VR Gaming - General Chat V1

[pingli]

I am a bit surprised there are no VR Topic on these forums as of right now so I figured I'll start one so all people that use and play with VR tech can have their space to talk VR tech, VR games, etc.

VR is booming right now and with each day it's getting more and more people into it, and I love it. VR for me is the next greatest big thing and there is something special when you try VR for first time or when you watch your friends or family try it for the first time.

 

Most popular New VR Headsets as of right now  with some quick pros and cons ( 11/16/2020 )

 

Oculus Quest 2  ( 299$ )

 

 

Pros:

• The cheapest new headset you can buy right now
• Hybrid ( can be both used with PC or standalone )
• Inside out tracking ( no need for external sensors )
• Great resolution
• Light weight

 

Cons:

• Mandatory Facebook account
• Only 3 IPD options, may not fit everyone IPD
• No dedicated headphones
• Only 2-3 hours of battery life

 

Valve Index ( 1000$ )

Pros:

• Excellent image quality
• 130 degree FOV is the highest we've seen on a mass-market headset
• Comfortable, user-friendly headset
• Cabling is less intrusive than previous Vive models
• Awesome controllers
• Fantastic audio

 

Cons:

• Priced only for pros
• Inconvenient wired connection
• Still tethered to a PC
• Few finger-tracking implementations
• Speakers sound more natural than headphones, but you lose privacy

 

HP Reverb G2 ( 600$ )

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Great audio
• Antimicrobial materials
• Incredible display resolution

 

Cons:

• Tracking is a huge letdown
• Narrow field of view
• Some components feel cheap

 

List of must play VR games;

https://www.softwaretestinghelp.com/best-vr-virtual-reality-games/

 

Edited November 17, 2020 by Pingley

[OysterBarron]

I've hopped on VR since the dk2 it certainly has been interesting watching it grow up. Currently got a rift s and don't see myself upgrading for a while. Finally checked out rec room at the weekend and ended up spending about 9 hours across Saturday and Sunday on it with my friend. I must say if you ignore the squeakers its very enjoyable. After playing bowling and shooting some pool we went on lazer tag finishing off with some paintball with that being the highlight, I must admit it was very refreshing in this current climate under lockdown felt like I had actually been out and done something.

 

As for new games I haven't got any on the horizon, I still have to complete HL Alyx but I'm very close to the end so have been saving it. Been looking at a game called surviv3 and contemplating picking that up.

 

I must admit though this weekend has been my longest stint within VR with my rift s and for games like pool I would happily swap my inside out tracking for my roomscale lighthouse's of my consumer version one as holding the que close to my head when lining up a shot caused the tracking to freeze with that hand.

Edited November 17, 2020 by OysterBarron

[pingli]

1 hour ago, OysterBarron said:

Finally checked out rec room at the weekend and ended up spending about 9 hours across Saturday and Sunday on it with my friend. I must say if you ignore the squeakers its very enjoyable. After playing bowling and shooting some pool we went on lazer tag finishing off with some paintball with that being the highlight, I must admit it was very refreshing in this current climate under lockdown felt like I had actually been out and done something.

Rec Room is really a great game, a lot of stuff to do and play and it's free, and yeah the big con it's full with younger players, but I guess that's to be expected with free games, but it's really fun overall.

[OysterBarron]

Yeah I don't know why I put it off for so long deffently enjoyable, tired dodge all tonight and got our arses handed to us lol.

[K^2]

I've stuck to the good old Vive for now. I upgraded to Index controllers, since they are objectively the best, and added a wireless module. Works great. I've considered upgrading to Index, but honestly, convenience of wireless has been outweighing for now. Once Valve releases a first party wireless setup, I'll probably upgrade.

 

I've also been exploring mobility options. I've bought into Cybershoes during their KickStarter (and following actually trying out the setup at TCG). And for the price it's definitely way better than you'd expect, but it's also very far from perfect. And while Cybershoes work great with some games, they kind of fail with others. So now I've invested into the KAT Walk C Kick Starter. Unfortunately, didn't jump on that early enough, so it's still going to be a few months before I get my shipment. That was expensive, but maybe it will be worth it. I'll post some impressions once I actually have the unit up and running.

[OysterBarron]

I've seen the wireless module for vive and a short lived version for the consumer version 1 was hoping for a one device fits all but it seems that oculous software is locked down compared to valves sharing of sdk so third party items are quite hard to find not to mention with the increased resolution of displays wireless options are being limited by bandwidth now aswell hoping that future versions finally get this down somehow.

 

Would certainly be interested to hear your thoughts on the different gaming shoes as like you say at the moment peripherals can be very hit and miss, the addition of hands was a great addition to vr but it has to be done right so I fear until the first partys actually implements them properly it will be a case of constantly having to chase the best alternative for now.

