gonna be awesome as shit.

Why do you assume this is half assed? Have you tried it?

 

[AegisScott]

I worked on a Gear VR title called theBlu. I thought Gear VR was going to be a gimmick, but its actually pretty great and its a fantastic entry point for people who are new to the VR space. Its easy to just hand it to someone and have them check out the experience. Plus- No wires!

The price feels a little steep to me, but if you're into VR and you don't want to constantly be updating a huge tower rig, this is a great option. As for micro-trans, the fact that it wouldn't be available at launch was a surprise- A lot of devs put in a lot of time and resources before they dropped that bomb in late summer.

 

[Seanspeed]

The platform is ready for media consumption, which is what this is for. The purpose of releasing this is so that content providers will support thr platform. You cant ask developers to sit on their work for years and years without releasing their stuff.

This is iterative technology. To iterate, you have to actually release.



GearVR's online only release mirrors all the oculus rift releases thus far.



Why do you assume this is half assed? Have you tried it?

The difference between this and the DK's of the Rift are that they actively told consumers not to buy DK1 and DK2. So far, it seems that while this isn't a total retail release of GearVR, its still meant for consumers.

It does not mirror the releases at all. Its a noticeable change in release strategy and one that I think its naïve to suggest that Samsung, who Oculus are indebted towards, have nothing to do with.

As for being half-assed, the fact that there is no working storefront is pretty obvious proof of it. It needs more time and they aren't gonna get it. It is pretty much the definition of being half baked.

 

[Durante]

But what is the gain in realising this thing to the public?

There are a lot of gains to be had by having an early feedback loop with an actual user community. In software development this is called "release early, release often". Of course, it's much cheaper and easier to release and iterate on software than hardware - we'll see how it works out for them.