morpheus
Latest
Sony's $400 PSVR bundle finally includes the required camera
Much of Sony's advantage with the PSVR was that it was the cheapest way to get (non-cardboard) virtual reality into your home. Now that Oculus has dropped the price of its bundle, that advantage is evaporating. In response, Sony has added the required PlayStation Camera to its core bundle and kept the $399 price tag. But for the full experience, you'll need a pair of Move motion controller wands. Sony has a bundle for that as well, but it'll set you back $449 starting September 1st. And if you want the best PSVR experience, you'll need to pony up for a $400 PlayStation 4 Pro.
Pre-order the $400 PlayStation VR 'core' bundle March 29th
Despite Sony saying last week that its $400 PlayStation Virtual Reality headset wouldn't go up for pre-order, here we are hours before the $500 "Launch" bundle's pre-orders go live with news of when the cheaper, headline-grabbing bundle will be available for reservation. Phew. Come Tuesday, March 29th at 10 AM Eastern Sony says you can put your name on the list for the PlayStation VR core bundle at "participating retailers."
Sony is hosting a PlayStation VR event next month
Despite what GameStop has in mind, Sony might actually still make its promised "first half of 2016" release date for PlayStation VR. That the company has sent out invites for a special media event just ahead of the annual Game Developers Conference only adds to that suspicion. When you consider PlayStation has used the trade show for the setup's debut in 2014, announcing a release window and upgraded innards last year, it only seems more likely we'll get a hard release date and price on the helmet.
Shuhei Yoshida on China and why PlayStation can never go Home again
One does not simply get enough of Shuhei Yoshida, the head of Sony PlayStation's Worldwide Studios. So following our nice, long chat with him at E3 (seriously, go read it), we managed to get hold of him again in Hong Kong and picked his brain with more questions about Project Morpheus. These include the VR headset's final form (you're looking at it), its compatibility with other devices and whether it'll revive the now-defunct PlayStation Home. We also took the opportunity to ask about the challenges of bringing PlayStation games into China.
Disney Infinity might make its way to Microsoft's HoloLens
It's only natural for an entertainment corporation as massive as The Walt Disney Company, with IP holdings that span the likes of Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm, to be exploring the potential of virtual reality. It's something John Vignocchi, VP of production at Disney Interactive, the division behind toys-to-life platform Disney Infinity, confirmed when we chatted a few weeks back. But when it comes to Infinity, the future focus seems to be weighted more toward augmented reality. "We've had multiple meetings and discussions with Oculus, multiple meetings and discussions with Sony about Morpheus, multiple meetings and discussions with Microsoft about HoloLens. We're very interested in that space," Vignocchi said. "There's the socialization problem right now with VR, but augmented reality is very exciting."
Morpheus mech game 'Rigs' uses color to make VR less overwhelming
My most vivid takeaway from PlayStation 4's new Project Morpheus game Rigs wasn't what I expected. Sure, the first-person mech shooter handled like a dream at 60 frames per-second, and targeting my enemies simply by gazing at them was impressive. But how fluid the locomotion was and how aiming system performed were nothing compared to the game's use of fun, vibrant blocks of color to keep the mood light and subtly nudge me in the right direction. I spent a ton of time in virtual (and augmented) reality at E3 this year and it was Rigs that was perhaps the easiest game for me to pick up, play and not feel like I was floundering about. Sorry, EVE: Valkyrie. With smart color palette choices developer Guerrilla Cambridge, responsible for PS Vita's Killzone: Mercenary, was able to tell me exactly what to do and where to go without saying a word.
An intimate chat with Sony PlayStation's Shuhei Yoshida
Sony PlayStation's Shuhei Yoshida is the best kind of corporate executive. The Worldwide Studios head is affable, open-minded and, best of all, he embraces competition from rivals. I'm speaking, of course, about Microsoft's recent move to partner up with every other company working on virtual reality that's not Sony, of which Shu (as he's commonly referred to) says is no concern. At E3 this week, I had a chance to sit down with the friendly face of PlayStation to pick his brain about making Morpheus more social, embracing crowdfunding to revive cult classics and just what is going on with The Last Guardian.
