Oculus Rift Impressions

[Jan 10, 2013, 10:05 am ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

PCWorld and PCMag.com offer hands-on impressions of the Oculus Rift VR headset based on checking it out at CES 2013. Though Valve's Michael Abrash recently discussed technical hurdles standing in the way of making the gameplay part of virtual reality a reality, each site raves about the quality of the experience so far. Here's a quote from PC Magazine:

After the 3D effect of the Oculus Rift, the head tracking provided the most sense of immersion. I didn't just see objects with depth, I saw them as if I was looking at them with my own eyes. The Oculus Rift tracked every movement of my head as I looked around, tilting and shifting the picture appropriately. I found myself watching a snowflake fall from the sky and moving my head to follow it. I looked from high above my head down to the ground as the snowflake fell. I couldn't see my feet or any other part of my body, but, again, this is a software issue. The effect was still incredible.

The Citadel demo was the most detailed, but it wasn't interactive. That's why Oculus VR prepared another demo that put me in the action. I played a modified version of Unreal Tournament 3 that incorporated the Oculus Rift's head-tracking into the gameplay. The effect was incredibly immersive, making me aim with both my thumbs and my head to get bots in my non-existent sights. There were no displays in the game, which meant no reticle or health information. Again, this was just a proof of concept demo, and while I learned to aim with my head quickly, real games for the Oculus Rift will have to balance aiming and head-tracking and incorporate a reticle in the display.

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21.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 11, 2013, 08:18

Beamer

theyarecomingforyou wrote on Jan 11, 2013, 00:24:
jdreyer wrote on Jan 10, 2013, 18:51:
This does sound really cool, though. I'd really love to try it out. I guess for an FPS, your head set becomes your mouse? So you'd aim with your head? And instead of a keyboard, you could use a controller for shooting and movement.
That would be terrible for accuracy. For it to work properly you'd need an interface that allows you to look with the VR and aim with a mouse / gamepad, or for it to have a degree of auto-aim dependent upon where you're looking. That's fine for singleplayer games but it wouldn't work for competitive shooters. However they implement it, game support will need to be more involved than simply using it as a replacement for your mouse.

Personally I'm really quite interested in this. I'd be willing to put up with some motion sickness if the immersion was there, as I like to be ahead of the curve with new technology. I'm most interested to see how it works with Star Citizen, because that for me is the definitive title for it at the moment. And I can imagine it working really well with an atmospheric game like Dear Esther.

Oh man, so disagree that it wouldn't work for competitive shooters. It could make them so much better. Right mouse button snaps your aim to your head like iron sights.

Suddenly the level of skill necesary explodes.




------------- Music for the discerning: http://www.deathwishinc.com http://www.hydrahead.com http://www.painkillerrecords.com

20.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 11, 2013, 00:24

theyarecomingforyou

jdreyer wrote on Jan 10, 2013, 18:51:
This does sound really cool, though. I'd really love to try it out. I guess for an FPS, your head set becomes your mouse? So you'd aim with your head? And instead of a keyboard, you could use a controller for shooting and movement.

That would be terrible for accuracy. For it to work properly you'd need an interface that allows you to look with the VR and aim with a mouse / gamepad, or for it to have a degree of auto-aim dependent upon where you're looking. That's fine for singleplayer games but it wouldn't work for competitive shooters. However they implement it, game support will need to be more involved than simply using it as a replacement for your mouse.

Personally I'm really quite interested in this. I'd be willing to put up with some motion sickness if the immersion was there, as I like to be ahead of the curve with new technology. I'm most interested to see how it works with Star Citizen, because that for me is the definitive title for it at the moment. And I can imagine it working really well with an atmospheric game like Dear Esther.




Core i7 2600-K (4.6GHz) \| 12GB DDR3 \| GTX680 SLI (1215/1605) \| OCZ Vertex 3 120GB SSD \| Windows 8 Pro Hazro HZ30Wie 30" \| Saffire PRO 40 \| Razer Mamba \| Coolermaster RP1000W SteamID: theyarecomingforyou

19.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 22:28

Jay

I'd prefer the approach in track-IR supported shooters. ie your head movements only rotate view relative to where you're aiming (which is still controlled by your mouse/gamepad).

18.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 21:47

entr0py

jdreyer wrote on Jan 10, 2013, 18:51: This does sound really cool, though. I'd really love to try it out. I guess for an FPS, your head set becomes your mouse? So you'd aim with your head? And instead of a keyboard, you could use a controller for shooting and movement. The Unreal Tournament 3 demo seemed to have a gamepad for quick turning combined with head tracking for more precise aiming. But if this takes off it will really benefit from new controllers. One of the things that makes VR immersive and convincing is if you can see a virtual representation of your body or at least part of it. So, a lot of VR setups have a gun controller or a glove that's fully motion captured. It's such a weird sensation to be able to see your hand in game, but it really helps sell the illusion of VR.

