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Oculus Rift devs hoping for "Matrix-level" virtual reality

Founder Palmer Luckey says VR tech today is "very crude," but could advance to all-new heights in the years ahead.

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Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey has high hopes for his company's Oculus Rift virtual reality headset and for the future of virtual reality overall.

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Speaking with Eurogamer this week, Luckey said though virtual reality technology still has a ways to go, it could advance to the level of what was seen in The Matrix in the coming years.

"VR tech today is still very crude, but it's advancing rapidly," Luckey said. "I think in a few years, maybe a few decades depending on how lucky we are, we'll be able to get Matrix-level virtual reality."

Also in the interview, Oculus VR COO Laird Malamed said the company has held discussions with Microsoft and Sony about bringing the technology to consoles.

"They're a little busy," Malamed said. "We've chatted, but they're trying to bring their new consoles out. It's a possibility--it would work. It's the same thing as iOS--it could technically work, but the business side isn't there."

There's even the possibility that Microsoft and/or Sony are working on virtual reality headsets of their own. Malamed said he would welcome this move, because it would mean the market for virtual reality games is growing.

"They're big companies with lots of resources. For us we'd say good," he said. "With John Carmack coming over as our CTO, we've had a great Kickstarter campaign; they continue to be great supporters, but we're still a start-up. VR's had a lot of failures in the past, and so the more people that enter the market is good because developers that ultimately have to develop the content, they know they'll have people playing their games, which is better for all of us."

Malamed also revealed that more than 20,000 developer units of the Oculus Rift have been shipped since they became available earlier this year. Development kits are available today for $300 each.

Earlier this month, Doom studio id Software cofounder John Carmack joined Oculus VR as its chief technology officer.

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Avatar image for enoslives7
enoslives7

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Oculus Rift is the future of gaming.

Granted, you can't order a pizza with it like you can a piece of shit kinect. =D


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Avatar image for Stebsis
Stebsis

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@enoslives7 You can't!? **** Oculus, what's the fucking point of having something that you can't order pizza with!?

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enoslives7

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@Stebsis @enoslives7 lol

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wgerardi

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I'm legitimately more afraid of dying now. I don't want to miss out on this.

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Avatar image for 6orange6
6orange6

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"Oculus Rift devs hoping for "Matrix-level" virtual reality"

'Gamespot Readers after a year of these stories, hoping for actual product and not more free advertising for the company making it and promises that are nothing more than vaporware'.

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Ariost

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Edited By Ariost

Nope! I'm out! Done! lol, too many animes have made me paranoid of this. After watching .hack// and recently sword art, I'm too paranoid I will somehow go into a coma and won't be able to log out.

Same thing happened if teleportation ever becomes a reality...damn Fly movie lol.

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instigator81

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They do know that if you die in the matrix you die in the real world. I don't want gaming like that.

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kirby-92

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If third person games can be playable with the Oculus Rift, only then would it be revolutionary. I hear they're working on those issues, so we'll see.

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meatz666

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If these guys from Oculus Rift stopped wasting so much money in marketing, and invested it in making a freaking game, they would be doing better.

I can't stand any more news about this sh!t without any mention of game development for it.

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Norb_

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Edited By Norb_

@meatz666 They're hardware developers not software, it's up to everyone else to build things to play out it - they just give you the tools. They did just launch Oculus Share

https://share.oculusvr.com/

To help facilitate the spread of Rift games/apps.

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Avatar image for deactivated-60b9114dd55e4
deactivated-60b9114dd55e4

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I Can't imagine playing platform games on this without the need to recreate a virtual screen in a virtual world. Also 3rd person games would bug your brain, i'm tottally with oculus rift as great of my game collection are first person. I want Garry's Mod to have support to this.

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freedom01

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freedom01  Moderator

rather than the Matrix, I want .Hack or Sword Art Online experience.

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jinzo9988

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I don't see Matrix-level VR ever happening. If you're supposed to be conscious through the whole thing, you'd need an enormous amount of space to be able to facilitate the movement needed(and even then you'd eventually run out of room anyway). If you're supposed to be 'unconscious', I think that's a little too heavy for a consumer product. Imagine all the things that can possibly go wrong with something like that.

