I have now tried Virtual Reality and it is amazing

[RandyT]

The AR stuff looks neat.  Hopefully they can take it beyond what those demos show.  Without some real-time light and shading, the effect of things interacting with the environment isn't very convincing.  The graphics quality of the interactive elements also seems to be suffering already from the compute power required for what is being shown, but that could be developer/app related.

I could see the AR aspects start to shine with being able to have a virtual AI driven character enter the room and have a seat on your sofa for a conversation, or a card/board game.  But given the computing power necessary to pull that off in real-time, I think we are still a ways off for that to be a (virtual) reality.

Still, it's difficult for me to believe that the AR aspects will be anything more than a novelty, or perhaps having some utility for some narrowly-defined productivity applications.  When basic VR can transport one to almost unimaginable worlds, why would one want to interact in the user's dull studio apartment, cringe-worthy YT "influencer" reactions notwithstanding?

[fallacy]

AR will allow for some free locomotion. One day you will be able to wear your device outside in a park and a quantum computer will turn the whole world into a game.

[fallacy]

Playing around with the Quest 3 a little and setting up PC link cable VR this s*it is legit. I think it even looks slightly better than the G2 and the software and motion controllers are miles better than windows mixed reality s*it. Out of the 15 or so headsets I have owned over the last 8 years this one is the best. It feels like the software and hardware are finally coming together as one, kind of like the way the iphone 6s felt.

[RandyT]

AR will allow for some free locomotion. One day you will be able to wear your device outside in a park and a quantum computer will turn the whole world into a game.

Sounds like it would be interesting, if not more than a little dystopian.  I still have bad memories of the doofuses running around playing Pokemon.  But at least you could identify those people when they trespassed. 

[fallacy]

AR will allow for some free locomotion. One day you will be able to wear your device outside in a park and a quantum computer will turn the whole world into a game.

Sounds like it would be interesting, if not more than a little dystopian.  I still have bad memories of the doofuses running around playing Pokemon.  But at least you could identify those people when they trespassed. 

When it comes to Pokemon Go, I can envision a future, perhaps a decade or two from now, where you'll effortlessly don augmented reality (AR) shades outdoors, immersing yourself in a world where you can genuinely observe Pokemon roaming about, whether on flat terrain or undulating hillsides, thanks to meticulously mapped landscapes. With the aid of hand-tracking technology, you'll effortlessly access your floating menus, summoning pokeballs from them. Then, you'll fling these pokeballs, watching them interact naturally with the physical ground, bouncing in perfect harmony.

It's a future I'm confident will materialize; the only aspect I'm uncertain about is the exact timeline.

[fallacy]

The more I experiment with Quest 3, the more I find myself drawn to its features. Unlike my other headsets, which invariably suffer from issues such as compromised lens clarity, pesky god rays, and distracting glare, the Quest 3 manages to steer clear of such shortcomings. This translates into a seamless experience, especially when it comes to tasks like reading text and using virtual screens. Finally, a headset that doesn't impede my visual immersion. While the screen is impressively sharp, the black levels, though satisfactory for an LCD, could use some improvement. Nevertheless, the overall compromise remains reasonable.

Surprisingly, the sound quality is unexpectedly adequate, a pleasant revelation for someone who usually relies on a PC VR system integrated with a robust stereo setup. I half-expected them to incorporate lackluster speakers akin to the ones found in the earlier Quest models, but to my delight, the audio boasts a certain depth and room presence.

In terms of connectivity, linking the Quest 3 through the Oculus app and then to Steam VR yields far better results than attempting to connect through Windows Mixed Reality before accessing Steam VR with my G2 headset.

As for the augmented reality capabilities, I find the current features quite remarkable. During a recent test, I summoned a menu in my gaming room, strolled to the kitchen and then out onto my back deck, and to my amazement, the menu persisted, seemingly hovering in the same position within my house, even as I moved to different areas. The persistent spatial accuracy left me astounded as I traversed the house, only to find the menu right where I left it upon my return.

[RandyT]

It's a future I'm confident will materialize; the only aspect I'm uncertain about is the exact timeline.

