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First Look at the Rift, Shipping Q1 2016

305 points by z3phyr 11y ago

monk_e_boy 11y ago
Time to upgrade my PC. What is minimum spec graphics card needed?
- Roritharr 11y ago
  For what? VR experiences differ as much as any graphical simulation in terms of needed performance. Thats why the GearVR is a thing next to the Oculus Rift. Pick any Mid-Range Card and upgrade once you hit a roadblock, that will keep your expenses reasonable while not excluding you from experiences if you deem them necessary.
  - monk_e_boy 11y ago
    Oh, I figured running two high def screens would require a beefy graphics card.
    - unwind 11y ago
      The current development kit prototype is just 1920×1080, which is split horizontally into 960x1080 per eye. So it's really not "two high def screens". Hopefully they will be able to improve this further before shipping the consumer version.
      - agildehaus 11y ago
        The consumer version of the Rift has been confirmed to have multiple screens. Resolution is not confirmed yet.
      - jobigoud 11y ago
        Due to lens distorsion, rendering are done at higher resolution in order to get 1:1 pixel density at the center of the screens.
    - Roritharr 11y ago
      If all you do is watch prerendered movies that fit the oculus, it certainly doesn't require a very beefy card. Of course if you want to experience GTA 5 in this resolution and necessary framerate, thats a whole different matter.
- electricblue 11y ago
  Nobody knows what the final specs are yet, look at the resolution and the refresh rate when they release that info and pick a card that can reach that frame rate in your favorite game. I'm hoping for 120hz!
  - monk_e_boy 11y ago
    Dang, I was hoping for 24fps cinematic quality [joke]
- mrspeaker 11y ago
  Good question, I say... I have the DK2 and I don't have the nvidia card in my macbook. It runs... ok, but is really an issue with heavier games/demos. Dropping frames with VR is a huge problem if you get dizzy at all - it makes it a lot worse.
  - soylentcola 11y ago
    Sure, but you have several things working against you. Integrated graphics aren't gonna be great for even non-VR applications if they're graphically demanding. And you're running 1) a laptop, and 2) a Macbook so you've got something that is much more geared toward lower power usage and (in the case of most Apple notebooks) thinness and lightness so those power tradeoffs may be more pronounced. Honestly, I'm impressed you've been able to do a whole lot with it at all. I've got a fairly decent laptop (i7, 16GB RAM, and a mediocre nVidia 760m GPU) and it's still been underwhelming when I hooked the Rift up to it. Desktop will be much more power for the buck this early in the game. Portable will catch up but you sacrifice some bang for the buck when you get something more optimized for portability and battery life.
- verytrivial 11y ago
  I would quite honestly pay for N64-grade graphics if delivered with head tracking and ultra-low latency. I strongly believe that as in literature, most of the immersion experience is in the mind. Oculus technology (+3D sound) really helps to get the computer out of the way of the story.
  - monk_e_boy 11y ago
    > ultra-low latency Agreed. Wonder what they'll suggest? Prob one with tons of fast memory. I read that most devs are using the new Nvidia 980s because the latency is less.
    - adam12 11y ago
      A $550 video card on top of the price of the device itself? If that is the case, I'm going to have to wait for a device to come out like Hololens that can stand on its own.
      - Raphmedia 11y ago
        If you are a gamer, you should already have that to play current gen games at max settings. I'm on $1000 worth of GPU right now for 4k, and the 4k screen itself was about $500. Don't make it sound like Oculus is more expensive than what gamer already have to pay to get the best experience.
        clarky07 11y ago
        Lots of people game without playing everything on max. The difference here is that the oculus WON'T work with the max setup. Most other games work just fine. I play lots of games on my iMac I use for work, but it obviously can't run the oculus. I'd have to buy another 1500-2000 machine just for it, and that is tough to swallow.
        sadface 11y ago
        You're not wrong re: best experience, but your $1000 of GPU + $500 screen puts you in like the top 1% of gamers. Most ppl are gaming on cheap rigs, laptops, etc. It's possible that FB/Oculus are trying to make something that will only appeal to the big spending "prestige-rig" gamer set, but I'd think that they would be trying to make a product that will be compelling to a bigger audience.
- Tepix 11y ago
  Buy the GPU at the last moment. Expect to spend $500.
- jamespacileo 11y ago
  I would wait for Q1 2016 for an upgrade. The new PASCAL Nvidia cards will be out and so will the new Intel chips will be releasing this August (with potentially a progression to 7nm next year).
- bryanlarsen 11y ago
  Why upgrade now? 10 months is a long time in the world of graphics cards. At least wait a month or two to see if the new AMD cards like the 380 are any good -- even if they aren't nVidia may reduce prices to compete.
- monk_e_boy 11y ago
  http://vrfocus.com/archives/14917/nvidia-ceo-vr-going-future-gaming/ http://vrfocus.com/archives/14917/nvidia-ceo-vr-going-future... gtx980
