Valve & HTC - Vive VR Headset
Discussion
Hmm, I suppose it's good to have a competitor to the Oculus Rift (otherwise they could charge what they want) and the Rift is still in Developer Kit 2 stage, not the final release which is supposed to have 1440p screens for each eye. As usual though, it will be likely out of my potential purchasing power anyway. No everyone is a company director, powerfully built or not.
This is terrible news for Oculus - the gaming clout of Valve combined with the hardware strength of HTC is a heck of a combination to base a VR platform on. I'm hoping for good things. As you say, Oculus need to really pull something magic out for CV1 if they want to stay competitive.
I just hope they operate on the same platform, and we don't end up with games only being compatible on one or the other.
However, like OR you'll need a decent PC to use it. Maintaining a solid FPS is critical.
I just hope they operate on the same platform, and we don't end up with games only being compatible on one or the other.
MissChief said:
As usual though, it will be likely out of my potential purchasing power anyway. No everyone is a company director, powerfully built or not.
I can't imagine it'll be far off the £250-300 range. However, like OR you'll need a decent PC to use it. Maintaining a solid FPS is critical.
MattyB_ said:
I can't imagine it'll be far off the £250-300 range.
However, like OR you'll need a decent PC to use it. Maintaining a solid FPS is critical.
I have the decent PC (Core i5 2500k@4.2Ghz, 8GB Ram, GTX 7806GB, 250Gb SSD and a 2560x1080 21:9 monitor) but I'm not sure I can justify £250-£300 on something I may only use for one or two games.However, like OR you'll need a decent PC to use it. Maintaining a solid FPS is critical.
Both Morpheus and OR were running at 1920x1080 total last time I checked. So 960x1080 per eye and need 70fps to stop/reduce VR sickness.
This is slightly higher but I'm not convinced it's enough and you'll need a beast of a machine to run it at 90fps.
Nice to see some competition in the market and I think this is more of a challenge to OR than Morpheus which is likely to be PS4 exclusive (at least initially) HTC and Valve are a good combo but I think OR may still have the edge as they have active users/developers and of course the backing partnership of both Facebooks billions and Samsungs hardware knowhow.
It's not just about the hardware. The software and supported titles are going to be key, maybe this is why the AC support for rift is such a poor overall experience they have been developing for this not OR.
Right now I'd need a real killer app to move away from OR, it has my trust as I've experienced it. It just needs a better resolution now.
This is slightly higher but I'm not convinced it's enough and you'll need a beast of a machine to run it at 90fps.
Nice to see some competition in the market and I think this is more of a challenge to OR than Morpheus which is likely to be PS4 exclusive (at least initially) HTC and Valve are a good combo but I think OR may still have the edge as they have active users/developers and of course the backing partnership of both Facebooks billions and Samsungs hardware knowhow.
It's not just about the hardware. The software and supported titles are going to be key, maybe this is why the AC support for rift is such a poor overall experience they have been developing for this not OR.
Right now I'd need a real killer app to move away from OR, it has my trust as I've experienced it. It just needs a better resolution now.
Is there any sort of standard for this stuff, like standard APIs that are supported to a greater or lesser extent by different hardware and by developers in their games? Or is it a case that certain games are built to work with Oculus Rift, some will work with Morpheus, some with this new Valve/HTC thing etc.?
This needs to be standardised so the consumer can choose a headset based on the spec, wearing comfort etc. and not end up with no choice but to buy multiple headsets if they want to use VR in various games that only support one system.
I'm close to ordering a OR DK2 for Elite Dangerous but have held off for now to see when the consumer release was going to be. Now I'm concerned that I'd buy one and a few months later all the developers would jump to supporting a competing system.
This needs to be standardised so the consumer can choose a headset based on the spec, wearing comfort etc. and not end up with no choice but to buy multiple headsets if they want to use VR in various games that only support one system.
I'm close to ordering a OR DK2 for Elite Dangerous but have held off for now to see when the consumer release was going to be. Now I'm concerned that I'd buy one and a few months later all the developers would jump to supporting a competing system.
No standards as yet.
They might develop for the more homebrew versions of VR but I can't see much collaboration in the early days (VR exclusively on OR!). I'm guessing here but from a developers pov it might be wise to support all variations as the requirements will be similar. The API's exist for accessing OR functions already it's a case of making your menus and interactions etc work in VR generally rather than the specific hardware.
We shall see.
They might develop for the more homebrew versions of VR but I can't see much collaboration in the early days (VR exclusively on OR!). I'm guessing here but from a developers pov it might be wise to support all variations as the requirements will be similar. The API's exist for accessing OR functions already it's a case of making your menus and interactions etc work in VR generally rather than the specific hardware.
We shall see.
I wonder how much has to be standardised and how much can be handled by an individual HMD's driver.
Elements like image warping (Oculus) and translating motion sensor inputs could be all driver-managed to an agreed standard output that games developers work with.
