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[spekkeh]

Pros and cons based on tales from my ass:

I think Oculus will be slightly more comfortable to wear, and have the far superior library in a traditional gaming sense.

I think Vive will have the more interesting experiences in a non traditional gaming sense, possibly better OS software, and will be far more future proof.

I dunno buying an Oculus now feels like something that will be obsolete in a year because they're likely working double time on creating a similar tracking system.

Then again, maybe for all of the nicer tech there will be nothing to play on Vive, which means Oculus still has a bigger chance of being relevant in a few years time.

 

[Mikeside]

Room Scale wont be big (maybe), but I think VR controllers will be and Vive will be the first one who offers that experience.

Gotta be honest, I really liked the Vive wands I played with at EGX. I'm certain the release ones will be a blast. I just hope the battery life is good.
I think I'll love them even more now just because I'm more used to the Steam controller & it's awesome touchpads.

Oculus Touch, on the other hand, looks really fucking weird to me. That trigger placement...?
Something I'd have to try to feel confident in, I guess.

 

[mrklaw]

Pros and cons based on tales from my ass:

I think Oculus will be slightly more comfortable to wear, and have the far superior library in a traditional gaming sense.

I think Vive will have the more interesting experiences in a non traditional gaming sense, possibly better OS software, and will be far more future proof.

I dunno buying an Oculus now feels like something that will be obsolete in a year because they're likely working double time on creating a similar tracking system.

Then again, maybe for all of the nicer tech there will be nothing to play on Vive, which means Oculus still has a bigger chance of being relevant in a few years time.

But you can just add touch to get a similar tracking experience in 6 months, and I'm sure they'll do bundles with touch too. Doesn't make the current rift obsolete.


And for traditional games the vive should be fine too - you'll just need to provide your own controller

. The temptation is to want vive tracking now, but honesty if touch is as good (or even nearly), then you'll be able to have a similar experience and access to games in a relatively short time


But it sure is tempting to try that room tracking out now - budget cuts and job simulator look like a lot of fun

 

[Astral/H3X]

I think Oculus will be slightly more comfortable to wear, and have the far superior library in a traditional gaming sense.

Yup, that's what I'm worried about. My traditional VR games.

wait hold on

 

[hateradio]

$800 for this or a 27" IPS G-Sync monitor.

Decisions.

 

[UrbanRats]

$800 for this or a 27" IPS G-Sync monitor.

Decisions.

If a 2nd gen comes out in 2 years with eye tracking, it's an easy decision.
Otherwise, i'd probably go for the vive.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

$800 for this or a 27" IPS G-Sync monitor.

Decisions.

Depends how happy you are with your current monitor setup. Keep in mind that you will spend more time using a monitor than a VR headset. Doing things like typing in VR is simply more difficult and while you can get Virtual Desktop apps for VR, I really don't think it's worth it.

If you have some crappy 20" monitor then I would say get a better monitor first. However, if you're already pretty happy with your setup and already have a 27" LCD or something and just looking to get a GSync monitor to take the next step, then I would instead recommend getting a VR headset as it likely will have greater impact since you'll be able to play whole new types of games. GSync, while great (and I do love my Rog Swift) doesn't really add anything new. Rather it lets you play existing games smoother. It's great to have, but if you already have a decent set-up, I think it would be better to get a VR headset now and then either at the end of the year or next year get a GSync monitor since the prices will likely be a bit lower.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

exactly my thought - room scale isn't going to be big when it's only 1 HMD supporting it.

Maybe it'll pick up for second gen of headsets, in which case hopefully a G1 Vive won't need to be upgraded where an Oculus CV1 might do.



We're all speculating, though. Maybe room scale just isn't going to take off because it's awkward/weird or just too new an idea to develop for. Maybe it's so amazing that there'll be loads of content because devs are so excited about it, in which case Vive could dominate.

We just don't know & that's one of the things that excites me about this time, though it makes it more difficult to back a horse, I suppose.
I wouldn't know what to do if I could order an Oculus right now and get it early April (when I should be getting a Vive if I can pre-order in time). That's literally the only purchase-related difference for me.

