Stress Level Zero Previews 'Hover Junkers' Co-Operative VR Gameplay

[kcarbotte]

Stress Level Zero is preparing its HTC Vive launch title, "Hover Junkers," and it has been showing off more and more of what the game has to offer. In its most recent developer diary video, the company shows what co-op gameplay looks like.

Stress Level Zero Previews 'Hover Junkers' Co-Operative VR Gameplay : Read more

 

[jasonelmore]

Looks great but they are gonna have to figure out how to make those cables wireless. He almost tripped 3-4 times during that video

 

[clonazepam]

A permanent setup would have the cables suspended from the ceiling or maybe a boom microphone stand.

My ideal VR experience would be like that old video of Capcom's 'Deep Down' from 2014 concept.

Imagine a suit with rumble motors all over your body that provide feedback when you're struck. mmhmm good stuff.

 

[Dan414]

I am dismayed by all the talk of roomscale VR, ducking, and reaching, I want VR so I can lay down in my bed or recliner and play a game. I hope most games come with a way to turn off head motion requirement. I have a gym membership - I go there for exercise - not to my computer.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

 

[turkey3_scratch]

Those graphics...

 

[kcarbotte]

Looks great but they are gonna have to figure out how to make those cables wireless. He almost tripped 3-4 times during that video

Wireless VR HMDs won't be happening any time soon, unfortunately.
For the first generation, we're just going to have to adapt to it. The Chaperone system built into the Vive will help with this, but you are right, it will be very easy to trip over the cable if you're not careful.

I suspect someone will come up with a way to suspend the cable above you.

 

[kcarbotte]

I am dismayed by all the talk of roomscale VR, ducking, and reaching, I want VR so I can lay down in my bed or recliner and play a game. I hope most games come with a way to turn off head motion requirement. I have a gym membership - I go there for exercise - not to my computer.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

What you are describing is not VR. At all.
That would be a head mounted screen, more akin to what Vuzix is selling.

Moving around is absolutely necessary for virtual reality to function. Also the more you are able to move naturally in the experience, the more comfortable it tends to feel.

 

[kcarbotte]

A permanent setup would have the cables suspended from the ceiling or maybe a boom microphone stand.

My ideal VR experience would be like that old video of Capcom's 'Deep Down' from 2014 concept.

Imagine a suit with rumble motors all over your body that provide feedback when you're struck. mmhmm good stuff.

There are companies making accessories that will provide similar function to that.
HTC is not currently working on anything like that for the Vive (at least that I know of)

 

[kcarbotte]

Those graphics...

VR games are going to be a step back in graphics in many cases.
Standard PC games have a target framerate of 60fps, and in some cases only 30fps. VR Games will requiire at least 90fps, not average, but minimum, to avoid motion sickness.
Combine that with higher than 1080p resolution and it's a recipe for massive graphics requirements.

One way to make that work is the use lower quality graphics to ensure high performance.
It likely won't be uncommon for first generation VR titles to look less impressive than a typical modern AAA game.

 

[dstarr3]

I am dismayed by all the talk of roomscale VR, ducking, and reaching, I want VR so I can lay down in my bed or recliner and play a game. I hope most games come with a way to turn off head motion requirement. I have a gym membership - I go there for exercise - not to my computer.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

That's more or less the Rift's approach. And really, it's probably the only viable one. Not nearly enough consumers are going to have an entire spare room they can keep completely empty for gaming.

I think VR in its entirety isn't really destined to stick around, unfortunately. The tech is awesome and can provide a very fun experience, sure, but I feel like it's going to vanish the same way and for the same reason that 3D did: People just don't want to wear stuff on their heads.

 

[Mikasa7627]

I am dismayed by all the talk of roomscale VR, ducking, and reaching, I want VR so I can lay down in my bed or recliner and play a game. I hope most games come with a way to turn off head motion requirement. I have a gym membership - I go there for exercise - not to my computer.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

That's more or less the Rift's approach. And really, it's probably the only viable one. Not nearly enough consumers are going to have an entire spare room they can keep completely empty for gaming.

