What options for HMD?

[Sarra]

I'd like to get a head mounted display for playing older games, such as MMO's, but also some newer stuff, like KSP, Sniper Elite 4, etc. I don't care as much for the head tracking, especially in MMO's, though it would be nice for KSP, or FS X. I'm not so interested in specific VR stuff, though I'd be willing to give it a shot.

Any options for this? Or can I just slap an Occulus on and keep banging away with my keyboard, game pad, mouse, and second mouse (one for MMO's, one for FPS)?

 

[BecauseScience]

Do your games have native VR support?

I had the exact same mindset as you before I bought a Rift.

I did a lot of reading about the 3rd party VR drivers. (I used to be a Tridef guy for 3D back in the day.) The conclusion I saw over and over is that the experience with 3rd party VR drivers sucks, is huge PITA, and generally isn't worth the time and effort.

I'm stubborn so I bought a Rift to try it for myself. It's only $400 right? I figured it was worth a shot.

I bought a Rift + Touch. By the end of the bundled VR demos, I was 100% sold on "real VR." I haven't bothered to screw around with the 3rd party VR enabler things at all.

Maybe you're stubborn like me and want to try the VR enablers for yourself. Get a Rift if you MUST buy today. Get one of the Windows VR units If you can wait a month or two. Wait until they release SteamVR support. The Samsung looks to be the best of the bunch for this round of Windows units.

I recommend the Samsung over Rift because:
- no tracker hassles
- higher resolution than Rift or Vive
- superior ergonomics vs Rift & Vive - based on reviewer reports
- less god rays that Rift - based on reviewer reports

Rift advantages over Samsung:
- best VR controllers shipping today - probably useless for non-vr titles
- wireless solution definitely on the way - useless if you're going to remain seated all the time

I don't have any experience with the PiMax unit that's currently shipping but other people like it for non-VR. You should probably check into that too.

 

[Sonicks]

If you’re thinking about using the Rift, or any HMD, as a monitor then I’d say it’s not worth it.

There are virtual desktops you can use within VR (look up the app called Big Screen) and even though it looks cool having your desktop or game “projected to a big screen”, you’ll find yourself wanting to just use your actual monitor instead. As a screen within a screen there is a real quality downgrade on games. I’ve tried it with the latest Doom and found myself just taking the Rift off to play it normally.

Perhaps if you’re into playing older games where a high resolution isn’t very necessary then I guess the virtual big screen will be sufficient.

As far as getting a non-virtual screen projection, like if you’re just looking for a “monitor on the face” experience, I don’t think that exists for any platform and if it did it likely wouldn’t be stereoscopic. Also, you get a very weird, but not disorienting, feeling if static images display while you move your head around even slightly. Something about movement not translating into movement is odd.

 

[noko]

Do your games have native VR support?

I had the exact same mindset as you before I bought a Rift.

I did a lot of reading about the 3rd party VR drivers. (I used to be a Tridef guy for 3D back in the day.) The conclusion I saw over and over is that the experience with 3rd party VR drivers sucks, is huge PITA, and generally isn't worth the time and effort.

I'm stubborn so I bought a Rift to try it for myself. It's only $400 right? I figured it was worth a shot.

I bought a Rift + Touch. By the end of the bundled VR demos, I was 100% sold on "real VR." I haven't bothered to screw around with the 3rd party VR enabler things at all.

Maybe you're stubborn like me and want to try the VR enablers for yourself. Get a Rift if you MUST buy today. Get one of the Windows VR units If you can wait a month or two. Wait until they release SteamVR support. The Samsung looks to be the best of the bunch for this round of Windows units.

I recommend the Samsung over Rift because:
- no tracker hassles
- higher resolution than Rift or Vive
- superior ergonomics vs Rift & Vive - based on reviewer reports
- less god rays that Rift - based on reviewer reports

Rift advantages over Samsung:
- best VR controllers shipping today - probably useless for non-vr titles
- wireless solution definitely on the way - useless if you're going to remain seated all the time

I don't have any experience with the PiMax unit that's currently shipping but other people like it for non-VR. You should probably check into that too.

