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30 Minutes Inside Valve's Prototype Virtual Reality Headset

Posted by timothy on from the inside-your-head dept.

muterobert writes "Owlchemy Labs, the developers behind the excellent Oculus Rift ready game, Aaaaaaaculus!, share their impressions of their time at Steam Dev Days and detail their experiences using Valve's secretive virtual reality HMD prototype. An excerpt: 'I was told to walk off of the cube and it was physically difficult to step forward into the space where there was no solid footing, even though I knew that there would be a solid floor with a rug right there for me. It's amazing how the mind can trick you.'"

59 comments

  1. Good, looks good by i+kan+reed · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I got a rift dev kit, and this sounds like a good leap forward on its design. Hopefully the consumer rift and this are both compatible with some sort of core software principals. The last thing the emergent VR economy needs is splintering.

  2. So basically... by korbulon · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    HL3 confirmed.

    1. Re:So basically... by i+kan+reed · · Score: 4, Funny

      Patch notes:
      *To improve immersion, the headset turns into a headcrab and turns you into a zombie when your heath reaches zero

    2. Re:So basically... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Known issues:
      *headcrab functionality does not seem to wait for low health

    3. Re:So basically... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Known issues:
      *headcrab functionality does not seem to wait for low health

      *This may lead to being beaten around the head with a crowbar by an angry physicist. A fix will be implemented if we ever solve the problem (unlikely).

    4. Re:So basically... by crontabminusell · · Score: 1

      *This may lead to being beaten around the head with a crowbar by an angry physicist. A fix will be implemented if we ever solve the problem (unlikely).

      Nah, they'll just say the fix will be in the "Next update".

  3. Buy stock in anti nausea drugs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    People are going to be hurling left and right for no apparent reason. The first time someone Bon Scott's on this, everyone will be lawyering up.

    1. Re:Buy stock in anti nausea drugs by Joce640k · · Score: 1

      People are going to be hurling left and right for no apparent reason.

      Let's hope the youtube servers can handle the extra load.

      --
      No sig today...
    2. Re:Buy stock in anti nausea drugs by i+kan+reed · · Score: 1, Funny

      Or: how involuntary bulimia solved the nation's obesity epidemic. Valve's CEO awarded Nobel prize in medicine. Quoted as saying "bluuuuuuuuuuarg *pant* *pant* blaeearrargh"

    3. Re:Buy stock in anti nausea drugs by Ralph+Wiggam · · Score: 2

      Someone gave me the first dev kit version of the Rift. It made me motion sick immediately. They're not going to release a consumer version until that stops happening.

    4. Re:Buy stock in anti nausea drugs by gregor-e · · Score: 1

      It should be easy enough to fix. They just need to do what Doom did: add a constant frame around the variable content. Start with just a keyhole of 3D content in the center, then let the user gradually erode away the frame until the user is eventually viewing 100% variable content.

  4. Hmm.. by dohnut · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm coming out with an application called "Solitary Confinement".

    Required hardware will be a VR headset, noise-cancelling headphones, and a typical closet or shower (shower/tubs will not work). You can play single player but it's much more realistic if a friend or family member takes on the role of the warden. I'm integrating it with the steam API and am currently ironing out the achievements.

    --
    Stupider like a fox! - H.S.
    1. Re:Hmm.. by TheLink · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Someone should also come out with an app/UI that allowed people to have as many and as large virtual displays as they want, and manage them easily (gestures or hotkeys or whatever).

      Then you won't need multiple large physical monitors.

      Future versions might have cameras or special optics so that you can do augmented reality or just fade in and out of full virtual reality.

      Maybe Microsoft will get off their "Metro" butts and do something about it. Same goes for GNOME, KDE etc.

      --
    2. Re:Hmm.. by Khashishi · · Score: 1

      I can't wait for nasalus rift and labalus rift to come out so we can get the full waterboarding experience.

    3. Re:Hmm.. by CastrTroy · · Score: 1

      Sounds like it would be nice for relaxation. Maybe solitary confinement simulator would be a bit much, but I seriously think that VR could have some really nice uses outside gaming. Just put on a headset, and you're lying on a beach. Great way to relax. My kids never understand why I'm so happy when they send me on a time-out.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
    4. Re:Hmm.. by Jeremi · · Score: 1

      I'm coming out with an application called "Solitary Confinement". Required hardware will be a VR headset, noise-cancelling headphones, and a typical closet or shower (shower/tubs will not work).

      I think this would be really popular with parents of small children.

