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Creator of Minecraft Develops Experimental VR Project (roadtovr.com)

Posted by samzenpus on from the more-real-than-real dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Despite his on-again off-again relationship with VR headset maker Oculus, the creator of Minecraft, Markus "Notch" Persson, has developed an experimental virtual reality project that leverages WebVR technology to run directly within a browser using a Rift DK2 headset. Notch contributed $10,000 to Oculus' 2012 Kickstarter, and even traveled from Europe to visit the company in its early days. After Facebook's $2 billion acquisition of Oculus in 2014, his enthusiasm dwindled, saying "I definitely want to be a part of VR, but I will not work with Facebook." One month before selling his own company to Microsoft for a similar sum, he said he was "officially over being upset about Facebook buying Oculus."

63 comments

  1. Java browser plugin required? by fleabay · · Score: 1

    You don't need VR to fly by the seat of your pants.

    --
    PlanetVulkan.com
  2. That may be. by sims+2 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    But I am still not over having to setup a facebook account to login to sites that cba to make their own login page.

    Or the fact it takes 3 months for their support team to remove your email address from their system.

    --
    Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
  3. Incentives ... by BitZtream · · Score: 4, Interesting

    he said he was "officially over being upset about Facebook buying Oculus."

    Yea, when you're about to be bought out by the company who you said you'd never make software for certain things they make ... and then you change your mind for a billion dollars ... you gotta kinda shut your fucking mouth about the other sell-outs that did the same thing you're about to do ... don'tcha?

    Notch is a sell-out douche, plan and simple.

    But you know what, for a billion dollars ... I'm a sell-out douche too. Everyone has their price.

    --
    Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
    1. Re:Incentives ... by PPH · · Score: 2

      Perhaps, after seeing Microsoft in action, Facebook doesn't look so bad after all.

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
    2. Re:Incentives ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      2 Billion dollars isn't really even sell out money, its pretty much a no brainer at that point.
      "Hmmm, should I hold to my principals on the subject of big evil corps....or do I take the money so I can set my family and there decedents up for life?? Decisions....".

    3. Re:Incentives ... by mjaynes · · Score: 1

      Notch is just being irrational and idealistic. I wouldn't hate him for that but only annoyed.

    4. Re:Incentives ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Isnt he the guy who said he would open source Minecraft, if we paid to use it now. And then didn't?

    5. Re:Incentives ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He didn't need the money, he already had a company worth a billion dollars that generated more profit than he needed.

      The main reason he sold it was because he was harassed by a couple of GPL zealots that had decompiled the server part of Minecraft, stamped GPL on it and tried to use it to get him to release the full source.
      He already got enough shit about random Minecraft stuff. Having to go into a legal dispute was too much for a dude who historically had resolved legal conflicts with Quake matches.

    6. Re:Incentives ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Y'know, for a billion dollars I'd probably ignore all the nobodies like you too. Actually, I don't need a billion dollars to do that - I already do it for free. Don't be butthurt just because he made it further in one lifetime than you could in ten.

    7. Re:Incentives ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      After I left high school, I let go of my principal, even though he was my pal.

    8. Re:Incentives ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I know right, releasing Minecraft on more systems than it was previously available on, continuing development of mobile versions to bring them closer to feature parity, giving free copies on Windows 10 to people with existing Minecraft licenses. Microsoft has just been so terrible at handling Minecraft. (/sarcasm)

    9. Re:Incentives ... by mooterSkooter · · Score: 1

      Hmmm, haven't seen much movement the Raspberry PI version of minecraft...erm, EVER!

    10. Re:Incentives ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think the term 'douche' more refers to things like people who go around calling other people douches for doing exactly what they would do in the same situation.

    11. Re:Incentives ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Seriously. The amount of hate towards Notch is ridiculous. He's only human and wants to be happy just like the rest of us.

    12. Re:Incentives ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Old principals never die, they just lose their faculties.

  4. Notch. Lonely fat pig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    This sellout fat pig is a traitor. Fuck notch.

