The Future of VR Multiplayer Gaming

FrgMstr

FrgMstr

Just Plain Mean
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Remember playing Laser Tag? Actually it has not been that long since I played Laster Tag, but I would have much rather been in a VR arena similar to this one in Russia that belongs to a company called Anvio VR. These guys are adapting their own technologies to turn a warehouse into a virtual battle arena. Very cool stuff to see. Sensors on the hands, feet, and head make it all possible along with a VR backpack.

Check out the video.

Now if that is the future of VR multiplayer gaming, what is the present? I have spent a few hours this week inside of Pavlov VR which is available currently on Steam for $10, and it is likely the best $10 I have spend on a VR game in a good while. Pavlov VR, for lack of a better comparison is Counter Strike in VR. The developers added 5 vs 5 play a couple of months ago and it makes for a wicked fun shooter, sort of like Onward, but with a bit less sim, and a bit more arcade.

The video below is just a highlight video that I grabbed off Youtube, but it will surely give you the general gist as well.

Check out the video.

I have been playing Pavlov VR while reviewing MSI's VR ONE backpack which gives you a "wireless" experience. And one thing I can say with certainty is that "wireless" VR can not come soon enough as the level of freedom of movement it supplies you truly opens up the gameplay experience.
 
Hagrid said:
So there is not a problem with bandwidth being wireless? (like 4K per eye?)
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There is very much a problem with that. That is why we do not have any true wireless systems on the market currently.
 
So realistically how much space is one talking about needing once we get wire-free....I've got like 15x20 or something like that, and it's not enough for me to feel free moving around (being a 6' adult male)...my kids, at 1/4 or 1/3 my size feel no such constraints.
 
fuzzylogik said:
That's pretty cool - need to look up how running around works....
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cocheese256 said:
I was wondering the same thing about the Pavlov game.
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You you the trackpad on your nondominant hand for direction. You can move in any direction, you use your head for which way you are facing. So there is a LOT of turning. It is a friggin blast.
 
HeadRusch said:
So realistically how much space is one talking about needing once we get wire-free....I've got like 15x20 or something like that, and it's not enough for me to feel free moving around (being a 6' adult male)...my kids, at 1/4 or 1/3 my size feel no such constraints.
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I was playing it just fine in 3Mx2.5M setup.
 
I'd say Pavlov is a lot more "arcade." At least the deathmatch mode is. And you run a lot faster in Pavlov than in Onward. It is insane on some of the smaller custom maps, as you are usually no more than one corner away from an enemy, and often less. The shooting feels surprisingly similar to counter-strike too.

I've got over 100 hours in Onward, and only a few hours in Pavlov. I don't like Pavlov's movement as much. The controls are slightly different from Onward's. For example, if I recall, speed control in Pavlov is done entirely with the thumbstick position (or thumb position on the thumbpad). It works the same in Onward except in Onward your speed is also was affected by the angle (pitch) of the controller. So horizontal is faster than, say, a 45 degree pitch, and if I wanted to make a small and slow movement I can could do so by pointing my controller nearly vertical. I ended up learning to control my speed in Onward by a combination of thumb position and controller angle. So it is disturbing when that doesn't work in another game or in Onward anymore. I could see someone who learned it the other way around having the same problem with Onward's movement.

Update: It turns out that for a while now, Onward's movement works almost exactly like Pavlov's. Only you still have a lower max speed.
 
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Hagrid said:
So there is not a problem with bandwidth being wireless? (like 4K per eye?)
Click to expand...

There IS a wireless display solution for the Vive, but it is very much first-generation tech with complicated setup, audible noise issues, availability issues, no camera or microphone transmission. It is more like 1K per eye (less than 4K resolution total) however at 90hz so it is very bandwidth-intensive.

HeadRusch said:
So realistically how much space is one talking about needing once we get wire-free....I've got like 15x20 or something like that, and it's not enough for me to feel free moving around (being a 6' adult male)...my kids, at 1/4 or 1/3 my size feel no such constraints.
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The consumer VR products currently won't work well with a space much larger than that (assuming your units are "feet"). The position tracking resolution and reliability starts to break down beyond several meters distance.
 
The consumer VR products currently won't work well with a space much larger than that (assuming your units are "feet"). The position tracking resolution and reliability starts to break down beyond several meters distance.
Click to expand...

I own a Rift, in looking at these tactical shooters and people hunched, squatting, moving around, I keep thinking in my head "I don't have the room for that"...I'm assuming people are moving around their space and not moving with a joystick, so that could very-well just be me being wrong. If these games are really like the other "180 degree" teleport shooters we are now all getting accustomed to, I get why they'd feel just fine at the standard "lunging distance" that, say, Space Pirate Simulator or Super Hot require of you.
 
HeadRusch said:
So realistically how much space is one talking about needing once we get wire-free....I've got like 15x20 or something like that, and it's not enough for me to feel free moving around (being a 6' adult male)...my kids, at 1/4 or 1/3 my size feel no such constraints.
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Space often isn't the issue with these 360 degree games, it's the turning with the wire. I'm avoiding those types of games until I get a wireless solution.
 
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heatlesssun said:
Space often isn't the issue with these 360 degree games, it's the turning with the wire. I'm avoiding those types of games until I get a wireless solution.
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I got the new headset strap for the Vive and well as the single strand cable. Hopefully get around to testing it tomorrow. I find if I playing my socks (shoes screw me up bigtime), I have a much easier time and building a skill set on not stepping on the cables. It is kind of just one of those things your learn to do with time.
 
I have https://www.mindtrekvr.com/ near me up here in Boston, MA and I plan on checking them out in the very near future!

