Oculus Rift Review

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Eurogamer has a review of the Oculus Rift posted today for those of you interested. Any of you guys get your pre-order yet?

It's been almost three years since I first took delivery of my DK1 Kickstarter unit. Back then, the hardware wasn't up to scratch, the experience didn't live up to expectations and I felt that Oculus had a real mountain to climb in turning what was clearly experimental hardware into a consumer-ready product. The great news is that Oculus has done it. The Rift is highly recommended, and I can't wait to see where this revolutionary technology takes us.

 
And the big takeaway from all my VR experience so far is that what you think you want from the hardware isn't necessarily what's going to be most effective. Slightly Mad Studios' Project Cars is the most overt 'triple-A' game on the launch roster, but actually serves to demonstrate that non-VR titles ported to the platform may not pay off for everyone. First of all, there's the question of spec. You can boot and play the vast majority of the launch titles and they run perfectly right off the bat on base-spec hardware - not so Project Cars, which clearly requires some serious hardware to achieve the required locked 90fps. We can well imagine that those who sink enough cash into their PC set-ups will get this game looking and running beautifully, and the VR payoff is obvious - however, despite the common view that cockpit games translate well into VR, I still felt quite ill playing it within 15 minutes. The disconnect between in-game motion and the lack of it in real life causes severe nausea issues here, just as I experienced playing another cockpit game: Elite Dangerous on Vive.

Project Cars has had VR enabled in it since the start of the game's production almost. It had basic head tracking first and then added in Oculus Rift support as soon as the DK1 was unleashed to the development community. It is the perfect example of why Triple A games shouldn't be on the Oculus Rift and other VR platforms. It requires more PC than is available today to run properly. Hell the base game will stutter when an accident happens for example on a lowly single screen. Accidents are one of the biggest draws to the game and genre. I was surprised that the author stuck with it for 15 mins.

It didn't help that Project Cars is CPU bound according to the article. They should have shipped the kits with better CPUs.
 
I got mine pre-ordered, and hopefully will ship soon. I am pretty stoked for the 3rd person stuff, although cockpit type games look fun I rarely play those kinds of simulators. I can imagine a flight sim being fun, theres an RTS game that looks cool too.
 
My circle of gamer friends have decided not to buy VR until it's into the 2nd or 3rd generation. At least that how most of us feel. Another major contributing factor is the Oculus Rift uses a closed store. You can only use VR enabled software that you purchase through them and no one else. So demo's, garage coded cames, apps or others cannot be used on your shiny new Oculus Rift.

That's a HUGE deal breaker for a lot of people.

Now, if hackers open up this walled garden, then I may reconsider.
 
SixFootDuo said:
My circle of gamer friends have decided not to buy VR until it's into the 2nd or 3rd generation. At least that how most of us feel. Another major contributing factor is the Oculus Rift uses a closed store. You can only use VR enabled software that you purchase through them and no one else. So demo's, garage coded cames, apps or others cannot be used on your shiny new Oculus Rift.

That's a HUGE deal breaker for a lot of people.

Now, if hackers open up this walled garden, then I may reconsider.
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This sounds like FUD. You have a source for this? Right now people can run something like Half-Life 2 on the DK2 and is supported by Valve. Yet now the consumer version can't run ANY software aside from what's in the store? Sorry, but I don't believe it. I can believe you can't run other software THROUGH their store / interface, but at the end of the day it's a display and a head tracker, something a whole bunch of software can use.
 
tetris42 said:
This sounds like FUD. You have a source for this? Right now people can run something like Half-Life 2 on the DK2 and is supported by Valve. Yet now the consumer version can't run ANY software aside from what's in the store? Sorry, but I don't believe it. I can believe you can't run other software THROUGH their store / interface, but at the end of the day it's a display and a head tracker, something a whole bunch of software can use.
Click to expand...

Yep, FUD. After all, SteamVR recognizes the OR perfectly well.

Considering the whole 'walled garden' thing, that's a bit disingenuous, considering that the so-called OpenVR, isn't. Currently OSVR is the only real true open-source option.

At the end of the day, this is like complaining that Sonic doesn't run on your Nintendo setup (which isn't that great an analogy, considering that the Rift and Vive can actually run things outside their ecosystems). This is the birth of a new industry, and players are going to try to establish themselves. None of that hasn't happened before, and it'll certainly happen again. Why's now any different?
 
tetris42 said:
This sounds like FUD. You have a source for this? Right now people can run something like Half-Life 2 on the DK2 and is supported by Valve. Yet now the consumer version can't run ANY software aside from what's in the store? Sorry, but I don't believe it. I can believe you can't run other software THROUGH their store / interface, but at the end of the day it's a display and a head tracker, something a whole bunch of software can use.
Click to expand...

