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So you kinda thought VR was hyped, but it didn't stop you from ordering a Vive? I think VR is incredibly hyped, just as it was 15 years ago. What do you imagi

So you kinda thought VR was hyped, but it didn't stop you from ordering a Vive? I think VR is incredibly hyped, just as it was 15 years ago. What do you imagine this new medium replacing? Games? Movies? Monitors?

madaxe_again 10y ago
Have you actually tried it? I don't mean gear VR or cardboard, I mean a vive. If you have and you still think it's hyped, enjoy shovelling horse shit while I drive my model T. Tastes differ.
cmelbye 10y ago
It replaces the default reality.
carlosdp 10y ago
What can I say, I'm a compulsive early adopter =P I also have an Apple Watch and a Myo armband, but haven't found a ton of compelling uses for them yet. I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to develop for it early if I was wrong and I had the cash to buy it. The difference from 15 years ago is that the hardware is actually here and practical. We have the tracking and displays and they are actually really good. It really creates presence, there is 0 comparison between Oculus/Vive and VR experiences of yesterday, such as the Aladdin ride in Downtown Disney. Hell, HTC is literally pivoting the entire company to the Vive. HTC/Valve + Facebook + Sony + Samsung is a ton of top-notch engineering effort being put into just the first generation of devices/software. See my comment above, but basically I imagine it'll create new media/experiences rather than replace. I don't think "floating monitors in space" will ever be compelling (maybe in AR), and I don't think "movies" as we think of them now will be practical (though I do think there is room for a more "theatre-like" approach).
- tfinniga 10y ago
  If the displays get a lot higher res, I could see myself using stacks of floating displays for apps instead of my current multimonitor display. Imagine being completely surrounded by digital paper that defies the laws of physics.
  - carlosdp 10y ago
    For me, the headsets would also need to be way lower profile. I think by then the distinction between AR/VR will be very small though.
    - tfinniga 10y ago
      Research is promising: https://research.nvidia.com/publication/near-eye-light-field-displays https://research.nvidia.com/publication/near-eye-light-field...
      - kbenson 10y ago
        Wow, that's cool. Light-weight, close to actual sunglasses size, and able to correct for prescription? I want to try these.
        boulos 10y ago
        They were letting people try them on at the Emerging Technologies booth at SIGGRAPH. You could get yourself one of the cheap passes and come down to Anaheim in a couple of weeks, I'm sure they'll have their latest revision.
        kbenson 10y ago
        I'm actually going to be in Anaheim the weekend of the 16th (Disneyland), but making it back down there a week later isn't going to work with my already planned vacation later. :/ If only I could find a way to convince my employer that this conference is related to the job at hand...
BigJono 10y ago
Probably just games, though other uses will pop up too. TotalBiscuit (the Youtuber) said he got one of the Samsung VR things (I forget the name, the one where you put your phone in it) and used it to watch a movie on a long flight, and it completely removed his fear of flying.
- majewsky 10y ago
  Gear VR is the name.
munchbunny 10y ago
After playing Elite: Dangerous with the Rift, I can corroborate that it's a legitimately amazing experience that is a huge step up from both playing with stereo 3D or regular monitors. VR might stay as a somewhat specialized medium, but within the medium the possibilities are very compelling.
27182818284 10y ago
>Monitors? Maybe someone can chime in here, but doesn't the Hololens team already do some dev by wearing them in place of monitors at this point?
- wuliwong 10y ago
  I've heard that but I really suspect that is just some story put out largely for PR sake. The resolution is something around 720p per eye. But that essentially means 720p total, right? Because the "per eye" part basically means that it is stereoscopic 720p. The one scenario I imagined working at that resolution that would really be helpful is if you were actually working on the the code in your current view? Then updating and reloading wouldn't require you to take the headset on and off. But stories of the engineers not using regular monitors anymore seems a bit far fetched.
  - rurounijones 10y ago
    This is the only reason I am waiting for the next Gen VR. The resolutions right now are just too low. I tried the vive demo and was blown away (I could play the spice pirate trainer game until my body gave out) but the low resolution was noticeable (along with the screen door effect) and I had trouble reading text.
  - hexane360 10y ago
    But there is something to be said for having your entire vision devoted to what you're doing. Once resolutions get higher, you have almost your entire FOV to devote to code, browsing, whatever. And being able to control your screen just by moving your head will be pretty crazy.
wuliwong 10y ago
VR definitely hits games and porn pretty naturally, right now. Games like Hover Junkers are an example of great early execution in this medium. I think VR movies are a still a bit off, though I could be totally wrong. The reason I say that is because some of the fundamental theories used in making a movie are different in VR. Namely, you can't be certain you know where the "camera" is. :) Also, VR movies require a lot of new and developing camera hardware and editing software to come along. There are some cool things out now but my understanding is it is all very new and developing. Ultimately, I still buy in on VR movies, though. I am a believer in VR movies mainly because of my own experience watching short films in VR was super cool but also from watching videos of people curled up in the fetal position as they were being shown some scary movie in VR. It's visceral in a way that has not been achievable up until now. I also think AR well be a widely adopted medium and there might become a pretty gray distinction after a while. I could imagine headsets or glasses that you can increase or decrease how much external light comes through. I can see doing things like checking email, facebook, etc. being done in AR but still allowing you to go about your normal routine like making coffee and breakfast or walking the dog. Seems far more compelling than looking at notifications on my watch. Eventually, I also suspect that we will be "mainlining" these experiences and not be wearing headsets at all. Implanting some device that directly stimulates the necessary parts of the brain (or other parts of the body needed).
- 2muchcoffeeman 10y ago
  Namely, you can't be certain you know where the "camera" is. Aren't you assuming that they would allow the wearer to change the camera position? You could film a movie or design a game such that the camera location is fixed or on rails. You're more like an observer than a participant. Eg. Chronos and Edge of Nowhere
  - sten 10y ago
    I believe the GP was refering to the production of films and movies. For example, much of the Lord of the Rings films were shot with forced perspective. How would that translate into a VR medium?
  - 10y ago
haydenlee 10y ago
Theoretically? Everything.
drzaiusapelord 10y ago
>What do you imagine this new medium replacing? Games? Movies? Monitors? Why would it? It supplements my other recreational activities. The same way a Xbox didn't replace PC gaming or flat screen TV's didn't replace movies. >I think VR is incredibly hyped, just as it was 15 years ago. I own a Vive. Its kinda amazing. No, people won't be "locked in VR and refuse to leave" and other hysterics, but what we are able to do right now is exceptional. Its the most interesting thing I've bought in a long time. I see these breathless essays on HN and reddit about new cellphones or some new laptop that you have to squint to see the difference between the old and the new versions. I think some level of hype is justified here. If people can lose their shit over the annual new iphone or ipad then can certainly lose their shit over VR. That said, there is a lot of hype, but that's part of being in a competitive marketplace full of marketers and advertisers. Arguably, if the hype was toned down then a lot of people interested in VR would have never heard of the Vive. Hype/marketing/pr serves a purpose.