    1. Re: Notch. Lonely fat pig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've seen him in LA. He is the lamest most pathetic rich man EVER

    2. Re:Notch. Lonely fat pig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He sold a kid's game not a country.

    3. Re: Notch. Lonely fat pig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Elaborate.

    4. Re: Notch. Lonely fat pig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      His entourage is a sausage fest of people who hang with him from "his past?" but they just want table scraps - its like Code Monkeys - Deans frat friends from Alpha Sigma Sigma, except notch is a fat dude with money - not nearly as cool as Dean. So fatty gets his old "bros" nice booze, nice escorts and they tear up the town - but its totally tacky - this guy is a billionaire and he acts like low grade lottery winner buying friends.

    5. Re:Notch. Lonely fat pig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You couldnt survive the nether if you tried you god damned fucking cunt pussy. Notch was a fucking traitor before he sold out. He lied and said he would opensource minecraft. but he didnt, he is a fucking low life liar and a pig fucking son of a bitch. And FUCK YOU for taking his side, pig fucker.

    6. Re:Notch. Lonely fat pig by mooterSkooter · · Score: 1

      His saying that he would open source MC eventually pissed me off. Now, the game I have loved for several years is in the hands of fucking microsoft! Microsoft of all the fucking companies. how long before linux is dropped? All development has gone into the windows version since Microsoft acquisition. If he was so desperate to get rid of it why not open source the fucker and keep making money anyway.

      Nah, respect has gone down hugely with this fella...though I still love Minecraft :-)

    7. Re:Notch. Lonely fat pig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How in Earth can someone be upset because a guy did not open source a game when offered 2 fking billion dollars?!
      Lots of people would sell their mother for that sum.

    8. Re: Notch. Lonely fat pig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So he's trying to have fun with his money and you don't like how he goes about doing that. Now you have to express all this vitriol. You sound like a real winner yourself.

    9. Re: Notch. Lonely fat pig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Its his cunt whining mother fuck shit behavior after taking the money. His fat puke said he we would be like elon musk but the would have to deal with "assholes"

      This fat mother fucking shit pig thinks everyone but him is an asshole. He has no GF OR SO and he was a fucking lazy liar shit before the 2 billion and now he is a rich fuck face.

    10. Re: Notch. Lonely fat pig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      well you seem to be working fairly hard to prove that you at least are an asshole, well done

  5. 2B tears by turkeydance · · Score: 1

    makes it easier to move on

    1. Re:2B tears by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You might think so, but Notch posted not so long ago that the experience hasn't been all good:

      "The problem with getting everything is you run out of reasons to keep trying, and human interaction becomes impossible due to imbalance."
      "Hanging out in ibiza with a bunch of friends and partying with famous people, able to do whatever I want, and I've never felt more isolated."
      "In sweden, I will sit around and wait for my friends with jobs and families to have time to do shit, watching my reflection in the monitor."
      "When we sold the company, the biggest effort went into making sure the employees got taken care of, and they all hate me now."

      Etc.

      Admittedly this is from last year, hopefully the guy is doing better now :)

    2. Re:2B tears by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If he wants, I'll take all of his money for him.

    3. Re:2B tears by Captain+Hook · · Score: 1

      And that of course would be the other problem with hitting a jackpot, you suddenly have to question the motives of everyone you interact with.

      --
      These comments are my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the other voices in my head.
    4. Re:2B tears by sg_oneill · · Score: 1

      I think theres a point where you'd have to go "I can literally fly to space as a space tourist on the interest of my bank account". I have no reason at all to be unhappy when 3/4 of the world are on or under $100 a week

      --
      Excuse the Unicode crap in my posts. That's an apostrophe, and slashdot is busted.
    5. Re:2B tears by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "If you don't like your money, please give it to me." seems pretty straightforward.

    6. Re:2B tears by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Yes but you won't like it either. Better I hold on to it for now." Seems like a good answer.

    7. Re:2B tears by Reapy · · Score: 1

      I do honestly think the isolation of becoming suddenly rich is probably difficult enough to the point that I would wonder if I were better off working at a good salary in a field I enjoyed rather than sitting on mega millions. I mean look at the posts about notch ever since he hit it big with minecraft, everybody is just mad at the guy all damn time, he can't win.

      I think being 'new money' is probably pretty isolating, and what really is the point and joy of life, of creating anything really, if you don't have people to share it with. A huge house, the stress free management and freedom from daily chores, unlimited travel /vacationing...but you can't go anywhere and interact with people and make connections. It'll always be suspect.

