6 ms·

The problem I see is my PSVR1 is dusty because I'm bored with it. It was a cool experience and battlezone was fun but maybe 20 hours in and I'm done and its du

by VLM 4y ago

The problem I see is my PSVR1 is dusty because I'm bored with it. It was a cool experience and battlezone was fun but maybe 20 hours in and I'm done and its dusty. The marketing solution to the PSVR1 being boring is "its got more pixels and no backwards compatibility". That message is just not going to sell to upgraders like me. "It costs more" is not going to sell to people who couldn't/wouldn't pay for the PSVR1. So who's supposed to buy this, exactly? People who collect VR headsets is not a large enough market. The technology reminds me of the wii fit balance board. If you can't have 20 hours of fun with that, there's something wrong with you. Likewise, if you're having more than 20 hours of fun, I have to ask "how?" Its about as many hours of fun as a VR headset, but costs less. The balance board is just a few years older than VR headsets and nobody sells that type of tech anymore. That is the future of VR headsets. I think this is a valid HN story in the sense of being an object lesson in how not to sell something technological. Your marketing message needs to be aimed at a market and has to have a message, you can't just leave those two parts out and expect product success.

jonny_eh 4y ago
My experience is identical to yours. I loved the PSVR but sold it 6 months later due to lack of use. Half-Life Alyx was the only game to come out for VR that I wish I could check out. But even that isn’t worth the cost and space investment in a new headset.
chaostheory 4y ago
6 years is a lifetime in technology and a lot has changed. There are new use cases for VR since you last tried it. 1. Fitness - It's just a lot more fun to do when you're boxing in a Mike Tyson's Punch Out clone or slicing blocks with lightsabers. There are also VR specific fitness apps have a lot more variety than normal cardio exercises. In my case, I've lost 20 lbs to date... playing VR video games 2. Social - For friends and family who are hundreds or thousands of miles away, XR becomes a platform for hanging out with them while doing activities like ping pong, bowling, table top games, mini golf, and more. It has way more immersion and presence than a Zoom, Facetime, or normal phone call. I would try it out again one day before rushing to judgement. At least you tried it the first time though unlike everyone else.
- boardwaalk 4y ago
  I respectfully disagree. I think VR is about in the same place experience-wise. PSVR has Beat Saber. And the social experiences (I'm assuming you mean VRChat and such) are... just fine, in my opinion? And I definitely have long-distance relationships where it makes sense. The novelty wears off quick and being isolated and with an uncomfortable headset on is a non-negligible cost vs video/voice/text. (I have a recent headset and associated hardware, FWIW.)
  - chaostheory 4y ago
    > I think VR is about in the same place experience-wise. If all you've experienced is PSVR1, the visual fidelity has gotten much better on newer platforms and so have the controls and tracking which all greatly affect the experience. Wireless is also a big game changer. > And the social experiences (I'm assuming you mean VRChat and such) are... just fine, in my opinion? And I definitely have long-distance relationships where it makes sense. The novelty wears off quick How can the novelty for social wear off when you haven't actually tried the social portion? That didn't exist on PSVR. (and no, I wasn't talking about VRChat) Working out in VR also handily beats working out without it. In many cases, the novelty does not wear off since working out without VR tends to be very repetitive and dull. > I have a recent headset and associated hardware, FWIW. Which one? If so, why don't you discuss that "recent headset" instead of ancient 6 year old hardware that no one really uses anymore?
    - hacym 4y ago
      I think you’re looking at VR from a point of view that it can do no wrong, for some reason. If VR workouts are so fun, why isn’t there a larger adoption of it? If the social interactions are so incredible, why aren’t people living their lives in VR yet? The answer is pretty simple… because it’s really not. The experience is 90% novelty and once that wears off you really don’t have much left unless you find a game you really really enjoy. VR has had enough time to see adoption numbers reach critical mass. They just haven’t. Most people that own them are probably like me and the person who posted their original opinion. They sit and gather dust.
Salgat 4y ago
That's my biggest fear with PSVR2. There's a few AAA games and then a bunch of indie games and that's it. Until Sony treats VR as a first-class citizen I don't see this changing.

by VLM 4y ago

jonny_eh 4y ago

My experience is identical to yours. I loved the PSVR but sold it 6 months later due to lack of use. Half-Life Alyx was the only game to come out for VR that I wish I could check out. But even that isn’t worth the cost and space investment in a new headset.

chaostheory 4y ago

6 years is a lifetime in technology and a lot has changed. There are new use cases for VR since you last tried it. 1. Fitness - It's just a lot more fun to do when you're boxing in a Mike Tyson's Punch Out clone or slicing blocks with lightsabers. There are also VR specific fitness apps have a lot more variety than normal cardio exercises. In my case, I've lost 20 lbs to date... playing VR video games 2. Social - For friends and family who are hundreds or thousands of miles away, XR becomes a platform for hanging out with them while doing activities like ping pong, bowling, table top games, mini golf, and more. It has way more immersion and presence than a Zoom, Facetime, or normal phone call. I would try it out again one day before rushing to judgement. At least you tried it the first time though unlike everyone else.

boardwaalk 4y ago
I respectfully disagree. I think VR is about in the same place experience-wise. PSVR has Beat Saber. And the social experiences (I'm assuming you mean VRChat and such) are... just fine, in my opinion? And I definitely have long-distance relationships where it makes sense. The novelty wears off quick and being isolated and with an uncomfortable headset on is a non-negligible cost vs video/voice/text. (I have a recent headset and associated hardware, FWIW.)
- chaostheory 4y ago
  > I think VR is about in the same place experience-wise. If all you've experienced is PSVR1, the visual fidelity has gotten much better on newer platforms and so have the controls and tracking which all greatly affect the experience. Wireless is also a big game changer. > And the social experiences (I'm assuming you mean VRChat and such) are... just fine, in my opinion? And I definitely have long-distance relationships where it makes sense. The novelty wears off quick How can the novelty for social wear off when you haven't actually tried the social portion? That didn't exist on PSVR. (and no, I wasn't talking about VRChat) Working out in VR also handily beats working out without it. In many cases, the novelty does not wear off since working out without VR tends to be very repetitive and dull. > I have a recent headset and associated hardware, FWIW. Which one? If so, why don't you discuss that "recent headset" instead of ancient 6 year old hardware that no one really uses anymore?
  - hacym 4y ago
    I think you’re looking at VR from a point of view that it can do no wrong, for some reason. If VR workouts are so fun, why isn’t there a larger adoption of it? If the social interactions are so incredible, why aren’t people living their lives in VR yet? The answer is pretty simple… because it’s really not. The experience is 90% novelty and once that wears off you really don’t have much left unless you find a game you really really enjoy. VR has had enough time to see adoption numbers reach critical mass. They just haven’t. Most people that own them are probably like me and the person who posted their original opinion. They sit and gather dust.

Salgat 4y ago

That's my biggest fear with PSVR2. There's a few AAA games and then a bunch of indie games and that's it. Until Sony treats VR as a first-class citizen I don't see this changing.