Depending on your age, it's probably not going to happen in your lifetime.  Advances in computing power, power storage, etc... have slowed to crawl.  We are running into hard barriers now for refining existing technologies.  Like anything of this nature, the greatest advancements happen at the earliest stages.  We are approaching the ends now.  Barring some breakthrough innovation, stagnation will be inevitable.  A simple example of this is our inability to safely and efficiently store more energy than that which is available from gasoline, something which has existed for 100+ years now.

As for the augmented reality capabilities, I find the current features quite remarkable. During a recent test, I summoned a menu in my gaming room, strolled to the kitchen and then out onto my back deck, and to my amazement, the menu persisted, seemingly hovering in the same position within my house, even as I moved to different areas. The persistent spatial accuracy left me astounded as I traversed the house, only to find the menu right where I left it upon my return.

Honestly, it would be odd if it couldn't.  Based on the video, the headset is only spatially aware of the area you have previously mapped.  Placing the menu relative to some part of that mapped area would only make sense.  Of course when you return to that area, the space is again recognized through the mapping data, and the menu is still where you left it in relation to that data. While this is useful for things like virtual displays tethered to a pre-defined work area, it seems somewhat counter-intuitive for general menus which you may wish to access conveniently from your current location. 

But one of the things I really like about the video pass-through approach, as opposed to the hololens approach, is the ability to have objects and virtual displays without them appearing to be semi-transparent, unless you want them to be.  I.e. if you want a solid black orb floating in the middle of the your room, it's not a problem for this tech.

[fallacy]

Depending on your age, it's probably not going to happen in your lifetime.

Of course we will have it in our life. I honestly had no idea I would already be owning an AR device that can do what it can do. When i looked at the Microsoft HoloLens in 2015 I was like damn we still have a long ways to go, it took another 8 years but we are finally here with working AR. Another 8 years from today we might actually be doing what I said.

[RandyT]

Of course we will have it in our life. I honestly had no idea I would already be owning an AR device that can do what it can do. When i looked at the Microsoft HoloLens in 2015 I was like damn we still have a long ways to go, it took another 8 years but we are finally here with working AR. Another 8 years from today we might actually be doing what I said.

What the Q3 is doing on the AR front is literally an extension of what was being done on cell phones, game consoles and VR/AR gear years ago.  In the grand scheme of things, it's not a fundamental advancement in technology as much as it is a cost reduction.  The other scenario you referred to will have significant hurdles.  To do it well, you would need high-end desktop GPU compute capabilities, which equates to bulk and power.  I don't know if you've noticed, but every generation of more capable GPU's has increased significantly in size.  There's a reason for that.

The only path I can imagine at this point would be lightning fast cellular networking technology with massive amounts of available bandwidth.  This would allow for offloading the computational aspects to large fixed servers, leaving the VR glasses to collect data and display the streamed results in near real-time.  And even that is assuming that the optical/wearable technologies continue to march on and and aren't significantly encumbered more than they are now by simple physics.

[fallacy]

optical/wearable will continue to march on, never thought for 1 second since this thread was created in 2016 that they would ever stop, don’t think they will stop in the next 8 years. Camera technology keeps increasing, chipsets keep increasing, resolution displays keep increasing. On the Beyond the smallest headset they are using micro OLD which is apparently the way to go.
Internet speeds keep increasing, Wifi 7 is about to come out. I was outside one night with my niece and nephew one night and they pointed to the sky and said the stars are moving, I was like that's Starlink.

[RandyT]

optical/wearable will continue to march on, never thought for 1 second since this thread was created in 2016 that they would ever stop, don’t think they will stop in the next 8 years. Camera technology keeps increasing, chipsets keep increasing, resolution displays keep increasing. On the Beyond the smallest headset they are using micro OLD which is apparently the way to go.
Internet speeds keep increasing, Wifi 7 is about to come out. I was outside one night with my niece and nephew one night and they pointed to the sky and said the stars are moving, I was like that's Starlink.

I guess you'll have to ping me in another 8 years and then we will know.  While things have improved in the 8 years since this thread was started, I've yet to see an earth-shattering revelation in the technology.  Mostly just incremental refinements.  Most of the VR and wearable tech has it's roots in cell phone display technology.  While OLED is certainly advantageous, it's not new. It's also likely to remain more costly than LCD tech.  But phones/devices which use it are very impressive!  I just have my doubts that cell phone displays need to get much better than they already are, so technology advancements will likely not happen at the same pace as they have in the past.

