How do people feel about VR and AR now?

[tampere]

So, I guess the Pokemon thing has cooled down, but it was still a fun use of augmented reality. I don't seem to hear as much about virtual reality now in gaming, how do people perceive it all? A dying trend or tech that is actually useful?

[xeromist]

AR isn't going away. There is definitely a market for things like tourism aides even if AR gaming turns out to be niche.

VR needs to be more accessible. Right now you need expensive and often clunky hardware. Plus some of us get sick. The other problem is content. Right now a lot of VR content is just normal content displayed as VR, or even worse adapted to exploit a half-baked gimmick that isn't actually better. Once the technology matures I think we'll see more creators willing to take a risk on original content that is designed for VR.

[Chadd74]

I agree, there needs to be more VR content. I have the PSVR and love it for the short period of time I can actually use it before getting very ill. I think VR is just getting started. Had some family over last weekend and they all tried out the PSVR and I believe it convinced them to go get not just a PSVR but a PS4 as well (because you need one). I think not enough people have tried it and dont really understand how amazing it really is or can be. Love it for 3D movies also.

[davemon50]

Chadd74 wrote:
I agree, there needs to be more VR content. I have the PSVR and love it for the short period of time I can actually use it before getting very ill. I think VR is just getting started. Had some family over last weekend and they all tried out the PSVR and I believe it convinced them to go get not just a PSVR but a PS4 as well (because you need one). I think not enough people have tried it and dont really understand how amazing it really is or can be. Love it for 3D movies also.

Yeah, I bought a PS4 for the kids, and it's a great console. But I won't invest in PSVR because of the issue mentioned above, sickness. There are some PC games that the motion really makes me sick, so I know PSVR will too. Usually by the time you realize you are sick it's already too late. And they're fun so you tend to push yourself longer and too far as well. For those PC games, letting a lot of light in the room and moving further away from the monitor helps, but doesn't solve it. VR maybe won't fail, but it'll receive a flattened reception IMO because of this problem for so many people.

[Korth]

AR can be implemented onto existing hardware. Mobile apps, commercials, marketing, television, internet, etc - anywhere you have a combination involving some kind of camera/scanner/sensor, some kind of display/screen/output, and some kind of processor/computer. We embrace "cool" AR stuff all the time, it's built into everything from car dashboards to greeting cards. We despise "invasive" AR stuff like annoying advertisements and QRIO barcodes. AR a tool which can entertain, inform, and make money, it's here to stay.

VR needs special hardware. And it turns out all the cool VR stuff we've seen in sci-fi film, television, and books isn't actually all that cool or useful in reality. There's much simpler ways to reconstruct "immersive" environments, BF4 can be played across three 3D monitors a whole lot easier than BF4 can be played in a holodeck.

[tampere]

Yeah, motion sickness is easily the biggest complaint I've heard about VR. It happened to me in some Star Wars VR video... had to lie down for like an hour afterward 😕 not fun. To me, a good game is still down to the graphics, gameplay, and characters. I don't feel like this gimmick adds anything, other than a bit of a laugh for a few minutes (or motion sickness for most people). I can't imagine gaming with your friends and everyone is wearing VR helmets. I just don't see it lasting.

[xeromist]

Well, "gaming with your friends" has become a mostly online experience anyway so nobody cares what you are wearing. I think if they can solve sickness and shrink to a $200 pair of ski goggles then adoption could be strong among hardcore gamers. Obviously there would have to be compelling experiences as well.

[Arne_Saknussemm]

xeromist wrote:
nobody cares what you are wearing.

As long as you're wearing something! 😉

[Korth]

Not sure how many will embrace hardcore VR gaming when the best workarounds for many involve a regimen of special pills (or special exercises) to fight off vertigo and nausea, lol.

Then again, very few people have enough physical constitution to become champion athletes, perhaps very few have enough virtual constitution to become champion gamers. Although I still doubt VR offers substantial advantages over more traditional interfaces.

[xeromist]

That's why I stipulated they would have to solve sickness. Ultimately it might not be possible since motion sickness is a bigger issue that hasn't been completely solved. But there are novel ideas being researched like adding a virtual nose that might help some people so it's possible we could see a breakthrough. I think the simplest solution would be to label different types of games based on the risk of sickness. Games where you mostly stand still and interact around you don't seem to cause nausea for me. A racing game where I'm moving through the world in high speed did me in within a few minutes.