axx 11y ago
Can't wait to preorder! I'm holding out for the consumer edition since the DK1 and i'm very happy to hear it's coming soon! :)
- Tepix 11y ago
  Soon? Q1/2016 is still up to 10 months away. It's going to be a painful wait.
  - Raphmedia 11y ago
    That's not even a year. It's barely more than the time for a pregnancy. Pretty soon for our first consumer contact with virtual reality if you ask me!
Revell 11y ago
Very much looking forward to the end-product being released, let's hope it lives up to the hype!
imaginenore 11y ago
4K fingers crossed.
- higherpurpose 11y ago
  If the Note 5 has a 4k screen, it might. However, I have a feeling Oculus will want to use something that's heavily tested instead (unfortunatley because 4k would be great, going by this: http://vr.mkeblx.net/oculus-sim/ http://vr.mkeblx.net/oculus-sim/ )
  - dangerlibrary 11y ago
    If anything, that demo demonstrates how much more important getting the screen door effect under control is, as opposed to increased resolution.
- thefreeman 11y ago
  They can't even render 1080p with low enough latency and high enough frame rate currently. Are you going hooking your Occulus up to a super computer?
  - puzzlingcaptcha 11y ago
    14 nm GPUs are coming in 2016.
  - LesZedCB 11y ago
    GPUs will continue improving. For now, upscaling would still be very good, especially for screen door effect. Though, I have a gtx980 that is just fine pushing incredible frame rates at 4k.
  - jamespacileo 11y ago
    It would obviously be an upscaled resolution in games. 4k is for the screen door effect. 4k is necessary for readable text, ability to watch HD movies and using virtual monitors. Currently the resolution is too low for any of these, as in it works but not good enough for being practical.
superplussed 11y ago
I'm so impressed by their restraint on waiting until the product was right before going to market.
- monk_e_boy 11y ago
  I guess they don't want it to be a flop, or lacklustre. I think apple have raised the bar with what consumers expect from a 'gadget'... I hope input is good. I trust that the VR will be good, but input, need good input.
  - supercoder 11y ago
    Or Google has shown what happens when a 'gadget' doesn't meet expectations.
- Symmetry 11y ago
  Too many people getting motion sickness could kill the VR market for years.
  - nolok 11y ago
    It already did, two decades ago
    - StevenXC 11y ago
      See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy#Reception http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy#Reception
- threeseed 11y ago
  Same. Apple has shown time and time again that nothing good comes from rushing into a new market with a half baked product. You will win the fight but lose the war. Hopefully they are smart enough to ship it with a polished SDK, App Store and some good content.
  - 11y ago
TheCraiggers 11y ago
Argh, the title of the post has the exact same amount of info as the article does. I was hoping for details on the changes to the hardware different from the current dev kit. Or more importantly, I was hoping to read why I should still care when Valve's offering is planned to come out this year and is supposedly the bee's knees.
- Phrodo_00 11y ago
  The SteamVR page seays they will be releasing a developer's edition this spring. Is it supposed to be more or less the same as the consumer version? I'd figure it shouldn't be since they can use the feedback from the developer community, but I haven't heard anything about it.
  - TheCraiggers 11y ago
    Found this about the Valve offering: "A developer edition is set to launch this spring, with the consumer version becoming available "later in 2015", which we guess means the same November release window as the other Steam kit." http://www.wareable.com/vr/htc-vive-vr-headset-release-date-price-specs-7929 http://www.wareable.com/vr/htc-vive-vr-headset-release-date-...
  - Tepix 11y ago
    No, the consumer version will have a higher screen resolution and other improvements.
- baggachipz 11y ago
  If Valve's timing on their VR is anything like their timing for, well, everything else they do... I think the Rift will be out first.
  - wlesieutre 11y ago
    Thankfully, Valve has HTC building the things instead of trying to figure out manufacturing by themselves. Maybe that's enough to get them off Valve Time.
sekasi 11y ago
I'm genuinely surprised we didn't see a DK3 in crescent bay before commercial release. Great news!
longlivegnu 11y ago
Linux support when
- jimrandomh 11y ago
  They currently have a Linux SDK on developer.oculus.com, so looks like Linux support now, for the hardware they've already shipped. Third-party games are a different matter, but that's less inside their control.
  - longlivegnu 11y ago
    I think utilizing the SDK is a bit different than a run time (Which both OSX and Windows have)
    - jimrandomh 11y ago
      For the OSX and Windows versions, the SDK package actually includes both development tools (headers, etc) and the runtime; the only reason to offer a package which leaves out the development stuff, is to make the download smaller, which seems unimportant. You can get a sense of where the Linux support currently stands by looking at share.oculus.com, where third-party developers can submit their games and demos, and you can filter the list by which operating systems they support.
