A few more Vive observations, 200+ users over a week

[Slopey]

The more I think about the touchpad on the Vive the more genius of innovation it is. Think about the demo where it suddenly becomes 4 extra buttons. Combined with the visuals of VR they've effectively added an unlimited number of addition controls. Dev's (of which I'm just a hobbyist) really can let their imagination run wild with this thing.

You could have dragable boxes with closed fist drag or open hand push icons on the controller. Four fast select spell cast/action buttons. Movement (as per my script), scroll through text, flip pages of a book, use it to tab in menus. Then we've got 2 pointer devices as well. Ah man I'm going to have to stop now! My head's just full of so many ideas for this thing. It really is a very, very clever device.
[wacky] [hotas]

Want Options? That there controller will give anyone with even a smidgen of imagination crazy levels of new gameplay, mix it in with the interactivity with the virtual world and we live in exciting times.

I really hope Oculus do something clever with their controller, right now that Vive controller is a huge positive for HTC, yes the CV1 has benefits as well but the lighter weight and headphones are going to need to be pretty significant improvements for it to eclipse the touchpad alone (still waiting for my CV1 so can't tell how they impact yet).

Still, like I said, exciting times. [up]

Go and check out the tools menu in Tiltbrush.....

 

[Mike Kangaroo]

One thing I will say, no one I have had try my Vive, has ever gotten sick while using VR in room scale. Think about this for a second, if your VR environment is moving 1 to 1 scale like your real environment would, how would your brain know the difference? Room scale and teleportation solves the issue hands down. my wife, my 70 year old father, a friend down the road, across state, no one's had issues. I was amazed to see my father teleport himself around the lab, throw stuff for the 'dog' and then draw in tilt brush, without a problem. (he picked up tilt brush instantly, completely intuitive)

I myself have been playing first person shooters for years and the first time I got Half Life 2 to work in VR I was excited, 20 minutes later I felt heavy in the stomach, 10 minutes after that I had to take it off. The depth of movement does not match what your body is experiencing. I got a little better at it sure, but I tend to leave those titles alone, I'm sure I'll eventually get my sea legs.

There was one game... what the heck was it...Poly Runner, a freebie on steam, its default control method was... tilting your head. LOL I made one turn and went 'nope' , got out, plugged in my controller, much better. I tried it on my wife and she actually fell over.

Teleportation is here to stay I'm afraid, and will be the default method.

 

[CylonSurfer]

Teleportation is here to stay I'm afraid, and will be the default method

I doubt that, its stop gap at best and defeats the primary focus of VR - immersion by taking the player out of VR every time they move in the form of a black fade transition. I can name many a Rift title which includes standard pad locomotion and some SteamVR games as well, the number is on the rise.

Think about this for a second, if your VR environment is moving 1 to 1 scale like your real environment would, how would your brain know the difference? Room scale and teleportation solves the issue hands down.

The biggest problem with room scale is that its room scale and that you move in a 1 to 1 environment, most peoples rooms would struggle to fit one of the smaller ships cockpits in them, left alone the whole damn ship.

People that do not suffer from motion sickness in VR do not want forced teleportation as it breaks immersion, nor do non-VR players want their first person content turned into whack a mole with guns because of a number of VR users with motion sickness issues teleport hopping around.

Teleportation is fine as a comfort option for those that need it, in titles where is would be feasible. It sounds like you need said comfort modes and I can only sympathize with you on that.