The Future of Gaming in Virtual Reality

[CybrSlydr]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/08/...irtual-reality

Standing next to id Software’s John Carmack, I almost lost my balance and fell over during the first few seconds of playing Doom 3 on a prototype Rift virtual reality headset, an ugly wad of electronics attached to an elastic ski goggle band.

While wearing the headset I still had to press buttons on an Xbox 360 controller to switch weapons, move forward and fire, but aiming and looking were accomplished simply by turning my head. It was surreal and surprisingly responsive. After the initial disorientation and dizziness dissipated, I was entirely immersed within the world, with the game’s visuals wrapping around my entire field of view.

The Rift is the best headset of its kind Carmack has ever seen. After id Software shipped Rage, Carmack decided to check up on the status of virtual reality, something he hadn’t looked at since the early 1990s. “We did a bunch of deals with people way back with Wolfenstein, Doom and Quake and they were all loser deals with companies that went bankrupt. That was not the right time,” he said. He assumed there’d been a lot of progress in the meantime. He bought a few headsets and was disappointed.

“They just sucked really bad. They were not at all what I wanted to see.” He started disassembling the models and trying to solve problems the manufacturers hadn’t. “It was getting to the point where there were a few people questioning ‘what’s John doing playing around with all this stuff in the office? He should be working on Doom 4 all the time.’”

This makes 3D sound like stuff for chumps. Neat article!

[WordMasterRice]

I actually pledge enough to get one the day they went up on kickstarter, can't wait to check it out.

[vai0]

It really does seem like the best future device, not that Ive ever used one. Hopefully it wont take too many years to get a decent working one. And as it is now I like my 1ms mouse delay, 2ms monitor delay, and 90fov so hopefully they improve quite a bit.

[AruisDante]

Definitely an interesting device with a lot of potential

[Maurice]

I figured it wouldn't take them too long to get there.

[hostage67]

I'll take this once they've got it working well...
http://www.emotiv.com/

[WiCKeD]

Way to go, Carmack. Keep pushing tech.

First and only time I used a VR set was at my high school graduation party ('98). Graphics were early 90's 3D polys and there was monster lag. You used a controller to move a mech and fire and your head to rotate the torso. It was still cool as hell. Downside is that the headset alone cost something like $30k.

Sounds like what is really holding them back is gyro technology and something with the optics(?). You would think that with all of the advancements they have made using the Wii and mobile phones in the use of gyros that they would have licked this issue, but it is disappointing to hear Carmack still talking about $10k+ headsets at a minimum. With modern PC graphics, VR would be the ultimate gaming experience.

[vai0]

Originally Posted by WiCKeD

Way to go, Carmack. Keep pushing tech.

First and only time I used a VR set was at my high school graduation party ('98). Graphics were early 90's 3D polys and there was monster lag. You used a controller to move a mech and fire and your head to rotate the torso. It was still cool as hell. Downside is that the headset alone cost something like $30k.

Sounds like what is really holding them back is gyro technology and something with the optics(?). You would think that with all of the advancements they have made using the Wii and mobile phones in the use of gyros that they would have licked this issue, but it is disappointing to hear Carmack still talking about $10k+ headsets at a minimum. With modern PC graphics, VR would be the ultimate gaming experience.

He isn't talking about 10k headsets anymore he actually said the $300 kit on kickstarter is better featuring a much wider fov (90 vs 45). He notes the resolution is still low and their are latency problems but has faith they will be fixed.

He talks about it in his latest keynote from QuakeCon (among other things) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt-iVFxgFWk