Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
[Column] General: Ten Ways VR Could Make MMOs More Real
BMunchausen
Staff WriterMMORPG.COM Staff Posts: 400
At last week's Game Developers Conference, people were lined up to try Sony's new virtual reality tech and from all the hubbub, it appeared VR's become the new (old) brass ring in game development the way the Kinect and the PSMove were a few years ago. It's fairly amazing, the current level of enthusiasm for a tech that's been around for some time now and because of this I can't help but wonder; isn't VR just a resurrected retro gimmick? Don't the current generation of VR peripherals provide the same layer of clunky disconnect their forbears did in years past? Even assuming we had super-futuristic, totally incredible VR tech, how would throwing it into the mix improve games beyond the making them more “real”? In light of these questions, I've created a list of possible ways in which VR could make MMOs more real. You decide if that would be for better or worse.
Read more of Neilie Johnson's Ten Ways VR Could Make MMOs More Real
)
Photo Courtesy of White Guys Wearing Oculus Rifts
Comments
Virtual reality, 3D, graphics engines surpassing what we have right now.. none of this is helping gaming. It might be interesting for the moment, but it's not sustainable. Shift from graphics designers and engineers on these gimmicks and start paying game designers to make stories that will blow you away.
No one got into such a crazy uproar over mass effect's graphics, they did over the story. Story is make or break. People are getting into 8bit and emulators to revisit stories, not the way fire flickered off walls from torches and the way them shadows mimicked real life.. Oh my god, but maybe I'd buy the Oculus for that awesome face the guy is making in the picture.
Price and quality, the price is almost there. Think pricing for Kinect, that was the obstacle for acceptance. As for quality the screen is much better that what was offered say 20 years ago. We are definitely at a tipping point. But remember that Nvidia has 3D drivers and some people have bought 3D capable monitors and glasses already. I would prefer my 3D on a 40+ (42” at the moment) inch screen rather than a 7 inch on my face.
3D is gonna happen, but for me I will hold off because of the weight. I stopped wearing headsets when I went back to wearing glasses for the comfort.Boy: Why can't I talk to Him?
Mom: We don't talk to Priests.
As if it could exist, without being payed for.
F2P means you get what you paid for. Pay nothing, get nothing.
Even telemarketers wouldn't think that.
It costs money to play. Therefore P2W.
For Console Gaming sure, but the article is about MMO gaming and the VAST MAJORITY of MMO games are PC only.
I am a MMO Gamer but I am not a console gamer. I don't like them and have not interest in them or the console gaming systems... nor do I have any interest in vibrating controllers.
It's not that vibrating controllers are bad or fail, they're not, millions love them... but not in MMO PC gaming. I think that ws the point that zanfire was making.
(THIS is why it's mistake to mix PC MMO gaming on this site with Console Gaming and every other type of gaming. It confuses people.)
Do I think VR will be a future must have for MMO gaming? Maybe, but I still like third person perspective, so I probably won't play the MMOs made to showcase it. Not now that FB has thrown it's hat into the ring... that just soured VR for me bigtime.
Oh great another article from someone who has never tried the tech and is utterly disconnected from the reality of the situation.
Heat control, full body haptic feedback, electrical impulses into the brain? Where do you find these low quality writers?
Finally 3D is not VR, and VR is not a full sensory transposition. Try to seperate these things into different understandings. VR wont do even half of what is in your article. Your lack of research shows you as nothing more than a clickbaiter.
I responded in much the same way as you at first, but to be fair, the author literally stated: Even assuming we had super-futuristic, totally incredible VR tech, how would throwing it into the mix improve games beyond the making them more “real”?
So no, I don't think this article was meant to have any bearing in reality to begin with. Which seems kind of pointless, since it would have been much more interesting to theorize about what the current VR tech could mean for MMO's. The examples sound pretty exhaustive to boot.
As for PC gaming, I don't see this taking off any time soon. A case could be made in the future, when the headsets are all full color and it is an easy USB plug in. Maybe it is now, but I cant see people spending money on this at the moment.
I think one of the other posters is correct, they need to make the stories better and the games actually immersive. If they have a return to this kind of game creation then the VR will just help that immersiveness and become huge if the price is low enough for the gear. Although the gear will have to be pretty amazing too to get the immersiveness without being to hard to put on or to much.
(Don't need a Robocop suit to do this, if you do might as well go back to drawing board)
I think the games need to change first and then the VR will be a good combination for them. However an argument could be made that today's current gaming community doesn't want hard games, especially in the MMO genre atm. However, without it, I think the VR is just a cheap suit for the games that are out now.