On the contrary, dear Watson.

You're failing to consider the future. There's no reason to believe that room scale VR isn't the future of the VR platform. In that context, I think it's fair to assume that Vive will continue to build on that. I expect that Occulus will have stronger room-scale VR for their Gen 2 systems. All other significant VR manufacturers will follow suit.

Suggesting room-scale VR won't be in all future devices is like predicting in 2004 that 720p will remain the default because not many manufacturers are supporting 1080p. Yea about that...

The only question is whether people want to buy a Gen 1 room-scale product or a Gen 1 product with mediocre room-scale support. No matter what the answer here is, you can bet your ass that the next VR headset you buy will support room-scale VR right out of the box and that you will upgrade to it.

 

[Mikeside]

On the contrary, dear Watson.

You're failing to consider the future. There's no reason to believe that room scale VR isn't the future of the VR platform. In that context, I think it's fair to assume that Vive will continue to build on that. I expect that Occulus will have stronger room-scale VR for their Gen 2 systems. All other significant VR manufacturers will follow suit.

Suggesting room-scale VR won't be in all future devices is like predicting in 2004 that 720p will remain the default because not many manufacturers are supporting 1080p. Yea about that...

The only question is whether people want to buy a Gen 1 room-scale product or a Gen 1 product with mediocre room-scale support. No matter what the answer here is, you can bet your ass that the next VR headset you buy will support room-scale VR right out of the box and that you will upgrade to it.

I said it might be huge and the way VR goes
I'm saying bets have to be hedged at this point, but that by buying a Vive, I might be investing in something that will match up to a Rift CV2, if the big upgrade is that it needs to include room tracking

 

[habithipster]

Well I don't have a crystal ball, maybe Vive will have a huge install base and room scale games will dominate, but that's how I think. It's a nice piece of tech but I'm worried about content.

Gaming content, maybe. Still, Fantastic Contraption, Budget Cuts, Cloudlands VR Minigolf, Hover Junkers, Job Simulator, A Legend of Luca, Arizona Sunshine, Modbox, Tilt Brush, it looks like a great start to me. On top of that come the seated (and later this year forward facing) games like you have on Rift.

And on top of that, there are the other markets. Scientists, teachers, artists, architects, interior designers, car manufacturers, archaeologist. The list is endless.

We're all speculating, though. Maybe room scale just isn't going to take off because it's awkward/weird

I think one of the nice things about room scale is that it isn't awkward/weird. It is natural.

or just too new an idea to develop for.

I'd argue that developing for Rift/Touch's limitations is more challenging than developing for Vive. Don't worry about it, as opposed to, don't turn around, don't get too close to the floor, and so on.

All that said, I'm not dismissing seated gamepad VR. A VR Skate 4 would probably keep me occupied for months.

 

[BigTnaples]

Dammit. So torn. As my already preordered Rift wont arrive until April. (Most likely).


It has superior IQ from what I have heard, and some exclusive games.


However Vive is a more open platform, and has room tracking, which after watching someone lay on the floor in the Valve Robot Repair demo as if lying under a car, and it work flawlessly... I really want. Even though it will likely not be supported much, at least yet.



I will probably end up buying both, but wish I could narrow it down to one. (Since I am buying PSVR as well). I am moving states this week, and the expenses involved are substantial.

Hopefully, the Vive Preorder doesn't charge right away, and we see some more impressions in March that allow me to make a final decision.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

The way I see it. Vive is as ahead with hardware as Oculus is (or even farther ahead), but Oculus had all these months to get more people familiar with it in the software end. If i was sure I wanted both i would still get Oculus first.

 

[DouglasteR]

$800 for this or a 27" IPS G-Sync monitor.

Decisions.

One is a walk into the future.

The other is just a window.

Choose wisely.

 

[opticalmace]

That's a bit of contradictory statement. Either you're consistent with the global price or have different prices based on the exchange rate and taxes. 899 euro is not really consistent with a global price of $799 for example.

Isn't it? 899 euro includes VAT, right, which is about 20%? That's pretty close to 799 USD.

