Oculus Rift
Latest
Virtual reality has a future beyond video games, and it's already started
With devices like the Oculus Rift and Sony's Project Morpheus driving the public's interest in virtual reality, it's easy assume the future of VR lies in video games. It's a safe prediction, but it isn't right: "It's a broad category," Matterport's Matt Bell said at Engadget Expand. "I think it's going to go in about ten directions at once." Bell compares the future of VR to the history of the internet -- in the early days, we had no idea how pervasive the technology would become. Now it's wormed its way into every aspect of our lives. Bell isn't alone in his optimism: LindenLab's Ebbe Altberg and BeAnotherLab's Marte Roel joined us in New York City to talk about the future of VR beyond gaming.
Sound Off! What's the best virtual reality experience right now?
There's no way around it. Virtual reality gaming is heading our way (despite some folks' opinions to the contrary). A ton of companies are currently working on fancy head gear and we've seen announcements about the Carl Zeiss VR One, Samsung Gear VR, Sony Morpheus, Oculus Rift and even Google's crazy cardboard experiment. For those of you lucky enough to have one of these rare devices, head over to the Engadget forums and tell us the best VR gaming experiences you can have right now. [Image credit: Neilson Barnard / Getty Images]
Oculus CEO: Consumer VR headset 'months, not years away'
Humanity might be exploring virtual space sooner than expected as Oculus VR CEO Brendan Iribe claims his company's Oculus Rift headset is now months away from being released to the public. "We're all hungry for it to happen," Iribe said at Dublin's Web Summit 2014. "We're getting very close. It's months, not years away, but many months." The biggest issue facing the device currently, according to Iribe, is a proper input system. Standard keyboards, mice and gamepads aren't up to the task, Iribe claims, and gesture-control is still too primitive a technology to complement an immersive virtual space. Despite whatever failings may cling to the Oculus Rift headset at the moment, Iribe is equally worried about other companies rushing products to market and damaging the future of VR in the eyes of the general public. "We're a little worried about bigger companies putting out [VR products] that aren't ready," Iribe stated. "Disorientation and motion sickness is the elephant in the room. We're encouraging big companies not to put out a product before it's ready." [Image: Oculus]
The Black Glove gets VR support in effort to secure funding
Day For Night Games - a studio formed largely by ex-BioShock developers - is struggling with its campaign to crowdfund The Black Glove, its first game. With less than a week left, the Kickstarter page shows only approximately $155,000 raised on a goal of $550,000. To rectify this situation, Day For Night has instituted "Operation: Save The Black Glove," which is detailed in a Kickstarter update post. "We're at a similar crossroads to where Republique was at this point in their Kickstarter campaign," the update reads, pointing to how developer Camouflaj raised 70 percent of its goal within its final week. "Taking inspiration from Camoflaq [sic] - whose Ryan Payton wrote us yesterday: 'YOU CAN DO IT!!' - we're launching Operation: Save The Black Glove." The operation largely consists of sharing images emblazoned with the #savetheblackglove hashtag and tweeting said hashtag on Twitter, but Day For Night Games has also announced VR device support for the game in an effort to rally enthusiasm. Should The Black Glove be funded, it will support both the Oculus Rift and Sony's Project Morpheus when it launches on PC, Mac, Linux and PS4. We'll find out if that's enough to entice backers when The Black Glove's Kickstarter campaign closes at 4:30 PM Eastern on November 7. [Image: Day For Night Games]
James Cameron thinks current VR technology is 'a yawn'
Coming from the man who created Terminator and Avatar, two of the most highly recognized sci-fi franchises, you'd think James Cameron would be excited about the rise of virtual reality in the past couple of years. But not so fast. Yesterday, during an interview at the WSJD Live conference, Cameron expressed that he isn't really impressed by the current stage of VR technology. "There seems to be a lot of excitement around something that, to me, is a yawn, frankly," said Cameron when the topic of virtual reality was brought up. "What will the level of interactivity with the user be other than just 'I can stand and look around'? If you want to move through a virtual reality, it's called a video game. It's been around forever."