I think market penetration will be the key. If enough people buy in, developers will implement. Otherwise we'll have the same problem we have with the 3d TV's, which in many cases is half assed 3d content and post production conversions. When it is used properly it is great. I have two top of the line Samsung 3d TV's, one plasma and one led. It looks great and I don't regret it one bit, I just wish there was more quality content. Also, with Netflix, Hulu, Xfinity, etc, I just don't feel like I need to own my own hardcopies anymore, with a few exceptions.
I can see VR taking off in gaming, but that could be hampered if the costs are too high or by licensing issues. For example, when 3d TV's launched, each of the major suppliers had exclusivity rights. Well if there are three major manufactures and only a couple amazing 3d movies, you are not helping market saturation you are hindering it.
VR would be great in some instances, not so great in others. I'll buy in when it releases but they have to make it an open format, in other words hardware that is not content exclusive based on licensing. Facebook owning Occulus Rift is a very sad development unless they can prove to people it will not be crushed under the shadow of FB.
I think you are missing the whole point. The Oculus Rift is supposed to cover your entire view so that you are literally seeing everything as your video game. You can't get more immersive than that, I would rather have my entire vision be the game I am playing than look at a 40" screen with stuff popping out of it.
Also have to remember. Apparently they have solved one of the older problems of latency in head movement trackings. So with the Oculus Rift you look around and the screen updates as you look around. You can't tell me that's not better than a stationary 40" screen.
I think unless it works without having to wear a headset, fully immersive 3D is going to be a very niche thing. Putting on a headset or even 3D glasses is like having a loading screen in real life. Until they can remove that loading screen, don't expect people to get jump behind things like this in large quantities.
Especially for things like social media. Bleh.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
Why not just put your face one inch away from your computer screen and keep it there?
You are destroying your eyesight by wearing these things... fact not fiction.
Hows that for some "reality" that isn't so "virtual"...
It's actually fiction. You only do temporary damage when you stare at screens for too long due to eye strain. There is no proven permanent damage. Lots of sources you can find on Google for this, but here is one: http://www.news-medical.net/health/Does-looking-at-a-computer-damage-your-eyes.aspx
Unless you have a previous eye condition you should be fine. Doing it for hours straight can cause problems for example I've had my vision completely blur and lose focus after doing a lot of overtime at work, it went away after about 10 minutes of not staring at the computer screen, but any problems caused should be temporary.
Go ahead and tell yourself that... but don't go citing some internet doctor when you are asked to wear prescriptions due to excessive eye strain related vision loss.
Scrying for Shakin' Makers
and I figure the lame gray dooshberg whatsisnuts bought it to kill it - mark my words
Can VR damage your eyesight?
Pardon my English as it is not my 1st language
I'm sure you have better sources stating otherwise /sarcasm; however I do wear glasses and years ago when I was young I asked an optometrist if my vision loss was related to being in front of a computer screen for long periods of time. I got a resounding no, that there is no permanent damage caused by staring at a screen for too long. You can just Google this information and see that there are hundreds of sources stating exactly as I said and none stating the opposite as fact.
It was a rumor made up to get people away from television screens ago that stuck with people later on as fact. Staring at screens for too long can in fact cause temporary eye strain and other problems, but none of this does permanent damage to the eyes. If you play VR for prolonged periods you might experience this, but if you suddenly stop no matter how much VR you played after a while problems caused by the VR will go away. It's not permanent at all. A real threat is SOUND as blasting music in your ears does in fact cause permanent hearing loss.
I don't know if there are any long term problems from VR related to say the motion sickness, but I don't believe you'll get any LONGTERM eye related problems from too much VR.
Again a thread full of haters who have not tried the new generation of VR helmets.
I still haven't met anyone who is still a hater after having tried one.
'nuff said.
That is not "fact", its an old wifes tale. This "damaging eye sight" thing has been going on since the 60's when a faulty TV was released that emitted harmed xrays.
There is A LOT of research into what you stated as "fact" that show that what you said is indeed "fiction"
Recent research shows that being close to a screen or dark rooms do not do any permanent damage to your eyesight. The worst you will get is some discomfort during or time adjusting when stopped.
Story is indeed, sir, what it is all about, but no crappy graphics though
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Bleakmage
Well, on the not being able to see one's own character..
Looking in a mirror? Or, you know, just looking down at oneself? The perspective from which you see the character you've created and the stuff you acquire just changes, that's all.
Unless of course we're still stuck with the current generation 'disembodied arms in front of the camera' setup. Which seems decidedly stupid with a VR setup in the mix.
Honestly the only issue with character customisation that I can see in this regard is to do with voice.