BTW, Starlink requires a 22" dish pointed at a certain specific spot in the sky to work.  For "anywhere" mobile terrestrial applications with sufficient bandwidth, there would need to be a huge upgrade in infrastructure and new tech.  A lot of places don't even have real 5G yet, and that's been in the works for close to 6 years now.

[fallacy]

You see Marques also thinks wearable tec in 10 to 15 years will be insane.

[RandyT]

You see Marques also thinks wearable tec in 10 to 15 years will be insane.

Not sure why that should add credibility to the idea, but see "flying cars" 

[Xiaou2]

Micro-Displays are whats needed, to make  VR / AR  wearable as a daily part of your lifes interactions.

(as bulky displays, are too cumbersome, fatiguing, and gaudy.  Really, whos going to wear that apple Ski-Google thing, in public?!  >_< )

The next part, is the needed Computing Power.  GPUs have been increasing in rendering power, and some degree of Raytracing,
aided by some AI...

But its unlikely you will have enough power for good VR,  with the form factor of a Cell Phones "Brain".   Let alone, the battery life required.

The best option, is some sort of Backpack Laptop-Like solution.  That will allow for a large enough Brain, Cooling Systems, and a big enough
battery.   In addition... you could potentially power Force Feedback systems from it... such as Cords that pull your Limbs, through loops
on a special  "over-your-clothing"  VR Suit.

The biggest disappointment at this point... is how the Industry CHOSE to use higher definition resolution with a narrow field of view...
rather than having a near 180 degree field of view... which would give you MUCH better game experiences, even at lower resolutions.

A Stand-Slone VR based Console... made by Nintendo, or Sony,  is probably the Key to getting Massive widespread public use.

[RandyT]

Micro displays are already a thing, as are the backpack computers.  But at current prices, your bank account would be about $7-10k lighter and you'd be 10+lbs heavier.

The biggest disappointment at this point... is how the Industry CHOSE to use higher definition resolution with a narrow field of view...
rather than having a near 180 degree field of view... which would give you MUCH better game experiences, even at lower resolutions.

They didn't really choose that.  It's more that physics and cost chose for them.  Very wide FOV goggles are out there, but getting the optics correct is nearly impossible.  You can do tricks with multiple displays to help pull it off, and use small displays, but the optics will always be the limiting factor in overall footprint and cost to produce.  The optics need to focus the image to your eye, and given the huge range of facial structures, that's even a challenge for smaller FOVs.  The Pancake lens is a possible step in the right direction.  At the optics shop where I worked in the late 90's, we did some pancake windows for simulator applications.  IIRC, these would act to place the focus at infinity, which would give the impression to the user of looking out a normal window and seeing the real world.  The biggest problem is the amount of light they consume in the process, and due to the multi-layer optics, the cost to produce them.  I can't speak to whether it's possible to have a very wide FOV with them, but my feeling is that to do it, the optics would need to be quite large. 

A Stand-Slone VR based Console... made by Nintendo, or Sony,  is probably the Key to getting Massive widespread public use.

The "key" to widespread adoption is being able to check all of the boxes at a price point. The first one to do it will have the "standard" which will be used by those which can leverage the technology.  If either of those companies (or really ANY company) had it in them, it would already be a thing or at least already in the works.  In the end, however, this may not be a "wound" healable by time.

[fallacy]

They already have most of it today. What would be so much harder slipping in a battery and computer into a device like this when they can already do that in glasses Marques was wearing.

[fallacy]

I am loving the Quest 3, it has gotten me into VR again. I am even watching shows laying on my bed wearing the headset… I never wanted to do that before but the clarity is so good now it works as a big screen TV.

[RandyT]

They already have most of it today. What would be so much harder slipping in a battery and computer into a device like this when they can already do that in glasses Marques was wearing.

That device is only boasting a ~100 degree FOV, and to achieve that, the face cushion needs to be custom fit to the user.  Not so much different than what owners of many VR goggles do to get their eyes closer to the lenses for increased FOV.  I also like how they chose the Index for their clarity comparisons.  Their biggest claim to fame seems to be centered around size, and with an ultra-wide FOV there wouldn't be much they could do to keep it that small.  The optics and/or displays will become necessarily larger.

