Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

Geek Culture / Whatever happened to the Virtual Reality development?

Author
Message
MiRRoRMaN 64
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 11th Jan 2004
Location:
Posted: 11th Feb 2004 01:52
Link
I saw the movie Lawnmower man again yesterday and it had me thinking: Virtual Reality was a very big thing back then, however, the development seems to have stopped in that department. You'd think in 2004 we'd have a virtual reality internet already (!)

Does anybody have interesting sites with screenshots, or does anyone know if there is a virtual reality OS (windows or anything) coming somewhere soon?

I want it!


x2sys.hatesit.com
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Neophyte
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Feb 2003
Location: United States
Posted: 11th Feb 2004 02:07
Link
@X2SYS

"Virtual Reality was a very big thing back then, however, the development seems to have stopped in that department."

Because most of the people who were working on it figuared out that finacially, it was stupid to waste time on it. Consumers have showed very little interest in Virtual Reality programs, and once the intial hype surronding VR faded away, cold ugly reality set in and they realized nobody wanted it. Then it was summarily ditched in favor of more profitable endeavors.
Back to top
Profile PM
Dave J
Retired Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 11th Feb 2003
Location: Secret Military Pub, Down Under
Posted: 11th Feb 2004 08:03
Link
A couple guys down here made a VR thing apparently, it was in an article I read. I'll see if I can find it but it could be in any of my hundreds of gaming magazines.


"Computers are useless they can only give you answers."
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Pincho Paxton
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Dec 2002
Location:
Posted: 11th Feb 2004 12:18
Link
Hmmmm I reckon that a console will use it within the next 2 years.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
WOLFY
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Aug 2002
Location:
Posted: 11th Feb 2004 12:43
Link
I've looked into Virtual Reality Head mounted devices with tracking units quite a bit. You can get a system for under a $1000 now. The problem is that it is still only 800x600 resolution and has less than half of the FOV angle required to give you the feeling of immersion. The next step up, which is 1024x768 and somewhat closer to the FOV angle required is in the neighborhood of $30,000!
With the advances that have been bade with LCD screens in the past few years, you would think that a good, economical solution would be available by now. The problem is that when there was a huge push in VR, the technology wasn't cheap enough. Now that companies lost their socks, I think their is hesitation to jump into the VR market even though the the tech is cheap now.
I think VR will eventually make a comeback once GOOD, reasonably consumer priced equipment is available.

WOLF

HOOOWWWLLL!!!
Back to top
Profile PM
Van B
Moderator
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Oct 2002
Location: Sunnyvale
Posted: 11th Feb 2004 13:00
Link
I hope so Wolf, I was sorta looking forward to bumping into furniture in my living room while trying to shoot zombies .

Nintendo released console that was 3D, used a visor thing and had nice red graphics. Did'nt sell very well so it was canned - maybe if we'd supported that we'd have GB3D already with decent immersion.

In terms of game technology, imagine having a free camera and seperate aiming in a FPS, it'd add an entire new dimension and I agree with Pincho that we will see that in a home console before long.


Van-B


The nature of Monkey was irrepressible!.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
las6
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 2nd Sep 2002
Location: Finland
Posted: 11th Feb 2004 13:17
Link
I don't really believe VR is going to be much anything in the near future, simply because it sucks. Well, at least with the modern solutions. Few years back I tried one of those VR helmets to play some Hexen 2 or something... it was horrible. Not to mention the lowly res (all scalable to modern day stuff), the weight of the thing and the fact that it had kinda low Hz rate which made it more TV style. That equals Headache.

For full VR solutions, you'd need somekind of platform where you could move. (inside a sphere, perhaps?) So it's gonna take lot of space and it's much more complicated than just playing on a computer or a console.

I can't remember what it was called, but the half-vr method might work. Picture your household represented in accurate 3d model (that's gonna be a problem) and then wearing simple glasses that overlay the game gfx over the normal view. Properly done, it could be really immersive, but also something different from normal gaming. I could see halls built for this kind of stuff... like a themed places where you could go to play.
They already have some working applications for this. One that I'm aware of is this city-tour guide. or whatever you want to call it. Basically you have glasses on you and it displays info on whatever you're lookin at... or perhaps a minimap. Just for the other side, though... It also has pretty accurate GPS system so it can provide all the right info and so on..


Keyboard not detected. Press F1 to continue.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Mattman
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Jun 2003
Location: East Lansing
Posted: 11th Feb 2004 14:39
Link
I believe sun is working on a 3d desktop
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
flibX0r
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 14th Feb 2003
Location: Western Australia
Posted: 11th Feb 2004 15:17
Link
Theres been work in an south australian university on a little thing called ARQuake. AR stands for Augumented Reality, and what they have managed to do is overlay a 3d environment over a real one and ported Quake 1 to it. This means that the monsters could hide behind objects that are in real life, but also appear in the game.

Here's the link: http://wearables.unisa.edu.au/projects.html

0100100100100000011000010110110100100000011001110110111101100100
No, really, its true. Honest
http://www.w3th.tk
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Pincho Paxton
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Dec 2002
Location:
Posted: 11th Feb 2004 15:38 Edited at: 11th Feb 2004 15:39
Link
I think that the console will be headgear, and a pistol. Not your full 3d dome with full movement. So it will allow you to turn your head, aim a gun, fire the gun, and a seperate button on the gun for move forward the direction you are aiming. That's about it, and it will cost £600. 2 years! My guess.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Van B
Moderator
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Oct 2002
Location: Sunnyvale
Posted: 11th Feb 2004 16:35
Link
That's what I was thinking (great minds?), like a headset and a pistol or pointing device, and a movement controller for your left hand. They'd never advise wearing it and wandering about the house - I can imagine sitting in a swivel chair playing it though.

The thing is - there's a million ways to fool the brain, if you were sitting in a chair with the headgear on, your brain would fill the gaps that the game misses out - like the impression that your walking for instance, you'd most likely mimic the movements in your arms and head without even realising. If Bomb Jack on the spectrum could make my mom believe that lifting the joystick in the air makes the little fella jump higher, then I can't wait to selotape her to a chair and leave her wandering around Black Mesa or Baghdad. It's good to think that the funniest things you'll ever see in your life might be on their way. I already had a fit watching her play on the boys PS2 Eyetoy Kung-Fu game.


Van-B


The nature of Monkey was irrepressible!.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
MiRRoRMaN 64
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 11th Jan 2004
Location:
Posted: 11th Feb 2004 19:41
Link
Hmmm I'm also hoping it will make a comeback. Thanx for the replys so far everyone.

It just looked so damn cool in Lawnmower man again. Also, the Amiga commercials in front of the tape where soooo damn cool.


x2sys.hatesit.com
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2024-11-24 17:48:49
Your offset time is: 2024-11-24 17:48:49