HTC Vive...let's try this VR stuff..

[Mattygooner]

Well, I haven't managed to get AC or Dirt working as of yet despite following some instructions, but worry not, I have found another gem that I already owned. GP Bikes, it is, as the name suggests a bike racing game played on a ps3 controller (others work) but its not like ride in the sense that it is incredibly hard. Without assists you manage throttle, front and back brake, gears, clutch, rider lean front and back and side to side as well as steering. Getting round a lap is pretty much impossible, but it is brilliant and slightly sickly fun, especially when you tap the power on and just see sky followed usually by ground over and over.

These chaps are good at it, but gives you an idea of the sensation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mv1sPYXuj0

[born2bslow]

I'm having the same trouble. I got Dirt working but the frame rate is too low even with everything turned down. I got AC working once but even though I haven't changed any settings it won't work now. I changed everything back to normal and repeated what I'd done without success.

Project Cars is by far the best VR experience I've found outside of Oculus Home content.

[Mattygooner]

I got AC working by following the lengthy instructions on Reddit (google it, not at my machine right now), it still didn't work but after a reset it worked like a charm.

Have to say, AC handles the visuals better than pCars for me and was the more impressive as a result, was actually incredibly impressive, going backwards and over hills get my stomach going though, I imagine an outside loop in an A10 on DCS is going to make me hurl...

Really impressed with it so far, currently on a 980ti and hoping to be in a 1080ti next week so I can push the supersampling.

There really is no going back now.

[Bullett]

Looks like AC now has native Vive support, not tried it yet but d/l now.

[born2bslow]

I'm hoping the update will allow me to play AC in ORift, unfortunately I went on to steam to dl the update and picked up Motorsport Manager as it was on sale...was so hooked on the iPad version

[...Mole...]

Got a Vive last year but havent used it for months now. Anything new worth trying out nowadays? Last game i tried on it was Climbey which was pretty fun.

Did start developing some ideas using Unreal Engine but ran out of available time, hoping to get started again at some point and work towards something more cohesive than some ideas of mine thrown together https://vimeo.com/190642078

[red_slr]

I play Onward a fair bit (100+hrs) but its a bit slow pace for some people. Very realistic though.

I have also just started playing Pavlov VR which is similar but much faster paced but a lot less polished.

[Bullett]

Happy Birthday Vive!

https://blog.vive.com/us/2017/04/03/vive-day-celeb...

[130R]

Finally bought some touch controllers for the Rift. Robo Recall is just incredible if you haven't played a game like that before (also works with Revive I believe). Wow.

[snuffy]

...Mole... said:

Got a Vive last year but havent used it for months now. A

That's what I think would happen if I bought one.

I bought a GearVR for my Galaxy S6 and was totally amazed by it - for about a week. Now it's just gathering dust.

[MattyB_]

snuffy said:

...Mole... said:

Got a Vive last year but havent used it for months now. A

That's what I think would happen if I bought one.

Not used my Vive in months either. I have considered selling it....but I really, really want to try out Fallout4 VR! At the moment, everything is expensive and fairly short 1-2 hour (in all honesty) tech demos, or cockpit sims. F4VR promises to be a proper game. Should be interesting, but not due until the end of the year...

[Speckle]

I packed mine away when I had some new floors fitted a while back and it hasn't really occurred to me to set it back up again. I wouldn't sell it because I love racing games in VR so, the release of PCars 2 and Dirt 4 later this year will see me get some more use out of it. The seated experiences like driving and flight sims is still very impressive in VR.

Mostly though, the software isn't quite there yet. The developers haven't quite figured out what VR gaming is going to be as all we keep seeing are wave shooters or various attempts at FPS. Other than that, we've really been getting is a steady stream of tech demos, some of which are admittedly very impressive but many of which are pretty cr@p.

I'd like to see more in the way of live event viewing in VR. There is only one company that does it at the moment as far as I know and they are tied to the Samsung Gear and google headsets (nextvr for anyone interested). Music concerts live would also be good...hmm, i must look into that.

[snuffy]

I'm starting to get the impression that VR might be heading the same way as 3D-TV, i.e. dead in the water.