In reality, I think it is a little of both. There is a setting in the new Oculus Home software that explicitly allows non-Oculus store media to run on the Rift. In many cases, it is up to the developer to support whatever hardware they choose. Valve already allows the DK2 to run Steam VR and there is a the OpenVR dev kit that is being worked that is hardware independent. Again, supporting this is up to the developer. Oculus hardware is not quite the "walled garden" some have claimed. That being said, I certainly would like to see more cooperation between Valve and Oculus. Gaben has said he wants SteamVR to support all hardware and Oculus has said the only games that they will restrict to Oculus only are the ones they played an instrumental role in developing/funding. Time will tell if this will come to pass.
 
The Oculus has some sort of setting that hides 'non certified software' but its disabled by default, I believe.

This is half QC and half market establishment.
 
SixFootDuo said:
My circle of gamer friends have decided not to buy VR until it's into the 2nd or 3rd generation. At least that how most of us feel. Another major contributing factor is the Oculus Rift uses a closed store. You can only use VR enabled software that you purchase through them and no one else. So demo's, garage coded cames, apps or others cannot be used on your shiny new Oculus Rift.

That's a HUGE deal breaker for a lot of people.

Now, if hackers open up this walled garden, then I may reconsider.
Click to expand...
As its been stated, this is FUD or just ignorance.

Oculus has a garden for all to frolic in but you are allowed to step outside and deal with vomit monsters and stutter beasts in search of the many silky smooth treasures that inhabit the world.
 
Then I've misunderstood some reviews I've watched and or read about the Oculus Rift and that's fine. I have no problem being corrected.

I guess we will all know more in the coming days and weeks.
 
The specification nerds have been pouring over the Rift and Vive now that the Rift NDA has lifted. So far its looking like the Vive is a slightly better unit in the optics department (larger FOV, brighter screen, less obtrusive light rays). From what I've read the Rift CV1 is actually a few steps back from the DK2 in some areas. Plus, the Rift does not ship with move controllers nor include a face pad for those that wear glasses at the moment.

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Source for images above: https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/com...zero_on_twitch_stream_confirms_fov_as/d1hgi7j

For those wondering what light rays in the Rift headset might look like:
tcrgs5-325x183.jpg
 
Neat comparison of the optics. Any idea which are using glass or plastic optics?
 
Until accepted and perfected Its just another Fad. Step requirements and price will surely kill it before it is born. Just another way to separate a fool from his money........
 
cageymaru said:
It is the perfect example of why Triple A games shouldn't be on the Oculus Rift and other VR platforms. It requires more PC than is available today to run properly. Hell the base game will stutter when an accident happens for example on a lowly single screen. Accidents are one of the biggest draws to the game and genre. I was surprised that the author stuck with it for 15 mins.

It didn't help that Project Cars is CPU bound according to the article. They should have shipped the kits with better CPUs.
Click to expand...


I think more problematic, is that he got motion sick from from cockpit games, that a lot of people have assumed don't cause motion sickness.
 
KamelRed said:
I know for sure the Rift CV1 and Vive use Fresnel cut glass. Unsure about the DK2 and GearVR.
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It's polycarbonate, it doesn't feel cold like glass. and it does have the lines like a fresnel lens. Though it's not round, unlike the GearVR.
 
Miikun said:
It's polycarbonate, it doesn't feel cold like glass. and it does have the lines like a fresnel lens. Though it's not round, unlike the GearVR.
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If it's polycarbonate I feel like that's a bad choice, while it has a better refractive index then plastic it's abbe value is terrible and induces tons of chromatic aberration. They were better off with cr-39 or crown glass.
 
Chaos Machine said:
If it's polycarbonate I feel like that's a bad choice, while it has a better refractive index then plastic it's abbe value is terrible and induces tons of chromatic aberration. They were better off with cr-39 or crown glass.
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i'm guessing it's for weight reduction. I have to say it is very comfortable, considering the weight is all in the front, at least compared to the morpheus prototypes. There is some streaking, but it's not color shifted, like on the gear VR, it's more like the halos i'd see from headlights before i got wavefront lasik when the is bright white on black. Definitely better than Gear VR's optics.
 