Poke monster heads and solve puzzles in VR with 'GNOG' on PS4
GNOG is a weird game from a strange studio, which is probably why it's attracted the attention of both Sony and Double Fine, the company behind Broken Age and other big-name indie games. GNOG is a colorful, quirky game that turns giant monster heads into puzzle boxes, and it's coming to PlayStation 4 and the accompanying Morpheus virtual reality headset in 2016, Director Saleem Dabbous announced today. The game is part of Double Fine Presents, an indie support program that includes Gang Beasts, Escape Goat 2 and Last Life, and it's getting help from Sony's Pub Fund program, which helps finance games for Sony platforms.
PlayStation is recruiting for a VR-exclusive studio in the UK
It's getting real for Sony's Project Morpheus. The electronics giant has posted job listings (eight, all told) for veteran animators, level designers and a few others to fill out a studio dedicated entirely to making virtual reality games. "Based in the North West of England, we aim to build a small but highly experienced team who want to build great games to showcase this exciting new immersive technology," the postings say. As Eurogamer reports, the Morpheus-exclusive studio should wind up in Manchester, and staff that formerly worked at Driveclub's Evolution Studios are involved here. Perhaps that's why the available positions are somewhat limited in number. Regardless, if you were questioning how serious Sony's push into VR was, this might sate your curiosity a bit.
Sony kills its head-mounted video display to go all-in on VR
For those with long-ish memories, Sony's HMZ series of head-mounted displays were a very rudimentary way to catch movies on a "750-inch screen." Of course, strapping one to your face wasn't a very social way to spend an evening, so you can understand that the device's appeal was a bit limited. So limited, in fact, that the company is now sending the project down the Shinano river on a longboat piled high with firewood. According to Japanese news outfit AV Watch, Sony bosses have decided to devote all of its resources to improving Morpheus, the PlayStation-branded virtual reality headset, as well as the company's take on Google Glass.
State of VR: Sony's Project Morpheus in 2015
I did not get motion sickness when I demoed Sony's new and improved Project Morpheus VR headset at GDC this week in San Francisco. And that's saying a lot considering my sweaty outcome at a private E3 demo last year. But I did get somewhat hurt while using it. Blame it on the shark. I banged my head into a wall while whimpering and trying to avoid the jaws of a menacing virtual version of, well, Jaws. It's proof that compelling VR is powerful; powerful enough to send you slamming into nearby walls with a smile plastered on your face.
Sony's PlayStation 4 VR headset launching in the 'first half of 2016'
Sony's PlayStation 4-powered virtual reality headset, Project Morpheus, has new specs and a slightly different look (seen above). Okay, it doesn't look that different. What's new? For one, the screen resolution is improved: it's now 1,920 x RGB x 1,080. The refresh rate is doubled from last year at 120Hz, and the new 5.7-inch screen also has a higher field of view (nearly 100 degrees). Oh right! It's got a new, bigger screen at 5.7 inches! But you already guessed that. Further upping the specs is lower latency, now under 18 milliseconds. Most importantly, the unit will launch at retail in "the first half of 2016." That's... kinda soon? Almost?
War Thunder aiming for 360-degree panoramic VR view with Project Morpheus
War Thunder's been on board the virtual reality train for a while now, given its compatibility with the Oculus Rift. Gaijin isn't stopping there, though, according to a new website posting that touts War Thunder on Sony's PlayStation 4 Project Morpheus VR prototype. There's no launch date just yet, but Gaijin promises "a 360 degree panoramic view of the battlefield."
Getting sweaty with the future of Sony's virtual reality
The private room, elevated above the crazed throngs of E3 attendees, was dark and oppressively stuffy. Inside, Conan O'Brien lay on a beanbag in front of Sony's newest virtual reality demo for its Project Morpheus headset: Street Luge. And he was surrounded by two Nintendo booth babes -- an awkward collision of rival gaming worlds that wasn't lost on Sony PR. Conan was finishing up a shoot for a spoof segment on Morpheus and I had to wait for the celebrity fanfare to stop.