Just like 3D-TV, it appears to be too much like hard work and that is holding it back. Having said that, I've always thought 3D-TV was a huge gimmick, and I've never had any desire for one, but I did have for VR but now I've lost interest.

[Speckle]

I very much doubt that, VR has so much potential to be amazing. The wow factor of some of the current gen experiences are just a taste of what will be possible with the 2nd gen headsets. 3DTV was very much a one trick pony but, VR has countless possibilities.

[mp3manager]

Speckle said:

I very much doubt that, VR has so much potential to be amazing. The wow factor of some of the current gen experiences are just a taste of what will be possible with the 2nd gen headsets. 3DTV was very much a one trick pony but, VR has countless possibilities.

+1

Anybody who thinks VR is a dead duck should read Ready Player One.

I love my Rift but I'm waiting on the day I can get an implant and jack-in like Neo.

[130R]

snuffy said:

I'm starting to get the impression that VR might be heading the same way as 3D-TV, i.e. dead in the water.

Just like 3D-TV, it appears to be too much like hard work and that is holding it back. Having said that, I've always thought 3D-TV was a huge gimmick, and I've never had any desire for one, but I did have for VR but now I've lost interest.

Have you actually played any of the games on the Rift or the Vive though? There is absolutely no comparison to 3D TV.

[snuffy]

130R said:

ave you actually played any of the games on the Rift or the Vive though? There is absolutely no comparison to 3D TV.

I'm not making a comparison of the technologies, I'm making a comparison of the effort involved. VR still seems like a massive faff to me. Apart from the headset, it's a mass of wires (for example, I looked up today what a Vive was going for on ebay and there was a picture of all the bits and bobs you need. What a performance;) And if you want the room space stuff, then you need a room to play it in that's big enough.

As I say, I was amazed even with a GearVR, so I, sure I would think a Rift or Vive was even more amazing. But I found a GearVR to be too much effort, even after a short time.

And it's a year since Vive and Rift launched and as far as I can see nothing much has happened, it's just not taken off like I assumed it would do.

[130R]

snuffy said:

I'm not making a comparison of the technologies, I'm making a comparison of the effort involved. VR still seems like a massive faff to me. Apart from the headset, it's a mass of wires (for example, I looked up today what a Vive was going for on ebay and there was a picture of all the bits and bobs you need. What a performance;) And if you want the room space stuff, then you need a room to play it in that's big enough.

As I say, I was amazed even with a GearVR, so I, sure I would think a Rift or Vive was even more amazing. But I found a GearVR to be too much effort, even after a short time.

And it's a year since Vive and Rift launched and as far as I can see nothing much has happened, it's just not taken off like I assumed it would do.

It's definitely still early days but when you let someone have a go on one for the first time they are usually blown away at how good it is (and that is with a long way to go in terms of what resolution we should be able to get to in the years to come). More AAA games will come this year.

btw - All those wires just plug into the back of your PC except one that runs to the headset. I've not setup a Vive but the Rift is extremely easy and has a program to guide you through everything.

[Bullett]

Correct. One wire from the headset to the breakout box on the PC, 3 into the breakout box on the vive.

It's really not much of a faff once you have it set up.
You do need space to run room scale but sitting is obviously easier. I can't go back to monitors now to play racing games, amazingly immersive.

Yes, it's heavy, expensive and you need a good PC to run it effectively. Resolution isn't really good enough (but is acceptable and you forget it when in game, it become irrelevant). It is very much a niche piece of kit today.

Next gen will be cheaper and better no doubt. More suppliers coming into the market will drive down prices.
The biggest problem is software, small market low profits and by it's nature lots of experimental work going on to find the best experience.
Fallout could be a killer app but it needs something to help mainstream adoption. Everyone I show mine to things it is awesome.

I don't think it will become mainstream for years and years but advocates will pay and support it. That PC gaming is a solo or online social enterprise will help as opposed to 3D tv which is social in the same room but the glasses were a faff for a pretty poor experience.

[mp3manager]

As it stands right now, VR may be a faff but so was the internet back in the day.
I first got online in 1985, there was no web back then, only Usenet, IRC and BBS'es. It was the wild west and people thought I was weird because I had a computer hooked up to the phone line. Now everyone is online. In the future, VR will be as essential as an internet connection is today.