 

In terms of my setup I did get myself some straps like the index controller has so you can actually let go of the controls fully. It was a really inexpensive addition that makes throwing alot easyier with the oculus controls without the fear of accidentally yeeting them at a wall, I would imagine its not quite as intuitive as the index controls or as natural feeling from what I've seen of them but it certainly is a good alternative.

 

Also I know they got a hell of a rap when they first got announced but I've been thinking about the "PUMA Gaming shoes" recently as a good alternative to not using either outdoor shoes or slippers for VR with the amount of time standing in games and also with alot of movement required I don't feel comfortable in either barefoot or socks as I'm paranoid I will smash my foot into something so want some cushion aswell as comfort and am thinking they might be a good choice for the time being.

[K^2]

Yeah, unfortunately, best recommendation I can give for Cybershoes is to try them out somewhere, which has gotten way harder to do with all the gaming events canceled. I think it's a solution that will work well for some, but not for everybody, so you really have to try it.

 

And so far, that's been the only alternative to treadmills I've seen that even remotely works. So the treadmills are still your best locomotion option for VR. They're just bloody expensive.

[Presidential]

That's why I haven't hopped on the treadmill or cybershoes yet @K^2

 

I'm still on the original Vive with the aftermarket headset and all that. I play a few games here and there on VR. I find the only thing really holding me back from truly embracing it is the fact that literally no one I game with has one.

[pingli]

12 minutes ago, Presidential said:

I'm still on the original Vive with the aftermarket headset and all that. I play a few games here and there on VR. I find the only thing really holding me back from truly embracing it is the fact that literally no one I game with has one.

That sucks, have you tried to introduce your friends into vr? 

[Presidential]

Oh yeah, dozens of times. Every one of my RL gaming friends have been forced to try it out lol

[TwistOfLime21]

I bought the PlayStation VR set a couple of years ago along with Until Dawn, Firewall Zero Hour (with gun accessory) and The Inpatient. While it does feel incredibly real, it was just a novelty item that got played for a total time of about an hour over those two or so years.

[pingli]

5 hours ago, TwistOfLime21 said:

I bought the PlayStation VR set a couple of years ago along with Until Dawn, Firewall Zero Hour (with gun accessory) and The Inpatient. While it does feel incredibly real, it was just a novelty item that got played for a total time of about an hour over those two or so years.

While I respect Sony for bringing VR to mainstream in a way, PSVR is like one of the worst options for VR right now and pretty much outdated for today VR standards. 

 

PSVR does have some good games, but tech and all is.... good for 2016. I usually try to avoid recommending it because it could give people the idea that VR now is not that good. 

Edited November 19, 2020 by Pingley

[K^2]

21 hours ago, Presidential said:

literally no one I game with has one.

I don't know how easily you make friends, but VR Chat is a good place to meet people who are into VR. It's also just a cool and novel experience overall. So if you're looking for people to play online VR games with, that's probably a good place to check out.

 

P.S. I just realized I called VR Chat a place, and it really feels more correct than calling it an app or anything like it. Weird that.

[Presidential]

I've been in VR Chat. It's not all that bad but it was more like a one time thing. Maybe I'll dive in there again and see what happens.

[Vanzant]

I'm still going to wait a few more years. Paying half a grand or more to play a few games for a few hours and get bored of sounds like a poor option.

[pingli]

8 hours ago, Vanzant said:

I'm still going to wait a few more years. Paying half a grand or more to play a few games for a few hours and get bored of sounds like a poor option.

See this is the reason I usually recommend people to first try it before they bite in. And to say that VR is expensive is kinda true-ish but, you can get into VR for way less then 500$. I bought my first VR headset for like 200$.

Edited November 23, 2020 by Pingley

[K^2]

1 hour ago, Vanzant said:

I'm still going to wait a few more years. Paying half a grand or more to play a few games for a few hours and get bored of sounds like a poor option.

I mean, it depends. I have over 100h in VR based on what I see in my Steam library and... maybe $1.2k invested in the headset and all of the upgrades? So that's a little over $10/hr. If you buy a full priced game and get bored of it after 6 hours, you're getting same mileage. Of course, I already have a decent PC with a 2080Ti for other gaming I do and work (which is also games). So I don't factor a cost of PC into this. If you do need to upgrade your PC, that can easily double the cost of VR for you. But then I haven't gone the cheapest route on headset either.

 

And while MOST games are definitely only good as little demos, there are now a good number of games that you can sink a lot of hours in. VR Chat and Beat Saber with mods are basically infinitely replayable. Half Life: Alyx easily has 10-15 hours in it. Games like Vanishing Realms and I Expect You To Die are much lower budget, but I still have about 7 hours in each. And then there are VR remakes of games you probably already have played, like Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Elite. There's definitely stuff to play in VR now.

 

1 hour ago, Pingley said:

See this is the reason I usually recommend people to first try it before they bite in. And to say that VR expensive is kinda true-ish but, you can get into VR for way less then 500$. I bought my first VR headset for like 200$.