Jimmy Fallon punches a dragon with Project Morpheus
Jimmy Fallon and Channing Tatum strapped into Sony's Project Morpheus virtual reality headset and came away with a strong consensus: "This is insane." Fallon and Tatum demoed Project Morpheus on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, wherein they played a round of medieval knight-punching and crossbow-shooting. We got our hands (and face) on Project Morpheus during GDC 2014, and we played the same demo, though with slightly fewer exclamations of insanity. Maybe Fallon and Tatum's suped-up excitement had something to do with the martinis they sipped beforehand. Drunken dragon slaying, anyone? [Image: NBC]
Watch Morpheus take off and land itself (Update: success!)
The brains behind the Morpheus lander have made significant progress since its ill-fated, but spectacularly fiery first voyage. But then, that's what makes rocket launches fun to watch: like a NASCAR race, anything can happen. This time, Morpheus is doing a completely autonomous free flight, with the entire series of planned maneuvers under computer control. If the weather holds, you'll be able to watch it via the UStream link below in half an hour or so, and hopefully it'll run as smoothly as the SpaceX Dragon launch did a few weeks ago. Update: The test flight went flawlessly, and Morpheus returned to its pad. After the dust cleared, it had landed on a dime. Miss the live feed? There should be a highlight video available a little later, we'll let you know once it's posted. Update 2: Kennedy Space Center has posted a video of the test, watch the lander pick out a spot and return safely to the Earth after the break.
Watch NASA's Morpheus take to the air - then make a smooth landing
NASA's Morpheus lander has gone a long way since it crashed and burned in 2012. The agency's vertical landing and takeoff test vehicle now has a number of successful flights under its belt, including one that's just concluded at the Kennedy Space Center. On this most recent flight, the lander easily traversed 1,300 feet at a speed of 36mph for 98 seconds, proving that it has a future in delivering cargo to space. As always, Morpheus had a very important passenger during this event: the team's Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology. This equipment, called ALHAT for short, determines the best place to land by using lasers to scan for rocks and other hazards. That means it could be an essential tool when traveling to worlds we don't know as well as Mars or the moon, as it can guide spacecraft to safety without human input. We've sadly yet to see ALHAT in action, as this particular flight used a predetermined landing point. But, since Morpheus breezed through it like a champ, the team will let the sophisticated landing tech take the reins next time.
Sony: VR 'might be quite a social experience'
Sony is following Facebook onto the mass-market virtual reality bandwagon, according to comments made by the firm's London studio boss. Speaking with MCV, Dave Ranyard says that Sony has worked "quite hard" on something called the social screen in concert with its Project Morpheus VR headset, the former of which will attempt to link tablets or phones to a TV version of what the Morpheus user sees and thereby facilitate companion app play. "The 1970s future vision of virtual reality was a very solo experience of people playing on their own, Ranyard says. "But actually it might not be that, it might be quite a social experience."
CCP's Valkyrie eyeing 'a really big transformation in how games are built and played'
Eurogamer recent talked to CCP chief marketing guru David Reid about the company's place at the forefront of the fledgling virtual reality movement. EVE Valkryie was the first title to be publicly played on both the Oculus Rift (PC) and Sony's Morpheus (PS4), which puts CCP in the driver's seat in terms of VR game development. "There aren't a lot of white papers and APIs and ways of doing these things yet," Reid explained. "We want to be a flagship game. We're on the cusp, potentially, of a really big transformation in how games are built and played, but we have to do our part to make sure that's worthwhile for everybody." Reid also talks up Valkryie's connection to the economies in DUST 514 and EVE Online as well as its "rock/scissors/paper" game mechanics. "As I go into a battle and I earn skill points and I earn currency, I can translate those to having the capabilities to fly bigger, better different ships and can kit them differently," Reid says. "It's a fundamental mechanic of the EVE universe, in EVE Online and in DUST, and it'll be coming to Valkyrie as well."
Hands on (and head in) with Sony's Morpheus VR headset
Sony made a big splash earlier this week, announcing the upcoming "Project Morpheus" virtual reality headset for PlayStation 4. Intrepid folk that we are, we braved the wilds of Sony's GDC booth to experience Morpheus firsthand. Join us as we strap on Sony's new contraption and pick up some PlayStation Moves to try out a couple of demos. Marvel as we dismember poor, inanimate suits of armor. Thrill as we are almost virtually consumed by a shark and subsequently swallowed by a dragon. Virtual reality is packed with things that want to eat you, it seems.
