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PayPalIt appears Valve are truly getting more serious about Virtual Reality as they appear to be making their own headset. On top of that, apparently a new Half-Life VR game is coming.
Leaked to an imgur album, which contains multiple shots of the new hardware. These includes shots clearly showing a Valve logo:
The uploadvr website has claimed they have had it confirmed by various sources that it is in fact real. As someone who really wants to try VR, I am hopeful Valve will be able to give it a decent price. The current price for most VR hardware is simply out of reach for a lot of people, myself included.
Even more interesting, is that Valve are apparently working on a new Half-Life which will be a VR title. That certainly could be one way to push adoption, I imagine that would turn a few heads that otherwise wouldn't have been interested. Could backfire too of course, if it's VR-only. To keep expectations in check though, reportedly it's a Half-Life 2 prequel and not Half-Life 3.
Valve News Network also have this video up about the Half-Life game which is interesting:
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Considering Microsoft is making moves buying up more studios and making another attempt to fix up the Windows Store, along with some bigger players leaving Steam like Activision, EA, Bethesda with the new Fallout and all this together should make Valve at least a bit worried. Their current growth will only last so long, if others continue to leave and become exclusive to other stores.
Valve obviously need to make moves of their own and it looks like doubling down on VR is what they had in mind. The amount of people that currently own a VR headset as reported on the Steam Hardware Survey is still extremely low (lower than the Linux share) so Valve really will need a decent price on it.
It does make you think about Valve's future plans. They're doing this new VR hardware, some new games and pushing Steam Play to get more games on Linux. Would it be too far-fetched to consider a new Steam Machine? One continued to be powered by their SteamOS Linux distribution that allows VR support out of the box along with a huge back catalogue of previously Windows-only games.
That's a pipe dream of mine though really and I'm basically thinking out loud at this point, as I'm sure it's just different teams working on their own thing. However, if it did all come together, that could be amazing.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Quoting: MayeulCQuoting: linux_gamerWhy the heck print the Logo on the PCB of a pre-series device? To me that seems to be quite negligent. The project code name and the hw revision should be well enough as only the project team and suppliers need to know.
Fair point, although that's probably better for copyright protection. I know I always write it, or the name of the company. Plys, who knows? That could be a near-final run?
There are videos about the automated assembly line Valve put together to fabricate the Steam Controller, so I guess they will be able to produce some PCBs in-house. Plus there are NDAs to help with leaks. Help with, not prevent all possible leaks.
Quoting: MayeulCEdit: about glasses, I am pretty sure most vision defects could be accounted for by the headset itself, by adjusting the focal point of the lenses, and the transform algorithm.
Current HMDs are OK to use with glasses. If your specs are to huge to fit the visor, most folks will be able to use contacts instead.
On the other hand, there are vision defects like Amblyopia (lazy eye), where your eyeballs are not aligned within certain limits, so your brain is unable to compute both 2D inputs to 3D vision. People with Ambliopia will therefore be able to see images displayed on the screens, but lack the 3D sensation.
So yes, there are biological barriers of entry to this tech.
Last edited by Gobo on 11 November 2018 at 7:50 pm UTC
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Quoting: GuestYeah, maybe, some day, but I honestly doubt it will happen within the foreseeable future.Quoting: TheSHEEEPQuoting: GuestVR was basically DOA, and until we get proper peripherals for it instead of roomscale and motion controller trash, it will remain DOA.Absolutely.
A tech gadget for those with enough money. And space, maybe space is even more important for those games with actual motion controls.
Every time a new VR gadget comes out, the "big future" of VR is announced, and yet, it just doesn't spread. I don't know how many more attempts it will take until even the most diehard fans realize VR is not "the future".
There are just too many games that would never work with VR (or gain absolutely no benefit from it), so that there's just no good reason to reach that deep into one's pockets. Not even beginning to talk about all the other downsides (discomfort, clunkiness, etc.).
It will have its niche, and that niche might even grow a bit (certainly enough to house a few VR-exclusive devs), but that's about it.
Personally I think VR can work out, for most games even, we need a middle step, where both keyboard and mouse are fully replaced by some superior peripheral (maybe something like EEG+speech recognition) and then that needs to be further improved to also be the replacement and successor of the (currently shoddy) motion control gimmick.
Even eye tracking doesn't really do it, because with kb&m I can do multiple things quickly without even looking.
Speech wouldn't help, either, as speaking a command would take longer than doing a few clicks.
I really couldn't think of anything that would be able to reach or improve on the precision offered by mouse & keyboard - short of "reading" one's mind and translating that into input commands.
And that just sounds like extreme scifi to me. Though if that ever happens, count me in ;)
Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 11 November 2018 at 8:24 pm UTC
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Quoting: NezchanEven aside from the cost, it's a simple fact that a lot of people physically can't use VR headsets even if they can afford the hardware and a current enough machine to use it with. There's the motion sickness thing of course, and the space issue already mentioned. Plus a hell of a lot of people wear glasses and from what I've been told from numerous sources they still don't have a good answer to that with current headsets.Space isn't an issue. It never has been and never will be since you can always use VR seated. Motion sickness isn't as relevant as you think as it only affects certain design philosophies set by developers and many people are able to overcome issues if they do get them. It's not the perfect ideal solution, but it's still not going to affect long lasting success.