 

[JudgmentJay]

Dammit. So torn. As my already preordered Rift wont arrive until April. (Most likely).

It has superior IQ from what I have heard, and some exclusive games.

Is this true? I was under the impression that they were virtually identical when it came to image quality.

 

[BigTnaples]

Is this true? I was under the impression that they were virtually identical when it came to image quality.

From what I have heard in this thread and some youtube impressions, the Optics and FOV on OR are superior, resulting in a crisp image, less screen door effect, etc.

Would love to see someone take both final products and compare before mine ships though.

If indeed HTC has caught the Vives IQ and FOV up to or better than OR, then it would make buying only one of them easier to swallow. As of now, I will be forced to by both if I want the best of both worlds.

 

[habithipster]

It has superior IQ from what I have heard

It might have, but we don't know that. And if it has, if the difference is big or negligible. Rift's lenses have been described as superior, Vive's lenses have been described as fantastic. Rift's "superior IQ" might only be because of Vive's (also anecdotal) larger FOV.

More consistently however, the Rift headset is being described as noticeably lighter. By how much, or it's implications, we don't know yet.

and some exclusive games.

A practice which should be discouraged.

 

[viveks86]

Mind has be made. I'm buying the Vive as well!

Now I need to figure out lighthouse/camera placement and cable management in the living room for 2 headsets. Fuck

 

[mrklaw]

Yeah I'd love to see a few proper head to head reviews with the final vive (or pre would be OK as I assume that'll be pretty much the same as the consumer one).

Comfort, weight, optics, screen door etc. If they're really close then that's fine, but the headset is the thing I'll be wearing most often and probably spending more time with racing/space games than walking ones, so as much as the vive tracking is tempting, that uncertainty in the headset is making me a bit crazy


Sensible thing to do would be to wait for them both to come out, see the reviews, get a general consensus. But where is the fun in that

 

[DouglasteR]

Yeah I'd love to see a few proper head to head reviews with the final vive (or pre would be OK as I assume that'll be pretty much the same as the consumer one).

Comfort, weight, optics, screen door etc. If they're really close then that's fine, but the headset is the thing I'll be wearing most often and probably spending more time with racing/space games than walking ones, so as much as the vive tracking is tempting, that uncertainty in the headset is making me a bit crazy


Sensible thing to do would be to wait for them both to come out, see the reviews, get a general consensus. But where is the fun in that

My thoughts exactly.

But, wait for all these requirements and lose your place in the line.

I can't live with that

 

[BigTnaples]

My thoughts exactly.

But, wait for all these requirements and lose your place in the line.

I can't live with that

Same here. Hopefully we will see some final impressions on both before they ship.

 

[flaxknuckles]

If the Vive gets support for the majority of VR games and more than a handful of non-novelty roomscale experiences in this year then I'll buy one. Otherwise, I'll sit on my hands and let the VR wars play out for a few years.

 

[Movalpolos]

Not only will people need 2 jobs but a new apartment or house with an extra room!

 

[Mikeside]

Gaming content, maybe. Still, Fantastic Contraption, Budget Cuts, Cloudlands VR Minigolf, Hover Junkers, Job Simulator, A Legend of Luca, Arizona Sunshine, Modbox, Tilt Brush, it looks like a great start to me. On top of that come the seated (and later this year forward facing) games like you have on Rift.

And on top of that, there are the other markets. Scientists, teachers, artists, architects, interior designers, car manufacturers, archaeologist. The list is endless.



I think one of the nice things about room scale is that it isn't awkward/weird. It is natural.



I'd argue that developing for Rift/Touch's limitations is more challenging than developing for Vive. Don't worry about it, as opposed to, don't turn around, don't get too close to the floor, and so on.

All that said, I'm not dismissing seated gamepad VR. A VR Skate 4 would probably keep me occupied for months.

I meant too awkward or weird to develop for, or too new to develop for.

It is quite a different thing than a seated experience where you use a controller to walk.

Developing a VR game for a seated experience isn't much different to a traditional game really, not in the grand scheme of things.

