A VR Kickstarter? (Hypothetical)

Sweet&Dandy

Sweet&Dandy
We are always hearing in the media how VR is dead, too niche, blah blah blah!

I do wonder if Frontier realise how many of us are actually only here playing ED because of VR?
I’d love for them to launch a Kickstarter (or something) to raise money to be used specifically for VR enhancements and optimisations. There is no better VR experience out there and many of us have already shelled out thousands on equipment to take the experience as far we can.

IMO the next steps needs to be taken by Frontier, but I just don’t see it ever being a priority as there is little money to be made. So why couldn’t we pay for it ourselves? EDVR isn’t a whole lot different than it was when they launched and there is so much that could be done to make it even better than it currently is.

A crazy idea (obviously not ideal) but could it work? Would you contribute?


Short version... if we are willing to spend xxx amount to try and improve things on the hardware end, would you be willing to “donate” to improving the experience on the software side?

I think I would ...
 

cmdrrdmc

C
Doubt it would happen. Have you seen Braben's comments on VR?

https://gamedaily.biz/article/194/david-braben-why-the-industry-needs-the-return-of-the-publisher

He’s still not a big believer in VR or what many see as the future in cloud gaming.

“I have never believed [VR] would take off. Right from day one, I said it would be niche,” he noted. “And it's a great niche, but it's still quite niche. We were, I think, the first people to support [VR] with a AAA game, with Elite: Dangerous in December 2013. It's a wonderful experience, it is really wonderful. But it puts quite a high bar on the hardware, so my personal view is you can't run any slower than about 90 frames a second, and the resolution you really want to be 4K per eye. [Currently] it is a bit blurry, it's quite hard on the eyes for a long time. And the other problem is, trying to use it in a family environment, it's really divisive. Because no one can see or hear what you're seeing.”
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Sweet&Dandy

Sweet&Dandy
That’s why I’m asking. DB doesn’t seem to realise that there are plenty of us out there only playing the game BECAUSE of VR. I think the problem is with how many “plenty” is? A top VR experience comes at a cost that prices most gamers out of the market. DB might think differently if he suddenly sold a million more copies of ED because the Quest supported it and the headset cost less than a console!

Scenarios like that will likely happen one day but in the short term I’d just love to see EDVR get some more love from their end. I’ve taken the tech as far as it can go and I still want more from the experience. That needs to happen in game.
 

BinakAlgo

BinakAlgo
I would think that they know it, that's why we have a sub-forum dedicated to VR aspects of the game. That kind of information is probably sent to them everytime we connect with the server.

Now, I'm not sure if popular VR will become a thing but right now it is still niche. Those of us are probably playing in VIVE or Rift, each of them is very expensive, more than a brand new PS4 or an X-box One X, but that's not enough, we need also a powerful rig that costs the double of that at least to have a decent experience. So even if it has survived it could be still niche, like very expensive cars, they exist and have high income but only very few people have them and most people don't even pretend to aspire to one. FD will invest on it if sales for VR equipment and other games are up and there are clear indicators that the demand in the market is going to expand. I don't think a kickstarter will.
 

Sweet&Dandy

Sweet&Dandy
BinakAlgo said:
I would think that they know it, that's why we have a sub-forum dedicated to VR aspects of the game. That kind of information is probably sent to them everytime we connect with the server.

Now, I'm not sure if popular VR will become a thing but right now it is still niche. Those of us are probably playing in VIVE or Rift, each of them is very expensive, more than a brand new PS4 or an X-box One X, but that's not enough, we need also a powerful rig that costs the double of that at least to have a decent experience. So even if it has survived it could be still niche, like very expensive cars, they exist and have high income but only very few people have them and most people don't even pretend to aspire to one. FD will invest on it if sales for VR equipment and other games are up and there are clear indicators that the demand in the market is going to expand. I don't think a kickstarter will.
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I don’t think a Kickstarter will either, but my point is that there’s nothing more I can do from my end to enhance the experience. Frontier could do so much more though and they just aren’t interested. I find it so disappointing that they don’t see what an amazing product they have and how much better it could be!
 

