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0098386

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Jan 18, 2005
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Sony recently announced a new VR headset, Project Morpheus:
http://www.sony.com/SCA/company-new...nces-project-morp.shtml?icid=pr-newswire-feed

Looks interesting. Only thing I wish it had is separate displays for each eye so you could do 3D. Would that even be possible, though?

Full disclosure: I'm not a gamer, so I don't really know how it all works. Just wanted to share.

It does do 3D. It's just a more refined version of the Oculus Rift with surround sound headphones and headtracking.
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
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a better place
Question is how much overhead is it going to put on consoles - will it be like 3D where resolution and framerate are sacrificed in order to try and deliver it ...
 

Taustin Powers

macrumors 6502
Apr 5, 2005
263
549
I can see this as a great tech demo...but will people really want to wear this monstrosity in their living rooms to play games? Enough people to earn Sony some money?

I applaud Sony for venturing into this direction, but I can't help feeling this could be the next Virtual Boy...
 

0098386

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Jan 18, 2005
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Question is how much overhead is it going to put on consoles - will it be like 3D where resolution and framerate are sacrificed in order to try and deliver it ...

It's running at 1080p (horizontal resolution halved for each eye). But I reckon graphics fidelity will be reduced to keep it at 60fps. You cannot have anything less than 60fps on these machines.

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I can see this as a great tech demo...but will people really want to wear this monstrosity in their living rooms to play games? Enough people to earn Sony some money?

I applaud Sony for venturing into this direction, but I can't help feeling this could be the next Virtual Boy...

I reckon so. The Rift is incredible and really changes games, Sony are right to jump in on this tech at this early stage. Beyond all the individual features new VR headsets have... it's the fact that you really feel like you're in the game. Even just watching films on the Rift is good!
 

Grechy

macrumors member
Sep 22, 2013
36
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Was listening to Sid Shuman talking about this on the Playstation Blogcast. Sounded really good but as Sid pointed out it will be for a niche kind of gaming and not your typical Call of Duty or Killzone gaming. It's definitely gaining momentum and will be interesting to see it will ever become a mainstream form of gaming. Early days still.
 

davelanger

macrumors 6502a
Mar 25, 2009
832
2
I can see this as a great tech demo...but will people really want to wear this monstrosity in their living rooms to play games? Enough people to earn Sony some money?

I applaud Sony for venturing into this direction, but I can't help feeling this could be the next Virtual Boy...

These are still at least 10 years off IMO.
 

Antares

macrumors 68000
These are still at least 10 years off IMO.

What makes you say that? Technology moves fast and this could get to market quickly. I would hope the PS4 is powerful enough for this. PC's definitely could be powerful enough, depending on configuration (If Sony opens this up to PC's in addition to the Playstation). We'll see what happens to the Rift given Facebook controls it, now.
 

davelanger

macrumors 6502a
Mar 25, 2009
832
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What makes you say that? Technology moves fast and this could get to market quickly. I would hope the PS4 is powerful enough for this. PC's definitely could be powerful enough, depending on configuration (If Sony opens this up to PC's in addition to the Playstation). We'll see what happens to the Rift given Facebook controls it, now.

I mean it will be ten years off until everyone is using it. I mean look at how old Kinect is, and its still not being used by everyone, and MS is just now trying to force it on everyone.

The PS move was created around the same time the Wii was (even before so) and the move is still not intagrated into the PS set fully
 

0098386

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Jan 18, 2005
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I mean it will be ten years off until everyone is using it. I mean look at how old Kinect is, and its still not being used by everyone, and MS is just now trying to force it on everyone.

The PS move was created around the same time the Wii was (even before so) and the move is still not intagrated into the PS set fully

PS Move and Kinect are kinda rubbish though. They were both knee jerk reactions to match the Wii's success, both were underdeveloped and unnecessary. This new VR stuff isn't. It's taking a while to refine out but it really is the "next big thing". Try it if you haven't. Loads of game expos, events and game jams have Rifts. It really is "see it to believe it" and nothing at all like the quick reactions of Move and Kinect.
 

davelanger

macrumors 6502a
Mar 25, 2009
832
2
PS Move and Kinect are kinda rubbish though. They were both knee jerk reactions to match the Wii's success, both were underdeveloped and unnecessary. This new VR stuff isn't. It's taking a while to refine out but it really is the "next big thing". Try it if you haven't. Loads of game expos, events and game jams have Rifts. It really is "see it to believe it" and nothing at all like the quick reactions of Move and Kinect.

Move was in development before Wii. Just wanted to point that out. IMO this VR stuff will be like 3D. its going to be a fad and people will get sick of it fast.

I despise 3D and always try to find a movie in standard format when its a 3D movie.
 

0098386

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Jan 18, 2005
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Move was in development before Wii. Just wanted to point that out. IMO this VR stuff will be like 3D. its going to be a fad and people will get sick of it fast.

I despise 3D and always try to find a movie in standard format when its a 3D movie.
The Move back then was more like Kinect though and not the "motion controller per hand" game-changer that the Wii brought.

Then you're really going to miss out on something big. It's a shame you have such a strong dislike for 3D. It really works on the Rift, there's no cross-talk, incredible immersion. It's not like films with different perspectives. A first person game on the Rift is just like plopping yourself down infront of your characters eyes.
 

Antares

macrumors 68000
The Move back then was more like Kinect though and not the "motion controller per hand" game-changer that the Wii brought.

Then you're really going to miss out on something big. It's a shame you have such a strong dislike for 3D. It really works on the Rift, there's no cross-talk, incredible immersion. It's not like films with different perspectives. A first person game on the Rift is just like plopping yourself down infront of your characters eyes.

Exactly. On both points. Move was very different before the Wii Remote was unveiled. It became what it was because of Wii. And, yes, VR 3D is the next big thing. Short of a Star Trek type Holodeck or some type of direct brain input/stimulation type of system, you cannot create a more immersive virtual experience. Done right, this could be the biggest innovation in gaming, ever.
 

0098386

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Jan 18, 2005
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Exactly. On both points. Move was very different before the Wii Remote was unveiled. It became what it was because of Wii. And, yes, VR 3D is the next big thing. Short of a Star Trek type Holodeck or some type of direct brain input/stimulation type of system, you cannot create a more immersive virtual experience. Done right, this could be the biggest innovation in gaming, ever.

I don't know if there are eras in gaming. But I'd say the console leap to 3D was a big one, if not the last one. It's as big as that I'd say. And of course VR wont work with all games - after all some 2D game styles don't translate to 3D, and vice versa.

I haven't tried a racing game on the Rift yet but I think those will be phenomenal.
 

Antares

macrumors 68000
I don't know if there are eras in gaming. But I'd say the console leap to 3D was a big one, if not the last one. It's as big as that I'd say. And of course VR wont work with all games - after all some 2D game styles don't translate to 3D, and vice versa.

I haven't tried a racing game on the Rift yet but I think those will be phenomenal.

For "immersive" experience, it can't be topped. And, yeah, I wouldn't want to use it for all games…2D games, like you said.

Yeah, can you imagine being in the driver's seat and turning your head to look out all the windows and interior, like in a real car.
 
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