      That has to be hard. And I get it, it's not "I can't pay my rent/mortgage" hard, but, its kinda like you got your life and place in life figured and sorted out, then it's all turned up side down, everybody you know treats you differently, has expectations, wants you to solve their problems. You, stop being the you you though you were.

      I saw notches post about his new house and the party he has with celebrities in it, and just thought how big, sad, and lonely that house looked, and wondered if any of those people were really his friends.

      Objectively, what you really want is 2 billion dollars in the bank and nobody with a clue you have it. Live a normal, comfortable life, that's the true dream. Drop fame, I can't imagine that has ever been good for anybody.

  6. I have seen this exact demo... by Arkh89 · · Score: 2

    ... presented by Inigo Quilez and Pol Jeremias, last year at GDC. Shadertoy had this for more than a year (if you want to warm up your GPU : https://www.shadertoy.com).

  7. All this talk of VR... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    All this talk of VR and it still hasn't caught on. I've been hearing about it for (at least) the last 20 years and it's still not in widespread use. Sometimes technologies just don't catch on. Maybe there isn't a market for it. Until I see evidence to the contrary, I'll assume that VR still isn't going to amount to anything much. This article isn't evidence to the contrary.

    1. Re:All this talk of VR... by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 2

      . I've been hearing about it for (at least) the last 20 years and it's still not in widespread use. Sometimes technologies just don't catch on.

      Nah. The issue is that the technologies haven't caught up. The reason this round has more traction than the one back in the 90's is the tracking and the displays have gotten significantly better. This could be fad, it could fade out, but people will still want it. So a few years later a new innovation in technology will raise it all over again. This will keep happening until the right ingredients come along to make it a hit. Just like what happened with mobile phones, PDAs (smart phones to all you youngsters out there), and now smartwatches.

      Here's a fun fact: We'll see more talk about 3D TVs in the years to come. Not because people just like to babble about it, but because we do see in stereo. It'll never go away. We'll always want volumetric imaging, commonly referred to around here as holograms. We'll always want voice control of our appliances. It's a matter of technology, not a flaw in the premise.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    2. Re:All this talk of VR... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't think there really is much of a demand for voice control appliances. The technology is already good enough. The lessons of the Kinect are that always-listening electronics makes people deeply uncomfortable and that talking to electronics just feels plain weird anyway.

      Trek-style computer voice commands start to look a lot less utopian when you consider that the Enterprise is wired to monitor every word said by the crew and send it back to Starfleet.

    3. Re:All this talk of VR... by mooterSkooter · · Score: 1

      I don't give a toss if it hasn't "caught on". I have a DK2 and it's great fun, worth every penny. Even if most of the stuff I can use it with is demo's or just interesting little toys. It's fun. Lot's of fun.

      If you haven't tried it then I suggest doing so but you will need a fast computer to get the most out of it.

  8. Right by ThunorM · · Score: 0

    Yawn.

  9. 2b2t.org by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    greatest minecraft server in the universe. I heard it was created by some of the old /. shitposting crews like GNFOS.

  10. Like his opinion ever mattered. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Notch was a lazy, over-opinionated jack-ass who thinks he knows it all.

    I remember that time he was having a fit over the Unlimited Detail engine, thinking his shit Java game was even remotely optimized.
    "oh it's a scam, wah wah wah, listen to me".
    Little while later, they brought out a live demo tested by people who have sperm with a higher braincell count than Notch does.(HardOCP)
    I love how he also tried to jump on Carmacks opinion as well. (despite him saying it is possible, just not useful for games presently, which is true)

    Oh, and a sell-out, backstabber.
    And a liar. And a cheat. And a thief.
    But hey, he donates to all the funny nice kickstarterers, what a nice guy.

    Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if most of the Mojang team were happy he fucked off. Seeing Notch on those Mojam streams was embarrassing.
    The shit he did would drive me to killing him with that nerf dart.
    The only thing that you had of worth after MinceRaft was 0x10c and you cancelled that because you were (are) lazy, then hilariously tried to cover it up over "oh, all these games that aren't like my game are coming out in 5 years time, my game will be nothing next to them".

    Stick to your crappy expensive house with no taste. Nobody likes you now. The few that did don't even like you now.
    tl;dr VACATIONS.