      - longlivegnu 11y ago
        Oh okay, thank you :)
dangerlibrary 11y ago
I was able to get a demo of the Crescent Bay prototype (hand-built tech demo of the consumer version) at PAX East this year. I've also tried the DK1 and DK2. If you've been playing with the DK1 or DK2, the consumer version is fundamentally better. Do not assume you know what the state of the art is until you've gotten your hands on a preview. I don't know exactly what the resolution differences are, and I don't care - it's not the relevant spec to compare. It's gotten to the point where resolution is "good enough" to trick the mind and anyone who says otherwise is bikeshedding. They've gotten the screen door effect under control. With head tracking implemented and drift solved as a side effect, two huge problems are gone. Their low-latency head tracking stops people from feeling nauseated like they did with DK1. I could barely stand without wanting to vomit after playing the Doom demo. The only game I could play for any length of time was a simple platform jumping game called Rift Rush. I don't know what they consider their largest hurdles, but from my perspective the hardware/software problems are solved for now and they need excellent made-for-VR content. When done well, the effect is stunning - in one of that calmer, more exploration-oriented demos I just stared at the light glinting off a metal bowl as I moved around it for at least 30 seconds. But the difference between "good" and "mind blowing" was often the result of things that nobody has thought about before. In the movie-like demos, sometimes I missed things because I had my back to the action. In VR movies, the user controls the camera and needs to be told where to look; that's a problem nobody making movies has ever faced before. Even Pixar's demo suffered from this - the action was too spread out for the screen's field of view.
- return0 11y ago
  i found the screen resolution to be a disappointment in DK2. Otherwise it was fine, nausea is still there, but i guess we 'll never be able to get rid of it.
- doorhammer 11y ago
  I never got to use Crescent Bay, but I've got a DK2 at home. Resolution for me will be a non-issue once I can read smallish text on virtual signs/displays. I'm thinking mostly for games like Elite Dangerous and other simulators like that, where a cockpit display is part of the game. Do you think the crescent bay prototype is at that point? (this might be a naive question as it's been awhile since I've looked up anything on the newest prototypes) Otherwise I'm with you. Positional tracking was the thing that really made it awesome for me. There are so many tiny head movements that you make when you're looking around; if positional tracking isn't pretty much 100%, then it just feels wrong.
nbaksalyar 11y ago
It's mind blowing how fast we've got to realistic virtual reality with Oculus Rift and graphic techinques like global illumination (e.g., see "Unreal Paris" demo: https://youtu.be/Y6PQ19BEE24 https://youtu.be/Y6PQ19BEE24) and inevitably forthcoming real-time raytracing. We live in a truly incredible time.
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
swalsh 11y ago
Honestly, I'm really excited about all these headsets. But I can only afford to buy 1 (day care) To me Vive seems more immersive from a gaming point of view, and hololens seems more practical. I bought a DK1 a few years ago, and developed a few things for it, but it wasn't super compelling for me (yet). I spend more time in my basement woodworking these days then gaming. So i'll probably buy a hololens, I want to design furniture in 3D while seeing how it will look in the spot that it will eventually "live". I know AR != VR, but if I can only have one, i'll choose AR.
mangeletti 11y ago
I'm very excited about this release. In my opinion, they've taken a bit too long, and now they have a high likelihood of being dethroned between now and their release date (e.g., Magic Leap, Holo Lens, Gear VR, etc.).
- krolley 11y ago
  Have any of those companies announced a release date for any of their products though? As far as I am aware, the rift is still (or will be) the first consumer accessible VR product.
  - dcre 11y ago
    Technically, the Gear VR has been available to consumers for months and months already, though since it lacks head-tracking and desktop-quality graphics it's not quite the same thing. In addition, being what Samsung calls an "innovator edition", it has not been fully marketed to consumers at large (e.g., on buses and billboards). However, John Carmack hinted in a recent keynote on mobile VR[1] that the next version of Gear VR would be promoted widely for all consumers and that it would come out along with the next major Samsung phone release, presumably the Note 5. The Note phones get updated every September. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB_u3FvUTQc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB_u3FvUTQc
  - mangeletti 11y ago
    Yes. Microsoft said Holo Lens was coming out this summer - http://bgr.com/2015/05/01/microsoft-hololens-release-date-and-price/ http://bgr.com/2015/05/01/microsoft-hololens-release-date-an...
Symmetry 11y ago
Everybody talks about VR in terms of games but I wonder if it might be possible to create a productive desktop using a VR helmet. Surely it would be easy to emulate having N monitors but I bet you could do better.
