Fool me, this is real good shit ! [the VR thread]

[KlaxonCow]

Here's another interesting VR thingy.



I mean, basically, what MSI have done here is turn one of their high-end gaming laptops into a backpack. And like their high-end gaming laptops, this isn't exactly the "budget" option, by any means.

But, of course, it's what it represents and where it could take VR, when you can have a fully untethered "room scale" VR experience. It is just laptop tech on your back, but it's good tech that's got the grunt for VR.

Coupled with "inside out" positional tracking - as some of the VR hardware people are playing with - which also means you wouldn't need a couple of fixed cameras / base stations in the corners of the room to work out where you're standing, then it could conceivably be fully untethered, even to being in a particular room. Though, yes, then we're moving into Darkflame's favourite territory of an AR / VR thing, because you don't want folks falling down open manholes or anything.

Perhaps not something to get instantly excited about right now, but an interesting direction things will likely progressively move towards that we can keep an eye on.

[Jamesac]

Whole lotta "nope" in that design. The wireless headsets will have happened by the time the VR games that are worth going to all that trouble are out. I look at that thing and think "Do I really feel like going to all that trouble for a game?" and can't think of anything available now or the foreseeable future that would give an answer of Yes.

[Dio]

I don't think the backpacks are terribly interesting. I'm dubious about the concept of room-scale VR in general, it's not a consumer market (nobody has the room) and I think it's going to struggle with user safety in the medium and long term.

Cutting the cord is still useful because the cord is a proper pain in the arse even sat down, but it's not worth giving up the power of a desktop GPU - or adding 20ms of latency - to do it.

[gumboot]

Can't believe it's not dual battery hot-swap (with locator tags on the charger and battery so you can switch them live).

[zbandito]

http://www.roadtovr.com/wireless-htc-vi ... ils-specs/

[Jamesac]

Oculus Touch controllers are processing at last. I got my notification a couple hours ago and have gone from "It gets here when it gets here" as of yesterday to "Do I have a shipping notice yet!?"

[Bod]

Oculus Touch controllers are processing at last. I got my notification a couple hours ago and have gone from "It gets here when it gets here" as of yesterday to "Do I have a shipping notice yet!?"

Yep, got mine last week. Just waiting on shipping now.

[gilesgoat]

Ok I just tried Zaccaria Pinball on Oculus Rift ..

It's INSANE ! the ONLY thing that "makes you cry" is "I wish the OR would have twice as much the rez it has", the moment VR will be "gen 2" and we'll have ( at least ) 2x resolution that moment it will be really "a world revolution".

Anyway .. this Zaccaria VR Pinball .. "I wasn't expecting that much" .. but the amount of care they put in details of the pinball is FENOMENAL

You play and .. and fool me .. 5 mins in and it's like "I am playing a real pinball" .. this is "the second best thing after the real thing", I mean I think "you got it perfect" if , like in this case, at some point you COMPLETELY forget you are in VR "you are just playing pinball"

Well ok "playing pinball with a bit of dirty glasses and/or you should go to your optician for new glasses as you are a bit short sighted now".

And this is the ONLY problem of that, which is NOT "a game problem" is an HW problem, as I said "we'll see the world change when VR will have 2x res of now" but "gives now quite an idea" about what VR can do.

Until now - well UNfortunatelly TxK VR is not there and Polybius "a little more but almost there" - I would have say "I don't know if there's something I would have said buy VR for it" .. but THIS PINBALL is ONE REASON FOR

This is a case where "VR just feels and fits naturally" , this is something you can say "I spent my VR money well" .

Well I haven't seen "lot and lot" on OR yet but this one "does it"

Very impressed, I was not expecting to be SO impress but I am , "it's pinball" ok NOT the real one but "the best imitation you could find"

[Bod]

It's arrived ...



comes with an extra sensor too ...



I will have a play & report back soon.

[Mqark]

Nice!

Didn't even get my shipping notice yet - just the check your details one...

Have fun!

[Bod]

Just had a quick play. Unfortunately the downloadable demos don't seem to be live as yet, so not much I can do with it other than use the demo that it gives you at the end of set-up.

It's a lovely bit of key and very responsive. It has sensors in it so it knows when your fingers are above the buttons (without pressing them) which then translates to what your fingers are doing in the VR world. The both have a grip and trigger lever, plus the two buttons and a joy pad which is also pressable.

Very easy to set-up and gives you the option of adding in the guardian system to set a safe area of play. If you step near the edge then a boundary wall appears to remind you.

Just gotta wait for the free stuff to go live now, and maybe download the climb too.

[Yak]

It's possible to run Google Earth VR using the Oculus even though it's Vive-only at the moment. Instructions here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comment ... set_check/

As simple as putting one dll file in the install folder.

Without the motion controller though it's pretty limited. You have to hold down the space bar and kind of drag the world with your nose. Enter brings up the menu and space to click. You can rotate the camera by holding down Tab and dragging with your nose.

Fun to play with nonetheless, and I'll look forward to a proper Occy version at some point. I could lose hours just peering at the little model London in there. It's got a little Pelton Arms and everything .

[Mqark]

That's great - I was feeling a bit miffed that they'd left us rift owners out!

[Bod]

I'm knackered !!!!

Been playing some of the games that run with the occy touch, and it adds some much needed dimension to the whole VR experience.
The Climb is great once you figure out the movement needed to pull the wall around so that you can reach some of the ledges.

I've only had time to try 4 of the apps / games so far, but all have a great level of accuracy and show off the touch controllers very well.

I've spent a bit of time painting in 3D and also shot some zombies, sat on a train and did a bit of matrix bullet dodging too (including picking the bullets out of mid air and throwing them back).

Got things to do now, so going to turn if off and have a cuppa.
I finally fell that the real 3D experience is here for the rift now, and just suprised that Vive thought of it before them. Anyway Kudos for releasing a well though out and designed product.
All we need now is the completely wireless headset to get here ... probably next Xmas for that though.

[Mqark]

Hi Mark,

Your order has been processed! Look for a shipping confirmation email with tracking information soon.

Whoo hoo!