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VR Headsets research 

This page showcases the research that I have done in regards to different types of VR headsets made by different companies and their features in order to see if for example any specific VR systems have features unique to them that may be useful in the design of my game idea.

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I started by looking at the most popular VR headsets of 2021 which i found on this website (Best VR headsets 2021, from Quest 2 to PSVR | TechRadar)  the website lists 5 different headsets these include the following:

 

  • Oculas Rift S (£399)

  • Playstation VR (£259)

  • HTC vive pro 2 (£1,299)

  • Oculus Quest 2 ( £299)

  • Valve index (£919)

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Oculus Rift S Information 

  • is Wired 

  • Requires external connection (PC) 

  • No external tracking need 

  • improved visuals 

  • reduced refresh rate 

  • prone to crashing 

The website I used for this research describes the oculus rift two as a "baby step" in development from the original oculus rift that released in 2012.

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similar to its predecessor the Oculus Rift, the Rift S works in by connection with a PC. It connects to your PC over a USB 3.0 port and a DisplayPort connection, and is connected using a long cable that’s more than enough to accommodate the smaller areas of play experiences that Rift S is capable of.

 

It’s is however, more limiting in terms of free movement than the wireless Oculus Quest, but the main perk here is that, by being connected to your PC, it’s capable of powering more detailed and dynamic experiences depending on the specs of your connected PC, this is not ideal as powerful gaming pc's are very expensive and this would not be a great system to chose as it basically split my potential audience in half

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PlayStation VR

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This is a platform that I have been considering to have my game idea be on as I believe that it will be better to allow the console players to play this stimulatory anxiety experience and brooded my potential player base even further the website I've been using to research has stated that:

  • is wired

  • additional connection to either a Ps4 or Ps5

  • affordable compared to the competition

  • near pc quality performance 

  • good selection of games 

  • Lacking required accessories in box

  • Poor job sealing out light

  • Spotty motion controller tracking

 

Unlike many VR headsets that need a PC to work, Sony's PSVR is rather connected to PlayStation and is one of the only Virtual Reality headsets for consoles so if your a console gamer and already own a Ps4 or Ps5 then this headset is a great option for you .

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its assesorie however are all sold desperately making the system a tad pricey for individuals that are trying to save some money however, as I have stated previously this is one of the only console VR headsets and gaming PC's that have the capabilities to run VR are rather pricey due to the high spec components require 

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In light of this research I will be designing a version of the games controls for this as I believe bringing this game to a console system docent just make my target audience people who own expensive PC's

 

[Note I will making aversion for the games controls tailored towards this VR headset as it doesn't exclude console gamers from experiencing this educational experience of anxiety thus making my vison of this gameplay experience more effective as a wider audience of people will have the ability to play it.]

 

 

I also had a look at other VR headsets like the extremally expensive HTC vive designed to run high spec games which also requires a high powered pc to run which would be ineffective for me as I want the most people to be able to experience this game as possible in hopes to educate about anxiety so tailings it to a system that is dedicated to high spec games and is so expensive would make my target audience drop dramatically .

 

 I also looked at the Valve index which is the highest rated VR headset in 2021 according to the website I linked above but as does the HTC vive this system is wired to an expensive pc, not only does a wired system take away from the immersive experience of VR as the player may trip or accidently yank the cord out ending gameplay suddenly. 

 

It like the VIVE is also designed to run high spec games and is also in the same price bracket as the VIVE at about £900 - £1000 and  then an average pc that has the bare minimum requirements to run these systems sits at at least £1000, meaning that if I was to design the game specifically for any of these consoles i would be require my desired players, which is as many people as possible in order to spread this educational experience, to fork out almost two grand in order to play 

 

 

valve.jpg
vive.jpg

Just when I was about to abandon the idea of VR and resort back to my original idea of an traditional video game due to the absence of an affordable VR headset so that my games audience could be as many people as possible with this desired idea I stumbled across the Oculus Quest 2 which is an improvement on the original Oculus quest.

 

Oculus quest 2 

(information acquired from the linked above)

  • Is Wireless!!!!!

  • Docent require any connection sis a standalone device (can be connected to a pc but dosnet require it as can run games itself)

  • incredibly immersive experience 

  • surprising affordable

  • comfortable weight 

  • easy to use in comparison to others 

  • Does Require a Facebook account to use 

  • can still cause motion sickness 

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 the following information left me awe and surprise as to how I had not previously heard of this awesome device.

 

"The Quest 2 will be the best VR headset people for most people. It doesn't need to be wired to an expensive PC, offers movement and freedom, and it's easy to set-up and use. 

It’s a significant improvement over the original Quest, with a more responsive experience thanks to improved RAM and chip specs, as well as a higher resolution display that’s 50% sharper than its predecessor. 

Developer have the option to make their games run at 90Hz (important for increased comfort and realism while playing), and the headset itself is lighter than before, too. Hand tracking – which came to the original Quest via a firmware update, but is baked into the Quest 2 from the off – is also impressive. 

Advertisement There’s nothing quite like the thrill of wire free VR."

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Astonished by what I was reading , I was taken away and spun into a 2 hour course of researching which ultimately led to me buying said device for myself how it works just for my own pleasure and found out the following information from watching the video linked below of a person talking through the unboxing and set-up process of using the oculus quest.

 

  • requires Facebook login to use

  • completely standalone

  • 6 degrees VR experience 

  • inside out tracking capabilities 

  • has the ability to be connected to a pc to play higher spec pc VR games 

  • glasses spacer meaning people with glasses have more space to where with there glasses on  

  • all setup using a free oculus mobile app and using the headset to select safe areas and other safety options 

  • the cameras on the headset will shop you your real environment when you get too close to the edge of your play area for safety reasons 

 

 

After looking at different types of VR headsets i believe that i will be designing my VR game solely with the oculus quest 2 and PSVR in mind as this way not only does this create the biggest possible audience whist also maintain the immersive nature of VR without the need for wires and expensive devices to run them as a PlayStation is a lot cheaper than a gaming pc and there no wires for it like the quest only a sensor bar connected to the PlayStation that tracks the players movements

playstation VR.jfif
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