Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016

[Wraith_TMS]

OculusVR finally provided a consumer version release window of the first quarter, 2016.  Numerous news outlets have picked up the story; here's one:

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/05/oculus-announces-q1-2016-release-for-first-consumer-oculus-rift/

Note to all: by all accounts, a higher end gaming PC will be needed to run it well (due to the Rift's likely native screen resolution--probably 1440p--and refresh rates from 75 to 90 hz.  True specs aren't released yet though).  More details will be provided in coming weeks (E3 maybe?).

FWIW,

[Randy1]

It will be interesting to see if HTC will support the release.  I have tried the last version out to the public.  The near full scale view is a game changer.

[Ack-Ack]

SteamVR is expected to be out within the year and from what I've heard, its just as good if not better than the OR VR headset.

[Randy1]

It will interesting to see the impact on all gaming when these things hit the street. 

The full scale view is what attracts me but the downside is playing blind outside of what you see in the game.  I wonder if they will have a view area to get around this.

My squad mate notes the current version limits play time due to the eye and facial strain.

[Wraith_TMS]

Ack-Ack is referring to the Valve/HTC ** (**HTC the phone manufacturer, not "our" HTC...  ) partnership hmd, the Vive (pronounced "v-eye-ve").  It will likely be competitive on hardware terms with the Rift, though it will be a "slightly higher price point." http://www.wareable.com/vr/htc-vive-vr-headset-release-date-price-specs-7929

@Randy1, the consumer rift is said to be a significantly lighter and more comfortable, not to mention, more capable version than their current developer kit 2 headset, which is what your squadmate may be using.  With regard to eyesight being fully enclosed by the head-mounted-display (hmd), it's true, and I would hope for options around that too.  Probably solutions like after-market hmd pass-through cameras, improved voice command apps, etc., will come from 3rd parties; not to mention the fact that many of us use HOTAS gear with buttons to spare, so it may take some getting used to, but IMO it's not a deal-breaker considering this technology's other benefits.

VR tech is advancing by leaps and bounds; it's really kind of astounding.  For example, Wearality, a startup with access to Lockheed Martin tooling and tech, just successfully Kickstartered.  They aim to become a lens provider for hmd makers, and Wearality's groundbreaking lenses allow from 150 to 210 degrees field of vision (FOV) when used on current smartphone-sized screens.  We may see their stuff in future headsets. More on them here: http://uploadvr.com/wearality-180-degree-fov-lens-vr/ 

OculusVR's consumer pricing may end up being near at-cost, since both Valve and OculusVR (owned by Facebook) realize that content (ie movies, games, live sports, education, and yep, the naughty stuff  ) is where the likely true VR consumer demand is--but HTC, Valve's partner, needs to make a bit of a return, since HTC is a hardware company, hence the Vive's probable higher price.  Likely specs on the consumer version of the Rift here (again, nothing on what it will take to run this baby):
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/buying-advice/gadget/3522990/oculus-rift-release-date-specs-features

For those who are unfamiliar with this stuff, I recommend the Oculus subReddit to stay abreast of this technology area.  IMO, a few short years from now, many if not most of us, may be playing AH on something like the Rift or the Vive, not to mention watching movies or live televised sports: http://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/

Sorry for the wall of text, but most folk don't know anything about this stuff yet, it's still a tsunami out at sea--but it's coming.

FWIW,

[Gman]

There are at least 6 large companies making VR headsets for PC gaming due out soon, if not more.  That's my only issue, is trying to figure out which one will be "the one" to get.  Valve, Sony, Samsung, Microsoft, Occulus, Razer (blahrg), Avenger - that's just the six I can recall, I know I'm missing some.  I just hope they have cross compatibility so far as games and programs go, otherwise it'll be a case of having to be "the" headset for whatever games you prefer. 

I hope HTC will be able to integrate them at some point, no idea on how difficult this is or would be, I know HTC did a fantastic job with the TrackIR compatibility, it works better here than almost any other game/sim I've tried (IMO). 

[Mister Fork]

There are at least 6 large companies making VR headsets for PC gaming due out soon, if not more.  That's my only issue, is trying to figure out which one will be "the one" to get.  Valve, Sony, Samsung, Microsoft, Occulus, Razer (blahrg), Avenger - that's just the six I can recall, I know I'm missing some.  I just hope they have cross compatibility so far as games and programs go, otherwise it'll be a case of having to be "the" headset for whatever games you prefer. 

I hope HTC will be able to integrate them at some point, no idea on how difficult this is or would be, I know HTC did a fantastic job with the TrackIR compatibility, it works better here than almost any other game/sim I've tried (IMO).

