Official CHB VR Thread

[Broxi]

The place to talk about anything VR related from games, apps, experiences and on any platform whether it's PSVR, Oculus Quest/Rift, Hive, etc.

Having just got on the VR train myself I had mentioned the games I was playing this past week in the Gaming thread but rather than derail that with stuff potentially not related to gaming, thought I'd create a separate thread.

What do you think of VR, do you see potential for the platform, are you a convert or at least curious about it.

In my opinion, the Quest platform from Oculus makes quality VR more affordable and accessible than ever.

 

[Broxi]

Discovered this website earlier for anyone who doesn't know it.

XR Swim

Home - XR Swim

xrswim.com

It's browser based using the WebXR API supported by Firefox web browsers and is a repository for peoples WebXR content. One of the games I played was a simple Spiderman simulator where you shoot web slings and fly about some high rise buildings.

Spider-Man WebVR - XR Swim

xrswim.com

For a simple free experience it is brilliant fun and I almost fell on my arse a couple times because of how well it tricks your perception and senses.

 

[Jack]

VR is really exciting, it has seemingly limitless potential for immersion and should be the next step for gaming. I could see it being the case that in 5 years time, you could be wearing gloves or body suits and truly feel like you're in the game because every movement you make is instantly replicated by the game. I remember watching Shroud play PUBG a while ago and when he picked up a gun, it all worked but it was very clunky, so just ironing out the creases and building upon the technology that's already there will be fascinating to see develop.

I've not got one yet, I'm waiting for the PSVR2 to come out and then I'll probably build a set up with a PS5, a racing seat, wheel etc. and get stuck into Gran Turismo. I'm excited by the thought of that though, the way it's developing is fascinating. I'm not a huge fan of racing sims either but I reckon that's the best, most realistic sort of game we have at the moment.

Another aspect of this is how it'll translate to real world. I just made a post in the Coronavirus thread (shocking, I know ) about the rising depression, suicide etc. but imagine a lockdown scenario in 10 years time with a much improved VR. There's no reason you couldn't be in your living room, alone and without any close contact, yet still have a 'social life', being able to sit in VR rooms with friends, maybe go VR dating, go and sit by a VR beach or whatever. I think the potential for this stuff is endless and beyond being fun for gaming, I could quite easily see it changing life as we know it just by offering an immersive alternative to life. I imagine it'll be good enough to make a substantial difference, which is pretty exciting to think about.

 

[Deebo]

VR is our future. They won't tell you but it's way, way more integrated than we'd want it to be already. VR will not take over first, augmented reality will sell and live into the masses.

I used to laugh at the unbelievable. It's not unbelievable. Slow, calculated integration is how the big tech network works. Always.

Anyway, I suck at Population One!

 

[Broxi]

VR is really exciting, it has seemingly limitless potential for immersion and should be the next step for gaming. I could see it being the case that in 5 years time, you could be wearing gloves or body suits and truly feel like you're in the game because every movement you make is instantly replicated by the game. I remember watching Shroud play PUBG a while ago and when he picked up a gun, it all worked but it was very clunky, so just ironing out the creases and building upon the technology that's already there will be fascinating to see develop.

I've not got one yet, I'm waiting for the PSVR2 to come out and then I'll probably build a set up with a PS5, a racing seat, wheel etc. and get stuck into Gran Turismo. I'm excited by the thought of that though, the way it's developing is fascinating. I'm not a huge fan of racing sims either but I reckon that's the best, most realistic sort of game we have at the moment.

Another aspect of this is how it'll translate to real world. I just made a post in the Coronavirus thread (shocking, I know ) about the rising depression, suicide etc. but imagine a lockdown scenario in 10 years time with a much improved VR. There's no reason you couldn't be in your living room, alone and without any close contact, yet still have a 'social life', being able to sit in VR rooms with friends, maybe go VR dating, go and sit by a VR beach or whatever. I think the potential for this stuff is endless and beyond being fun for gaming, I could quite easily see it changing life as we know it just by offering an immersive alternative to life. I imagine it'll be good enough to make a substantial difference, which is pretty exciting to think about.

Yeah I agree, it really feels like the early days of videogames, or even the 8bit to 16 bit era, where although it's good and enjoyable, you can see how it can be massively improved upon.

Whereas in the traditional console/PC videogame space it's not exactly obvious where the improvement in graphical fidelity is... we now have Youtube videos to do side by side comparison of last gen vs current gen titles with very technical analysis of frame rates and zooming way in on miniscule details to pick up on differences in quality.

The controllers are well designed but wearable gloves would be great, innovation in movement will be the big frontier with this tech.

The point you make about being able to sit in rooms with your mates and watch movies, sports or concerts is already a reality with the current tech. It's early days yet but it works exactly as you might imagine. You join a space and there are real people in there who you can freely chat to while watching whatever event you have joined.