madaxe_again 10y ago

Have you actually tried it? I don't mean gear VR or cardboard, I mean a vive. If you have and you still think it's hyped, enjoy shovelling horse shit while I drive my model T. Tastes differ.

cmelbye 10y ago

It replaces the default reality.

carlosdp 10y ago

What can I say, I'm a compulsive early adopter =P I also have an Apple Watch and a Myo armband, but haven't found a ton of compelling uses for them yet. I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to develop for it early if I was wrong and I had the cash to buy it. The difference from 15 years ago is that the hardware is actually here and practical. We have the tracking and displays and they are actually really good. It really creates presence, there is 0 comparison between Oculus/Vive and VR experiences of yesterday, such as the Aladdin ride in Downtown Disney. Hell, HTC is literally pivoting the entire company to the Vive. HTC/Valve + Facebook + Sony + Samsung is a ton of top-notch engineering effort being put into just the first generation of devices/software. See my comment above, but basically I imagine it'll create new media/experiences rather than replace. I don't think "floating monitors in space" will ever be compelling (maybe in AR), and I don't think "movies" as we think of them now will be practical (though I do think there is room for a more "theatre-like" approach).

tfinniga 10y ago
If the displays get a lot higher res, I could see myself using stacks of floating displays for apps instead of my current multimonitor display. Imagine being completely surrounded by digital paper that defies the laws of physics.
- carlosdp 10y ago
  For me, the headsets would also need to be way lower profile. I think by then the distinction between AR/VR will be very small though.
  - tfinniga 10y ago
    Research is promising: https://research.nvidia.com/publication/near-eye-light-field-displays https://research.nvidia.com/publication/near-eye-light-field...
    - kbenson 10y ago
      Wow, that's cool. Light-weight, close to actual sunglasses size, and able to correct for prescription? I want to try these.
      - boulos 10y ago
        They were letting people try them on at the Emerging Technologies booth at SIGGRAPH. You could get yourself one of the cheap passes and come down to Anaheim in a couple of weeks, I'm sure they'll have their latest revision.
        kbenson 10y ago
        I'm actually going to be in Anaheim the weekend of the 16th (Disneyland), but making it back down there a week later isn't going to work with my already planned vacation later. :/ If only I could find a way to convince my employer that this conference is related to the job at hand...