Sounds promising, they noted the resolution was very noticeable, the Samsung the best. They had some interesting comments in incorporating objects in the room into VR particular is a keyboard and mouse. That would be very usable if Microsoft can do that. In other words it recognizes the shape or you input the object in, and the software keeps track of it. No special object sensors, cameras etc. needed. That would be a big jump for VR. These guys are rather sharp - good video.

 

[BecauseScience]

These guys are rather sharp - good video.

Yea, the Tested guys do the best VR coverage. They have excellent videos on the LG headset, SteamVR knuckle controllers, and the upcoming Pimax headsets too. They get technical with the Pimax guy about all the various add-ons not just the hmd.

 

[Youn]

Any chance Oculus Go sells like hotcakes and is quickly given a homebrew treatment for older games? That's what I'm hoping for anyways...

 

[Hagrid]

https://www.vorpx.com/supported-games/

 

[Supercharged_Z06]

I'd like to get a head mounted display for playing older games, such as MMO's, but also some newer stuff, like KSP, Sniper Elite 4, etc. I don't care as much for the head tracking, especially in MMO's, though it would be nice for KSP, or FS X. I'm not so interested in specific VR stuff, though I'd be willing to give it a shot.

Any options for this? Or can I just slap an Occulus on and keep banging away with my keyboard, game pad, mouse, and second mouse (one for MMO's, one for FPS)?

Based on what you are asking, you don't seem to really be asking about VR, but more about a head mounted static display device. They exist, but most are fairly expensive and perform poorly. You are much better off just investing in a nice, large monitor right now. If you want to play older games in VR on a large virtual monitor (using Big Screen or Virtual Desktop) then I'd advise you to wait another couple of years for the tech to develop/evolve further before looking into it again. Resolution on current and near future HMD's just isn't there yet to even begin considering the idea of replacing your monitor with one.

 

[Sarra]

Based on what you are asking, you don't seem to really be asking about VR, but more about a head mounted static display device. They exist, but most are fairly expensive and perform poorly. You are much better off just investing in a nice, large monitor right now. If you want to play older games in VR on a large virtual monitor (using Big Screen or Virtual Desktop) then I'd advise you to wait another couple of years for the tech to develop/evolve further before looking into it again. Resolution on current and near future HMD's just isn't there yet to even begin considering the idea of replacing your monitor with one.

I think you hit it on the head. I have games that have third party modded VR support, like Fallout 4 and... *Opens Steam* GTA V? Oi, I'm not sure I'd want to try VR GTA V on an i5 4440 with a GTX 980... I THINK there's a VR module for FSX:SE, as well, but... The MMO I play, which is mostly why I'm interested in this, is a DirectX 8 era game, and modding is a massive TOU violation for that one. Oh, there's a Skyrim VR mod, but I barely played Skyrim.

I think I'll do just this. I've got two 1080p 24" monitors, I think I'll recycle my 19" monitor, and replace it with another 24" monitor. I have a nice VIVO stand, anyway, that has 4 VESA mounts, so it's easily doable.

 

[kdh]

Based on what you are asking, you don't seem to really be asking about VR, but more about a head mounted static display device. They exist, but most are fairly expensive and perform poorly. You are much better off just investing in a nice, large monitor right now. If you want to play older games in VR on a large virtual monitor (using Big Screen or Virtual Desktop) then I'd advise you to wait another couple of years for the tech to develop/evolve further before looking into it again. Resolution on current and near future HMD's just isn't there yet to even begin considering the idea of replacing your monitor with one.

100% agree. When I got my vive, I had thoughts of using it for my day job. It would be awesome to have a head set on, head phones, and I'm in my own virtual little world at my desk. Tons of windows open for what ever.. Sadly, none of it was readable or even usable. Once I got over that, I thought it would be awesome to play non-vr games in the vr headset. The quality was ok, but it became a huge hassle and in the end wasn't even close to enjoyable. The head set weight alone killed it for me after 90 minutes of sitting there. That's only after messing around with a ton of settings and getting the games to just run stable.

After owning my vive a year, while I like it.. the technology, and the games are still a novelty. Most of the games and software are basically glorified demos at this point. My vive and hardware sits in a bin 95% of the time, while I use my monitors.

Don't spend the money on any of the current generation and tech that is out at the moment. You'll be disappointed after 3 months of using it. My silver lining? I got a 1080 to drive the vive, and been very happy over all with my 1080 for non vive games.