- BigChiefSmokem 11y ago
  HoloLens is a better candidate for that. If I'm going to seriously work in a virtual space all around me I rather it be an "open" (AR vs VR) environment.
- philmcc 11y ago
  Yes, it will be. Here's a fairly fun demonstration of exactly that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db-7J5OaSag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db-7J5OaSag
  - myth_buster 11y ago
    This is what excites me. 360deg desktops with depth perception. This will disrupt quite a few areas least of which would be multiple monitor setups. An interesting implementation would be virtually working from a beach or sitting on top of a colorado 14er. Just have a table fan sending randomized breeze your way. :)
  - corysama 11y ago
    There's a small subreddit devoted to the idea of programming inside VR. Several examples there. http://www.reddit.com/r/hmdprogramming http://www.reddit.com/r/hmdprogramming
    - dzhiurgis 11y ago
      These ideas does not provide any novelty. There is potential to re-imagine programming, but I have no clue how. Also, keyboard input is not very compatible with HMD. I guess brain interfaces are the most promising, but why can't we just tap into my pinky's nerve and train my brain to use that as output?
- 11y ago
theklub 11y ago
Would be really excited but then I remembered facebook owns this and I got sad.
Pfhreak 11y ago
Here's hoping they fix the issue for those of us with wide heads. I've spent a fair amount of time tinkering with my DK2 to get a good experience with my wide IPD of 73mm. I bought some 3D printed lens holders that widen the lenses, and they helped quite a bit. Without them, my view was blurry in one eye which caused a fair amount of discomfort. I'm wholly onboard for the headset, the DK2 is a fantastic experience (barring the experience of setting it up and launching applications, which is totally fixable.) Can't wait to see the consumer edition.
chrionsr 11y ago
Can't wait for this experience! Good luck towards E3.
steve-benjamins 11y ago
Recently I finally got to try VR— the Samsung Gear VR. I was a bit disappointed (my expectations were ridiculously high going into it though). I was surprised to find (1) the resolution to be quite pixelated and (2) visible black strips of the hardware bordering my viewport. After usage, both the resolution and the visible hardware were not issues. They "melted" away and I was "immersed". But I'm curious: is the Rift expected to be higher quality than Gear in this regard?
- amckenna 11y ago
  Yeah the Samsung Gear VR was like a mobile consumer version of the DK2. The Rift (CV1) will be a definite improvement over the Samsung Gear VR in terms of tracking, audio, and resolution (resolution hasn't been released yet but it is assumed).
  - steve-benjamins 11y ago
    Awesome— thanks!
justifier 11y ago
from my experience with the dk2 i felt their biggest issues were: hard plastic frame, eye tracking, blood circulation the hard plastic frame limits the variability of the distance between two pupils. Pupillary distance is ~62mm for women and ~64mm for men(i). With obvious variance even within the sexes. Just hardcoding a distance is a limitation that requires the brain to work harder to massage the inconsistencies causing added strain. ( the images appear to show lenses that are now even unable to be removed, one potential solution i saw was the possibility of buying lens kits for offsetting the lens to your specific pupillary distance ) the lack of eye tracking really disrupts the experience. Look around the place you are in right now, but keep your eyes straight only moving your neck as you move from object to object. The movements are awkward and feel like a retrofuture automaton. Now look around casually and notice how often you utilise the movement of the eyeball. ( unable to tell at this moment if there is any extra hardware in the mask ) as for the blood circulation if i wore the dk2 for more than 20m and took it off to look in the mirror the area around my eyes was white for want of blood and highlighted by the red marks where the mask was pressed against my face. ( the images show the same face pressing frame ) i had many more issues with the dk2, but these three seemed to me to be confirmation proofs that the direction digital stereoscopy is going in is innately flawed a constructive alternative would be digital stereoscopy that uses eye tracking to measure pupillary distance and the pupils' direction vector in order to create a scene ad hoc, or virtual reality through direct sensory manipulation (i) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pupillary_distance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pupillary_distance
appsonify 11y ago
how far away will tactile simulation gloves come into market? imagine gripping in-game items, being able to control them as you would with real objects. squeeze to fill the glove pressing back, feel cold/warmth, feel textiles. Combined with increasingly photorealistic games + VR...we are at the mouth of uncanny valley...it's going to be a very interesting decade. Maybe we live in a future where people completely abandon their real world life in favor of a virtual one while the appratus in the real world just keeps you alive, very much like Matrix...

