Virtual Reality

[Ronnie]

Interesting read, I had no idea there were so few games with confirmed release dates.

 

Is Sony's PSVR Doomed Heading Into 2017?

[Retro_Link]

Might as well assume Switch is dead in the water then.

 

Honestly what's the point of such negative discussions.

Edited January 20, 2017 by Retro_Link

[Sheikah]

Might as well assume Switch is dead in the water then.

 

Honestly what's the point of such negative discussions.

Haha, you got him there.

[Hero-of-Time]

Interesting read, I had no idea there were so few games with confirmed release dates.

 

Is Sony's PSVR Doomed Heading Into 2017?

 

Colin and Greg have a similar discussion on this weeks PS I Love You. I think it crops up when they were discussing RIGS and the closure of the studio. There are concerns that VR games just aren't selling enough to make an impact. If developers are seeing aren't decent enough return then they may not bother investing any more time or money into it.

[Ronnie]

Honestly what's the point of such negative discussions.

 

Why not ask that question whenever there's negative chat on the Nintendo board? You know, every second post on there. Negative chat is ok if the Wii U has a dry spell, but not if PSVR has one?

 

I thought it was an interesting article, at a time when PSVR and VR in general isn't exactly firing on all cylinders.

 

Colin and Greg have a similar discussion on this weeks PS I Love You. I think it crops up when they were discussing RIGS and the closure of the studio. There are concerns that VR games just aren't selling enough to make an impact. If developers are seeing aren't decent enough return then they may not bother investing any more time or money into it.

 

That certainly seems to be the case. It may have a second wind say of Playstation drops the price or if there's a big unexpected game that gets people talking. I'm sure VR will be huge, but I'm getting less and less convinced gaming will be a big mainstream part of it.

[somme]

VR was never going to be mainstream or take the place of regular gaming.

 

There are 210 confirmed PSVR games in development - they just don't have specific release dates yet. PSVR is far from dead, has been out under three months and has around 60 titles, many of them great, already out.

 

I imagine Rigs hasn't had a high player count because it makes a lot of people sick - something only a few titles have managed, luckily.

[Naar]

VR isnt ready to become the next giant leap in videogames yet, i think.

 

The last giant leap in gaming was going from 2D to 3D. Since everything jumped to 3D, what has changed? Bigger worlds, higher resolution textures, but nothing really epic.

That being said, i think it will take at least 5 years to deliver a triple A, full VR game. Not an VR experience, but an actual 50 hour long game.

 

My favourite game of all time is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time [thats open to discussion btw]. That was my first full blown 3D adventure. All other games after that only have... bigger worlds, higher resolution textures.

 

If i ever want to be more impressed with a game then i was back when i first played Ocarina of Time, it would have to be a full blown VR Zelda game.

[somme]

With over 200 games in development and Resi 7 causing quite a stir, things are looking good for PSVR.

 

Wait, what? Isn’t PSVR already out in Japan? You bet it is. And yet, this morning, there were long lines at retailers across the country.

 

The reason being that a new shipment of PSVR headsets hit Japanese shops today. Demand was so high at some locations that people had to line up for a chance to buy.

 

http://kotaku.com/today-in-japan-hundreds-of-people-lined-up-for-play-1791646092

[V. Amoleo]

Anybody had chance to pick up Resident Evil 7 yet?

[somme]

Anybody had chance to pick up Resident Evil 7 yet?

 

Yep. About 7 hours in. I've only played in VR and am writing a review but suffice to say I think it's the definitive way to play.

[V. Amoleo]

Yep. About 7 hours in. I've only played in VR and am writing a review but suffice to say I think it's the definitive way to play.

 

I can't remember if you ended up getting a PS4 Pro or not, but do you know if Resi 7 has a Pro mode?

 

It sounds like I'm going to have to pick it up.

[somme]

I can't remember if you ended up getting a PS4 Pro or not, but do you know if Resi 7 has a Pro mode?

 

It sounds like I'm going to have to pick it up.

 

It is PS4Pro enhanced. Apparently it makes the graphics much nicer - I don't have a Pro yet though.

[V. Amoleo]

It is PS4Pro enhanced. Apparently it makes the graphics much nicer - I don't have a Pro yet though.

 

Just read in a different thread that you have a Pro now. How are you finding the VR using it?

[somme]

Just read in a different thread that you have a Pro now. How are you finding the VR using it?

 

The PS4 doesn't make even a hint of a noise for one. The graphics are indeed much nicer. Resident Evil seems to have gone up a console generation in fidelity. Not all games have been improved, but a lot have.

 

The console also turns on in about a second from sleep mode now, rather than 10-20.

 

Overall I'm pleased with the purchase.