BigJono 10y ago

Probably just games, though other uses will pop up too. TotalBiscuit (the Youtuber) said he got one of the Samsung VR things (I forget the name, the one where you put your phone in it) and used it to watch a movie on a long flight, and it completely removed his fear of flying.

majewsky 10y ago
Gear VR is the name.

munchbunny 10y ago

After playing Elite: Dangerous with the Rift, I can corroborate that it's a legitimately amazing experience that is a huge step up from both playing with stereo 3D or regular monitors. VR might stay as a somewhat specialized medium, but within the medium the possibilities are very compelling.

27182818284 10y ago

>Monitors? Maybe someone can chime in here, but doesn't the Hololens team already do some dev by wearing them in place of monitors at this point?

wuliwong 10y ago
I've heard that but I really suspect that is just some story put out largely for PR sake. The resolution is something around 720p per eye. But that essentially means 720p total, right? Because the "per eye" part basically means that it is stereoscopic 720p. The one scenario I imagined working at that resolution that would really be helpful is if you were actually working on the the code in your current view? Then updating and reloading wouldn't require you to take the headset on and off. But stories of the engineers not using regular monitors anymore seems a bit far fetched.
- rurounijones 10y ago
  This is the only reason I am waiting for the next Gen VR. The resolutions right now are just too low. I tried the vive demo and was blown away (I could play the spice pirate trainer game until my body gave out) but the low resolution was noticeable (along with the screen door effect) and I had trouble reading text.
- hexane360 10y ago
  But there is something to be said for having your entire vision devoted to what you're doing. Once resolutions get higher, you have almost your entire FOV to devote to code, browsing, whatever. And being able to control your screen just by moving your head will be pretty crazy.

wuliwong 10y ago

VR definitely hits games and porn pretty naturally, right now. Games like Hover Junkers are an example of great early execution in this medium. I think VR movies are a still a bit off, though I could be totally wrong. The reason I say that is because some of the fundamental theories used in making a movie are different in VR. Namely, you can't be certain you know where the "camera" is. :) Also, VR movies require a lot of new and developing camera hardware and editing software to come along. There are some cool things out now but my understanding is it is all very new and developing. Ultimately, I still buy in on VR movies, though. I am a believer in VR movies mainly because of my own experience watching short films in VR was super cool but also from watching videos of people curled up in the fetal position as they were being shown some scary movie in VR. It's visceral in a way that has not been achievable up until now. I also think AR well be a widely adopted medium and there might become a pretty gray distinction after a while. I could imagine headsets or glasses that you can increase or decrease how much external light comes through. I can see doing things like checking email, facebook, etc. being done in AR but still allowing you to go about your normal routine like making coffee and breakfast or walking the dog. Seems far more compelling than looking at notifications on my watch. Eventually, I also suspect that we will be "mainlining" these experiences and not be wearing headsets at all. Implanting some device that directly stimulates the necessary parts of the brain (or other parts of the body needed).

2muchcoffeeman 10y ago
Namely, you can't be certain you know where the "camera" is. Aren't you assuming that they would allow the wearer to change the camera position? You could film a movie or design a game such that the camera location is fixed or on rails. You're more like an observer than a participant. Eg. Chronos and Edge of Nowhere
- sten 10y ago
  I believe the GP was refering to the production of films and movies. For example, much of the Lord of the Rings films were shot with forced perspective. How would that translate into a VR medium?
- 10y ago

haydenlee 10y ago

Theoretically? Everything.

drzaiusapelord 10y ago

>What do you imagine this new medium replacing? Games? Movies? Monitors? Why would it? It supplements my other recreational activities. The same way a Xbox didn't replace PC gaming or flat screen TV's didn't replace movies. >I think VR is incredibly hyped, just as it was 15 years ago. I own a Vive. Its kinda amazing. No, people won't be "locked in VR and refuse to leave" and other hysterics, but what we are able to do right now is exceptional. Its the most interesting thing I've bought in a long time. I see these breathless essays on HN and reddit about new cellphones or some new laptop that you have to squint to see the difference between the old and the new versions. I think some level of hype is justified here. If people can lose their shit over the annual new iphone or ipad then can certainly lose their shit over VR. That said, there is a lot of hype, but that's part of being in a competitive marketplace full of marketers and advertisers. Arguably, if the hype was toned down then a lot of people interested in VR would have never heard of the Vive. Hype/marketing/pr serves a purpose.