I really don't understand all the bitching regarding the Oculus store. They've already stated developers can request keys to port it over, and will collect no revenue from that. Also, Steam has exclusives (half life, portal, Dota). Origin has it with several titles...

Don't see people bitching about Steam exclusives that can't be played on other services.

And as others have stated, the hardware will be supported through steam and OSVR as well.

Got my pre-order in. e-mail notice shipping in 1-3 weeks. Can't wait to get my hands on it. Killer app for me is Elite Dangerous. Played it in the DK2 and that was pretty good. CV1 will be awesome I'm sure.
 
Chances are most oculus users may end up using it under steam vr than oculus portal for games, but one big differentiator in the oculus store are categories fort non gaming apps like news, video and experience type apps. Those aren't really properly handled in steam, ex. like there virtual desktop app on steam is mixed in among various games and is only discoverable because it has a VR tag. Oculus store at least tries to support non gaming use out of the box and I quite like that. I think the only real difference between oculus and vive are how much you like these non gaming apps, and if you need full room scale and chaperone which is probably going to matter if you're a gaming couple and want to play with your spouse in the same room. Other than that they're really just BMW vs Mercedes, either is perfectly fine for a car and the price is about the same, really expensive. It's not like one is higher resolution than the other, that would be a make or break differentiator for me. There's no reason to complain about it, just let the early adopters enjoy their toys so that they can make some profit then build it better and cheaper next time around. The sure way to prevent that from happening is generating a lot of FUD.
 
Miikun said:
i'm guessing it's for weight reduction. I have to say it is very comfortable, considering the weight is all in the front, at least compared to the morpheus prototypes. There is some streaking, but it's not color shifted, like on the gear VR, it's more like the halos i'd see from headlights before i got wavefront lasik when the is bright white on black. Definitely better than Gear VR's optics.
Click to expand...

Poly is lighter than glass for sure, but they could have easily used cr-39 plastic or trivex if they were concerned about weight. Though cr39 chips easier and trivex is a little bit pricier. When you are paying that kinda money though it's shitty to put crap materials in there.
 
Miikun said:
Chances are most oculus users may end up using it under steam vr than oculus portal for games, but one big differentiator in the oculus store are categories fort non gaming apps like news, video and experience type apps. Those aren't really properly handled in steam, ex. like there virtual desktop app on steam is mixed in among various games and is only discoverable because it has a VR tag. Oculus store at least tries to support non gaming use out of the box and I quite like that. I think the only real difference between oculus and vive are how much you like these non gaming apps, and if you need full room scale and chaperone which is probably going to matter if you're a gaming couple and want to play with your spouse in the same room. Other than that they're really just BMW vs Mercedes, either is perfectly fine for a car and the price is about the same, really expensive. It's not like one is higher resolution than the other, that would be a make or break differentiator for me. There's no reason to complain about it, just let the early adopters enjoy their toys so that they can make some profit then build it better and cheaper next time around. The sure way to prevent that from happening is generating a lot of FUD.
Click to expand...
We'll have to wait until it's out, but if that FOV chart is true, the larger FOV on the Vive might end up being a pretty perceivable difference between the two.
 
zalazin said:
Until accepted and perfected Its just another Fad. Step requirements and price will surely kill it before it is born. Just another way to separate a fool from his money........
Click to expand...

Except that with the release and shipping of the Rift it has now officially been "born", so that didn't happen. Nothing is ever 'perfect' when it first appears, by your definition everything, including whatever it is you enjoy, starts out as just a fad.
 
Litfod said:
Except that with the release and shipping of the Rift it has now officially been "born", so that didn't happen. Nothing is ever 'perfect' when it first appears, by your definition everything, including whatever it is you enjoy, starts out as just a fad.
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Yeah I don't understand the hostility toward it. Enthusiast video cards are $600, nvidia and amd still make money selling them and developers keep making games that take advantage of them. By this time next year I wouldn't be surprised if a more mainstream vr kit with similar specs comes out for half the price. VR is currently for the enthusiasts. It's just a matter of time before it's refined for the mainstream.
 
I had a DK2 that I used for elite dangerous. I really liked it except for screen door effect. I felt the resolution was far too low. Also I would get horribly motion sick. The immersion was spectacular though.

What I was wondering is have any of you guys have any comparisons between the cv and Dk2 as far as screen door effect/pixel visibility?
 