I can't see any way VR won't always be a niche gadget.
Several headsets have managed to solve vergence accommodation which means glasses are no longer needed. These aren't available for consumers yet but will be in a few years.
People expecting VR to always be a niche are in for a rude awakening. It's a surefire guarantee to be ubiquitous in our civilization let alone just for gaming.
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Quoting: ScrollingSquirrelSpace isn't an issue. It never has been and never will be since you can always use VR seated.
Games like Unseen Diplomacy or Budget Cuts need some space. You can't play those seated.
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Quoting: kuhpunktQuoting: ScrollingSquirrelSpace isn't an issue. It never has been and never will be since you can always use VR seated.
Games like Unseen Diplomacy or Budget Cuts need some space. You can't play those seated.
Quoting: kuhpunktGames like Unseen Diplomacy are extremely rare. Budget Cuts is still playable in a space no bigger than 4x4 feet which a lot of people will have room for. Maybe they might not have that room where their PC is but once standalones start to really get going, you'll just find the most convenient spot in your house.Quoting: ScrollingSquirrelSpace isn't an issue. It never has been and never will be since you can always use VR seated.
Games like Unseen Diplomacy or Budget Cuts need some space. You can't play those seated.
But even if you aren't able to play some of these games, you can still experience plenty of what VR has to offer.
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Quoting: kuhpunktHow am I moving when using a normal screen? Exactly.Quoting: SeegrasEvery first-person perspective game would be basically better with VR, unless it needs a lot of GUI.
That is far from the truth. Imagine Quake 3 in VR. How are you supposed to move? That just doesn't work. VR is its own thing.
Yes, there's a problem because you don't know where your fingers on the keyboard are, thus some kind of controller would help; but otherwise this works as expected.
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TheRiddick Nov 11, 2018
If their going to continue down this VR path I hope they at least have the commonsense to go large FOV like 150 or more.
VR is still pretty expensive, people must first afford the PC capable of doing VR at decent framerates, most VR enthusiasts consider the 1080ti as a base minimal.. so it could be a very long time before VR picks up.
If PC hardware and LCD tech didn't jump in price over the past couple years then things would be smooth sailing. It's ironic now that CONSOLES are the savior of VR moving forward with PS5, I don't think MS want VR.
VR is still pretty expensive, people must first afford the PC capable of doing VR at decent framerates, most VR enthusiasts consider the 1080ti as a base minimal.. so it could be a very long time before VR picks up.
If PC hardware and LCD tech didn't jump in price over the past couple years then things would be smooth sailing. It's ironic now that CONSOLES are the savior of VR moving forward with PS5, I don't think MS want VR.
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Quoting: TheRiddickIf their going to continue down this VR path I hope they at least have the commonsense to go large FOV like 150 or more.
VR is still pretty expensive, people must first afford the PC capable of doing VR at decent framerates, most VR enthusiasts consider the 1080ti as a base minimal.. so it could be a very long time before VR picks up.
If PC hardware and LCD tech didn't jump in price over the past couple years then things would be smooth sailing. It's ironic now that CONSOLES are the savior of VR moving forward with PS5, I don't think MS want VR.
Check for Microsoft Mixed Reality.
VR and AR is the future of gaming. I remember when appeared the flat monitors that people was saying that never was going to work for gaming... there is no one with CRT monitors nowdays. Technology evolve and solve the problems, those high prices, resolution, weight, etc... will be solve with next years as in other kind of technology. About motion sickness, seems no one remember the first FPS games that was making motion sickness like doom , etc... But nowdays nobody get motion sickness because your brain is used to it. If you play some days in a row with VR you wont get motion sickness anymore. I understand those people that can not afford that technology and they want autoconvince that it wont be the future. But the reality is that in 10 years all of you will be talking about with hmd you bought like now you do about wich video card you or monitor you get.
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Quoting: SeegrasQuoting: kuhpunktHow am I moving when using a normal screen? Exactly.Quoting: SeegrasEvery first-person perspective game would be basically better with VR, unless it needs a lot of GUI.
That is far from the truth. Imagine Quake 3 in VR. How are you supposed to move? That just doesn't work. VR is its own thing.
Yes, there's a problem because you don't know where your fingers on the keyboard are, thus some kind of controller would help; but otherwise this works as expected.
It seems like you've never experienced VR. Correct me if I'm wrong... but playing VR games with keyboard and mouse aren't really good. Just explain to me how you're supposed to aim, view and turn around with a VR headset and keyboard mouse.
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Quoting: kuhpunktIt seems like you've never experienced VR. Correct me if I'm wrong... but playing VR games with keyboard and mouse aren't really good. Just explain to me how you're supposed to aim, view and turn around with a VR headset and keyboard mouse.
I guess you could turn around with your head (games needs to make sure enemies don't come from behind, or have some 180° turning key) and aim with the mouse. You're shown some crosshair. I'm not sure it would feel natural, though, having something in your hand that feels like (parts of) an actual gun would be better.
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