I think VR in its entirety isn't really destined to stick around, unfortunately. The tech is awesome and can provide a very fun experience, sure, but I feel like it's going to vanish the same way and for the same reason that 3D did: People just don't want to wear stuff on their heads.

I am dismayed by all the talk of roomscale VR, ducking, and reaching, I want VR so I can lay down in my bed or recliner and play a game. I hope most games come with a way to turn off head motion requirement. I have a gym membership - I go there for exercise - not to my computer.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

That's more or less the Rift's approach. And really, it's probably the only viable one. Not nearly enough consumers are going to have an entire spare room they can keep completely empty for gaming.

I think VR in its entirety isn't really destined to stick around, unfortunately. The tech is awesome and can provide a very fun experience, sure, but I feel like it's going to vanish the same way and for the same reason that 3D did: People just don't want to wear stuff on their heads.

The vive can still be used in a sitting position. Thinking that it can only be used in room scale is like thinking that a Color TV can't do black and white. Additionally, it will be cheaper than the rift by about $100 so its overall a better deal

 

[K-beam]

For those stressing about cable management, don;t worry, there will soon be solutions like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-WoM_LkKC8&feature=youtu.be

 

[K-beam]

Looks great but they are gonna have to figure out how to make those cables wireless. He almost tripped 3-4 times during that video

There are solutions in the works to solve the wire dangling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-WoM_LkKC8&feature=youtu.be

 

[kcarbotte]

I am dismayed by all the talk of roomscale VR, ducking, and reaching, I want VR so I can lay down in my bed or recliner and play a game. I hope most games come with a way to turn off head motion requirement. I have a gym membership - I go there for exercise - not to my computer.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

That's more or less the Rift's approach. And really, it's probably the only viable one. Not nearly enough consumers are going to have an entire spare room they can keep completely empty for gaming.

I think VR in its entirety isn't really destined to stick around, unfortunately. The tech is awesome and can provide a very fun experience, sure, but I feel like it's going to vanish the same way and for the same reason that 3D did: People just don't want to wear stuff on their heads.

People don't want to wear stuff on thier heads for 3D because, frankly, 3D movies and TV sucks. There's nothing compelling about it. It doesn't offer a dramatically new experience.

For VR, that won't be the case. Once you experience it, you understand how truly dramatic the difference is. I've shown Oculus's Rift DK2 to over 2000 people and I've never once had anyone come out of it, saying, "this is just a fad. it'll never take off."
out of the 2000+ people that I've shown VR too, only a handful got sick, and most of them admitted to having histories of motion sickness in cars, or problems relating to vertigo.

It's not going to be overnight, but VR adoption will snowball. As people get to experience modern VR, they will understand why they want it.
Unlinke 3D, where early adopters jumped on the tech, and then no one else really cared, VR tends to inspire wonder and contemplation of what the near future will bring. That gets people interested, and thinking about how they can afford it.

For most people it will be a few years before the price is in range, but the day will come. VR and AR aren't going away any time soon.

 

[clonazepam]

You can be sure a big box store like Best Buy already has or is shopping for quick and easy installation kits to solve that issue. Their home theater teams already do a lot of installs and this isn't really anymore complicated than putting speakers in the ceiling, when you get right down to it.

 

[clonazepam]

I am dismayed by all the talk of roomscale VR, ducking, and reaching, I want VR so I can lay down in my bed or recliner and play a game. I hope most games come with a way to turn off head motion requirement. I have a gym membership - I go there for exercise - not to my computer.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

That's more or less the Rift's approach. And really, it's probably the only viable one. Not nearly enough consumers are going to have an entire spare room they can keep completely empty for gaming.

I think VR in its entirety isn't really destined to stick around, unfortunately. The tech is awesome and can provide a very fun experience, sure, but I feel like it's going to vanish the same way and for the same reason that 3D did: People just don't want to wear stuff on their heads.

People don't want to wear stuff on thier heads for 3D because, frankly, 3D movies and TV sucks. There's nothing compelling about it. It doesn't offer a dramatically new experience.