+1 gman.

I of course have to get 3 (one for me and two for my two sons who are now avid PC gamers).  Thinking of the Bluray/HD-DVD and VHS/Betamax experiences, I am guessing though that with Facebook's deep pockets (not as deep as Sony - but they have a tonne more software development clout and cash) it will definitely give Valve's gaming headset a run for the money.  And we all know that since Facebook bought the Oculus Rift last year - Mark has designs I'm guessing on not only gaming, but other multimedia experiences for the Oculus...  Sony will not have the ability to influence as much as Facebook can...  But from a gaming perspective, I'm thinking that Valve will come out swinging pretty hard with their huge gamer base.

[Wraith_TMS]

There are at least 6 large companies making VR headsets for PC gaming due out soon, if not more.  That's my only issue, is trying to figure out which one will be "the one" to get.  Valve, Sony, Samsung, Microsoft, Occulus, Razer (blahrg), Avenger - that's just the six I can recall, I know I'm missing some.  I just hope they have cross compatibility so far as games and programs go, otherwise it'll be a case of having to be "the" headset for whatever games you prefer. 

I hope HTC will be able to integrate them at some point, no idea on how difficult this is or would be, I know HTC did a fantastic job with the TrackIR compatibility, it works better here than almost any other game/sim I've tried (IMO).

@Gman you’re right that most of the major tech companies are jumping into VR and AR, but not all of them will be producing PC-compatible headsets/hmds--at least at first.   However, only three are distinctly oriented toward PC gaming (see below) and have some market credibility.   The big players out of the gate for PC gaming will be the Rift and the Vive, IMO.  Both use infrared LED sensors, similar to TrackIR, but more robustly, so it may not be as big an issue--at least at first--for AH to support 2 or 3 major brands built around similar head-tracking tech.  And I do hope that AH does get onboard with this tech.  I read the VR boards on other sites and there are a lot-- a lot-- of simulation enthusiasts.  The ones who are into air combat games so far  think Wart Hunder is the only game supporting VR--they're right, so far--but most are not terribly impressed with how Gaijin has handled VR integration.  Now imagine if AH supported it as well as they do TrackIR.  There are over 40,000 registered users of Reddit's r/Oculus subreddit (and growing, btw), and AH managed to capture 5-10% of that crowd.  I think we'd end up with an embarrassment of targ...ehm... riches. 

Here’s my big player breakout, by platform, unit and company.

PC/Gaming VR oriented:
•   Rift -- OculusVR/Facebook)
•   Vive  -- Valve/HTC (probably supported on Valve’s Steam machines too)
•   OSVR – Razer
Consoles/Platforms
•   Morpheus project (for PS 4) – Sony (they just killed their existing hmd line in favor of VR)
•   X-box (?)  Unknown, since MS is so secretive.
Mobile Oriented VR:
•   Gear VR – Samsung/OculusVR (Mobile phone headseat)
•   Cardboard—Google (not really consumer friendly product)
•   Go -- VRelia
Augemented Reality (AR) oriented:
•   Hololens – Microsoft
•   Glass—Google
•   Magic Leap—Magic Leap with (>$500million buyin from Google, but possilby vaporware)

Noticeably absent from this--so far--is Apple.  True to form, they will probably jump in once the market takes off, develop or buy out their unit with immense resources, do a Jonny Ive treatment on it and sell it at 50 percent mark-up over other hmds.

As I mentioned earlier, the hardware is starting to take shape, but its CONTENT, which @Mr. Fork and @Gman also alluded to, where the money will be in VR and AR.  Facebook/Oculus and Valve want the lions' share software/content marketplace for VR/AR.  Everything from entertainment (in all ways, movies, games, sports, and of course, pron), social space (Facebook’s interest) , education & training, tourism and travel, industry-oriented applications (e.g., 3D design visualization).  You name it, sooner or later—and probably sooner—major players will (and already have) dump scads of money into this tech space .  Not to put too fine a point on it, but... according to the CEO of nVidia, “VR is going to be the future of gaming.”  http://vrfocus.com/archives/14917/nvidia-ceo-vr-going-future-gaming/

So start saving your pennies, kids, we'll need to upgrade our PC's for more than just playing AH, it appears.

FWIW,

[Ack-Ack]

There are at least 6 large companies making VR headsets for PC gaming due out soon, if not more.  That's my only issue, is trying to figure out which one will be "the one" to get.  Valve, Sony, Samsung, Microsoft, Occulus, Razer (blahrg), Avenger - that's just the six I can recall, I know I'm missing some.  I just hope they have cross compatibility so far as games and programs go, otherwise it'll be a case of having to be "the" headset for whatever games you prefer. 