Facebook's Zuckerberg offers his long view on Oculus VR
In a recent quarterly earnings conference call (report on Gamasutra), Facebook head Mark Zuckerberg touched on his plans for the future of Oculus VR, the recently acquired virtual reality headset company that Zuckerberg describes as "a long-term bet on the future of computing." "Every 10 to 15 years a new major computing platform arrives ... Virtual reality and augmented reality are an important part of this platform," Zuckerberg stated. "Our efforts here will take longer to achieve their full impact, but we will prepare for the future by continuing to invest aggressively." By "future" Zuckerberg means a timeline spanning the next decade. "[The Oculus Rift VR headset] needs to reach a very large scale - 50 to 100 million units - before it will really be a very meaningful thing as a computing platform, so I do think it's going to take a bunch of years to get there," he said. "[W]hen I'm talking about it as a 10-year thing, I'm talking about building the first set of devices, and then building the audience and the ecosystem around that, until it eventually becomes a business." While Zuckerberg offered no specifics on his plans for Oculus VR, it's clear that Facebook is taking a careful, long-term approach to what is simultaneously the potential future of computing and a largely unproven technology. That's smart, but it also means that the average person won't be immersed in virtual reality for at least a few more years. [Image: Facebook]
Oculus-exclusive film Zero Point hits Steam today
Condition One launched its first 3D, 360-degree film, Zero Point, on Steam today. The movie requires an Oculus Rift to view, and is compatible with both the first and second development kits for the headset. It also needs a minimum of 4 GB of memory, 2 GB of hard drive space and a processor at least as good as the Intel Core i7-2600. Viewers can download a free demo of the film through Steam as well. Zero Point was directed by Danfung Dennis, whose 2011 film Hell and Back Again was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Our brief time with a few scenes of Zero Point in February found it to be a "clip collection" of sorts that provided viewers the illusion of being in different environments. Those scenes included moments with soldiers during a training exercise as well as a trip across E3's show floor. Zero Point is 20 percent off ($11.99) until Monday, November 3. [Image: Condition One]
Archos is launching a GearVR competitor that costs just $40
We may not know how much GearVR will cost, but we're reasonably sure that Archos is already trying to undercut Samsung and Oculus head-mounted effort. The French company is busting out the wittily-named Archos VR Headset, a Rift-like device that's compatible with any smartphone that measures between 5 and 6-inches. The kicker here, of course, is that the device will retail for £25 in the UK, roughly converting to $40, which would put it well beneath the - frankly insane - $200 figure an unnamed Samsung official told VentureBeat during New York Fashion Week. If you're interested in trying one out, it'll be available at some point in November, and we hope that the GearVR isn't too far behind.
EVE: Valkyrie comic starts on June 3rd, 2015
EVE: Valkyrie fans won't have to wait until the game goes live to start exploring the lore behind this spinoff of EVE Online. A comic miniseries is being published by Dark Horse comics, written by Brian Wood and drawn by Eduardo Francisco. This four-issue series will start selling on June 3rd, 2015, giving potential players or just general science fiction fans a chance to start exploring the lore before the game is finally launched. Valkyrie is still on track as a launch title for both the Oculus Rift and the Sony Morpheus, bridging both consoles and PCs. No specific release date has yet been announced.
How to ruin your pants, or get Alien: Isolation on Oculus Rift
A few questions before we get to the meat of the Alien: Isolation on Oculus Rift instructions: Do you own an Oculus Rift? Do you have Alien: Isolation on PC? Are you sure you want to do this? Like, really? Everyone still with us – let's do this thing.
Lexus creates an Oculus Rift-powered virtual test drive
Lexus wants to put you in the seat of its 2015 RC F, even if it means you're sitting in a virtual version of its latest performance vehicles. The car manufacturer recently launched a beta version of the RC F Rift, a virtual reality representation of the car's interior using the Oculus Rift Development Kit 2 at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Monterey, California. The motion-controlled driving simulator includes "genuine RC F elements," such as the car's steering wheel and foot pedals, and has players driving around a virtual racetrack. Lexus said it took less than eight weeks to build the 360-degree virtual environment. The company provided a demo video as well as a schedule of events for fans to take the Oculus demo for the spin in person in the coming months, both found after the break.
Windlands mixes Shadow of the Colossus with Oculus Rift
If Spider-Man started swinging and leaping through a magical land inspired by Shadow of the Colossus, it might look something like Windlands from Ilja Kivikangas and Simo Sainio. In this first-person action-adventure developed initially as part of the VR Jam 2013, players take on the role of an automaton built to find and destroy the source powering gigantic golems. To aid in this endeavor, players will be able to leap large distances, jump off walls and use a grappling hook to swing from the environment. While not one of the jam's finalists, Kivikangas wrote to Joystiq that he and Sainio received enough positive feedback that they decided to turn their project into a full-fledged game. To do that however, they're asking $14,000 on Indiegogo. At the time of this writing, they have raised just more than $9,000. Thankfully, while videos and screenshots are nice - and you should feel free to check out a trailer after the break - you don't have to take Kivikangas and Sainio at their word regarding gameplay, as you can download demos for both the DK1 and DK2 versions of the Oculus Rift and decide for yourself if you'd like to help fund the game's development.
Mark Kern starts new studio, raises $1M for VR MMO
Ex-Red 5 CEO Mark Kern has been a busy little bee since his departure from Firefall. Kern established a new studio called MEK Entertainment with associates from Red 5 and Blizzard, raising $1 million in seed funding for his next project. While it doesn't have a name, this project is reportedly an MMO designed for the Oculus Rift. It will use retro-style pixel art and depend heavily on "creative contributions" from the game's community. "We can't build it alone," Kern said. "I've been looking for a way to let more gamers and modders realize their own virtual worlds, and I think we found it." Kern cited inspiration from other titles such as the SNES, Terraria, Starbound, and (of course) Minecraft. You can watch a teaser for the MMO after the break.