For VR, that won't be the case. Once you experience it, you understand how truly dramatic the difference is. I've shown Oculus's Rift DK2 to over 2000 people and I've never once had anyone come out of it, saying, "this is just a fad. it'll never take off."
out of the 2000+ people that I've shown VR too, only a handful got sick, and most of them admitted to having histories of motion sickness in cars, or problems relating to vertigo.

It's not going to be overnight, but VR adoption will snowball. As people get to experience modern VR, they will understand why they want it.
Unlinke 3D, where early adopters jumped on the tech, and then no one else really cared, VR tends to inspire wonder and contemplation of what the near future will bring. That gets people interested, and thinking about how they can afford it.

For most people it will be a few years before the price is in range, but the day will come. VR and AR aren't going away any time soon.

As a replacement to tanning salons, we can go in and get full body 3D scans of ourselves in various outfits to be available in the cloud for our digital selves. It'll link up to programs like GoToMeeting VR Edition etc. Seems reasonable to me. I'd rather have that than flying cars (since people can't navigate 2 dimensional space all that safely lol).

 

[McWhiskey]

I am dismayed by all the talk of roomscale VR, ducking, and reaching, I want VR so I can lay down in my bed or recliner and play a game. I hope most games come with a way to turn off head motion requirement. I have a gym membership - I go there for exercise - not to my computer.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

I am right there with you. This happened when the wii came out. Everyone thought, "This is so awesome, its just like bowling or golf." And it was fun (as full VR will be) but it didn't take me long to figure out how to do everything while sitting down and using minimal wrist movement. Was I lazy? Maybe, but my video game time was exactly that, "Game Time." If I wanted the most realistic bowling experience ever, I would go bowling. The thing is, video games allow me to do things i'm otherwise bad at. imagine a VR street fighter. Pushing A and doing a perfect uppercut is more enjoyable than practicing my form for a few decades.

I'm super excited about VR in any application that is vehicle based. I want to know what it is (almost) really like to drive 200 mph on a track. moving my head around to see whats up ahead or next to me or behind me would be awesome. Or similarly fly a plane or drive a tank...

To me, a lot of the hype is gimmick and marketing. remember gesture based TV viewing? Now you can change channels with a swipe of your hand. THIS IS THE FUTURE!!! Only no one actually wanted to do that. Moving your thumb slightly up and down was far more convenient.

 

[kcarbotte]

I am dismayed by all the talk of roomscale VR, ducking, and reaching, I want VR so I can lay down in my bed or recliner and play a game. I hope most games come with a way to turn off head motion requirement. I have a gym membership - I go there for exercise - not to my computer.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

I am right there with you. This happened when the wii came out. Everyone thought, "This is so awesome, its just like bowling or golf." And it was fun (as full VR will be) but it didn't take me long to figure out how to do everything while sitting down and using minimal wrist movement. Was I lazy? Maybe, but my video game time was exactly that, "Game Time." If I wanted the most realistic bowling experience ever, I would go bowling. The thing is, video games allow me to do things i'm otherwise bad at. imagine a VR street fighter. Pushing A and doing a perfect uppercut is more enjoyable than practicing my form for a few decades.

I'm super excited about VR in any application that is vehicle based. I want to know what it is (almost) really like to drive 200 mph on a track. moving my head around to see whats up ahead or next to me or behind me would be awesome. Or similarly fly a plane or drive a tank...

To me, a lot of the hype is gimmick and marketing. remember gesture based TV viewing? Now you can change channels with a swipe of your hand. THIS IS THE FUTURE!!! Only no one actually wanted to do that. Moving your thumb slightly up and down was far more convenient.

The Nintendo sold far more Wii consoles than any other gaming system in history, because it had the innovative new control method.
Hardcore gamers go board with it, but it brought a whole new wave of people into gaming for the first time.

Roomscale, and body tracked VR is going to do exactly the same thing. But the main difference here is, VR has far more possibilities than just gaming. Games are just the tip of the iceberg, and the easiest thing to start with. In a few years, people will use VR for all sorts of things.