305 points by z3phyr 11y ago

monk_e_boy 11y ago

Time to upgrade my PC. What is minimum spec graphics card needed?

Roritharr 11y ago
For what? VR experiences differ as much as any graphical simulation in terms of needed performance. Thats why the GearVR is a thing next to the Oculus Rift. Pick any Mid-Range Card and upgrade once you hit a roadblock, that will keep your expenses reasonable while not excluding you from experiences if you deem them necessary.
- monk_e_boy 11y ago
  Oh, I figured running two high def screens would require a beefy graphics card.
  - unwind 11y ago
    The current development kit prototype is just 1920×1080, which is split horizontally into 960x1080 per eye. So it's really not "two high def screens". Hopefully they will be able to improve this further before shipping the consumer version.
    - agildehaus 11y ago
      The consumer version of the Rift has been confirmed to have multiple screens. Resolution is not confirmed yet.
    - jobigoud 11y ago
      Due to lens distorsion, rendering are done at higher resolution in order to get 1:1 pixel density at the center of the screens.
  - Roritharr 11y ago
    If all you do is watch prerendered movies that fit the oculus, it certainly doesn't require a very beefy card. Of course if you want to experience GTA 5 in this resolution and necessary framerate, thats a whole different matter.
electricblue 11y ago
Nobody knows what the final specs are yet, look at the resolution and the refresh rate when they release that info and pick a card that can reach that frame rate in your favorite game. I'm hoping for 120hz!
- monk_e_boy 11y ago
  Dang, I was hoping for 24fps cinematic quality [joke]
mrspeaker 11y ago
Good question, I say... I have the DK2 and I don't have the nvidia card in my macbook. It runs... ok, but is really an issue with heavier games/demos. Dropping frames with VR is a huge problem if you get dizzy at all - it makes it a lot worse.
- soylentcola 11y ago
  Sure, but you have several things working against you. Integrated graphics aren't gonna be great for even non-VR applications if they're graphically demanding. And you're running 1) a laptop, and 2) a Macbook so you've got something that is much more geared toward lower power usage and (in the case of most Apple notebooks) thinness and lightness so those power tradeoffs may be more pronounced. Honestly, I'm impressed you've been able to do a whole lot with it at all. I've got a fairly decent laptop (i7, 16GB RAM, and a mediocre nVidia 760m GPU) and it's still been underwhelming when I hooked the Rift up to it. Desktop will be much more power for the buck this early in the game. Portable will catch up but you sacrifice some bang for the buck when you get something more optimized for portability and battery life.
verytrivial 11y ago
I would quite honestly pay for N64-grade graphics if delivered with head tracking and ultra-low latency. I strongly believe that as in literature, most of the immersion experience is in the mind. Oculus technology (+3D sound) really helps to get the computer out of the way of the story.
- monk_e_boy 11y ago
  > ultra-low latency Agreed. Wonder what they'll suggest? Prob one with tons of fast memory. I read that most devs are using the new Nvidia 980s because the latency is less.
  - adam12 11y ago
    A $550 video card on top of the price of the device itself? If that is the case, I'm going to have to wait for a device to come out like Hololens that can stand on its own.
    - Raphmedia 11y ago
      If you are a gamer, you should already have that to play current gen games at max settings. I'm on $1000 worth of GPU right now for 4k, and the 4k screen itself was about $500. Don't make it sound like Oculus is more expensive than what gamer already have to pay to get the best experience.
      - clarky07 11y ago
        Lots of people game without playing everything on max. The difference here is that the oculus WON'T work with the max setup. Most other games work just fine. I play lots of games on my iMac I use for work, but it obviously can't run the oculus. I'd have to buy another 1500-2000 machine just for it, and that is tough to swallow.
      - sadface 11y ago
        You're not wrong re: best experience, but your $1000 of GPU + $500 screen puts you in like the top 1% of gamers. Most ppl are gaming on cheap rigs, laptops, etc. It's possible that FB/Oculus are trying to make something that will only appeal to the big spending "prestige-rig" gamer set, but I'd think that they would be trying to make a product that will be compelling to a bigger audience.
Tepix 11y ago
Buy the GPU at the last moment. Expect to spend $500.
jamespacileo 11y ago
I would wait for Q1 2016 for an upgrade. The new PASCAL Nvidia cards will be out and so will the new Intel chips will be releasing this August (with potentially a progression to 7nm next year).
bryanlarsen 11y ago
Why upgrade now? 10 months is a long time in the world of graphics cards. At least wait a month or two to see if the new AMD cards like the 380 are any good -- even if they aren't nVidia may reduce prices to compete.
monk_e_boy 11y ago
http://vrfocus.com/archives/14917/nvidia-ceo-vr-going-future-gaming/ http://vrfocus.com/archives/14917/nvidia-ceo-vr-going-future... gtx980

axx 11y ago

Can't wait to preorder! I'm holding out for the consumer edition since the DK1 and i'm very happy to hear it's coming soon! :)