More than 130k developers have signed up with Oculus
Nate Mitchell, VP of Product at Oculus, revealed today at the Oculus Connect event in Hollywood that the company has more than 130,000 users signed on via the Oculus dev center. If that number isn't quite as astronomical as you'd like, would you perhaps prefer enjoy knowing that the Oculus SDK has been downloaded more than 550,000 times? Or how about the fact that the 325-plus VR games and experiences have been downloaded more than 699,000 times via Oculus' sharing platform? We imagine that, with the announcement of a new Rift prototype - codenamed "Crescent Bay" - those numbers will only continue to climb.
Oculus VR reveals new prototype, Crescent Bay
Oculus VR CEO Brendan Iribe revealed Crescent Bay during today's Oculus Connect event, the latest virtual reality prototype from the hardware manufacturer. Crescent Bay boasts a higher resolution, refresh rate, 360 degree tracking, LEDs on its back, and removable integrated audio. Iribe stressed that while Crescent Bay is still not the consumer version of Oculus' vision, Crescent Bay's improvements over the Crystal Cove are comparable to the advancements made from DK1 to DK2. [Image: Oculus VR]
Oculus DK1 source now open to all
The source code used to build the Oculus Rift DK1 is now open and available to everyone interested in tinkering with what is arguably the most famous virtual reality device since Nintendo's Virtual Boy. This means that, regardless of whether or not you have an Oculus Rift (DK1 or not), you can develop your own virtual reality experiences and, potentially, hardware. Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe said at today's Oculus Connect event that releasing the source code for DK1 is the company's way of "giving back" to the community that helped them get where they are today: a massive success story with billions of dollars' worth of investments from companies like Facebook and partnerships with companies like Samsung. "Can't wait to see all the Chinese knock-offs," Iribe joked. [Image: Oculus]
Report: Oculus Rift consumer version due by summer 2015
The virtual reality future is now! ... is what you'll be able to say next summer, according to TechRadar. The site reports that VR start-up Oculus will launch the first consumer version of the Rift VR headset sometime in mid-2015. We say "first" because according to TechRadar, Oculus will be launching the consumer version of the Rift as a public beta, with limited quantities available only through the company itself - no retailers. Oculus co-founders Palmer Luckey and Nat Mitchell told Eurogamer earlier this month that the consumer version will mark a significant upgrade - higher resolution, 90Hz or higher refresh rate - at a price somewhere between $200 and $400. We've reached out to Oculus to find out more, and will update what we hear back.
VR puzzler Darknet teaches players technomancy
E McNeill's Darknet was the winner in the open call category of the 2013 Oculus Indiecade VR Jam. It's a strategy-puzzle game designed for Oculus Rift where players explore a virtual reality computer network and use viruses, worms, exploits and other hacker tools to capture sensitive data from what may or may not be a shady megacorporation. It's practically the definition of cyberpunk, sharing much in common with one of the genre's defining novels, Neuromancer. However, McNeill told Joystiq at PAX Prime that he doesn't particularly like Neuromancer, nor many other cyberpunk tales. "I like the idea of cyberpunk," McNeill said, expressing his feeling that many of the genre's stories – especially those featuring hacking – tend to feel empty and without substance. McNeill proposed The Matrix as an example: "In The Matrix, [the character Cypher] says, 'All I see is blonde, brunette, redhead.' But the falling symbols don't mean anything. They're just backwards kana letters." McNeill said that Darknet is a game aimed at maintaining the sense of mystery that The Matrix's iconic green rain of characters creates, but simultaneously providing an experience where what the player sees and does "actually means something."
Joystiq Streams: A low down dirty Oculus Rift DK2 tour [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
Psst. Hey. Sick of all those tame interviews and careful hand-holding through the growing world of virtual reality? Want to take a trip down the unbeaten paths where the weird stuff is happening in Oculus Rift? Want to see a grown man fight with his inner ear when a computer helmet convinces his brain he's actually in outer space? Who wouldn't want that? That's why we're taking a dip into the wild world of streaming Oculus DK2 demos. This is unknown territory, y'all. Buckle up. Starting at 4PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch, we're going to be streaming a plethora of bizarre Oculus Rift demonstrations, including a tour of the ocean, a deeply upsetting spacewalk, and even a trip to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's Kokiri Forest. How does one actually stream Oculus Rift demos? It ain't easy. Richard Mitchell will be struggling with his rig to make the whole thing work while Anthony John Agnello feeds him your encouragement from the chat. That's 4PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch! Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch, but to catch all those other streams we do make sure to follow us on Twitch.
RIFT adds experimental support for the Oculus Rift
RIFT heard you liked rifts, so it's added some rift support to your RIFT. Specifically, it's added in support for the Oculus Rift development kits. Yes, that means that players who have headsets and want to really feel as if they're right there staring into the game world can play around with doing exactly that. What's not to love? The official posting notes that support at this time is highly experimental and may be discontinued at any time on the whims of the developers. UI support is also very primitive, which could lead to issues with the game experience beyond just looking at stuff. Despite that fact, the support is available for testing now on the public test server and is expected to go live this Wednesday, giving players a chance to play around with the support and see how they like it. Assuming they have Rifts, of course. [Thanks to Rick from Santa Cruz for the tip!]