I say this naively with zero programming knowledge
Elements like image warping (Oculus) and translating motion sensor inputs could be all driver-managed to an agreed standard output that games developers work with.
I say this naively with zero programming knowledge
nigelpugh7 said:
wAIT wHAT???
it's the 3pm on the 3rd March thing. Valve do stuff like that. It could be Portal3 or L4D3 though, but there was a leaked HL3 logo in one of the recent steam updates.The games should be able to detect what HMD you are using, iracing does. I don't have to tell it I want to use the OR.
Bullett said:
it's the 3pm on the 3rd March thing. Valve do stuff like that. It could be Portal3 or L4D3 though, but there was a leaked HL3 logo in one of the recent steam updates.
The games should be able to detect what HMD you are using, iracing does. I don't have to tell it I want to use the OR.
even if it was Portal 3, then i would be also very happy!!The games should be able to detect what HMD you are using, iracing does. I don't have to tell it I want to use the OR.
Not as happy as i would be if it was Half Life 3 though!!
Their was a leak from HTC about HL3 though last week, basically a HTC exec said HL3 was built for VR and that it had been test on the HTC hardware, Then she tried to backtrack with the liberal use of the word maybe.
They are definitely working on a L4D3, the way valve work internally is rather unusual that the staff work on what they want to work on, so products end up with critical mass and ideas that aren't popular don't get made.
They are definitely working on a L4D3, the way valve work internally is rather unusual that the staff work on what they want to work on, so products end up with critical mass and ideas that aren't popular don't get made.
Bullett said:
The games should be able to detect what HMD you are using, iracing does. I don't have to tell it I want to use the OR.
Sure, the point I was making is that if developers have to build support for three or four different VR systems in to their games, as opposed to writing once for a standard API, then that may hamper uptake by game developers, especially smaller firms. Either that, or games/developers will end up supporting only one system and others supporting another and ending up with the scenario I described above, whereby gamers either have to own multiple headsets or make do without VR support on games that don't support their chosen headset.If these things were "just monitors" really then there'd be no need for that but they aren't; they'll all require images to be post-processed in slightly different ways to work with different display resolutions, fields-of-vision etc. and support head tracking in their own ways.
There's also the question of which one is most useable/comfortable for those of us who wear glasses (like myself) - it would be a shame if the best headsets had poor game support.
I really want this stuff to take off, I just think it has a better chance if the software developers press the hardware companies into developing and supporting a standard API and letting the hardware differentiate itself from competitors on features and value.
I keep thinking how cool something like Rift will be for driving and flight sim games but there are a few things that put me off.
1) It will only be used with Driving and flight sim games of which I have 4 maybe 5 I play often.
2) For space sims such as Elite and Star Citizen you need to see the keyboard so VR really isnt that useful.
3) I would rather pay the money for a nice 4k (or 8k when they come out) monitor and enjoy it 100% of the time not just 30%.
Plus you are gaunteed that some developers will only support 1 device or have limited support for others.
1) It will only be used with Driving and flight sim games of which I have 4 maybe 5 I play often.
2) For space sims such as Elite and Star Citizen you need to see the keyboard so VR really isnt that useful.
3) I would rather pay the money for a nice 4k (or 8k when they come out) monitor and enjoy it 100% of the time not just 30%.
Plus you are gaunteed that some developers will only support 1 device or have limited support for others.
Daston said:
2) For space sims such as Elite and Star Citizen you need to see the keyboard so VR really isnt that useful.
I've just borrowed a mate's Oculus DK2, and with a saitek hotas setup, it is absolutely fantastic with Elite. No need for keyboard/mouse, fully immersive and absolutely amazing experience. Flying, docking, fighting - everything is better. It's like a brand new game. The Oculus DK2 has a number of drawbacks (crap resolution/screen-door, poor font legibility, patchy app support) but even with all those taken into account, i'm now fully converted to the idea that VR is the way to go. Can't wait for whatever announcements come out this week.Just need to change my number and lock my front door so my mate doesn't come looking for his DK2 back!
uremaw said:
I've just borrowed a mate's Oculus DK2, and with a saitek hotas setup, it is absolutely fantastic with Elite. No need for keyboard/mouse, fully immersive and absolutely amazing experience. Flying, docking, fighting - everything is better. It's like a brand new game. The Oculus DK2 has a number of drawbacks (crap resolution/screen-door, poor font legibility, patchy app support) but even with all those taken into account, i'm now fully converted to the idea that VR is the way to go. Can't wait for whatever announcements come out this week.
Just need to change my number and lock my front door so my mate doesn't come looking for his DK2 back!
Thats OK for Elite (I have a FLY5 so not enough buttons for everything) but with Star Citizen also being an FPS you will need to know where the keyboard is at least to stand a chance. Just need to change my number and lock my front door so my mate doesn't come looking for his DK2 back!
Maybe I will have to borrow a mates when they get it lol.
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