As for the battery and the computer, you can technically run a 4090 off of an SBC, but you would still need a massive power source to run it for any length of time.  Portable devices are fine for streaming content, but generating it consumes loads of power and produces heat.  So two-way communication to a remote system in near real-time, a massive technology breakthrough in power storage or the acceptance of sub-par visuals will be necessary to go full "ready player one".  And that's only if you can get past the physics where the optics are concerned.

BTW, YT is full of people who don't fully understand the things they are saying.  It's not like you need a science or engineering degree to point a camera at yourself and be personable 10 minutes at a time.

[fallacy]

I have been playing around more with the Quest 3. Initially, I didn't think there was a web browser for the quest. To play Streaming video I would use dedicated streaming video apps, which I never really liked. Then I discovered That there is a quest browser and that allows me to get to all streaming sites like I would on a PC. Let me tell you this dream of being able to use multiple floating screens is now a reality. I would say any screen @ any size looks just as good as any 1080p HD monitor.

I have this older 1080p projector in my room and a 100 inch projector screen, I blew up a 1080p youtube video on the projector; I then put the same video over the projector screen using AR in my Quest 3 headset to compare the two. I thought the video looked way better coming from the headset.

Quest 3 is a bit of a game changer. One of the bigest herdles for VR was that you could never actually do any work on them, it was more like showing concepts or potential. We finally hit the first iphone stage for VR headsets. The software and hardware will just increase from here.

[fallacy]

Here is a video of me testing AR in my living room Drop Dead: The Cabin. This tec is getting so amazing so fast now.

[fallacy]

second attempt

[pbj]

Home invasion augmented reality is literal nightmare fuel.  Hard pass.

[fallacy]

How is any of those cartoony graphics scary? It is pure arcade action. The House of the Dead Realy life addition

[RandyT]

Not sure if there's an option to do this, but the developers of that game really need to allow the user to define minimal outlines of windows, doors and horizontal surfaces.  I.e. fill in the graphics in the windows and door  casings, but leave the horizontal surfaces transparent so items interact more naturally with the existing furniture.  It would also be pretty amazing if it understood the staircase.

Still, as an early example, it's very impressive.  But along with what PBJ wrote, I'm not sure what the long-term psychological effects might be with associating your real world "safe space" with anxiety producing interactions in that way.  It might not bother most, but I can see some getting their brain wired funny through such a thing, and not necessarily in a positive way.   

[fallacy]

It might not bother most, but I can see some getting their brain wired funny through such a thing, and not necessarily in a positive way.   

I mean… you could say the same thing about watching a horror movie alone at night in your house. Something you just got to get use to I guess.

[fallacy]

Not sure if there's an option to do this, but the developers of that game really need to allow the user to define minimal outlines of windows, doors and horizontal surfaces.  I.e. fill in the graphics in the windows and door  casings, but leave the horizontal surfaces transparent so items interact more naturally with the existing furniture.  It would also be pretty amazing if it understood the staircase.

I have a game called FPS enchanted reality and the guy who made it claims you can map it for multiple floors and it works. But as far as the Quest 3 mapping system right now it only does one level and everything is a rectangle. There is also this boundary system leftover from the Quest 2 that is pissing me off. The boundary system is basically you have to mark a circle on the floor to map out your play area. They won't let you turn it off because they are afraid of being sued for someone getting hurt I guess. So now every time you go into a different room and try to start an app the first thing is “You need to set up a Boundary system!”. Even in this game I played I had to set up a boundary system even though it is mixed reality and it took forever because when you try to make it that big it keeps screwing up!

[RandyT]

I mean… you could say the same thing about watching a horror movie alone at night in your house. Something you just got to get use to I guess.

Not trying to be pedantic, but it's apples and oranges.  While watching the horror movies, you don't see the victims getting carved up where you eat, so eating dinner on that table doesn't remind you subconsciously of the event

[fallacy]

I am just playing around with virtual desktop. I know you can't tell in a video but playing a 3D movie in Quest 3 LITERALLY looks better than any projector I have ever seen. Hopefully that 100 inch projector screen in real life will give it some context. I just can't believe we are finally here where you can recreate the Imax experience.

