General Chat

[Thr33]

...but what will this bring?

Well, the upcoming devices to house the next generation virtual reality (or augmented reality) are still in development; Microsoft's HoloLens, (Facebook-owned) Oculus VR - DK1, DK2 & Rift, Sony's Project Morpheus and the Samsung Gear VR, Hololens' main competitor is likely to be the lesser-known, Magic Leap.

You view the demos/trailers online and decide for yourself what you would prefer. I'm personally leaning towards the HoloLens with the transparent visor. On a 'typical male' view the Oculus & Gear VR are supported with the first Virtual Reality Porn site, i'm a guy... you should expect this is one of the first things im going to think of when you say 'VIRTUAL REALITY'! http://virtualrealporn.com.

Then there's gaming! The second thing to enter a guy's mind after... 'the obvious'. Microsoft may hold the baton in that race but Sony have made gaming a priority for Project Mopheus.

Microsoft are also focusing on Skype integration with the ability to place viewing screen in a static position in your location. Also having interaction is an impressive development.

Microsoft HoloLens
Oculus Rift
Sony Project Morpheus (3rd party review)
Samsung Gear VR
Magic Leap

Despite the rumored higher pricetag of HoloLens ($300-$500) i would choose it because its AR rather than the VR we've been seeing in some formats for years.

[burntscarr]

(1) Well damn! Let's start by reviewing that porn site shall we?
(2) Besides that, I think this might end up being more of a use-your-eyes-as-your-mouse-with-a-screen-on-your-face type thing. Hopefully not, but (3) what are they doing to simulate feelings? (4) Stimulate nerves? I guess I better research and fill people in.

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Quick Answers:
(1) That porn site is basically 3D porn remade... Just go check it out yourself (Note: There is nudity on the page).
(2) According to each and every one of these, it'll be mainly optically controlled, but some use different gestured as well.
(3) Didn't find anything, probably not the Virtual Reality I'm dreaming of. (Although, even scenes can control people's feelings, but that's a long topic..)
(4) Didn't find anything, probably not the Virtual Reality I'm dreaming of.

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Microsoft HoloLens - This thing sounds kind of odd.. But, it has a great fingerprint and dust collecting clear thing in front of your face and shoots lights directly into your screen, which then go into your eyes. If you're under 8, I'm sorry, this won't work with your body size. If you're 12, hopefully you've been hitting the gym, and making investments online, because you're gonna be out of quite a few dollars to play Minecraft on your couch without a mouse. This probably isn't gonna be out until 2016 anyway, so save up for a while! Maybe you'll play it on Windows 10 when it's obsolete next year.

Although the ideas do sound really cool, you'll probably spend a lot more than just for the device itself. Microsoft will probably let Adobe charge you $300 for software to create your own holograms/3D webpages (omg 3D LiteRecords! :D) and even then, you'll probably have to have an audience that can afford this thing to use anything related to it.
On the other hand, it's the same with every one of these things.

This adds to the (2) thing, you don't use only your eyes, but your dominate hand too!

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Oculus Rift - Unlike the previous competitor, the Rift used Unreal Engine, which I've had some experience with, and let me tell you to make these things all of a sudden 3D is no easy task! But, people have been making 3D games with Unreal for a while, since the PS3, Xbox360 stuff came out, and some people have used it for 3D animation. It's extremely hard to learn and make something out of, but, it's the most realistic engine I've ever seen. The snow image on their website is quite a good example. Imagine coding all the snow to not only fall in a random position but have a different angle to each eye. Wow right?

On a less serious tone, the headset it more literally two screens on your face. One for the left, one for the right, or, using RealD 3D, one, polarized, screen will be presented to your viewing holes. If you've got only one eye, it should be okay, just not 3D at all. You'd be better off laying under a box with an iDevice taped to the top and a hole through it.

(Used DK2, a more advanced virtual reality engine, along with unreal engine for graphics.)

Want one to Beta Test and/or Develop one? Only $350.00 USD at http://www.oculus.com/order

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Project Morpheus - Sony. Best said like that. But, not exactly like a PlayStation wrapped around your peripherals, only mostly like a PlayStation wrapped around your peripherals. Even on the official review is an image of someone using the PlayStation Move to control the thing. the lights on that and the lights on the new PS4 controller are mixed together in this box on your face. Lights on the outside where you won't see them, and anyone watching you move in random positions, not knowing what you're doing will see most likely the same thing as if you were pointing a laser pointer somewhere, then quickly moved it.

But, it also most likely used Unreal for graphics rendering, and fits on 10 year olds, who won't realize the processor strapped to their noggin.If you want to pay for it, you can buy something to show your Morpheus on your TV. But who really wants to watch a virtual reality? Not me for sure.

The one thing I noticed different about this one though is it's style, the others are full face and head machines. But this one is like a visor, and comes with a pair of headphones for you to use. They advertise 3D Audio as a 'new' thing, but nothing seems changed, unless they used only Mono audio (very un-sony-like) before. Stereo can be 3D in any headphones though really... odd...

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Samsung Gear VR - This one is Powered by Oculus. Very similar to it. But, Samsung. Imagine this:
Samsung has decided to make a gaming system. But not when systems were easy to make, no, later on when the competition has historical advantages. Now, think of your personal history of samsung? Simple cellphones (running their own software, sort of), 4K screen TVs (running off of Sony's software), Smart Phones (running off of Google's software) and now, Virtual Reality (running off of Oculus's software and some hardware). Want to have something for a year or two then have it be considered slow and old? Remind you of another, fruit-named company? Maybe, maybe not, Either way I'm sure Samsung has 'fixed' some issues generated by Oculus.

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Magic Leap - First thing you see on the linked webpage from Brad is two hands, holding a tiny girl. (No, not fairy porn). She's actually also holding a Dog of her own. This is probably gloating the 'advanced technology' that VR can produce. But I'm sure the person/group who actually finally mastered VR and sold their patent to all these companies knew this was possible, and that all the other ones can do the same thing. Here's the next thing you see, after 'it's time to bring magic back into the world.' :

technology can be awesome

vastly,

hugely,

mindbogglingly

awesome

This is a bit much to me. Then they start their campaign towards young people, and geeks. Speaking of dragons, fairies unicorns, and elves. Anyone who knows what children want, and know what teachers want kids to want should definately check out their 'Wizards Wanted' link at the bottom of their page.

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Good luck choosing! I think I'd probably go with the cheapest one, that all the other people in my town already have had for about 3-6 months before me. That way I can test out the waters, and see if it's truly worth it.

Have fun!

~burnt