Back to your point about the Wii controller. You managed to sit down and control the action from your couch because the Wiimote, while innovative and intersting 10 years ago, was never an immersive experience.

Virtual reality puts you in the world you are looking at. Most people's natural reaction the first time they try VR is to put thier hands up and try to reach out to the environment. You naturally want to move around and explore, because you feel like you are there. Using a controller to walk around doesn't feel natural, and causes many people to feel uncomfortable. Using a button to throw a punch wouldn't either.

Because your brain is being tricked into thinking that you are present, if your arm starts to swing in your view, but your body knows your arm hasn't moved, its a very strange sensation. That is not what most people want to experience in VR.


as for driving and space simulators, those are awesome in VR! Some of the best experiences you can get. Anything that has a stationary siting position, and a cockpit view, feels very natural in VR.
Adding an accessory peripheral set like a wheel and pedals for racing, or a H.O.T.A.S setup for flight and space sims, is the best immersion I've experienced so far.
Racing is what I primarily got excited for VR about, but after trying all these demos recently, I'm sold on roomscale VR 100%. I won't always want to be playing a game like that, but I want the option available to me when I do.

 

[BrutalAttis]

... yea not for me, I pre-ordered the Rift. I want to sit and vegetate when I game, if I wanted to a workout I'll go to a gym or outside. I sure hope all this movement crap can be turned off. I only care for head movement, even then 1:1 is probably not something I'll ... to much movement. But who knows, maybe 1:1 wont be that bad. Current head track software I use in space-flight syms allow for adjusting the head movement ration, hope VR will be the same.

 

[kcarbotte]

... yea not for me, I pre-ordered the Rift. I want to sit and vegetate when I game, if I wanted to a workout I'll go to a gym or outside. I sure hope all this movement crap can be turned off. I only care for head movement, even then 1:1 is probably not something I'll ... to much movement. But who knows, maybe 1:1 wont be that bad. Current head track software I use in space-flight syms allow for adjusting the head movement ration, hope VR will be the same.

head tracking software for a monitor makes sense, so you can keep your view of the screen while moving your head, but you still see the room around you that keeps your grounded.

In VR you won't want do have it track your head slower or faster than you are actually moving. that will make you sick. You don't have the view of other objects in the room keeping you balanced. VR plays with your vesitbular system, which controls your balance. It is also the same part of your body that reacts to poison, which is why you vomit from motion sickness.

Also for the Vive, the headset is tracked by using the lighthouse boxes, which also does the full room tracking. It's just how the system works.
Oculus will definitely have far more seated demos, but when Touch comes out those experiences will likely be more catered to standing positions.

 

[McWhiskey]

...Most people's natural reaction the first time they try VR is to put thier hands up and try to reach out to the environment. You naturally want to move around and explore, because you feel like you are there. Using a controller to walk around doesn't feel natural, and causes many people to feel uncomfortable. Using a button to throw a punch wouldn't either.
...
as for driving and space simulators, those are awesome in VR! Some of the best experiences you can get. Anything that has a stationary siting position, and a cockpit view, feels very natural in VR.
Adding an accessory peripheral set like a wheel and pedals for racing, or a H.O.T.A.S setup for flight and space sims, is the best immersion I've experienced so far.
Racing is what I primarily got excited for VR about, but after trying all these demos recently, I'm sold on roomscale VR 100%. I won't always want to be playing a game like that, but I want the option available to me when I do.

I think you and I are saying almost the same thing in different ways. Roomscale VR would be great to explore the bottom of the ocean. Or maybe visit the space station. But I'm not sure I want to do anything in VR that I wouldn't be capable of without VR (to an extent.) As you said, how great would it be to get in a VR race sim but actually sit in a racing chair and reach out and grab an actual wheel? But extend that to anything I can't do in an isolated room and it brakes. Fly through the air using subtle hand movements to steer = awesome! Trying to grab and hold onto a jet like iron man = fail.

It is a careful balancing act where you can only do precise things that don't brake the immersion. All of the stuff that tips the balance is what I was referring to as a gimmick.

