Could Nintendo be a contender if...

[Farid]

There's tons of potentials problems with VR headsets.
First, in order to avoid the horrible headaches, the headset needs very high refresh rate screens (expensive).

Two, the headset should be light weighted, if they really want to go the "games for all the family" route. Which mean the headset should use high quality parts, that are also solid parts (Kids). Which is, as you may imagine, expensive.

Three, I remember back in the days when "the VR" was the big thing, that the VR headset manufacturer add problems in some countries, because of security issues. The problem was that if someone was using a headset, he couldn't tell what happen IRL around him (A fire, someone in danger,...).

Four, the player has to stand up, or stand on a chair, and keep his head straight to play a game. Which can become rapidly tiresome and constraining.

All in all, although I'd love a VR headset console, I don't see any of the manufacturer using such a device, as their primary visual user interface, next-gen. It's just too expensive and not practical in most cases.

 

[PC-Engine]

SEGA had 3D glasses that used LCDs for the 8-bit SMS back in the 80s...

 

[rabidrabbit]

Weren't those Sega glasses those that still need a tv or monitor to work.
They work in a "shutter" principle and you still need a tv and you watch the tv through these lcd shutter glasses and it gives you a sort of 3D image.
That was far from true vr goggles where you are more immersed in the game world.

 

[PC-Engine]

Well yeah that's why I said back in the 80s..

 

[Teasy]

How many here have good aim with a dual stick joystick? Would it not be easier to LOOK at your target and just push a fire button?

I think a better option would be the also have a gyroscope in a hand controller, something simple that can be held with one hand. Basically you hold the controller and the game generates a virual arm holding it so you can see where your aiming.

Four, the player has to stand up, or stand on a chair

Why would they have to do either of those things?

 

[Iron Tiger]

The very little we know about the Revolution is that it is rumored to be in a similar performance class as the X2. The big difference is MS will be eating high end losses in 2005. If the average production cost of X2 is $400 in 2005, but gets down to $300 in 2006, that means Nintendo could launch a similar speced hardware and take very little losses (even come in cheaper?) or Nintendo could use the wiggle room to either (a) put beefier components in or (b) go with extra stuff under the hood.

This plays well into a VR type idea. While a VR HMD (goggles + headtracking) would have 2 expensive LCDs (800x600?), LCD costs are going to drop FAST between now and then, and will continue to drop well into the Rev lifetime. We are expecting a 20-30% drop on LCD screens this year alone, I would think that two 800x600 displays would be "affordable" by fall 2006, and by the time mass sales are done in 2007/2008 they should be fairly cheap. So longterm cost would not be a huge factor.

Even if you believe they'll be affordable by the Revolution's launch, there's no denying that 800x600 screens are going to be too big for a light-weight headset. To put things into perspective, 300ppi screens have only recently been announced, which would allow for 2.6" 640x480 screens, and even THAT's too big.

 

[Iron Tiger]

I dunno that ledtek one from 04 doesn't look that bad its 800x600 which should be fine for vr video games , its also small , kind of a goofy look but nintendo can change it

But it's vaporware. Here's the real thing, which is far less impressive.

 

[Farid]

Why would they have to do either of those things?

Sit down on a chair, sit down... My bad.

Although seeing someone standing on a chair while playing with his Revolution's games must be funny to watch.

BTW, since you asked why one would have to do either of those things.

If you use a VR headset, with a gyroscope, your head has to be straight by default (And then move from this position, in order to see the virtual world around you).
If you're sprawled on a couch, you can hardly move your head enough to see what's going on this VR world.

 

[PC-Engine]

http://www.daeyangenc.com/products/near/research.asp

 

[DuckThor Evil]

Vr goggles don't fill up everything you see, it looks just like 50" tv from 1,5-2meters, so basically I don't understand what all this fuss is about It's not like you're in there. Technology simply doesn't exist yet, probably not in a very long time.

Imagine true virtual reality, where the picture is same size what you see in real life. 800x600 would't doo much good, hell even 1600x1200 would be really low, tech is not here yet.

 

[PC-Engine]

Vr goggles don't fill up everything you see, it looks just like 50" tv from 1,5-2meters, so basically I don't understand what all this fuss is about It's not like you're in there. Technology simply doesn't exist yet, probably not in a very long time.

What about a device that doesnt use two square screens?

What about something like a curved panoramic screen?

You've heard about plastic flexible/rollable displays right? 8)

What if it's curved vertically AND horizontally like an IMAX theater and uses a mini light projection system?

 

[V3]

What about a device that doesnt use two square screens?

What about something like a curved panoramic screen?

You've heard about plastic flexible/rollable displays right? 8)

I've read about something like that about over years ago, a single panoramic screen. Well back then I was a kid and I thought it would be cool.

But VR craze just died after all the hype. Last I heard long usage time of those device isn't very good. Since I haven't been keeping up with the latest VR tech, how far have they progress ? if it can't give you the experience like in that movie Lawnmowerman, what good would VR headset be ?

 

[Acert93]

But VR craze just died after all the hype.

But WHY did it die. The concept is sound IMO. The problem 10 years ago (yes, 10 years ago) was the technology. You had low quality LCDs or heavy CRTs. Shutter lenses, etc...

Like I mentioned before there are immersion/ease of use possiblities. At some point someone is going to release a decent product at a good price for the PC and FPS fans are going to go nuts for it

Another VR idea is just head tracking. Imagine a hat that when you moved your head left/right or tilted up/down the view on the screen adjusted. While you would probably need an alternative interface for when you got tired (dual analog sticks), this would be a neat way to introduce gamers to new games and would allow new ideas. And the technology is here for that.

The key is finding a solid idea, perfecting the idea in HW, and having games that exploit it in a way the competitors cannot so you have a unique experience. It does not need to be fancy, just solid. I think the N64 with 4 gamepad ports and an analog stick took basic ideas and it really made the machine stand out. If it did not have those features I really wonder how well it would have done.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

What about a device that doesnt use two square screens?

What about something like a curved panoramic screen?

You've heard about plastic flexible/rollable displays right? 8)

What if it's curved vertically AND horizontally like an IMAX theater and uses a mini light projection system?

or what if it came from the 22nd century . The current technology doesn't allow enough pixels for such device to be implemented on a 300$ system.

Ever heard of pixels that are size of apples

 

[PC-Engine]

What about a device that doesnt use two square screens?

What about something like a curved panoramic screen?

You've heard about plastic flexible/rollable displays right? 8)

What if it's curved vertically AND horizontally like an IMAX theater and uses a mini light projection system?

or what if it came from the 22nd century . The current technology doesn't allow enough pixels for such device to be implemented on a 300$ system.

Ever heard of pixels that are size of apples

Flexible displays can be made using injet printers...point being the technology DOES exist.

 

[GwymWeepa]

Why does VR have to be a requirement, it could be a mean peripheral. Imagine the profit Nintendo could make if they sold it seperately. Now, some games may require it, but for the vast majority, they could be developed to allow stereoscopic 3d when they are present (should be relatively easy to implement) and a special camera option can be implemented when the device is used, imagine say, hitting the z-button and just looking around with your goggles within a game.

 

[rabidrabbit]

I just thought of force feedback and rumble features in a VR helmet and how cool would that be!!
Imagine playing a fighting game and everytime you get hit on head the helmet would jerk your neck back, or crashing in a car game and the helmet would throw your head forward then back, a rhythm action game that would pound your head in rythm with music, a horror game that would make your head turn