These guys are using repurposed PS MOve controllers by the look of it, but they can track decently if the setup is right. I say that as a proud owner of PS Move, many hours into the boxing game Lights Out! and it was terrible, but worked.

My only real concern is that these people here don't have headsets that I can use while keeping my glasses on, so I'm worried my experience will fall short of my own expectations.
 
A wire system that turns on a free flowing socket connected to the headset, and then hangs from the cieling seems like it would be halfway decent at least.

EDIT: For solo play only obviously.
 
"The Future of VR Multiplayer Gaming" Cheaters and fucktards just like in non VR multiplayer? ;)
 
heatlesssun said:
Space often isn't the issue with these 360 degree games, it's the turning with the wire. I'm avoiding those types of games until I get a wireless solution.
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This. I know it's only one wire but I have stepped on it a couple times and I keep having to unwind myself.
I would rather have the wire and high resolution than low resolution/low stuff and wireless.
 
Hagrid said:
This. I know it's only one wire but I have stepped on it a couple times and I keep having to unwind myself.
I would rather have the wire and high resolution than low resolution/low stuff and wireless.
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Agreed, it doesn't have to be wireless, just not the stuff you said and wired would be fine with me.
 
schoenda said:
Maybe the future of VR will include players with arms?
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Some games have arms some don't. I am glad you have no arms in most games as they block your field of view. So it is more of a gameplay mechanic issue than anything else.

You get the right game and you can have a lot more than just arms.
 
schoenda said:
Maybe the future of VR will include players with arms?
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If you're looking at a VR game in 2D yeah that might look funny but not once have I ever thought how arms would make the game better. And I think Kyle has a point, been into Superhot VR these days and I think arms would get in the way honestly in that kind of a game.
 
Honestly after playing Rec Room's Quest: Rise of the Jumbotron or the other Quest MP VR is sick. So much fun to be dodging lasers, helping team members or being helped and quitting soaked in sweat. EPIC!
 
deaedius said:
Honestly after playing Rec Room's Quest: Rise of the Jumbotron or the other Quest MP VR is sick. So much fun to be dodging lasers, helping team members or being helped and quitting soaked in sweat. EPIC!
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Yes, Rec Room games are very fun to play and unwind.
 
Crosshair on a different plane to the action making accuracy suffer? It was bad enough under Nvidia 3D Vision, bugger it under VR.

Like movies, 2D is fine for me thank you.
 
I kinda like the fact that they build the room environment into the game for that first scene, one thing i always consider is when moving you're gunna run into something not into the VR world. Although its hilarious to see people do it, its also very dangerous for both the gamer and the other people / things in the room.
 
BulletDust said:
Crosshair on a different plane to the action making accuracy suffer? It was bad enough under Nvidia 3D Vision, bugger it under VR.

Like movies, 2D is fine for me thank you.
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It usually looks that way when capturing the wrong eye. The crosshair looks like it was aligned with his right eye, but he was recording the left eye.
 
I did this at kalahari resort in PA and was really fun. I started ripping through the tech and it was pretty awesome. My friends and I had a great time.
 
-PK- said:
It usually looks that way when capturing the wrong eye. The crosshair looks like it was aligned with his right eye, but he was recording the left eye.
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You can't really judge a VR game looking at a 2D video.
 
I was like "Pfft, whatever" until I saw the video. I think something like Left 4 Dead or other zombie rush shooter could work really well for this... wouldn't need to move around that much, just one big room. I think my wife would get a huge blast out of that, she's big into anything zombie.

But yeah how does the wireless stuff work, even with everything going to a backpack I don't know... maybe a beefy laptop in the backpack hooked up the VR helmet?
 
Can someone clear this up for me? I thought vr was always a seated thing with the glasses. Nowadays I keep hearing about moving around a room with them... Do you not have the ability to play seated and using controllers now? My impression was that it was a 3d experience done perfectly, not a motion controlled whole room setup?

Also, what do you do if you normally wear glasses? I doubt it fits with the headsets.
 
GoldenTiger said:
Can someone clear this up for me? I thought vr was always a seated thing with the glasses. Nowadays I keep hearing about moving around a room with them... Do you not have the ability to play seated and using controllers now? My impression was that it was a 3d experience done perfectly, not a motion controlled whole room setup?

Also, what do you do if you normally wear glasses? I doubt it fits with the headsets.
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Current PC VR is 3D + motion tracking and controllers. Many games can be played in a seated position. Others require standing and some movement.
 
GoldenTiger said:
Can someone clear this up for me? I thought vr was always a seated thing with the glasses. Nowadays I keep hearing about moving around a room with them... Do you not have the ability to play seated and using controllers now? My impression was that it was a 3d experience done perfectly, not a motion controlled whole room setup?

Also, what do you do if you normally wear glasses? I doubt it fits with the headsets.
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Some glasses fit.
Yes, its room size space for full experience. It can be done in a smaller space you just have to be careful not to bump into anything. But that's what the guardian is for to let you know that you should stop. Except for some idiots like me who did not listen to The Guardian and broke a tv. :)
 
GoldenTiger said:
Can someone clear this up for me? I thought vr was always a seated thing with the glasses. Nowadays I keep hearing about moving around a room with them... Do you not have the ability to play seated and using controllers now? My impression was that it was a 3d experience done perfectly, not a motion controlled whole room setup?

Also, what do you do if you normally wear glasses? I doubt it fits with the headsets.
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Vive has had the ability to do room-scale experiences from day one. Rift was seated only. It now also has motion controllers.

Some games are seated using keyboard and mouse, others are room-scale. We have always focused on room-scale in our testing.

My glasses will fit in the HMD but I find that I do not need them.
 
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