You can easily support VR and non.
With room scale it's not quite so easy. A room scale game would be harder to have as both a VR game and a non VR game.
I'd be willing to bet we don't get a lot of room scale. Though that's also because only one headset out of the lot supports it.


Don't get me wrong, I love room scale & I can't wait to play those kinds of games, I just don't see it taking off quite yet.



...and to be fair, I don't have a lot of room in my gaming den!

I have about 7ft wide by 4ft deep

 

[Nzyme32]

Not only will people need 2 jobs but a new apartment or house with an extra room!

Or you know, just standing. Also you must have a shit job if raising that amount demands two jobs. It's a few months graft tops if you are enthusiast enough to want it so badly at this early stage; let's be clear, this is aimed squarely at enthusiasts and the early adopters out of the gate, not the "mass market". Rightfully so for new tech.

 

[Bsigg12]

Dammit. So torn. As my already preordered Rift wont arrive until April. (Most likely).


It has superior IQ from what I have heard, and some exclusive games.


However Vive is a more open platform, and has room tracking, which after watching someone lay on the floor in the Valve Robot Repair demo as if lying under a car, and it work flawlessly... I really want. Even though it will likely not be supported much, at least yet.



I will probably end up buying both, but wish I could narrow it down to one. (Since I am buying PSVR as well). I am moving states this week, and the expenses involved are substantial.

Hopefully, the Vive Preorder doesn't charge right away, and we see some more impressions in March that allow me to make a final decision.

They're pretty much open the same on this front. The only thing Oculus is locking down are the games they're publishing.

 

[artsi]

They're pretty much open the same on this front. The only thing Oculus is locking down are the games they're publishing.

And some they are even publishing but not locking to the Rift. I think it's just the 100% Oculus funded games (that would not exist otherwise) that are fully exclusive. That is completely reasonable to me, it's not an insignificant amount of money they pour to those.

 

[Mikeside]

And some they are even publishing but not locking to the Rift. I think it's just the 100% Oculus funded games (that would not exist otherwise) that are fully exclusive. That is completely reasonable to me, it's not an insignificant amount of money they pour to those.

I agree that they've poured money into those games and should have some kind of exclusivity, I just wish it was a store exclusivity and that I could still play those games on my other headset. At least that way they'd be getting a cut of the money & still supporting the future of VR by not fragmenting the market further than it needs to be.

 

[randombat]

Really tempted to preorder the Vive along with the Rift I already ordered. WHAT IF ONE IS BETTER THAN THE OTHER!?

 

[Bsigg12]

I agree that they've poured money into those games and should have some kind of exclusivity, I just wish it was a store exclusivity and that I could still play those games on my other headset. At least that way they'd be getting a cut of the money & still supporting the future of VR by not fragmenting the market further than it needs to be.

That's actually what it is. I should have clarified and said they are locking games/experiences to the Oculus Store, not the Rift itself. They won't add Vive support but they have already said they are OK with people hacking that in.

 

[Mikeside]

That's actually what it is. I should have clarified and said they are locking games to the Oculus Store, not the Rift itself. They won't add Vive support but they have already said they are OK with people hacking that in.

If that happens, I'll be more than happy to buy games on the Oculus store.


Except Lucky's Tale still looks a bit pants to me. I still need to be convinced on that one.

 

[Movalpolos]

Or you know, just standing. Also you must have a shit job if raising that amount demands two jobs. It's a few months graft tops if you are enthusiast enough to want it so badly at this early stage; let's be clear, this is aimed squarely at enthusiasts and the early adopters out of the gate, not the "mass market". Rightfully so for new tech.

I am an enthusiast. But even in the enthusiast crowd, this is going to be the niche of the niche. For obvious reasons. Their expectations must be even lower than Rift.

 

[Dreamwriter]

They're pretty much open the same on this front. The only thing Oculus is locking down are the games they're publishing.

I wouldn't say open the same amount - a Vive game is made using the OpenVR SDK, which is compatible with both Vive and Oculus Rift. A game made with the Oculus Rift SDK, though (such as every game in Oculus Home) is not compatible with Vive. They are fine with consumers modding games to work with the Vive, but that may not be a simple task, as the Oculus Rift SDK is quite a bit more complicated than OpenVR, with more functionality. Of course, there's nothing keeping a developer of an Oculus game then porting the same game to OpenVR.