17.

Re: More Big Picture Details

Jan 10, 2013, 18:55

HorrorScope

One mentioned not wanting to buy the hype. Hey I want things to move forward, but I'm pretty darn frugal to. The thing is I'll have plenty of reviews, I'll most likely see before I buy etc. Meaning, I'm all for this, but it will have to prove itself, I hope it does. If not, the search continues...

16.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 18:51

jdreyer

This does sound really cool, though. I'd really love to try it out. I guess for an FPS, your head set becomes your mouse? So you'd aim with your head? And instead of a keyboard, you could use a controller for shooting and movement.




Man is equally incapable of seeing the nothingness from which he emerges and the infinity in which he is engulfed.

15.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 18:41

Julio

This one would definitely make me puke after 5 minutes. No thanks. They can sell it in a combo pack with the Smellovision from the other day.

14.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 18:34

jdreyer

BobBob wrote on Jan 10, 2013, 16:25:
Waiting for version 5!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fXK8LYrF2k

Uh, no, I hope it's not like that at all. Newklear




Man is equally incapable of seeing the nothingness from which he emerges and the infinity in which he is engulfed.

13.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 17:28

SM0k3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBaYVo89mmY

12.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 16:38

BobBob

What I find most impressive is this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw

11.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 16:25

BobBob

Waiting for version 5! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fXK8LYrF2k

10.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 15:20

Fantaz

Besides Oculus Rift, there's not many HMD devices out there... except save for Sony's "Personal 3D Viewer"?




proudly fragging noobs in deathmatch since 1999

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 14:01

NegaDeath

I just keep getting more excited for this. Ever since I first tried VR at a fair 20-ish years ago I've been waiting for this day. Hell I even bought a Virtual Boy to get a fix (my eyes, the goggles do nothing!).

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 13:03

Optional Nickname!

Read both 'reviews' carefully and understand they are from the most fluffy, PC friendliest publications. In that context, not very well received. Like all things 3D, NRFPT.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 12:30

nin

Cutter wrote on Jan 10, 2013, 12:18:
I keep seeing Keanu Reeves in Johnny Mnemonic lol.

Having not read the source material, I hated that movie. Funny that years later he did The Matrix, which is pretty much what I hoped Mnemonic would be, based on the trailer.




RollinThundr Apr 17, 2013, 12:25: Eh really tossing stuff like that in there only to get your panties all bunched up. If you really want to call that trolling sure. Mr. Tact Apr 17, 2013, 12:33: Pretty sure that's the definition of trolling...

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 12:29

eRe4s3r

Well these don't even have head-tracking, so I am surprised you even survive 10 minutes ,p I can't enjoy fake 3D vision at all, I get nearly instant headaches. But sim sickness is not funny at all, imagine not feeling so good, except it involves throwing up and not being able to walk straight. This effect is like being hit by a train. It is drastic, and you can believe me it is not something you will ever want to experience more than once... I tested one of these formula car simulators at an EXPO and learned my lesson there (they warned me though ,p). Until I see someone who knows what he's talking about actually testing these goggles on real games (especially driving games) I won't buy into the hype. Sim sickness is real and well known problem of heads-up displays , and there is no way Oculus Rift solved a problem the most advanced research labs on the planet haven't solved (yet). As the valve developer wrote, it is a purely tech problem related to input/output delays. It's worse when the view is moved by an external element but you are not (ie, a car driving in a sim). That's also where the name comes from... the most famous dude who has severe sim sickness is Michael Schumacher.. he could never use the simulator his team used, likely because he was such a good driver, the slightest mismatch of simulated physics vs what he saw vs what he expected to feel and he got sick.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 12:18

Cutter

I keep seeing Keanu Reeves in Johnny Mnemonic lol.




"Are you crazy? Is that your problem?" - Jack Burton

Re: More Big Picture Details

Jan 10, 2013, 12:15

HorrorScope

I feel the anger that is shown at gaming forums is because at a low level we are bored with pretty much the same stuff again. This gives us hope of something new and fresh, like Quake/3dfx did. I don't mind total VR but I want the whole body experience to be optional. I don't want to have to stand and play. But what they show here, the head tracking can be solid for looking up/down and tilting, but from there use the mouse to turn (at least as an option) not my body. I am hoping this is what is next, since obviously AI isn't.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 12:05

Frijoles

eRe4s3r wrote on Jan 10, 2013, 10:18: Note that the comments from Valve's Michael Abrash talked about simulator sickness, this is not something you feel unless you have interactive gameplay that extends for a certain amount of time. I have this problem with the nVidia 3D glasses (waste of money). I can use them for about 30 minutes before I don't feel so good. The Oculus is getting good reviews, though.. so hopefully it will be different.

Re: Oculus Rift Impressions

Jan 10, 2013, 11:02

Stimpack

I'm ready to throw up for VR. Bring it on, I say!

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