For me personally, video feels like watching old 480p stuff despite their assurances it's 1080p and 4k and all this stuff. It may well be but when the screen is an inch from your eyes, it doesn't look like watching a 4k movie on a TV screen with that sharpness and detail but it just demonstrates the leaps and bounds this can come on in next gen equipment.

Battery life is another issue for the Quest atm but I'm waiting on Facebook sorting out their quality issues with the Elite Strap which has a secondary inbuilt battery which is due for release. Currently you get at least a few hours use before it needs a recharge... so it's not terrible.

 

[Broxi]

VR is our future. They won't tell you but it's way, way more integrated than we'd want it to be already. VR will not take over first, augmented reality will sell and live into the masses.

I used to laugh at the unbelievable. It's not unbelievable. Slow, calculated integration is how the big tech network works. Always.

Anyway, I suck at Population One!

I haven't played Pop One yet, does it work / play well?

I went on a spending spree on Christmas Day and instantly bought Thrill of the Fight, Super Hot, The Climb, Pinball FX 2, Plank Experience and a bunch of others. I racked up about £150 in no time and then thought I better cool my jets and choose more carefully as this could get expensive.

I still want Arizona Sunshine, Walking Dead, the Star Wars / Vader games, Jurassic Park, Pop One, Table Tennis, FitVR, etc etc

 

[SpursBen316]

I have a VR for ps4 then the ps5 came along and the VR is gathering dust.

My picks though Broxi

Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot
Iron Man
Blood and Truth think it was a PS4 exclusive

 

[Broxi]

I have a VR for ps4 then the ps5 came along and the VR is gathering dust.

My picks though Broxi

Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot
Iron Man
Blood and Truth think it was a PS4 exclusive

The PS4 seems to have more actual games than the Oculus... a lot of the biggest hits on the Quest look like they might have been made by some guy in his room.

This thing will turn random programmers into billionaires though... there's a game called "Ritchies Plank Experience", all it is is walking out onto a plank off the side of a skyscraper. Great fun tbh, I don't know who Ritchie is but the guy must have made bank.

 

[aliwasthegreatest]

If you have PSVR get The Invisible Hour and thank me later

 

[SpursBen316]

The PS4 seems to have more actual games than the Oculus... a lot of the biggest hits on the Quest look like they might have been made by some guy in his room.

This thing will turn random programmers into billionaires though... there's a game called "Ritchies Plank Experience", all it is is walking out onto a plank off the side of a skyscraper. Great fun tbh, I don't know who Ritchie is but the guy must have made bank.

Have u seen the roller coaster one as well last time checked 12 quid as well cant remember what the full title. Sniper Elite is worth checking out

Creed as well but not tried Mp

U better get a paper round Broxi to get some more money its expensive to buy vr on top of the games allready out.

 

[Broxi]

Have u seen the roller coaster one as well last time checked 12 quid as well cant remember what the full title. Sniper Elite is worth checking out

Creed as well but not tried Mp

U better get a paper round Broxi to get some more money its expensive to buy vr on top of the games allready out.

I end up spending a fortune because the games can be quite cheap (compared to Xbox/PS) on the Oculus store, must have rattled at least £150 within an hour on Xmas day between the games and a case for it.

Thrill of the Fight is brilliant too, it's less arcadey than Creed. Just need to watch you don't end up throwing a straight right thru the TV, pissed up at 02:00am after watching the boxing.

 

[Broxi]

Seems like every time I go on this thing I find some cool new game, app or feature.

Last night it was Echo VR


It's a team based contact sport in zero gravity where you try to score goals by throwing a frisbee through the opponents goal but you use Iron Man type boosters are grab surfaces to push yourself off them to move around. You can also punch your opponents in the head to stun them, or hold your hands in front of your face to block punches. It makes for some great set pieces and within only about 30 mins, I was moving around well, catching the disc and running ahead of my team mate who had possession to punch out the opposition goalie.


One issue with a lot of these games, even the ones marked as 18+ only like PokerVR ... way too many squeaky kids but if you have a bunch of mates to play private matches, this could be fun as fuck.

 

[Haggis]

Seems like every time I go on this thing I find some cool new game, app or feature.

Last night it was Echo VR


It's a team based contact sport in zero gravity where you try to score goals by throwing a frisbee through the opponents goal but you use Iron Man type boosters are grab surfaces to push yourself off them to move around. You can also punch your opponents in the head to stun them, or hold your hands in front of your face to block punches. It makes for some great set pieces and within only about 30 mins, I was moving around well, catching the disc and running ahead of my team mate who had possession to punch out the opposition goalie.


One issue with a lot of these games, even the ones marked as 18+ only like PokerVR ... way too many squeaky kids but if you have a bunch of mates to play private matches, this could be fun as fuck.

Seems like every time I go on this thing I find some cool new game, app or feature.

Last night it was Echo VR


It's a team based contact sport in zero gravity where you try to score goals by throwing a frisbee through the opponents goal but you use Iron Man type boosters are grab surfaces to push yourself off them to move around. You can also punch your opponents in the head to stun them, or hold your hands in front of your face to block punches. It makes for some great set pieces and within only about 30 mins, I was moving around well, catching the disc and running ahead of my team mate who had possession to punch out the opposition goalie.