Tepix 11y ago
Soon? Q1/2016 is still up to 10 months away. It's going to be a painful wait.
- Raphmedia 11y ago
  That's not even a year. It's barely more than the time for a pregnancy. Pretty soon for our first consumer contact with virtual reality if you ask me!

Revell 11y ago

Very much looking forward to the end-product being released, let's hope it lives up to the hype!

imaginenore 11y ago

4K fingers crossed.

higherpurpose 11y ago
If the Note 5 has a 4k screen, it might. However, I have a feeling Oculus will want to use something that's heavily tested instead (unfortunatley because 4k would be great, going by this: http://vr.mkeblx.net/oculus-sim/ http://vr.mkeblx.net/oculus-sim/ )
- dangerlibrary 11y ago
  If anything, that demo demonstrates how much more important getting the screen door effect under control is, as opposed to increased resolution.
thefreeman 11y ago
They can't even render 1080p with low enough latency and high enough frame rate currently. Are you going hooking your Occulus up to a super computer?
- puzzlingcaptcha 11y ago
  14 nm GPUs are coming in 2016.
- LesZedCB 11y ago
  GPUs will continue improving. For now, upscaling would still be very good, especially for screen door effect. Though, I have a gtx980 that is just fine pushing incredible frame rates at 4k.
- jamespacileo 11y ago
  It would obviously be an upscaled resolution in games. 4k is for the screen door effect. 4k is necessary for readable text, ability to watch HD movies and using virtual monitors. Currently the resolution is too low for any of these, as in it works but not good enough for being practical.

superplussed 11y ago

I'm so impressed by their restraint on waiting until the product was right before going to market.

monk_e_boy 11y ago
I guess they don't want it to be a flop, or lacklustre. I think apple have raised the bar with what consumers expect from a 'gadget'... I hope input is good. I trust that the VR will be good, but input, need good input.
- supercoder 11y ago
  Or Google has shown what happens when a 'gadget' doesn't meet expectations.
Symmetry 11y ago
Too many people getting motion sickness could kill the VR market for years.
- nolok 11y ago
  It already did, two decades ago
  - StevenXC 11y ago
    See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy#Reception http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy#Reception
threeseed 11y ago
Same. Apple has shown time and time again that nothing good comes from rushing into a new market with a half baked product. You will win the fight but lose the war. Hopefully they are smart enough to ship it with a polished SDK, App Store and some good content.
- 11y ago

TheCraiggers 11y ago

Argh, the title of the post has the exact same amount of info as the article does. I was hoping for details on the changes to the hardware different from the current dev kit. Or more importantly, I was hoping to read why I should still care when Valve's offering is planned to come out this year and is supposedly the bee's knees.

Phrodo_00 11y ago
The SteamVR page seays they will be releasing a developer's edition this spring. Is it supposed to be more or less the same as the consumer version? I'd figure it shouldn't be since they can use the feedback from the developer community, but I haven't heard anything about it.
- TheCraiggers 11y ago
  Found this about the Valve offering: "A developer edition is set to launch this spring, with the consumer version becoming available "later in 2015", which we guess means the same November release window as the other Steam kit." http://www.wareable.com/vr/htc-vive-vr-headset-release-date-price-specs-7929 http://www.wareable.com/vr/htc-vive-vr-headset-release-date-...
- Tepix 11y ago
  No, the consumer version will have a higher screen resolution and other improvements.
baggachipz 11y ago
If Valve's timing on their VR is anything like their timing for, well, everything else they do... I think the Rift will be out first.
- wlesieutre 11y ago
  Thankfully, Valve has HTC building the things instead of trying to figure out manufacturing by themselves. Maybe that's enough to get them off Valve Time.

sekasi 11y ago

I'm genuinely surprised we didn't see a DK3 in crescent bay before commercial release. Great news!