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wgerardi

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@jinzo9988 Maybe you should re-watch The Matrix.

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gamingfrendly

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Edited By gamingfrendly

@jinzo9988 little timmy just feel out of the window trying to catch the ball joe passed to him in there video game

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jinzo9988

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@gamingfrendly @jinzo9988 Or something catches on fire in the home and you're completely oblivious to it because you're unconscious. Or someone living with you decides to be a psychopath and rapes/murders you while you're unconscious and you're completely oblivious to it. It's just not realistic as a consumer product.

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JLCrogue

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How do we know we're not already living in the matrix?

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Timmy_Gwar

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@JLCrogue Thats the whole thing. See, if we are in the matrix, of course it provides matrix level quality!

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Shinra_Tensei4

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playing horror games with this will be the real deal.

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RoyialNetwork

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All i've read about the OR and all i ever have question of is what extended use will do to your eyes or brain. Like with anything can't image long periods of it will be good for you.

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deactivated-58270bc086e0d

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@RoyialNetwork I can't imagine I could stand all that long with that strapped to my head full stop to be honest. Especially not if it is wired in. Wireless would be easier but I seriously doubt that is possible.

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Avatar image for deactivated-5f5c4fa415c13
deactivated-5f5c4fa415c13

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How much does the clothes cost in the Matrix?

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Shinra_Tensei4

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@jrcast84 $3.50

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Avatar image for Shinra_Tensei4
Shinra_Tensei4

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so it begins.

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Avatar image for Sun-Tzu-GE
Sun-Tzu-GE

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I'm hoping for "Caprica-level" virtual intelligence.A cylon girlfriend is my life long dream...

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Avatar image for deactivated-60b9114dd55e4
deactivated-60b9114dd55e4

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@Sun-Tzu-GE I bet japan already have.

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Avatar image for TenraiSenshi
TenraiSenshi

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My only concern with this is what potential problems it could cause for your eyes or how it might affect your eyesight with regular use (with things such as depth perception, etc). I hope they've done or are doing extensive testing to make sure it's safe to use within certain guidelines.

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Avatar image for deactivated-58270bc086e0d
deactivated-58270bc086e0d

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@TenraiSenshi I would be more worried about losing my grip on reality to be honest. Or do you mean with the Rift in general? If so I'm sure visual problems will crop up sooner or later. Even using a PC screen for too long causes some strain. Having the entire scope of your eyes covered by the screen must be worse in the long run.

Who knows unless they can bring out some decent titles for it the chances of me even buying one are slim.

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Avatar image for TenraiSenshi
TenraiSenshi

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@Dannystaples14 @TenraiSenshi Yeah, now imagine sitting 5 cm away from your PC screen for an hour or more. That's the kind of thing I think about when I imagine the Rift.

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Norb_

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@TenraiSenshi @Dannystaples14 Fortunately it's not like that. You are viewing the screen through lenses so that your eyes are not focusing on a close object, they're in a relaxed and natural state. It's a clever optical trick.

Most potential discomfort from the Rift is due to software not properly designed for the display and an individuals own propensity for motion type sickness. Some folks get car sick for example, others have no problem, others are fine if they're driving but not a passenger, etc...

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Avatar image for Sampawende
Sampawende

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Let's start with the basics, we'll see the rest after... ok ?

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yzeng

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No, i dont want a needle plugged in to the back of my head.

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enoslives7

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@yzeng Oh c'mon, it'll be fun. It will be like getting your head fucked.

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Smartestguyhere

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Ladies and gentlemen, the new virtual boy.

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starduke

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I'm still waiting for the consumer version of the Rift. I'm hoping it comes out about the same time as Star Citizen does.

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Norb_

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Given how close Chris Roberts seems to the Oculus team I think there's a safe bet that Star Citizen is going to be one of the showcase or even launch Rift titles. Just a guess though

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BarraKas

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I'll choose the red pill!

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