One issue with a lot of these games, even the ones marked as 18+ only like PokerVR ... way too many squeaky kids but if you have a bunch of mates to play private matches, this could be fun as fuck.

Anything like a game I fucking LOVED as a kid, Speedball 2?

 

[Broxi]

Anything like a game I fucking LOVED as a kid, Speedball 2?

That's exactly what it reminded me of!!

If you actually got regular players who got decent at this and learned how to throw passes (they tend to just get the disc and try to run it to the goal) then you could have really competitive matches.

 

[Haggis]

That's exactly what it reminded me of!!

If you actually got regular players who got decent at this and learned how to throw passes (they tend to just get the disc and try to run it to the goal) then you could have really competitive matches.

Missus says I'm allowed to buy an Oculus if/when I get bumped up to shift supervisor at work.

Probably fair enough, tbh. I have to buy a new rig to run it, and between buying a house, having a wedding and honeymoon and a couple of home renovations needing to be done (bathroom and add a fireplace)....... man, I have lots of money flying out of my pocket in the next couple of years.

 

[Broxi]

Missus says I'm allowed to buy an Oculus if/when I get bumped up to shift supervisor at work.

Probably fair enough, tbh. I have to buy a new rig to run it, and between buying a house, having a wedding and honeymoon and a couple of home renovations needing to be done (bathroom and add a fireplace)....... man, I have lots of money flying out of my pocket in the next couple of years.

Shit man, when you getting hitched... I've been holding up resistance to that for years now?

Stick it on your wedding gift suggestion list.

BTW, you absolutely don't need a rig to run the Quest 2, it's a standalone unit with no wires, no connection to a PC, runs off it's own processor and internal storage. I just got the cheap 64 gb one too because the games are all very small, under 2gb usually and you can just delete and reinstall where required.

The genius of this one is that if you do happen to buy a new gaming rig in future, then the Quest 2 can be hooked to it and used a gaming PC VR system. Oculus will be focussing only on the Quest unit going forward which will be a standalone unit which also doubles as their gaming PC unit.

 

[Haggis]

Shit man, when you getting hitched... I've been holding up resistance to that for years now?

Maybe early next year.

Stick it on your wedding gift suggestion list.

We've actually discussed this a bit. We're probably going to have a big glass jar and put on the invites that gifts aren't required, but if you want to give us something, then bring a bunch of gold coins ($1 and $2) and drop them in the jar. Then hopefully we'll get a decent haul, and we'll divide it equally and each buy a treat for ourselves. Either that, or use it to upgrade the honeymoon. I'd rather that than people get us a cheap crappy toaster or whatever.

BTW, you absolutely don't need a rig to run the Quest 2, it's a standalone unit with no wires, no connection to a PC, runs off it's own processor and internal storage. I just got the cheap 64 gb one too because the games are all very small, under 2gb usually and you can just delete and reinstall where required.

The genius of this one is that if you do happen to buy a new gaming rig in future, then the Quest 2 can be hooked to it and used a gaming PC VR system. Oculus will be focussing only on the Quest unit going forward which will be a standalone unit which also doubles as their gaming PC unit.

Hmmmmm........ this might change the timeframe.

 

[Broxi]

SideQuest (a guide for noobs)

One of the first things anyone with the Quest headset needs to learn how to do is "Side Load", games and apps.

This basically means installing 3rd party software which hasn't been approved or uploaded to the Oculus Store using an app on your pc and a USB A to USB C data cable.

Facebook take a very Apple-esque approach to their store and are strict about what gets approved on there. This has benefits and drawbacks, it means anything in the store is typically high quality but some good apps are refused for silly reasons.

So SideQuest is an app and a website...

Homepage

SideQuest: Early Access Virtual Reality

SideQuest is the early access layer for Virtual Reality. Get access to the latest Oculus Quest Games & Apps.

sidequestvr.com

Windows/Mac/Linus App location and How-To

SideQuest: Early Access Virtual Reality

SideQuest is the early access layer for Virtual Reality. Get access to the latest Oculus Quest Games & Apps.

sidequestvr.com

I could type out a guide but there's already a very simple one in the guide above.

Basically comes down to creating a SideQuest account, registering an "organisation" on the Oculus site to allow you to switch on developer mode on your quest headset and account, installing some drivers on your PC and then downloading app and game files to your PC and installing them using the SideQuest app.

You'll also find a couple of video players on there if you intend to download and watch some grown-up entertainment. ahem.

But there is some awesome free shit on there... this one dude has ported over the classic Doom, Quake and Half-Life to be completely playable on the Quest.

 

[DobyZhee]

I’ll wait for it on the PS6

 

[Broxi]

The same team have also ported Doom I/II, Quake, RTCW & Half-Life.

Haven't tried these yet but there meant to be pretty great.