      --


      I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
  5. Familiarity counts? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    An excerpt: 'I was told to walk off of the cube and it was physically difficult to step forward into the space where there was no solid footing, even though I knew that there would be a solid floor with a rug right there for me. It's amazing how the mind can trick you.'

    Given the game in question is just an Oculus Rift version of AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAA!!!!!, clearly the person testing it is not experienced in the game. As any veteran of it knows, the whole point of AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAA!!!!! is to happily take running leaps off of cubes.

    Though this does make me wonder if people who are used to the game already would have the same apprehension over jumping off the (to them) familiar-looking buildings they've jumped off hundreds of times before...

    1. Re:Familiarity counts? by Baloroth · · Score: 4, Interesting

      An excerpt: 'I was told to walk off of the cube and it was physically difficult to step forward into the space where there was no solid footing, even though I knew that there would be a solid floor with a rug right there for me. It's amazing how the mind can trick you.'

      Given the game in question is just an Oculus Rift version of AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAA!!!!!, clearly the person testing it is not experienced in the game. As any veteran of it knows, the whole point of AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAA!!!!! is to happily take running leaps off of cubes.

      Though this does make me wonder if people who are used to the game already would have the same apprehension over jumping off the (to them) familiar-looking buildings they've jumped off hundreds of times before...

      The point in AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAA!!!!! is to walk off the cube in the game, i.e. using the game controls. The difficulty the user here had was stepping forward in real life while wearing the headset that made it look like he would be physically stepping off a cube (even though he knew he wouldn't).

      It actually brings up an interesting point about VR/AR: mixing the real world (where there is a physical floor ahead of you) with the virtual one (where it appears there isn't), and overcoming the self-preservation instinct by stepping forwards anyways could potentially lead to the self-preservation instinct being dangerously suppressed over time. With current video games, it's easy to know the difference between the real and virtual world. But with VR, specially VR that replicates physical actions into the game world (so that stepping forward in the game involves stepping forward in real life, not just pressing a key), that line may well become significantly blurred to the point where video games might actually have harmful effects (in this case, suppressing the instinct to not step off buildings).

      --
      "None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license." --John Milton
    2. Re:Familiarity counts? by daenris · · Score: 1

      I can't tell if you're trying to be funny or not. The person reporting on his experiences is one of the developers of Aaaaaculus! which is essentially an Oculus compatible version of AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!!. In addition, they've worked on several sequels and ports of that game with the original developers.

    3. Re:Familiarity counts? by CanHasDIY · · Score: 1

      It actually brings up an interesting point about VR/AR: mixing the real world (where there is a physical floor ahead of you) with the virtual one (where it appears there isn't), and overcoming the self-preservation instinct by stepping forwards anyways could potentially lead to the self-preservation instinct being dangerously suppressed over time.

      Aw, that's just stupid!

      If it were true, then one could claim it's equally dangerous to, say, text and walk down the sidewalk. Yet here I am, face buried in a device and moving forward, but there's no way I would be so immersed that I might do something as dumb as step out in front of a b!@#$@#%!% CARRIER LOST

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
    4. Re:Familiarity counts? by gsslay · · Score: 1

      Pretty much what I was thinking.

      As virtual reality becomes ever closer to reality, in terms of image/sound/immersion quality, the time will come when people die doing things in real life, under the temporary mistaken belief they are in game.

      It's not unreasonable to suggest that VR may actually have to be degraded/compromised in order that people can always differentiate between them.

    5. Re:Familiarity counts? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      An excerpt: 'I was told to walk off of the cube and it was physically difficult to step forward into the space where there was no solid footing, even though I knew that there would be a solid floor with a rug right there for me. It's amazing how the mind can trick you.'

      Given the game in question is just an Oculus Rift version of AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAA!!!!!, clearly the person testing it is not experienced in the game. As any veteran of it knows, the whole point of AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAA!!!!! is to happily take running leaps off of cubes.

      Though this does make me wonder if people who are used to the game already would have the same apprehension over jumping off the (to them) familiar-looking buildings they've jumped off hundreds of times before...

      The point in AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAA!!!!! is to walk off the cube in the game, i.e. using the game controls. The difficulty the user here had was stepping forward in real life while wearing the headset that made it look like he would be physically stepping off a cube (even though he knew he wouldn't).

