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Steam will tell you what games work with OSVR
Steam has added an official badge to games on the platform that will work with Razer's OSVR headset. Much like the visual designation for titles compatible with Oculus Rift and the company's own HTC Vive headsets, it's a simple icon. In this case it looks like a rounded square set inside a bigger square (below). Valve says that you'll find it next to some 200 games at the moment, and that while OSVR is the first headset it's slapped a compatibility badge on since this spring, it won't be the last.
Razer's second OSVR devkit is now available for pre-order
If you've been looking for a lower-cost alternative to the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive that doesn't skimp on hardware, you're in luck. Razer has officially started taking pre-orders for the OSVR HDK2: its second generation Open-Source Virtual Reality hardware development kit. The company announced this upgrade last month at E3. It features a higher resolution 2,160 x 1,200 low-persistence OLED 441 PPI display, a winder, 110-degree field of view and a 90Hz refresh-rate -- specs on par with what you'll find in other commercial VR headsets.
Razer's OSVR headset is still a work in progress
When Razer announced the latest version of its HDK ("Hacker Development Kit") virtual reality headset, it positioned it as a competitor to premium devices like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. On paper, that's very much true: The HDK 2.0 has a 2,160 x 1,200 low-persistence OLED panel, a 110-degree field of view and a 90Hz refresh rate. It also has a low price of $399, which is way less than the Rift's $599 and Vive's $799 (both headsets come with accessories that go a way to explaining the price difference).
OSVR improves the display on its new developer headset
The Open Source Virtual Reality (OSVR) consortium will soon have a new headset for developers. Unlike previous hardware, which offered a so-so experience, the new Hacker Development Kit 2 (HDK 2) is supposed to be a true competitor to the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. That means a better display than the old HDK 1.4 -- the new version comes with a low persistence OLED panel and a total resolution of 2160x1200, or 441 pixels per inch (PPI). It has a 110-degree field of view and supports 90 frames per second -- two specs that are fast becoming industry standard.
Razer's new Hacker Development Kit natively supports CryEngine
Razer unveiled its latest revision to its Open Source Virtual Reality (OSVR) developer's bundle (aka Hacker Development Kit v1.4) during GDC on Tuesday. The latest HDK offers a number of improvements over its previous iteration.
Razer reveals the first games for its VR developer kit
Razer and the OSVR alliance have been working on their developer-ready VR headset for a while, but they haven't said much about what you'll play on this early hardware. That's a bit odd for technology that revolves around gaming, don't you think? Never to fear, though, as the first games have arrived for OSVR's Hacker Development Kit. They're mostly what you'd expect for a SteamVR-compatible device: a pair of Valve classics (Half-Life 2 and Team Fortress 2), a popular spaceflight game (Elite: Dangerous) and a racing title (Live for Speed). About the only outlier is Spermination, a shooter that's about as odd as its name suggests.
OSVR's open-source VR headset is slowly taking shape
The Open Source Virtual Reality (OSVR) headset will get a significant upgrade soon. Gaming peripheral company Razer announced the OSVR program back in January, but the first prototype headset was an underwhelming affair with uncomfortable ergonomics and a so-so display. That wasn't really the point, though. Rather than a single company aiming to dominate the VR market, OSVR is a loose band of hardware and software companies hoping to do for virtual reality "what Android did for mobile." Since then, OSVR has continued to work on improving the system, adding features like positional tracking and, aptly, Android support. The idea is to perfect the basics, open-source the hardware and software, and let anyone build on and improve it.
Razer's VR kit gets Android support and position tracking
Razer recently launched its Open Source VR intiative, complete with a virtual reality headset to get more developers into the VR game. The initial launch notably lacked Android support and positional tracking hardware, but it's now filed those holes with its latest OSVR Hacker Development Kit (HDK) 1.2. The IR system is included in the kit price, including the 100Mhz IR LED system and a camera that provides 360 degrees of position tracking. Previously, Razer included IR position tracking designs and templates, but didn't supply the hardware.
Razer's handing open-source VR kits to more than 20 education labs
Razer's entry into virtual reality may not be as ballsy as HTC's or Samsung's, but it could be just as important. Back in January the gaming manufacturer revealed Open Source Virtual Reality (OSVR), a project that offers a hardware design and software framework that anyone can build VR devices and apps from. Today, OSVR is announcing that more than 20 higher education facilities will join the initiative and be provided with development kits and the necessary support to create new experiences and hardware.
Razer to make a VR headset with built-in Leap Motion hand tracking sensor
The holy grail of virtual reality is presence; that feeling that you're truly there in that virtual world. That's why it was great when Leap Motion announced that it would be making a VR mount a few months ago -- manipulating objects with your hands is just so much more immersive than using a game controller. But in order to use it, you would already need to have a VR headset plus you'd need to get the Leap Motion sensor separately, which isn't exactly ideal. Now, however, you don't need to: Leap Motion has just announced that it's collaborating with Razer's OSVR to build a VR headset with the Leap Motion sensors built right in.
Razer is launching an open-source VR headset this year
For the past three years at CES, I've met Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan and a grip of his colleagues in a large-ish suite in the MGM Grand. The first time, it was "Project Fiona" turning into the Razer Edge. Then in 2014, it was a crazy-looking modular computer codenamed "Project Christine." This year, there's no tease. No project name. This year, Razer's announcing an open-source software and hardware initiative known as "OSVR." First: Yes, there's a headset, and yes, I used it. Second: That acronym stands for -- you guessed it -- "Open-Source Virtual Reality."