[Xiaou2]

To get an Imax 3d level experience,  you need a very big screen.

 My buddy once made a screen that was like 14 ft wide... and we probably sat about 14 ft away from it.
The images came out of the screen, about 5 feet away from me.

 It was actually only a 720p  projector... but it was flippin amazing... and felt just like the Imax 3D experience.

 He played a 3d version of the original Predator.. and I was spending more time looking at the jungle leaves, in
pure amazement (felt like being there),  than watching the actual actors / movie.

[Mike A]

.

[fallacy]

DUNGEONS OF ETERNITY for Quest. I got my dad to buy the game and we played together. Pissing me off because he keeps finding the good weapons and I keep getting crap.

This game has the best throwing mechanics I have ever seen in a VR game period. I throw knives in real life as a hobby so it is so much fun to throw my knife in this game.  It really matters on how fast you throw your motion control before letting go of the tiger, and the real interaction on a thrown weapon when it bangs against rock and skips around.

[Zakk]

Virtual arcade.

[fallacy]

The lighting looks Legit. Wearing a Quest 3 it would probably look even better then the original cabinets in real life, probably even sound better.

[Mike A]

No.

[RandyT]

The lighting looks Legit. Wearing a Quest 3 it would probably look even better then the original cabinets in real life, probably even sound better.

That screen glare on Defender is a killer, and the basement(?) area is too bright/sterile looking.  If there isn't already one, there definitely needs to be a lighting control somewhere.  But I was thinking that the games might actually look pretty good in the new headsets as well.  With the high-resolution and oversampling, it could actually be pretty convincing, given the low-resolution most of the games run at.  It works pretty well for pinball.

But I think I would still much prefer a real machine which can play all of those games, rather than a ton of virtual cabinets in a headset.  Once the novelty wears off, I think the lack of practicality will become apparent.  Perhaps if it were expanded to include other virtual patrons ala a "metaverse", where individuals could socialize and compete, it would be more compelling.  That aspect was nearly as important as the flashy rooms full of cabinets.

[Firebat138]

We are going to get to the local VR place here in a few wees.  They have the Omni One sets with the running pads or whatever they are called.  Looks super fun  I have had the quest 2 since it came out  Couple of my friends have the 3 and its way better.  I have played VR on my Pincab and its freakin awesome for a little while, then we just start playing normal lol   Pretty crazy how far we have come in such a short time.

[fallacy]

Wow I was watching this video. look at around the 10:30 minute Mark when he goes to the Pasadena room. It looks even better than I thought the reflections off all the glass is actually insane. We are getting close to Half-Life Alex detail and graphics. I am trying to download it off their Discord but it's not letting me right now.

[RandyT]

Wow I was watching this video. look at around the 10:30 minute Mark when he goes to the Pasadena room. It looks even better than I thought the reflections off all the glass is actually insane. We are getting close to Half-Life Alex detail and graphics. I am trying to download it off their Discord but it's not letting me right now.

Definitely more impressive than the first vid.  I really like the brick wall treatment.  Reminds me of the upscale Aladdin's Castle arcade I used to frequent (and helped to do some signage/grafitti for).  The place was huge and had replica building fronts inside for the wall decor.  Very much a "themed" arcade.  Would be cool to see an uber-large open layout like that one, but something of that size might stress the hardware too much.

[fallacy]

So I finally downloaded it and I am trying it out. The cabinets look great. You apparently just teleport over to a cabinet and click it, then pick up your wireless X-box controller and play the game.  It apparently needs 2010 Mame VO.139 to work. I happen to have the full set of 2009 VO .130 but loading them into the rom folder it seems like only half of them work. I am not sure where to download that rom set version at this point.


It would also be my dream if a project like this could implement my 80’s TV site and display it on the CRT TV and give you the option to change the channel. https://www.my80stv.com/#yhZNyekqrac

[RandyT]

UEVR is finally here.  I haven't played with it yet, but it's looking fantastic, with over 500 games tested and currently being reported as working well or "perfectly".



This may actually be the thing which brings in the "normie" pancake players.