      It actually brings up an interesting point about VR/AR: mixing the real world (where there is a physical floor ahead of you) with the virtual one (where it appears there isn't), and overcoming the self-preservation instinct by stepping forwards anyways could potentially lead to the self-preservation instinct being dangerously suppressed over time. With current video games, it's easy to know the difference between the real and virtual world. But with VR, specially VR that replicates physical actions into the game world (so that stepping forward in the game involves stepping forward in real life, not just pressing a key), that line may well become significantly blurred to the point where video games might actually have harmful effects (in this case, suppressing the instinct to not step off buildings).

      Well, I'm talking more about the familiarity angle. The buildings in AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAA!!!!!... they don't look much like buildings. Especially from the top, from which the player jumps. A regular player of the game, therefore, might have an association in their mind saying "this block below me looks like an AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAA!!!!! building, and is thus either my starting area or an object I wish to avoid on my way down", rather than the simpler "I am standing on a solid block; around me is empty space" that an inexperienced player might see. Or in other words, if someone is immersed in familiar decor (AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAA!!!!!'s environmental touches are pretty unmistakable and not particularly like the real world), decor which they've already associated with the activity of safely jumping off a building, would that change their reactions?

      Or, as a slightly different question, does the human mind have the same resistance to jumping off of a ledge if, below them, they see a large crash cushion to safely stop their fall? Something that'd be clearly identifiable as "thing which will prevent you from dying if you walk off at this point", as in a thrill ride?

    6. Re:Familiarity counts? by ZackSchil · · Score: 1

      Hasn't every major entertainment medium ever raised this concern? It hasn't happened yet and I doubt it ever will. I'm sure that people will not have any trouble separating reality from VR fantasy.

    7. Re:Familiarity counts? by Andster · · Score: 0

      I'm going to superimpose my face on everyone I see and have the moons of tatooine up and running in the sky. Other people? Me. Real life? Star Wars.

    8. Re:Familiarity counts? by Xelios · · Score: 1

      On the other hand I can see this becoming very useful for overcoming fears or certain types of neurological disorders. We recently put together a training program for a clinical trial with Parkinson's patients who experience "freeze of gait". Certain situations (like walking through a narrow doorway) can cause them to become locked in place in a sort of trance until some external stimulus snaps them out of it again. The idea was to train these situations from the safety of their own home in order to better deal with them in public. The clinical trial hasn't started yet, but I'd guess a VR headset would provide a much more realistic experience than a monitor.

      --
      Murphey's fighting Occam, and we're in the stands.
    9. Re:Familiarity counts? by SpectraLeper · · Score: 1

      But with VR, specially VR that replicates physical actions into the game world (so that stepping forward in the game involves stepping forward in real life, not just pressing a key), that line may well become significantly blurred to the point where video games might actually have harmful effects (in this case, suppressing the instinct to not step off buildings).

      This is a really interesting idea that is addressed in the David Cronenberg film eXistenZ . The film is about a virtual reality game designer on the run from a "realist underground" and deliberately plays with tropes about gaming and film watching. In a lot of ways it is to video games what Videodrome is to television.

    10. Re:Familiarity counts? by ninlilizi · · Score: 1

      This is problem that will most likely take many by surprise.

      Psychologically. There is a threshold point where immersion in an alternate reality for a particular ratio of time over the really real world causes the brain to switch over into believing the other reality is the real one. This crossover point is not totally predictable and varies person to person.
      Those who play for several hours a day. Day after day. Or have a naturally weak grip on reality being particularly high risk.

      I'd imagine after the first bunch of inevitable cases of people jumping off buildings believing they can fly or fighting off zombies at their local mall the media response could get quite interesting.
      Am imagining some mash-up of 60's anti LSD propaganda with modern anti video game rhetoric.

  6. Shut up and take my money by xtal · · Score: 4, Funny

    Someone needs to get these on the market; it's been two decades since the promise was there; now we have photo realistic rendering and very high DPI screens, and dirt cheap high accuracy sensing.

    I'm not sure exactly what the holdup is - but someone, be it Valve, or Occulus - release one of these already?

    --
    ..don't panic
    1. Re:Shut up and take my money by jeffmflanagan · · Score: 1

      >I'm not sure exactly what the holdup is - but someone, be it Valve, or Occulus - release one of these already?

      Latency. The slight delay between head-movement and game-response makes people vomit. Releasing the product before it's ready would set VR back years when most people hate it.

    2. Re:Shut up and take my money by Junta · · Score: 1

      we have photo realistic rendering

      No we don't. We have pretty good rendering, but it is not photo realistic. Show anyone a photograph and a game engine attempt to recreate the scene and there is no engine that could fool anyone right now. But that's not so critical.

      very high DPI screens

      Very much true for everything *except* strapping it to your head and magnifying the display. Again, we are certainly in the 'good enough to make a go of it' realm.

      dirt cheap high accuracy sensing.