 

[McWhiskey]

...Most people's natural reaction the first time they try VR is to put thier hands up and try to reach out to the environment. You naturally want to move around and explore, because you feel like you are there. Using a controller to walk around doesn't feel natural, and causes many people to feel uncomfortable. Using a button to throw a punch wouldn't either.
...
as for driving and space simulators, those are awesome in VR! Some of the best experiences you can get. Anything that has a stationary siting position, and a cockpit view, feels very natural in VR.
Adding an accessory peripheral set like a wheel and pedals for racing, or a H.O.T.A.S setup for flight and space sims, is the best immersion I've experienced so far.
Racing is what I primarily got excited for VR about, but after trying all these demos recently, I'm sold on roomscale VR 100%. I won't always want to be playing a game like that, but I want the option available to me when I do.

I think you and I are saying almost the same thing in different ways. Roomscale VR would be great to explore the bottom of the ocean. Or maybe visit the space station. But I'm not sure I want to do anything in VR that I wouldn't be capable of without VR (to an extent.) As you said, how great would it be to get in a VR race sim but actually sit in a racing chair and reach out and grab an actual wheel? But extend that to anything I can't do in an isolated room and it brakes. Fly through the air using subtle hand movements to steer = awesome! Trying to grab and hold onto a jet like iron man = fail.

It is a careful balancing act where you can only do precise things that don't brake the immersion. All of the stuff that tips the balance is what I was referring to as a gimmick.

 

[BrutalAttis]

... yea not for me, I pre-ordered the Rift. I want to sit and vegetate when I game, if I wanted to a workout I'll go to a gym or outside. I sure hope all this movement crap can be turned off. I only care for head movement, even then 1:1 is probably not something I'll ... to much movement. But who knows, maybe 1:1 wont be that bad. Current head track software I use in space-flight syms allow for adjusting the head movement ration, hope VR will be the same.

head tracking software for a monitor makes sense, so you can keep your view of the screen while moving your head, but you still see the room around you that keeps your grounded.

In VR you won't want do have it track your head slower or faster than you are actually moving. that will make you sick. You don't have the view of other objects in the room keeping you balanced. VR plays with your vesitbular system, which controls your balance. It is also the same part of your body that reacts to poison, which is why you vomit from motion sickness.

Also for the Vive, the headset is tracked by using the lighthouse boxes, which also does the full room tracking. It's just how the system works.
Oculus will definitely have far more seated demos, but when Touch comes out those experiences will likely be more catered to standing positions.

No arguments from me regarding non-1:1 ratios and getting sick - I figured as much. That and input lag I worry about most regarding getting sick over longer periods of play. I have all the right hardware, but will only know once I get my new toy how I personally do. But I will still prefer sitting on my butt enjoying VR (saying playing a space flight sim like Elite Dangerous etc.) Standing up or ducking my head around or moving around a room, hell no thanks ... maybe the younger crowd will like that ... I think like Wii it will get old fast.

Looking around from a cockpit would been cool as hell, I am very excited about those types of applications for VR!

1st person shooters? Not sure ... maybe if the character is in 3rd person it will help with the disorientation, or puking.

But my point is that for me personal VR experience I would prefer sitting on my butt vegetating ... not moving/jumping around etc.

 

[kcarbotte]

... yea not for me, I pre-ordered the Rift. I want to sit and vegetate when I game, if I wanted to a workout I'll go to a gym or outside. I sure hope all this movement crap can be turned off. I only care for head movement, even then 1:1 is probably not something I'll ... to much movement. But who knows, maybe 1:1 wont be that bad. Current head track software I use in space-flight syms allow for adjusting the head movement ration, hope VR will be the same.

head tracking software for a monitor makes sense, so you can keep your view of the screen while moving your head, but you still see the room around you that keeps your grounded.

In VR you won't want do have it track your head slower or faster than you are actually moving. that will make you sick. You don't have the view of other objects in the room keeping you balanced. VR plays with your vesitbular system, which controls your balance. It is also the same part of your body that reacts to poison, which is why you vomit from motion sickness.