I think that test is a bit biased, consider BrandonJLA (hover junkers) wants the vive to be the winner so that more people will buy his game. From other people who have tried both, say the FOV is pretty comparable between the two.

If it is true, I still don't think it will end VR by any means. Its just a difference, and the streaking is apparent in both HMD's from what I understand
 
I had a dk2 and felt the same way about resolution and fov too low. My cv1 is shipping soon, so I'll be sure to post my impressions with elite dangerous when I get it.
 
Chaos Machine said:
Poly is lighter than glass for sure, but they could have easily used cr-39 plastic or trivex if they were concerned about weight. Though cr39 chips easier and trivex is a little bit pricier. When you are paying that kinda money though it's shitty to put crap materials in there.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how to tell the difference between different polycarbonates, it's possible it's one of those two, but it's definitely not glass.

tetris42 said:
We'll have to wait until it's out, but if that FOV chart is true, the larger FOV on the Vive might end up being a pretty perceivable difference between the two.
Click to expand...

My co-workers ordered the Vive, i'm really looking forward to that. I don't think it would be a real problem selling the Rift to buy a Vive if it turns out better for me or if room-scale really takes off. I didn't have a problem with the FoV in fact I think game designers need to make sure that things aren't too "close up" when playing sit-down games (kind of like the problem with lots of pop-out on 3d movies). Extra FoV gives me peripheral which is important, but not as important as sharpness in the near center. Increasing the FoV also makes things "closer" for the same scene rendered on the two headsets and lots of current VR titles are quite guilty of poor framing (again, for sit-down games and many of the 3d Video Experience type apps) so i hope they render things slightly different on each headset. Early Morpheus demos (which had the rectangular viewport) i've tried however did seem very artifically framed and constrictive, there seems to be a sweet spot you need to exceed and after that it's not too bad. I'm hoping the PSVR ends up better, I'm getting that for Console Exclusives / JDM content since they'll surely use move controllers in the core gameplay experience, while Steam games may try to accomodate Rift gamepad users which compromises the design.
 
Chaos Machine said:
Yeah I don't understand the hostility toward it.
Click to expand...
Some people bought Pogs a while back and now can never let go.

Miikun said:
My co-workers ordered the Vive, i'm really looking forward to that. I don't think it would be a real problem selling the Rift to buy a Vive if it turns out better for me or if room-scale really takes off. I didn't have a problem with the FoV in fact I think game designers need to make sure that things aren't too "close up" when playing sit-down games (kind of like the problem with lots of pop-out on 3d movies). Extra FoV gives me peripheral which is important, but not as important as sharpness in the near center. Increasing the FoV also makes things "closer" for the same scene rendered on the two headsets and lots of current VR titles are quite guilty of poor framing (again, for sit-down games and many of the 3d Video Experience type apps) so i hope they render things slightly different on each headset. Early Morpheus demos (which had the rectangular viewport) i've tried however did seem very artifically framed and constrictive, there seems to be a sweet spot you need to exceed and after that it's not too bad. I'm hoping the PSVR ends up better, I'm getting that for Console Exclusives / JDM content since they'll surely use move controllers in the core gameplay experience, while Steam games may try to accomodate Rift gamepad users which compromises the design.
Click to expand...
I'm really not convinced the room-scale thing will take off in any big numbers, that might be a bridge too far for most consumers. A lot of people seem to forget that VR is still amazing without that and will work great sitting in a chair also.
 
tetris42 said:
Some people bought Pogs a while back and now can never let go.

I'm really not convinced the room-scale thing will take off in any big numbers, that might be a bridge too far for most consumers. A lot of people seem to forget that VR is still amazing without that and will work great sitting in a chair also.
Click to expand...

If we're lucky, there may be a handful of really good indy room scale games that i'll burn through in a few weekends through 2017. Then in 2018 i'll be getting the second gen hardware with No screen-doorAR/improved tracking for $399, and everyone will release their AAA room scale stuff that Christmas because the hardware is finally cheap enough, and the big developers would have had a good 24 months to make the games polished. GTAVI? :)
 
I feel excited by this review. One, this is only the first gen, and two, the immersion experience sounds as amazing. In the coming months (or longer) im building a new rig, and for the first time I feel as if this build will be an actual leap forward. I'm holding out to see what AMD/Nvidia/Intel will bring to the VR table. Kind of leaning towards zen and polaris.By the time i get this rig done, should be plenty of VR models to choose from. Very excited :)
 
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