  11. awwww poor guy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I feel so bad that he's upset

  12. I dont see the difference by spire3661 · · Score: 2

    He will sell out to Microsoft, a convicted abusive monopolist, right there next to AT&T and Standard Oil, but Facebook is a bridge too far? What a tool.

    --
    Good-bye
    1. Re:I dont see the difference by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      He said he got over it. Why don't you do the same.

    2. Re: I dont see the difference by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      Maybe we should get over the Nazis too, and just embrace Nazism..

    3. Re:I dont see the difference by Barlo_Mung_42 · · Score: 1

      To be clear, he would have sold out to Facebook too. Only an idiot wouldn't.

    4. Re:I dont see the difference by Trogre · · Score: 1

      ... or someone who knows something about Facebook that you don't.

      --
      "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
    5. Re:I dont see the difference by Barlo_Mung_42 · · Score: 1

      Yeah, like you'd turn your back on that much money.

    6. Re: I dont see the difference by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He only got over it after he sold his company for 2 billion.

      Money will make you lose a lot of things. Including your pride and principles.

  13. John Carmack already doing it better than you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    and better than you ever could, in C++ with microsoft. get lost you fat whiny sell out

  14. Notch is abhorrent by stimpleton · · Score: -1, Troll

    Notch is a weasel.

    I get selling to Microsoft. Fair do's. But the idealistic bullshit he spouted just before the sail were just weasel words. The type you hear from real estate developers when there are trying to manipulate a large scale deal by putting grannys on the street.

    Zachary Barth made infinimer, of which Notch took the unencrypted source code and made Minecraft.

    Notch Persson gave nothing back. He shit all over the Indie scene, having made himself thie authoratitve voice in indy culture.

    He is scum of this earth.

    --

    In post Patriot Act America, the library books scan you.
    1. Re:Notch is abhorrent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Fair do's"

      I have no idea what that is supposed to mean. Do what? Something belongs to a "do"? Do is? Do was?

    2. Re:Notch is abhorrent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What have you done lately, loser?

    3. Re:Notch is abhorrent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's like eating in a restaurant and you are complaining about the food, and the chef comes out and asks you "what have you cooked lately?"

      Would that make sense?

    4. Re:Notch is abhorrent by dabadab · · Score: 2

      Zachary Barth made infinimer, of which Notch took the unencrypted source code and made Minecraft.

      That's a pretty serious allegiation that would be easy to prove since the source code for Infiniminer was leaked and the source code for Minecraft was reversed - yet nobody came up with this but you.
      Do you have any proof or we can just assume that you are spewing bullshit?

      Notch Persson gave nothing back.

      I would think helping out Humble Bundle (with money and with spreading the word) in itself classifies as giving back to the indie scene.

      He shit all over the Indie scene, having made himself thie authoratitve voice in indy culture.

      Oh, yeah, we all know the story of the extrovert Notch who has pushed himself into the limelight... oh, wait, no, it's something you have fabricated.

      Frankly, if you dislike someone, just say so, but do not make up shit and especially do not make up shit that is obviously not true.

      --
      Real life is overrated.
  15. Oh great by WaffleMonster · · Score: 2

    Opening up the GPU to random sites on the Internet is going to be quite the gold rush for hax0rs everywhere.

    1. Re:Oh great by narcc · · Score: 1

      It's been supported, by every major browser, for years. It hasn't become a problem. Your fear is imaginary.

      --
      Required reading for internet skeptics
    2. Re:Oh great by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, if something isn't a problem in the first few years, it's never a problem. DNS taught us that as a textbook case, but people have long argued that complacency is the right approach to most potential security concerns.

      There is still the slight issue that you can DOS the entire machine by locking up the GPU in an infinite loop, and drivers still don't have any timeout handling for this, mostly because neither does the hardware. But yeah, if you think locking a machine up from a webpage isn't a problem, sure, whatever.

      BTW every major browser has not supported WebGL for "years" anyway. But they all support it now, so I guess that counts as "years" if you like to exaggerate to make an incorrect point sound better.

  16. What happened to that other game? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    He was going to make a space game with a programmable PC... what ever happened to that?

    1. Re:What happened to that other game? by Dins · · Score: 1

      He got distracted to the tune of about $2 Billion.

  17. "leverage" is a noun, not a verb... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Americans...

  18. "Inspiration" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I wonder if this was also "inspired" by an identical project released a while prior.

    Infiniculus?