Also for the Vive, the headset is tracked by using the lighthouse boxes, which also does the full room tracking. It's just how the system works.
Oculus will definitely have far more seated demos, but when Touch comes out those experiences will likely be more catered to standing positions.

No arguments from me regarding non-1:1 ratios and getting sick - I figured as much. That and input lag I worry about most regarding getting sick over longer periods of play. I have all the right hardware, but will only know once I get my new toy how I personally do. But I will still prefer sitting on my butt enjoying VR (saying playing a space flight sim like Elite Dangerous etc.) Standing up or ducking my head around or moving around a room, hell no thanks ... maybe the younger crowd will like that ... I think like Wii it will get old fast.

Looking around from a cockpit would been cool as hell, I am very excited about those types of applications for VR!

1st person shooters? Not sure ... maybe if the character is in 3rd person it will help with the disorientation, or puking.

But my point is that for me personal VR experience I would prefer sitting on my butt vegetating ... not moving/jumping around etc.

OK, for gaming, I can see not wanting to be that active.
But what about shopping for a new home? Consider moving to a new city, and being able to preview possible homes and walk around, room to room, and see for yourself what its like to be there.
Or have a digital scan of your room and preview what it would look like with different furniture or decorations before purchasing them.

There are many different possibilities with VR when you can walk around within the space.
You'll see once you get it. Your imagination will go wild once you've tried it out.

Seated experiences will definitely be plentiful, so don't worry. Vive is about having everything you'll need for any kind of VR, whereas Rift will be limited to certain types of experiences, at least in the short term.

BTW, EVE:Valkyrie sounds like your type of game, and its more certainly a seated experience. It comes with your preorder so you'll know soon enough.

 

[alidan]

Okay first things first, 3-D TVs failed because the people who made the movies decide to make a bunch of really really crappy 3-D conversions. Go to a movie that was shot in 3-D and then look at a conversion and understand the difference of what they are. One of them is a fantastic experience which is hard even replicate and one of them is I'm looking at flat pictures and one of them seems to be behind the other.

Second room scale VR is going to fail horribly. VR itself in the beginning is going to be niche but the people who are willing to get up and move around are even more niche. Don't get me wrong, when wereable vr can be used wirelessly there may be a use and room scale, but I want to say right now outside of Microsoft glasses thing that puts the monitor in front of your eyes, there is never going to be a box that is on your head that you walk around with that's going to sell mass amounts. The first person who dies because they fell or even just gets broken bones because they fell through the products intended use... no one will develop it further than that.

Third the person who thinks that VR is going to fail you've never used VR. I've had VR in my head about 15 years ago with a friend of mine when we went to Six Flags and played some multiplayer. It was a crappy 300 x 200 monitor per eye, and the graphics back then the I'm sure you can imagine how bad it was but my god just going around in that area in 3-D looking around and actually seeing crap move, that made me excited for 3-D until Nvidia crapped all over that with its requirements. VR is the future of games, however the issue is going to be the now.

What I mean by the now is the stupid requirements that these morons in the VR area are putting on these things. Must have 90 frames a second, 2160x1200 resolution, and lets be clear here, how many games can even run at 90 frames a second even if you throw as much hardware as you can at them at higher than 1080p? games are not going backwards in the graphics department as much as I hate that they aren't(I personally would rather developers focus on style rather than photorealism but they want to go photorealism) and the games are only going to get more demanding from here on out. I'd much rather just have one VR set up that is 720p per eye and look around with that., people can go "but my low resolution" and I'll just look back at them and say "but I can play my games".

I had very high hopes for the rift and for the vive, but to be completely honest they are killing all my enthusiasm with how high end they want all their products to b., I think most of us here have a 1080p monitor, set whatever game you're playing to 720p and tell me if that looks good or if that looks like hell. That's the reason I'd rather them use a lower resolution screen than have a high resolution one. Price aside it seems like I would have to wait another five goddamn years to get a VR set up when I've already been waiting for 15, I'm sick of the wait, stop adding to it.