VR Skinnerer

V
I play using the Rift sometimes, and it is far better then the 4K screen I otherwise use.
But, I play 'vanilla', with no VR mods to adjust it.

Since there are these mods, would the kickstarter be to integrate these mods in properly?
Overlays and such might be able to shift the floating UI screens off the hologram projectors and into a helmet display.
The KS money could be used to get a selected modder in to look at integration. Or, a big-name VR developer, whether game or hardware, for a day or few.

Can we ask for stats about VR usage? Players who have ever connected using VR, and how many are using it at a given time?
I have only seen the Steam stats, but a percentage from FD might help.

If there is another way to get money pumped into Elite, with a use for it, that must be good. I'd look to put some up, if this happened.
 

bobtuck

B
The OP makes a great point. I would definitely donate a sum of money if I believed it would make my experience better (it's still bloody good right now!).....and I too have NEVER played ED outside of VR.

No-one has yet mentioned WMR. I have confidence that when the likes of Microsoft et al get behind something their huge influence and financial clout have a positive effect.

I played two years ago with a Rift, for much less than a third of what I paid back then I now play in a Lenovo and would never go back.....it's simply more user friendly, more comfortable and clearer!

To me it proves that VR doesn't have to be finanacially elitist or niche like at all.....it's available now in the form of a 'it's not that much....lets give it a go and see'....it'll only get better and even cheaper.
 

Sweet&Dandy

Sweet&Dandy
bobtuck said:
The OP makes a great point. I would definitely donate a sum of money if I believed it would make my experience better (it's still bloody good right now!).....and I too have NEVER played ED outside of VR.

No-one has yet mentioned WMR. I have confidence that when the likes of Microsoft et al get behind something their huge influence and financial clout have a positive effect.

I played two years ago with a Rift, for much less than a third of what I paid back then I now play in a Lenovo and would never go back.....it's simply more user friendly, more comfortable and clearer!

To me it proves that VR doesn't have to be finanacially elitist or niche like at all.....it's available now in the form of a 'it's not that much....lets give it a go and see'....it'll only get better and even cheaper.
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True, true and true, but DB has created a masterpiece and he can’t even see it!
 

Eliza

Eliza
Since I play Elite in VR, Elite: None-VR doesn't exist in my universe. Must be some sort of parallel-reality. ;)

When my hmd was down, and tried Elite in 2D. Didn't last 10 minutes before I qiut and went to KSP as long as my replacement wasn't delivered. [yesnod]
 

Zardoz Dax

Z
I've been playing for a little over a month. At first i played on my keyboard and 55 inch tv. Then i bought the thrustmaster hotas. That increased the enjoyment of the game. Then two days ago i bought the rift especially for ED. What a difference. I am looking forward to future tech! Maybe one day in a holodeck!!!!!
 

cmdrrdmc

C
Herbrand said:
Never heard this anywhere.
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Still a common sentiment. I'm surprised you haven't seen it. This video made the rounds recently

[video=youtube;85DiHTpxGCo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85DiHTpxGCo[/video]

Actually, just last night on a Discord I'm on someone was poo-pooing all over VR saying the same old things "sde, god rays, needs wireless, too expensive, too much space, wait 5-10 years".
 
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A D

A D
My two cents:

- I am a person that plays ED because of the VR experience. I'm broken, could not go back to 2D.
- Sure VR is still niche, but ED is ahead of the pack. With its experience and some dedication it could become a leading VR developer.
- IMO VR is the future. Big statement and open to debate, but having used VR for 100s' of hours I really can't think of a downside other than hardware limits. When (not if) the limits are beaten VR will become ubiquitous.

..and for clarification, not saying the future VR will look anything like the alien gadget we now use. It may be completely different, but still VR.. a full 3d experience.

As to the question would I tip in some more money in return for FD doing something more for the VR crowd? Yep, in a heartbeat.

Ok wiil now get off my soapbox. :)
 
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A D

A D
Alec Turner said:
Such as? (genuinely curious)
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I like a cat curled up on the console :)

Seriously though, walking around the cockpit of a large ship in VR would be awesome (almost do-able now). Fiddle with some gadgets, read the schematics, make a coffee or just gaze out of the side window. All good.
 
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