 

[BigTnaples]

I am an enthusiast. But even in the enthusiast crowd, this is going to be the niche of the niche. For obvious reasons. Their expectations must be even lower than Rift.

Eh. Not really.


I mean, these devices are ONLY being marketed to the high end PC user. Unless you are already one who spends hundreds on new graphics and processing power, than these aren't being aimed at you at all, because well, you can't use them.


Much like Star Citizen, the people who spend hundreds on there gaming rigs, they LOVE to see those rigs pushed. And finally, we have something that will push it. VR.

 

[hateradio]

If a 2nd gen comes out in 2 years with eye tracking, it's an easy decision.
Otherwise, i'd probably go for the vive.

I could feasibly wait two years for a headset. I mean by that time, we'd expect the technology to be quite stable.

Depends how happy you are with your current monitor setup. Keep in mind that you will spend more time using a monitor than a VR headset. Doing things like typing in VR is simply more difficult and while you can get Virtual Desktop apps for VR, I really don't think it's worth it.

If you have some crappy 20" monitor then I would say get a better monitor first. However, if you're already pretty happy with your setup and already have a 27" LCD or something and just looking to get a GSync monitor to take the next step, then I would instead recommend getting a VR headset as it likely will have greater impact since you'll be able to play whole new types of games. GSync, while great (and I do love my Rog Swift) doesn't really add anything new. Rather it lets you play existing games smoother. It's great to have, but if you already have a decent set-up, I think it would be better to get a VR headset now and then either at the end of the year or next year get a GSync monitor since the prices will likely be a bit lower.

I had a lowly Acer 24" G-Sync monitor for a few weeks. The panel was garbage, but I ended up liking G-Sync.

TN was just awful, so I assume that an LED/IPS one (like the ROG Swift) would be worth it. However, it's currently out of stock in a lot of places. I assume that there's a new version coming up or something. Not sure.


My monitor setup is abysmal, so I would really like to update that. I think maybe I can spring for the Vive a few months from now. However, a few months from now we may see some really nice G-Sync monitors coming up.

 

[Smushroomed]

I really miss the rog swifts stand, it was solid as fuck

The acer x34 stand is flimsy compared to it

 

[Iced_Eagle]

I could feasibly wait two years for a headset. I mean by that time, we'd expect the technology to be quite stable.


I had a lowly Acer 24" G-Sync monitor for a few weeks. The panel was garbage, but I ended up liking G-Sync.

TN was just awful, so I assume that an LED/IPS one (like the ROG Swift) would be worth it. However, it's currently out of stock in a lot of places. I assume that there's a new version coming up or something. Not sure.


My monitor setup is abysmal, so I would really like to update that. I think maybe I can spring for the Vive a few months from now. However, a few months from now we may see some really nice G-Sync monitors coming up.

The PG279Q, which I assume you're looking at, is one of the more sought after monitors. Once it goes back in stock it generally goes out of stock very quick (in a few hours usually). It came out in October of last year and Asus didn't announce a new 27" monitor at CES so there may not be a new one from them this year (they did announce a new 24" and more details on the curved 34" GSync monitor).

It definitely sounds like you should update your monitor first and get a Vive or a Rift in a few months. By then you'll have the benefit of having tons of impressions from people and be able to see how the ecosystem shakes up in terms of exclusives or how long it takes for some of the launch exclusives to come to the other headset and it will be easier to make a choice.

If you want, Amazon Warehouse has a couple of used PG279Q's that you could get for less than $800. As long as the panel itself is fine I think it would be worth the price, and you could always return it if it's poor. If you only want new, then you can order from Fry's since I believe they let you order to be put in the queue for the next shipment.

 

[BigTnaples]

So this goes up for preorder in 48 hours right?



Any details on where? What time? If they charge at ship or at preorder?



I want to jump on this, but I also hope they don't charge at time of order, that way when we get closer to shipping, if I get new impressions of the final forms of both, I can decide if I want to keep both preorders, or keep only one.

