On October 16th, Erik Kain, a writer for Forbes magazine in the United States, wrote today that virtual reality (VR) is undoubtedly one of the most talked about topics in the technological world, but this technology is In the process of popularization, it faces many challenges. In addition to the unusually high prices, VR still has other eight obstacles, such as lack of content, nausea and headaches.
The following is the full text of the article:
Virtual reality is hailed by technology bloggers and industry leaders as "the next big thing" in the technology world. The entire technology industry is investing heavily in virtual reality, such as Facebook's $2 billion acquisition of the Oculus Rift vendor Oculus. It is no exaggeration to say that it was Oculus Rift that inspired the latest wave of VR development.
Today, every company wants to get a slice of the virtual reality market - from Google's new Daydream platform to Sony's just released PlayStation VR. However, the problem with VR is not only that it is a marketing gimmick, but also that the price is far too high, even for low-end products.
The PlayStation VR is the cheapest of all VR helmets and costs only $399 - of course, if you need the Move control system and PlayStation camera, then the price is 499 dollars. In addition, you also need a PS4, which has a minimum price of $299. In other words, the price of the PlayStation VR is only 399 US dollars, but you also need some other matching equipment to use.
Despite this, the PlayStation VR is still cheaper than the Oculus Rift, which costs $599 and requires a powerful PC to work with. Even if you may have such a PC, it may still need to be upgraded, such as the purchase of a new video card, which virtually increases the economic burden of $300 to $800. At the same time, HTC Vive's price is as high as 799 US dollars, this is partly because it is configured too high, need to be able to install on the wall sensor, motion controller and so on.
Of course, in addition to the extremely high prices, there are eight problems in virtual reality:
VR helmet is very uncomfortable to wear
This is indeed a big problem. The reason why virtual reality cannot be the kind of thing you can use for a long time, mainly because you have to tie it to the head, so it is very uncomfortable. You can't see the real world around you. You can only do some insignificant tasks, such as picking up a beer can or a few chips.
VR can cause nausea and headaches
In addition to wearing uncomfortable, VR can also make players feel sick. It has been reported that PlayStation VR has the most serious problems in this area, although it is more comfortable to wear. When I play any VR game, I don't feel sick, but I do have headaches. After playing for 20 minutes or 30 minutes, the head will have a feeling of being bombed and have to stop playing the game. A common video game will not make me feel a headache, at least not so fast.
Organizing VR cables is tricky
If VR's future is bright, it needs to remove complicated cables. For some users, organizing the VR helmet cable clearly is like a nightmare. HTC Vive has the worst experience in this area. In addition to the messy audio, HDMI, and USB data cables, you also need sensors on the wall, two controllers that need to be charged, and pairing with a PC. In VR games, constantly moving back and forth means that you may be tripped by cables. Even sitting in a chair can be tricky to handle. This problem may be a huge obstacle for everyone before VR requires cables.
VR game has not proved its existence reasonable
VR games did bring me a lot of fun, but the fun of this game did not exceed the common video games, or did not play the role of common video games. Perhaps the most amazing thing about VR is that it's not a game at all. It's just a scene of your experience—dizzling in high places, or a huge dinosaur standing in front of you. Some of my favorite VR experiences can only be implemented on the screen.
VR is too focused on motion control
On the issue of VR, motion control is the "next big event." Of course, motion control is also a "great event," and the development of this technology is not smooth. Kinect is a disaster, PlayStation Move also failed to succeed. Although the Wii is very hot, it is an exception. Motion control reappeared on top of the VR helmet, but tying it to his face brought a warm discomfort. In fact, motion control is not as efficient or interesting as traditional handles. Although you can accomplish many incredible things in the HTC Vive game through sports tracking, due to its clumsy design and inaccurate operation, its ultimate experience is unsatisfactory.
VR is far from immersive experience
Even these high-end VR helmets are bad compared to the experience we get in traditional games. Graphics often look like things from the last century. In fact, when you attach the VR helmet to your face, what you see is not as effective as you see in these VR game commercials and other promotional materials.
VR boom is mainly due to freshness
The fundamental reason for promoting the development of almost all current VR games is not the unique game design, but the freshness of people. When you see someone who is experiencing VR for the first time, it must be fun; when you see your friends dizzy as they stand on the edge of the cliff, they will find it interesting; when they are frightened by the sudden appearance of the zombie It must also be very interesting. All this brings a sense of freshness to people. However, after you have played once or twice, you will never touch again. Most VR games are disguised as interesting designs. At the same time, the best VR games can bring people the same fun on both television and computer monitors, attracting people to buy them.
VR lacks content
In fact, on any VR device, VR content is not only not rich, but even the content quality is not flattering. The root cause of this problem is on the one hand a platform war between Oculus Rift and HTC Vive (PSVR is different from their situation, the former is a game console-based system), and on the other hand people with VR helmets are not yet. Too many people are more at risk for developing VR games, especially those who develop expensive VR games. But it may also be because VR does not provide a gaming experience comparable to a traditional host or PC, leaving many players feeling nauseous or headache after playing for less than 20 minutes.
in conclusion
After you have thoroughly considered all of these issues, it is difficult to justify purchasing a VR helmet. All of this makes VR a "blank check."
It is true that VR can bring a lot of fun to people, and the experience is very interesting, and occasionally it will produce amazing results. However, the problem is that these feelings cannot be sustained, and in the end, they can only make us feel headaches, while leaving a bank account with no penny.
Because of this, I think the future of VR will depend on its mobility. Compared to high-end VR helmets and even PlayStation VR, Google's Daydream platform is more likely to promote the popularity of VR devices among mainstream users.