      Actually, we didn't (well, not at the requisite latency) and that is really the vast majority of Oculus effort was centered around. Working out full motion tracking with a latency acceptable for the application.

      But I agree with you, get crystal cove out ASAP...

      --
      XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
    3. Re:Shut up and take my money by xtal · · Score: 1

      Technologies exist and are available to fix the latency issue.. ship something..

      --
      ..don't panic
    4. Re:Shut up and take my money by jeffmflanagan · · Score: 1

      If you have that technology, what's stopping you from shipping something? You're obviously way ahead of the people actually developing these displays, who are still struggling with the latency problem.

    5. Re:Shut up and take my money by jasno · · Score: 1

      The limiting factor is the hardware. We can actually build a really nice VR display now, but the price would be too high for mass adoption so it's not being done. Once the component prices drop, I expect you'll see VR displays from a host of manufacturers. The tech really isn't all that special and the patents probably all expired by now. I really think Oculus will be the TiVo of VR displays - a pioneer that will fade from the limelight when the technology goes mainstream(except I think TiVo brought more innovation to the table, and ended up with more IP to enforce).

      These displays are really going to change the way we interact with computers and the world around us. I can't wait to work inside a spherical desktop.

      --

      http://www.masturbateforpeace.com/
    6. Re:Shut up and take my money by xtal · · Score: 1

      They're being cheap.There are high-end HMDs already.

      I'd drop serious coin on one but what they are promising is integration with games. That's what's always been missing.

      They should take some of my money and make it less expensive.. in revision 2.

      --
      ..don't panic
  7. Re:Good, looks good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm slightly confused.

    This article http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-17-valve-has-no-vr-headset-its-backing-oculus-rift and others about two weeks ago stated Valve is not building it's own headset- instead they will be working with Oculus to drive PC VR forward.

    Which is great, the last thing VR needs is a splintered community. I also (had) a dev kit. Once the resolution is there and vertical tracking I'll be satisfied.

  8. Re:Good, looks good by i+kan+reed · · Score: 1

    We'll never be satisfied. We're freaking technophiles who always want more neat technology crammed into everything. You're just in denial about it.

  9. VR Porn by slidersv · · Score: 1

    Why aren't you taking my money fast enough?

    --
    there is no issue with my network
    1. Re:VR Porn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why aren't you taking my money fast enough?

      http://www.xxxvirtualreality.com/

      You are welcome.

    2. Re:VR Porn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      VR porn really needs sensory feedback, a good VR visual experience doesn't really bring much over watching it on a flat screen. You need to feel that virtual blowjob.

    3. Re:VR Porn by Ralph+Wiggam · · Score: 1

      I went to the AVN porn convention last week. A friend of mine owns a company that is addressing this market need. It works with both recorded video and live webcam shows.

      I call it "Teddy Ruxpin for your dick".

  10. Take the red pill by jafac · · Score: 1

    There is no cube, Neo.

    --

    These are my friends, See how they glisten. See this one shine, how he smiles in the light.
  11. Valve's working title by DiEx-15 · · Score: 1

    HeadCrab 2.0

    1. Re:Valve's working title by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The International Headcrab Appreciation Society (IHAS) officially approves of and condones the parent post.

  12. You can get a taste of it with Kinect + Oculus by EnglishTim · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've been experimenting with using the Kinect for body positioning - allowing you to walk around a virtual room by walking around a real one. There are two big problems: First, the fidelity of the Kinect isn't great, so positioning is a bit inaccurate and gets jumpy with distance. Second, I had to make a cord bundle extension to give me room to walk about and you're always worried about tripping over it.

    1. Re:You can get a taste of it with Kinect + Oculus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Fix the cord tripping problem by hanging the cord from the ceiling.

  13. Re:Good, looks good by chispito · · Score: 1

    We'll never be satisfied. We're freaking technophiles who always want more neat technology crammed into everything. You're just in denial about it.

    I'm ambivalent. On the one hand, I think you're dead wrong: Once there is a decent baseline VR headset, it will be a wild west of experimentation and creativity on the software front. We don't know what kinds of experiences we want better headsets for because the point of reference doesn't exist. The sky is the limit. Actually, the sky sounds trivial to overcome in VR.