 

[Supercharged_Z06]

100% agree. When I got my vive, I had thoughts of using it for my day job. It would be awesome to have a head set on, head phones, and I'm in my own virtual little world at my desk. Tons of windows open for what ever.. Sadly, none of it was readable or even usable. Once I got over that, I thought it would be awesome to play non-vr games in the vr headset. The quality was ok, but it became a huge hassle and in the end wasn't even close to enjoyable. The head set weight alone killed it for me after 90 minutes of sitting there. That's only after messing around with a ton of settings and getting the games to just run stable.

After owning my vive a year, while I like it.. the technology, and the games are still a novelty. Most of the games and software are basically glorified demos at this point. My vive and hardware sits in a bin 95% of the time, while I use my monitors.

Don't spend the money on any of the current generation and tech that is out at the moment. You'll be disappointed after 3 months of using it. My silver lining? I got a 1080 to drive the vive, and been very happy over all with my 1080 for non vive games.

If you are looking for desktop productivity in VR (office apps, emailing, coding, etc.), yep, it’s simply not there yet. But, I disagree with your assertion that it’s dissappointing after 3 months when it comes to gaming. (Maybe a year or so ago that was true, but certainly not now). You need to spend some time and take a fresh look at what’s out there now. VR gaming has really taken off in the last 6 months... on both the Rift and Vive that is... the Windows MR HMD’s still need SteamVR support, but it’s supposedly coming soon. I find myself almost exclusively gaming in VR these days rather than using a traditional LCD flat screen. There are some really solid VR games/apps out there that are not simple demos, but full blown titles and some of them are very, very good (Lone Echo, Project Cars 2, Elite Dangerous, Robo Recall, Arizona Sunshine, The Talos Priciple, Onward, Google Earth VR, etc.)

While VR definitely isn’t ready to become an alternative to normal productivity work/environments yet, it is fully ready for gaming IMHO and the quality is more than acceptable. True next gen VR hardware will make it even more so and I predict it will pretty much take over a large chunk of PC gaming as we know it.

Have another look at some of the titles I mentioned. If you haven’t gamed in VR for a while, the landscape has changed pretty dramatically in the past 6 months as to what’s available.

If you like gaming, VR is definitely ready now, but if you aren’t into gaming, then I agree, it’s more of a novelty with the first gen hardware... but a very cool one to explore.

 

[kdh]

I have quite a few of those games, AZ, Battle Zone, Raw Data, Google VR, Rec Room, Serious Sam VR, A chair in a room, Google Paint, Super Hot VR, Rick and Morty, and 8 or 10 other games. There is definitely a "wow" factor when you first put it on, but it wore off for me rather quickly. Most of the games are either puzzle games, tower defense games or horror games with jump scare effects. As I think about it, I basically was an early adopter. So my experience is on par with being an early adopter. When the hardware becomes wireless, 4k in each eye with no screen door effect is when it'll be come a game changer. Solid content is another key factor. If you are dead set on getting into it now, i'm sure there will be Black Friday deals. That's how I ended up with my vive last year. I'm sure gen 2 is on the horizon and will be worth waiting for.

 

[bobzdar]

Software is the big limiting factor imo. The full experiences right now are limited to driving games (Assetto Corsa, PCars and iRacing are all complete games with excellent online MP), Onward if you're into military fps, and the 3 or 4 AAA VR ports coming out in the next month (Fallout/Skyrim/Doom/LA Noir).

The rest are wave shooters (of which I'm not a fan), tech demos or 'experiences.' A few of those experiences would make great games if they were fleshed out into one ie Batman and Blade Runner, but there isn't enough market to support it financially for the studios unless facebook pays for it. I think the VR ports, if successful, will lead the path forward for software. You'll see more AAA games get ports and some of them launching with VR support as it's a lot less of an investment to do a port. Install base is too small for full on VR only games (yet). It's a chicken or the egg thing, you need killer apps to really move hardware, and you need the hardware for studios to build the killer apps. For me, driving sims are the killer app which is why I've been on-board since the dk1, but I'm kind of in the minority. I am a fan of some of the other stuff and will be getting DoomVFR. I'm not a wave shooter fan so most of the stuff is meh.

I really like thrill of the fight and it is, imo, a killer app but I'm not in good enough shape to do more than 4 or 5 rounds in a day!