School me on virtual reality machines

[Irving]

My wife is set on having a virtual reality something . After years of buying whatever I want, whenever, I have no issue getting her what she wants. We went and checked out the PS4 VR and she really liked it. I personally think this is going to be cool for about a month, then no one will use it but me after a while. I'm leaning toward the Playstation since the entertainment room will be the best place in the house for VR adventures.

Are there other options we should check out before spending the money for the PS4? The newest console we have is a Nintendo Wii (not even Wii-U), so we'll be needing to purchase everything. Looks like the PS4 is in the mid price range, and probably has the best resale value as well.

Let me know what you know about this stuff please.

[newracer]

My son just got one that works with his Samsung phone. He said it is pretty cool. That's all I know.

[Zundfolge]

The HTC Vive is only $1500 right now https://www.vive.com/us/

then you can get Onward:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9yuckHwuZY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSiQoGmxLqo

Of course VR porn will likely be the end of the human race.

[Irving]

Well, the PS4 VR from the ground up is only $800ish.

I assume that until you can either move around freely, or feel like you can (like NerveGear or something) VR is going to continue to have limited applications.

[Dave_L]

Of course VR porn will likely be the end of the human race.

LOL yup. We'll be here soon:

http://www.driven2divide.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/walle-e-humans-in-the-spaceship.jpeg

[SideShow Bob]

Nope, not until there is " Holo-Deck" Porn....

[RblDiver]

I have a Vive. There's not a whole lot out there for it, so at the moment I don't use it as much as I'd like. However, when I DO use it, it's pretty great. It was fun showing it off to people at my housewarming party. There's a drawing app that it came with which is surprisingly fun (virtual reality can make what is the equivalent of MS Paint really fun!). There're a few others that are pretty cool too (one that involves building machines to get a pink balloon into the pink square, which seems easy, except you're in 3D and things don't snap at nice angles, so your little carriage starts veering...lol) (or there's Hover Junkers which is great for leg workouts if you do lots of ducking into cover).

Also, I'll note that $1500 is for a computer with the Vive. The Vive alone cost me like $850, but my machine was easily able to handle it so I didn't need anything beyond the base item.

Edit: I've heard of some stores (I think mostly in the UK) which are selling demos on the order of $10 for 15 minutes, that sort of thing. It seems like a dirty trick to me, but if you can try multiple ones, it could be beneficial so you learn which one works best for you before plopping down lots of money for one.

[Monky]

Has anyone here ever read 'Ready Player One'?

Back to the topic.. I know nothing about VR. I've seen Occulus having hand controls going out on kickstarter.. so those will be here soon.

If VR gets to the level it is in the above book.. it will be awesome.. apparently the VR sexbots.. well not verbatim but 'eventually I realized I was just masturbating with an expensive doll'

[Irving]

Ready Player One is an awesome book. Check out the anime Sword Art Onljne as well. Not as good as the book though.

[asmo]

Vive > PS4 > Oculus

I have played with all of them and the Vive beats them all hands down without question. Had a party last night and had 15 people in and out of VR, and it was awesome to watch everyone's first experiences.

[Irving]

In what ways is the Vibe the best, and by how much?

[asmo]

In what ways is the Vibe the best, and by how much?

The tracking and room space on the Vive vastly superior - its not even close to the PS4. When things don't track smoothly it totally destroys the experience.

That said, when you buy into the Vive its a big chunk of change and I get that (Nvidia 1080s aren't cheap). But having played with both, I own a Vive and have no desire for the PS. My friend that has a PS says he prefers playing on my Vive.

[asmo]

The HTC Vive is only $1500 right now https://www.vive.com/us/

Its only 799 on Amazon.
https://smile.amazon.com/HTC-VIVE-Virtual-Reality-System/dp/B00VF5NT4I/


then you can get Onward:

So Onward is downright awesome if you like detail. Nothing like messing up a reload in the middle of a firefight and watching your mag fall to the floor. Or forgetting to charge your AR and doing a tap-rack-bang drill while someone is shooting at you. But the limited number of people playing makes it painful to catch a game; its a multi-hour commitment.



Of course VR porn will likely be the end of the human race.

The stuff out now is boring, but its neat for the first 5 mins, then its meh. Once they get the computer generated stuff looking like 'real life' - then all bets are off. I will never leave the house again.

[Irving]

The Vive requires a computer powerful enough to run it though right?
I don't need another desktop, but am in the market for a laptop for work. Is there a laptop out there that could handle the duty without costing me over $1,000?