 

[ashecitism]

No, pre-order goes live on the 29th.

http://htcvr.com/us/

 

[cyberheater]

$800 for this or a 27" IPS G-Sync monitor.

Decisions.

A 27" IPS G-Sync monitor cannot transport you to another world...

 

[BigTnaples]

No, pre-order goes live on the 29th.

http://htcvr.com/us/

Whoops. Thank you.

 

[cakefoo]

Games on the Steam Store now have official sub-categories for supported headsets, controllers, and play area sizes. Nice.

http://store.steampowered.com/search/?category2=31

Under the "Narrow by VR Support" filter on the right, click "See All" to show the filter options. You'll also see the info on the game page itself, obviously.

 

[Dark Matter]

Because most people don't believe that it's 33% better than the Oculus Rift.

The headset itself doesn't have to be any better for the whole package to be worth that price.
The tracking system and the joysticks are the components that justify the premium.

Whatever the gaffers are interested in those things or not that's another matter. The price is honest and in line with any realistic expectation for what it has to offer.

 

[Frozone]

Wayy too expensive for VR IMO. Actually the Oculus is pretty expensive too. I'm curious to see the direction VR will take in the coming months though.

 

[BigTnaples]

Games on the Steam Store now have official sub-categories for supported headsets, controllers, and play area sizes. Nice.

http://store.steampowered.com/search/?category2=31

Under the "Narrow by VR Support" filter on the right, click "See All" to show the filter options. You'll also see the info on the game page itself, obviously.

Interesting. If you use the filter to show all VR games, there are 10+ pages of games.

If you list only Vive and Occulus compatible games, there are 1-2 pages...


So what are the other 10 pages compatible with?

 

[Durante]

Pros and cons based on tales from my ass:

I think Oculus will be slightly more comfortable to wear, and have the far superior library in a traditional gaming sense.

I think Vive will have the more interesting experiences in a non traditional gaming sense, possibly better OS software, and will be far more future proof.

Just because of the 10-15 paid-by-Oculus games? I don't see it.

In any case, it's only true until someone writes a Rift API -> OpenVR wrapper.

So what are the other 10 pages compatible with?

DK1 or DK2 I would assume, and not updated (yet) by their devs.

 

[wazoo]

Interesting. If you use the filter to show all VR games, there are 10+ pages of games.

If you list only Vive and Occulus compatible games, there are 1-2 pages...


So what are the other 10 pages compatible with?

this is mostly a filter problem. they are all using SteamVR.

or maybe, these are exclusives.

 

[ashecitism]

Interesting. If you use the filter to show all VR games, there are 10+ pages of games.

If you list only Vive and Occulus compatible games, there are 1-2 pages...


So what are the other 10 pages compatible with?

this is mostly a filter problem. they are all using SteamVR.

or maybe, these are exclusives.

Or maybe not every dev has specified their support.

DK1 or DK2 I would assume, and not updated (yet) by their devs.

Yeah, this is my guess.

 

[Durante]

Sensible thing to do would be to wait for them both to come out, see the reviews, get a general consensus. But where is the fun in that

Or get both.

Spoiler

Of course, that's easy to say when you get one for free

They're pretty much open the same on this front. The only thing Oculus is locking down are the games they're publishing.

It's explicitly forbidden for other HW platforms to implement the Rift API, while it is encouraged with the OpenVR API.
I don't think that qualifies as equally open.

 

[DOT DASH DOT]

Pros and cons based on tales from my ass:

I think Oculus will be slightly more comfortable to wear, and have the far superior library in a traditional gaming sense.

I think Vive will have the more interesting experiences in a non traditional gaming sense, possibly better OS software, and will be far more future proof.

I dunno buying an Oculus now feels like something that will be obsolete in a year because they're likely working double time on creating a similar tracking system.

Then again, maybe for all of the nicer tech there will be nothing to play on Vive, which means Oculus still has a bigger chance of
being relevant in a few years time.

It was my understanding that the constellation system the Rift uses can be expanded or added too, so any room scale stuff could easily be added on in the future.