longlivegnu 11y ago

Linux support when

jimrandomh 11y ago
They currently have a Linux SDK on developer.oculus.com, so looks like Linux support now, for the hardware they've already shipped. Third-party games are a different matter, but that's less inside their control.
- longlivegnu 11y ago
  I think utilizing the SDK is a bit different than a run time (Which both OSX and Windows have)
  - jimrandomh 11y ago
    For the OSX and Windows versions, the SDK package actually includes both development tools (headers, etc) and the runtime; the only reason to offer a package which leaves out the development stuff, is to make the download smaller, which seems unimportant. You can get a sense of where the Linux support currently stands by looking at share.oculus.com, where third-party developers can submit their games and demos, and you can filter the list by which operating systems they support.
    - longlivegnu 11y ago
      Oh okay, thank you :)

dangerlibrary 11y ago

I was able to get a demo of the Crescent Bay prototype (hand-built tech demo of the consumer version) at PAX East this year. I've also tried the DK1 and DK2. If you've been playing with the DK1 or DK2, the consumer version is fundamentally better. Do not assume you know what the state of the art is until you've gotten your hands on a preview. I don't know exactly what the resolution differences are, and I don't care - it's not the relevant spec to compare. It's gotten to the point where resolution is "good enough" to trick the mind and anyone who says otherwise is bikeshedding. They've gotten the screen door effect under control. With head tracking implemented and drift solved as a side effect, two huge problems are gone. Their low-latency head tracking stops people from feeling nauseated like they did with DK1. I could barely stand without wanting to vomit after playing the Doom demo. The only game I could play for any length of time was a simple platform jumping game called Rift Rush. I don't know what they consider their largest hurdles, but from my perspective the hardware/software problems are solved for now and they need excellent made-for-VR content. When done well, the effect is stunning - in one of that calmer, more exploration-oriented demos I just stared at the light glinting off a metal bowl as I moved around it for at least 30 seconds. But the difference between "good" and "mind blowing" was often the result of things that nobody has thought about before. In the movie-like demos, sometimes I missed things because I had my back to the action. In VR movies, the user controls the camera and needs to be told where to look; that's a problem nobody making movies has ever faced before. Even Pixar's demo suffered from this - the action was too spread out for the screen's field of view.

return0 11y ago
i found the screen resolution to be a disappointment in DK2. Otherwise it was fine, nausea is still there, but i guess we 'll never be able to get rid of it.
doorhammer 11y ago
I never got to use Crescent Bay, but I've got a DK2 at home. Resolution for me will be a non-issue once I can read smallish text on virtual signs/displays. I'm thinking mostly for games like Elite Dangerous and other simulators like that, where a cockpit display is part of the game. Do you think the crescent bay prototype is at that point? (this might be a naive question as it's been awhile since I've looked up anything on the newest prototypes) Otherwise I'm with you. Positional tracking was the thing that really made it awesome for me. There are so many tiny head movements that you make when you're looking around; if positional tracking isn't pretty much 100%, then it just feels wrong.

nbaksalyar 11y ago

It's mind blowing how fast we've got to realistic virtual reality with Oculus Rift and graphic techinques like global illumination (e.g., see "Unreal Paris" demo: https://youtu.be/Y6PQ19BEE24 https://youtu.be/Y6PQ19BEE24) and inevitably forthcoming real-time raytracing. We live in a truly incredible time.

deleted 11y ago

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swalsh 11y ago

Honestly, I'm really excited about all these headsets. But I can only afford to buy 1 (day care) To me Vive seems more immersive from a gaming point of view, and hololens seems more practical. I bought a DK1 a few years ago, and developed a few things for it, but it wasn't super compelling for me (yet). I spend more time in my basement woodworking these days then gaming. So i'll probably buy a hololens, I want to design furniture in 3D while seeing how it will look in the spot that it will eventually "live". I know AR != VR, but if I can only have one, i'll choose AR.

mangeletti 11y ago

I'm very excited about this release. In my opinion, they've taken a bit too long, and now they have a high likelihood of being dethroned between now and their release date (e.g., Magic Leap, Holo Lens, Gear VR, etc.).

krolley 11y ago
Have any of those companies announced a release date for any of their products though? As far as I am aware, the rift is still (or will be) the first consumer accessible VR product.
- dcre 11y ago
  Technically, the Gear VR has been available to consumers for months and months already, though since it lacks head-tracking and desktop-quality graphics it's not quite the same thing. In addition, being what Samsung calls an "innovator edition", it has not been fully marketed to consumers at large (e.g., on buses and billboards). However, John Carmack hinted in a recent keynote on mobile VR[1] that the next version of Gear VR would be promoted widely for all consumers and that it would come out along with the next major Samsung phone release, presumably the Note 5. The Note phones get updated every September. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB_u3FvUTQc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB_u3FvUTQc
- mangeletti 11y ago
  Yes. Microsoft said Holo Lens was coming out this summer - http://bgr.com/2015/05/01/microsoft-hololens-release-date-and-price/ http://bgr.com/2015/05/01/microsoft-hololens-release-date-an...