    On the other hand, I'm a little bit worried about people isolating themselves from the real world even more than they already do. I have a wife and kid (soon to be two). When I'm 70, I'm not going to wish I had only played more games at this point in life. Side Note: I loved Ready Player One, but think Ernest Cline never really wrestled with the implications of everyone withdrawing from the physical world. The film Inception does a much better job of tackling these issues.

    --
    The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
  14. Re:Good, looks good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I had a chance to try the Avagant Glyph at CES (currently on kickstarter, and no I"m not associated). The resolution and lack of pixelation blows the Rift (even the HD, which I saw at the Intel booth) out of the water. But what you lose is the wide field of view, so it no longer feels like you're "there". The Glyph uses the latest gen DLP chip and doesn't have a screen to look at - the light is beamed straight into your eye. I'd like to see the Glyph resolution with the Rift field of view.

  15. Re:Good, looks good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Valve has already stated that they won't be making their own VR headset for the time being, but rather licensing/giving their tech to Oculus.

  16. Re:Good, looks good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    On the other hand, I'm a little bit worried about people isolating themselves from the real world even more than they already do. I have a wife and kid (soon to be two). When I'm 70, I'm not going to wish I had only played more games at this point in life.

    Despite repeated attempts to be "social," I have a family that doesn't seem to know I'm alive and friends who don't have time for me. I'm not disagreeable, either - I have been told I'm friendly, funny, easy to be around, and a good conversationalist. Yet I'm isolated.

    If I were diagnosed with terminal cancer tomorrow, I would have no problem checking into hospice with a pile of video games and a sign saying "no visitors."

  17. Add this lot by PsyMan · · Score: 1

    Add the tech they use to create this Battlefield 3 simulator and swap their projectors for a rift and I think I might have a good reason to clear out the toolshed and remortgage the house, doubt the wife would appreciate the expense though.

  18. Re:Good, looks good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Despite repeated attempts to be "social," I have a family that doesn't seem to know I'm alive and friends who don't have time for me.

    Hm... Seems like the average Slashdotter to me. We Are Annoyingmous, We Are Legion!

  19. Matrox Killer? by LifesABeach · · Score: 1

    Consider I plug in a variation of this VR unit into the VGA port, and a USB port for mouse/keyboard commands. Why do I need a Marox interface card? I turn my head left, I see stuff, I turn my right and I see different stuff; the same for up and down.

    Has anyone considered hooking up a VR unit to a self driving Toyota Prius?

  20. Re:Good, looks good by Reapy · · Score: 1

    I've always enjoyed escaping into games from time to time. As I get older and have more control over whom and what I surround myself with, it is less of a problem, but still at night time when everyone is in bed, or those moments when you feel down, it is great to escape for a bit, either with a good movie, game, book, or whatever.

    VR exploration is really something I look forward to, it will allow a feeling of a sense of scale and weight that you can't convey with a screen, yet not be bound by the laws of physics. I can already think of a huge number of incredible creations I've seen in games, and just the thought of them being recreated in much greater detail and sense of scale with a VR headset is pretty exciting.

    I also think that soon enough it will bring people closer over a long distance. Recently my wife was across the country for a week, yet we were able to get her on the TV via video chat so the kids and myself could talk, and honestly its is a good substitute for a person not being there. If we were all able to throw on VR helmets and have real time 3d video chat going on, even better.

    I don't see why this has to be something that will isolate and move people apart, when it could very well bring people closer.

    Can't wait for this tech to fully arrive, and it is one of the most exciting things I'm looking forward to within the next few years.

  21. You mean like this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://hwahba.com/ibex/

  22. Re:Good, looks good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's the nice friendly rivalry of good ol' Abrash and Carmack again...

  23. Re:Good, looks good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "On the other hand, I'm a little bit worried about people isolating themselves from the real world even more than they already do. I have a wife and kid (soon to be two). When I'm 70, I'm not going to wish I had only played more games at this point in life. Side Note: I loved Ready Player One, but think Ernest Cline never really wrestled with the implications of everyone withdrawing from the physical world. The film Inception does a much better job of tackling these issues."

    1) How do you know how you are going to feel when you are 70?
    2) I'm a lot younger than 70, but I've put a lot of time into gaming. At this point in my life I would never say "man I wish I had put less time into what I love doing and more time into things I dislike".

  24. its also amazing how fast the mind can adapt by Osgeld · · Score: 1

    to the fact that there is something there even though you cant see it, VR has been around for decades, inexpensive and quite good consumer models have been around since the late 90's. Can we get a report from someone who isnt wowed by their first 5 min with one strapped to their face, or would that break the hype