[Ronnie]

Sony going commercial with PlayStation VR after making slow progress with consumers

 

Sony will start pushing its PlayStation VR virtual reality headset as a commercial device after making "slower-than-expected" progress in the consumer arena, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing people familiar with the matter.

 

Sony's video game wing has established a "location-based entertainment" unit tasked with leading the commercial VR charge and finding partners in various industries, the report said.

 

It's a move that suggests the console maker is having trouble sustaining the immediate impact of PSVR after the initial launch buzz has worn off.

 

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/295330/Sony_going_commercial_with_PlayStation_VR_after_making_slow_progress_with_consumers.php

 

Probably a smart move given consumer interest in VR seems to have fallen off a cliff, especially without any truly great software to show it off. Maybe some will start to agree now that a bit more time has passed.

[Jimbob]

Always knew this generation of VR wouldn't take off, it'll be the next generation that'll be the turning point.

[Grazza]

4K will probably be the VR equivalent of TVs going 1080p, although part of me still thinks VR needs 8K.

 

I wonder if there are any optical ways to improve VR, and not just resolution?

[dwarf]

Always knew this generation of VR wouldn't take off, it'll be the next generation that'll be the turning point.

 

I think that's optimistic, frankly. People will be saying that a few iterations down the road, and eventually come to wonder if there is anything inevitable about the rise of VR.

 

"I was being realistic, and don't call me Frankly."

[killthenet]

I've not tried any VR myself beyond Google cardboard but I agree with Grazza that it's going to need to be 4K at least before people feel really comfortable with it. I think in the meantime highly stylised art direction will be a big help in getting people more immersed but for the more realistic looking experiences it'll be a tough sell at a low resolution.

[bob]

I've tried a few different types and the resolution doesn't matter that much I don't think. As long as you have very low lag and a good field of view, it doesn't take long to really feel presence, and then you don't care about the low res. Once you feel like you're 'there' you see past the graphics.

[Daft]

My brother has loaned me his PSVR indefinitely so I've been playing it over the past few days.

 

Holy shit, what a blast. For starters, it is obscenely easy to set up and get going. While the image quality isn't stellar, it's really quite forgivable because of the immersion – and I will definitely be buying any future upgrade with a PS5.

 

Playroom VR is brilliant. And it's a crime those little robots aren't used more, like in a full on platformer. The platforming level is the most innovative thing Nintendo would have created in the past decade. It's an absolutely wonderful co-op experience and the depth that the VR gives you is gorgeous.

 

The other mini-games are good but the platformer really felt like it could/should have been a whole game.

 

Played Trackmania in VR, too. That is a lot of fun, too.

 

Both games have really made me think VR is a perfect fit for third-person games more than first-person (at least at the moment).

 

Finally Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. Another amazing local co-op game. Super tense and properly exciting.

 

I'd really like to see games like Abzu in VR.

[Ronnie]

I haven't picked one up yet, the tech might be amazing but short of a few short experiences I see no reason to jump in now. I wonder if VR will have a big E3 presence. If not then it's pretty poor of Sony to suggest people fork out a few hundred quid on this and then barely support it. It's the Vita all over again.

Edited April 26, 2017 by Ronnie

[Daft]

I wouldn't say it was poorly supported. For a niche peripheral that's been out only 7 months, I'd say its support was pretty good.

 

I don't think anyone is arguing that it's ready for the mainstream either. It's a good piece of kit, with a solid line-up but it comes with the early-adopter caveats. There's no killer app for sure, but for the moment there's definitely support.

 

And you hardly seem that satisfied with the base PS4 experience, no idea why you'd be even remotely tempted to shell out for PSVR.

[Ashley]

I haven't picked one up yet, the tech might be amazing but short of a few short experiences I see no reason to jump in now. I wonder if VR will have a big E3 presence. If not then it's pretty poor of Sony to suggest people fork out a few hundred quid on this and then barely support it. It's the Vita all over again.

 

Well Vita games are being released still, just not by Sony. Not that they themselves didn't drop support, but the console is still a steal for what experiences you can get on it. Perhaps PSVR will be the same (i.e. stronger support from third parties).

 

I've only played a bit of Keep Talking... but I really enjoyed it. It felt like a game that could have done well on the Wii U with its asynchronous multiplayer gameplay.

[Sheikah]

I got a PSVR recently due to finding it on sale somewhere and getting a bonus. It's really, really cool. I was just playing Thumper last night and was impressed with how immersive it makes the game feel. My only negatives for the system is the resolution and that the lens gets steamed up often, but other than that it's a really enjoyable piece of kit.

 

The Playroom VR platforming level is indeed nothing short of genius. That bit where you go through the cave and the vine comes close to your face is unreal.