[asmo]

The Vive requires a computer powerful enough to run it though right?
I don't need another desktop, but am in the market for a laptop for work. Is there a laptop out there that could handle the duty without costing me over $1,000?

That's the rub - the Vive needs a PC. With a sweet ass video card (get an Nvidia 1080 - be happy). If you want to get to VR under 1K, and don't already have a PC capable, then that is the area of the PS4. Its a niche Sony identified and targeted and that is where they are going to continue to push.

For a laptop I don't think you are going to find one under 1K, at least not now.

http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/vr-ready-laptops

[Irving]

Okay, that's pretty much my impression of everything. Don't need to spend the money for a gaming capable computer that won't see other uses. Thanks for the reviews everyone.

[Guylee]

I recommend something along these lines http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/virtual-reality-sex-suit-lets-7698685

[RblDiver]

Okay, that's pretty much my impression of everything. Don't need to spend the money for a gaming capable computer that won't see other uses. Thanks for the reviews everyone.

One thing you can look into, on Steam there's a free app (I forget the name) which checks if your system is Vive-capable. You can always get that and see how your computer will run.

So again, yeah, somewhat gimmicky, so you can always wait (and it'll continue to be improved), but if that's at least part of your concern...

(Side note, I have this weird issue where, when I hit Reply With Quote, it doesn't let me type in spaces. I have to copy/paste the quote into my own reply field to get it to work)

[Zundfolge]

Its only 799 on Amazon.
https://smile.amazon.com/HTC-VIVE-Virtual-Reality-System/dp/B00VF5NT4I/


The Vive requires a computer powerful enough to run it though right?
I don't need another desktop, but am in the market for a laptop for work. Is there a laptop out there that could handle the duty without costing me over $1,000?

That's the rub - the Vive needs a PC. With a sweet ass video card (get an Nvidia 1080 - be happy).


The $1500 one I linked includes the computer.
https://www.vive.com/us/

[cfortune]

I bought my Vive at microcenter for $700. I run it off my desktop which has two 980ti's in it. I just picked up a "VR ready" laptop though that has a 1070 in it for $1699. I haven't tried it on the laptop but I'm willing to bet the experience is better than the 980 setup (considering a lot of games lack proper SLI support).

The Vive is really cool but I've only used it a few times (I'm out of town a lot). I'm actually planning on taking my unused basement and mounting the light houses down there for a better experience. Right now it's in a room that is roughly the minimum size for room scale play.

Onward is really freaking fun. I will say though, shooting is much harder without all the points of contact that a real rifle gives you but it's fun none the less. Even if it's just having some beers and messing with people:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KhdBYOano4


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpE0AXNGBFA


The videos really don't do it justice and Onward's engine has a limitation of only being able to capture the left eye (hence why it doesn't look like I'm using my optic in the second video). The immersion is pretty unreal. I've actually tried to set the controllers down on tables that only exist in the game and stuff. Also, walking up stairs without picking up your legs will make your head explode.

The biggest downside IMO is the lack of clarity. The resolution just isn't there yet but I'm excited to see what's on the horizon for VR, especially when AAA title makers start getting involved.

[Zundfolge]

Onward is really freaking fun. I will say though, shooting is much harder without all the points of contact that a real rifle gives you but it's fun none the less.
Lots of people make "rifles" out of PVC for next to nothing and use them with the Vive controllers.

http://thumbs2.picclick.com/d/w1600/pict/222186389773_/HTC-Vive-controller-gun-mount-peripheral-Falandorns-Noobtube.jpg

[Irving]

So we picked up the PS4. My wife is really upset because it makes her sick. She's thrown up twice already today. I told her to just play a little bit each day, and cancel her gym membership. That suggestion didn't go that well.

I'll have to sit down and read everything because we can't figure out how to charge the motion controllers. The little bit I've used the motion controller with a shooting game was awesome, but I haven't gotten used to the controllers enough to memorize the functions yet. Reloading when dual wielding is interesting.

[ray1970]

Maybe she's pregnant.

[Jer]

So we picked up the PS4. My wife is really upset because it makes her sick. She's thrown up twice already today. [snip]

Shoulda bought an Xbox. [AR15]




[LOL]

[Irving]

She's at the store buying Dramamine right now.

[ray1970]

Have her pick up a pregnancy test while she's there. Just in case.

[CS1983]

I've been looking for this for days. Finally found it:

http://imgur.com/gallery/JLnn2re

[Graves]

I'm gonna hold off until it gains more of a following and refinement. Should be cheaper.