I hope HTC will be able to integrate them at some point, no idea on how difficult this is or would be, I know HTC did a fantastic job with the TrackIR compatibility, it works better here than almost any other game/sim I've tried (IMO).

It's not for certain of Sony's VR set will be PC compatible, Sony has been skirting the question when asked.  You can already use Samsung's version of VR if you have the latest generation of Galaxy phones/tablets, heard it's actually pretty decent though I haven't tried them myself.  For the PC, OR and Valve are the ones to watch.

[Gman]

That's what I was thinking/hoping.  Makes it simple really, I'll probably just buy both, have several gaming PCs in the home atm, so switching the OR and Valve unit around will probably be a must anyhow.

Great times in PC gaming ahead. Anyone else remember after the Xbox and PS came out when nearly every gaming publication/site was predicting the end of PC gaming?  It's funny, because I can understand how this feeling got out there.  I remember at Future Shop they would have an aisle 4 shelves high and the entire store length long, with NOTHING but PC games on it in the 1998 to 2003 or so timeframe.  Then it all disappeared.  Now with high speed net distribution for most games, it just changed, it didn't "die" as predicted, in fact it got bigger if you ask me.  So much win.

O/T I know, but playing the recent Homeworld remastered had me thinking of nostalgic Pc gaming times, along with the whole VR craze coming, which was something everyone dreamed of back in those glory days of early 3D PC gaming.

[Vulcan]

My squad mate notes the current version limits play time due to the eye and facial strain.

Then he has it configured wrong.

[Vulcan]

O/T I know, but playing the recent Homeworld remastered had me thinking of nostalgic Pc gaming times, along with the whole VR craze coming, which was something everyone dreamed of back in those glory days of early 3D PC gaming.

3D VR gaming on the PC has existed since the mid 90's.

[guncrasher]

3D VR gaming on the PC has existed since the mid 90's.

late 8's early 90's.


semp

[Gman]

Yes, I remember many of those VR sets in the late 90s/early 2000s, some were sent in to us for review back then, and the experience with them all = pretty poor compared to the OR, which IMO has been the only one (along with others coming) to be good enough to make VR mainstream, based on what I've read, and what you've posted here in terms of vids and explanations.  That includes many of the other types you've mentioned and demonstrated over the years here Vulcan, I wouldn't spend my own $ on any of them until the recent DKs have come along, and even then, I'm waiting for the retail version.

VR may have been around since those days, how many gamers bought them, and how many game designers incorporated that tech into their games?  That's all my point was, every gamer and his dog knows about OR and the other VR sets coming soon, and due to all the hype, which is mostly deserved IMO for once in the media, they'll be as common as any other dedicated gaming device soon.


I think many gamers here realize VR existed prior to recent times, but that isn't the case IMO in the general gaming public, as it has not been widely supported by both the industry and media in general until more recent times. 

Comparison example - HOTAS have been around since the 90s, and even back then, Thrustmaster built their F22 with the F16TQS setup that isn't very far removed from the quality and experience of say the Cougar or Warthog.  Compare that sort of experience with the VR systems of that day - VR has made HUGE leaps forward, where as the HOTAS stuff hasn't changed all that much, other than being USB and perhaps different sensors.  Average joe shown a 17 year old TM F22 HOTAS compared to a modern one like a Warthog could barely tell the difference, where as show average joe VR from 1998, and show him OR or Valves stuff now - every one would agree that there is a massive forward progression in quality and worth.

Sega's early attempts, iGlasses, CyberMaxx, VFX1, and even more recent improvements (specifically ones you've used in recent years and posted about here Vulcan) just haven't been ready for prime time, mostly due to the...well, suckness of them IMO.  That's going to change, big time, and soon.

I was never really into the VR thing, other than as I said some past units I tried long ago which were sent in to a company I worked for as review units.  Span 15+ years later, and I've only used the most recent OR developer kit of someone else for about 30 mins, and it's shockingly good compared to all the past stuff.

I think you'll be a busy person on the hardware forum in the next couple of years Vulcan, as you're one of few if not the only member I've seen who has kept up with the VR stuff all along, and no doubt you have a lot of the issues surrounding it already figured. 

[Vulcan]

late 8's early 90's.


semp

Not the late 80's. True 3D games only started appearing in the early 90s (such as System Shock). I owned a VFX-1 VR headset back then and used to play things like SS 1 and 2, Commanche 3, Flight Unlimited etc.