Symmetry 11y ago

Everybody talks about VR in terms of games but I wonder if it might be possible to create a productive desktop using a VR helmet. Surely it would be easy to emulate having N monitors but I bet you could do better.

BigChiefSmokem 11y ago
HoloLens is a better candidate for that. If I'm going to seriously work in a virtual space all around me I rather it be an "open" (AR vs VR) environment.
philmcc 11y ago
Yes, it will be. Here's a fairly fun demonstration of exactly that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db-7J5OaSag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db-7J5OaSag
- myth_buster 11y ago
  This is what excites me. 360deg desktops with depth perception. This will disrupt quite a few areas least of which would be multiple monitor setups. An interesting implementation would be virtually working from a beach or sitting on top of a colorado 14er. Just have a table fan sending randomized breeze your way. :)
- corysama 11y ago
  There's a small subreddit devoted to the idea of programming inside VR. Several examples there. http://www.reddit.com/r/hmdprogramming http://www.reddit.com/r/hmdprogramming
  - dzhiurgis 11y ago
    These ideas does not provide any novelty. There is potential to re-imagine programming, but I have no clue how. Also, keyboard input is not very compatible with HMD. I guess brain interfaces are the most promising, but why can't we just tap into my pinky's nerve and train my brain to use that as output?
11y ago

theklub 11y ago

Would be really excited but then I remembered facebook owns this and I got sad.

Pfhreak 11y ago

Here's hoping they fix the issue for those of us with wide heads. I've spent a fair amount of time tinkering with my DK2 to get a good experience with my wide IPD of 73mm. I bought some 3D printed lens holders that widen the lenses, and they helped quite a bit. Without them, my view was blurry in one eye which caused a fair amount of discomfort. I'm wholly onboard for the headset, the DK2 is a fantastic experience (barring the experience of setting it up and launching applications, which is totally fixable.) Can't wait to see the consumer edition.

chrionsr 11y ago

Can't wait for this experience! Good luck towards E3.

steve-benjamins 11y ago

Recently I finally got to try VR— the Samsung Gear VR. I was a bit disappointed (my expectations were ridiculously high going into it though). I was surprised to find (1) the resolution to be quite pixelated and (2) visible black strips of the hardware bordering my viewport. After usage, both the resolution and the visible hardware were not issues. They "melted" away and I was "immersed". But I'm curious: is the Rift expected to be higher quality than Gear in this regard?

amckenna 11y ago
Yeah the Samsung Gear VR was like a mobile consumer version of the DK2. The Rift (CV1) will be a definite improvement over the Samsung Gear VR in terms of tracking, audio, and resolution (resolution hasn't been released yet but it is assumed).
- steve-benjamins 11y ago
  Awesome— thanks!

justifier 11y ago

from my experience with the dk2 i felt their biggest issues were: hard plastic frame, eye tracking, blood circulation the hard plastic frame limits the variability of the distance between two pupils. Pupillary distance is ~62mm for women and ~64mm for men(i). With obvious variance even within the sexes. Just hardcoding a distance is a limitation that requires the brain to work harder to massage the inconsistencies causing added strain. ( the images appear to show lenses that are now even unable to be removed, one potential solution i saw was the possibility of buying lens kits for offsetting the lens to your specific pupillary distance ) the lack of eye tracking really disrupts the experience. Look around the place you are in right now, but keep your eyes straight only moving your neck as you move from object to object. The movements are awkward and feel like a retrofuture automaton. Now look around casually and notice how often you utilise the movement of the eyeball. ( unable to tell at this moment if there is any extra hardware in the mask ) as for the blood circulation if i wore the dk2 for more than 20m and took it off to look in the mirror the area around my eyes was white for want of blood and highlighted by the red marks where the mask was pressed against my face. ( the images show the same face pressing frame ) i had many more issues with the dk2, but these three seemed to me to be confirmation proofs that the direction digital stereoscopy is going in is innately flawed a constructive alternative would be digital stereoscopy that uses eye tracking to measure pupillary distance and the pupils' direction vector in order to create a scene ad hoc, or virtual reality through direct sensory manipulation (i) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pupillary_distance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pupillary_distance

appsonify 11y ago

how far away will tactile simulation gloves come into market? imagine gripping in-game items, being able to control them as you would with real objects. squeeze to fill the glove pressing back, feel cold/warmth, feel textiles. Combined with increasingly photorealistic games + VR...we are at the mouth of uncanny valley...it's going to be a very interesting decade. Maybe we live in a future where people completely abandon their real world life in favor of a virtual one while the appratus in the real world just keeps you alive, very much like Matrix...