Oculus Rift Preview: 'It's Not Revolutionary

"katherinetkey" wrote:
It's easy to get suckered into new, so-called "revolutionary" hardware. The biggest, most recent example is the Wiimote, a motion sensitive controller from Nintendo which, when it launched in 2006, was set to change the world. Consumers, developers and even Microsoft and Sony flocked to it; now, less than seven years later, it's dead. Nintendo's credibility is on the wane and the Kinect and Move are both leftovers.

On paper, the Rift by Oculus looks similarly ill-fated. It's ambitious, it's novel - like lightguns, dancemats and Guitar Hero before it, it looks like something that might inspire a few years' of gold rush before petering out forever. That's until you actually use it.

thanks.

Now, about "getting suckered", you had me gearing up for a rebuttal there, until that last sentence! Funny! :lol:

But from those who post in haste after reading the first sentence they disagree with, this "jolly troll" thread could become the host for a provocative and lively (or deadly) debate.
:roll:

Was wondering why she started out the second paragraph with "On paper''... Makes so much more sense when you get to the last sentence of that paragraph.

Nice Kat!


I would like a pt2 with a review and why you think it will not run into the same fate as the devices you mentioned.



I was about to let this guy loose... almost had me too :lol:

I'll go on record saying the wiimote made two or three games better and every other game you had to play it with worse. I was so happy when I finally bought a wii classic controller.

That's still a better track record than kinect.

Kinect is great for dance games

and nothing else

Gotta agree with Kat here. It's the same way I now feel about the Rift after I finally got to try it.

The tracker it's very good! No question about it. But the visuals are not good enough IMO. Not VR.

Im going to keep an eye or two on future Oculus products. But Im not going to preorder/buy anything before having tested any VR related products with my own eyes. I've bought two quite expensive pieces of VR HMD's and been disappointed twice. Enough is enough.

This is actually good questions. For the non informed and knowing about the Wii and the other so called great gadgets that are supposed to "change the world" that fall short. I can understand how some people might be skeptical. But lets look at the Wii controller for a bit more. The whole thing about the wii was that by using motion controllers it will make you feel like you are part of the game more and "get you up off your feet". However with the wii controller you still are controlling a charecter or actions from a flat screen, you can still tell your in your room and not actually "in the game world" which i think is why it became more of a gimmic. Sure it was fun for a while to wave your hands around but i think it wore off after a while.....

The Oculus Rift is diffrent then that. its not some crazy controller you wave at the screen. It is a immersive 3d headset with a wide field of view. The main diffirence between the Oculus Rift and the Wii controller which both gave the promises that it will change gaming...it will make you feel part of the game.... the Oculus Rift actually does this by once you put the headset on. with the wide feild of view and the 3d depth and full head tracking. you actually "feel like" you are in the world. you dont see a screen you dont see youreslf waving your hands around with a controller at a flat screen. you feel like you are IN the game world.

that is the diffrence and to me is night and day though ironically speaking wii like controllers might actually HELP the oculus rift......because just looking at a flat tv and you are aware you are in your room or living room the wii controllers dont really do that much. ooh ma look at me i can wave my arms and make stuff in the game move.. Good for you.

but the fact that you have your entire view taken up by the rift means that traditional devices like a keyboard might be problimatic.

if you ask me. they should have done it in reverse. worked on virtual reality headsets THEN come up with motion controllers :-).

but yeah i understand your conserns. But pretty much everyone who has tried out the Rift has been impressed and i feel it is not a gimmic its not just another wackey add on that might be used for some people...... i mean lets face it the whole point of video games (for most) is to get yourself lost in a virtual world to feel like your a part of the surroundings right?

the Rift does this in a way that no wii could possibly do so....but its a good point. and for others who are told that i say share the rift with them if you know them in person. Ok come over come try out the rift i'll show you the diffrence :-).

Its true most things in life that comes out and you get all hyped up about and get let down big time.. happens more then often lately but i feel the Rift is something that is living up to the hype (as long as you keep reaslistic expitations.. know the limits of what it is right now..( a dev kit) but appreciate what it can do :-).

The force is strong with this one. Ha!!!

Very well done.. I did not even read the title to the post correctly until after the fact.