This works if you have a decent PC already. Though, the price of VR-capable hardware has been falling as well. You can get a 1060Ti for under $300 these days. If you want to build a decent VR setup completely from scratch, PC and all, you still need at least a grand.

[Vanzant]

I am VR Ready with my current rig. I9990k / 32GB RAM / 2080 Super RTX card.

 

Just dunno if I want to spend the cash for a VR set I won't use much. I am interested, just want to wait for a few good games I'll spend alot of time using before I buy.

[trip]

On 11/23/2020 at 12:25 AM, Vanzant said:

Just dunno if I want to spend the cash for a VR set I won't use much. I am interested, just want to wait for a few good games I'll spend alot of time using before I buy.

I'm in the same boat.  Been in this boat for years now.  I love to play around with new and emerging technologies but the entrance fee is still too high.

 

Heck, I don't even need a huge library of games.  I could live in FO4 for Vive (maybe) forever.

 

There is a semi-old conversation of PC gaming versus console gaming where "accessibility" is a factor.  And that "accessibility" refers to having a spouse or other.   PC gaming is kind of an isolated activity.   You usually sit in a room by yourself with your PC.  When you console game you are usually on your couch in your living room.  

 

VR gaming removes you even further.  If your spouse or other(or even pet cat/dog) needs your attention they have to take extra steps.  You certainly aren't accessible.

 

When I get around to writing my book VR will still be relatively niche in the gaming universe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My honest to goodness prediction for consumer based VR;

Some sort of version of ViewMaster.  Sit on your couch and "travel the world" for a few minutes.  License pr0n and... tadah!  You have your next VCR explosion.

 

 

I'm not sure we are ever going to see The Oasis from Ready Player One.

 

[pingli]

4 hours ago, trip said:

VR gaming removes you even further.  If your spouse or other(or even pet cat/dog) needs your attention they have to take extra steps.  You certainly aren't accessible.

I disagree, every VR headset I've used has a sort of pass thru mode so you can see thru it's camera what's going on in real world, or some even have welding mask type of deal when you can just pull the mask up. 

 

 

[BadaBing_1996]

Purchased a Quest 2 on Friday, I can't wait.

 

They were out of stock almost pretty much everywhere, Oculus doesn't deliver to PO boxes which is a big f*cking no no to me. Opted for Adorama, so far so good.

[pingli]

13 hours ago, BadaBing_1996 said:

Purchased a Quest 2 on Friday, I can't wait.

 

They were out of stock almost pretty much everywhere, Oculus doesn't deliver to PO boxes which is a big f*cking no no to me. Opted for Adorama, so far so good.

Enjoy it dude, I got my Quest2 recently too, it's amazing! 

[BadaBing_1996]

I have been using my Quest 2 nonstop.

 

Pretty amazing for a starter headset, I wish I had the Index speaker set-up though.

 

[Quinn_flower]

I still have my og vive with wireless. Still works. Don't need to upgrade.

[LittleBlueTroll]

I bought the Oculus Quest 2 last week. Only have one game so far called Kingspray VR, a graffiti game which is crazy realistic, now I don't even have to leave the house to do my other hobby 

 

That game was the main reason for my purchase, but I'm eyeing up Skyrim, Blair Witch and a few others. Horror games will be so intense. 

Edited December 14, 2020 by LittleBlueTroll

[pingli]

Stuff I recommend looking into for Quest 2 owners

 

Halo Strap on AliExpress - Link

 

Oculus Link cable on AliExpress - Link

 

SideQuest - Link

 

I mainly recommend getting accessories on AliExpress since there are always cheaper alternatives there than expensive official accessories. Also I recommend looking into Sidequest site since they are a lot of games n stuff here that may eventually come to official store or never at all. It's no piracy by any means, devs post their projects there by own will and some of the projects are free, like PavlovVR ( Which is complete and works flawlessly ).

[JiaHengK]

Would love to dive into the VR world of games, and I always had my eye set on that Valve Index. But the price really is quite daunting, so I might just purchase a Quest 2 for a start.

[pingli]

8 minutes ago, JiaHengK said:

Would love to dive into the VR world of games, and I always had my eye set on that Valve Index. But the price really is quite daunting, so I might just purchase a Quest 2 for a start.

Honestly, Quest 2 is more than good enough. Considering the price point, what it offers and it being wireless device with an option to connect to PC. I say it's really a good deal. 

[LittleBlueTroll]

I don't know much about the VR market in all honesty, and this is my first VR experience, but the quest 2 so far has been great. I'm using it even more than I thought I would. 

One of the great things is showing family when they come over, it's so alien to them they are instantly impressed.

 

My brother just came over and had a go on kingspray, he drew a penis. Classic stuff. 

Edited December 15, 2020 by LittleBlueTroll

[uNi]

I've been using the Quest 2 non-stop as well with SteamVR mostly, worth the money.