Virtuix Omni

[Guitar]

http://www.virtuix.com/

Anyone else following this? I've been waiting for something like this for a long time. This combined with an Oculus Rift + Razer Hydra = badass. Rear virtual reality is coming closer and closer. The Kickstarter is up this month.

Some videos demonstrating it:

 

[Novulux]

Yeah, I've been following it for a while. Already have my Rift and a Hydra ( but that won't work very well considering it's wired). I suppose kinect will have to do until one of the various VR gloves projects pull through.

 

[1Kurgan1]

Entertaining to watch, but I don't play videogames to get cardio. With the animations and control capabilities in FPS games, something like that would be as bad if not worse of a handicap than using a controller (mostly talking about them playing TF2). Cool concept, but not for me.

 

[Frag_Maniac]

How does jumping work in a contraption like that? You'd pretty much have to make the guard rail ring vertically telescopic or free floating somehow. I assume for now they just use a button on the controller and don't jump? I'm not sure the base of something like that could even handle repeated jumping. Just curious because I've been able to navigate some pretty steep terrain that I thought at first I'd have to walk around in Skyrim and Far Cry 3 via some careful jumping.

 

[1Kurgan1]

I'm sure it would just be a button to jump, it's not going to mimic your exact jump "animation" just going to be the one they use ingame, so no point in making you leap, especially with that waist thing sensing your direction.

 

[Frag_Maniac]

I'm sure it would just be a button to jump, it's not going to mimic your exact jump "animation" just going to be the one they use ingame, so no point in making you leap, especially with that waist thing sensing your direction.

Yeah I kinda figured jump was just controlled via button, but it kinda leaves me thinking what's the point of even extending the VR to walking? Even more ponderous is does it work with running, and would a gamer even want it to, and if not, how then would one run?

There's going to be a lot of instances where such a contraption would just remind you of it's glaring limitations, vs feeling immersive, like side dodging, dive rolls, sliding to cover, etc.

As I've said before, IMO if they seriously want VR to take off they better consider making Oculus Rift more intuitively adaptable to a variety of controllers by allowing you to glance at them somehow, or work on designing one that is easier to use without looking at. Not everyone uses a gamepad, and some games have a lot of key bindings that require occasionally glancing at keys.

 

[1Kurgan1]

I agree complete on everything you are saying, its a cool concept, but has massive limitations. I think something like this would be more suited to work out games (kind of like what the Wii became famous for). Since it makes working out fun, being able to go for a job while sitting in your house might be nice for some people, up here when it hits winter, going for a jog outside just sucks.

 

[Guitar]

http://www.virtuix.com/forums/topic/custom-harness/

For the jumping/crouching aspect. I'm busy so I'm not going to explain it because the link is long, but it is a harness basically that allows it. It also mentions looking for beans, which means DayZ support is probably on the horizon, which is awesome. Also, there's a reason the Wii worked so well - family oriented granted, but it allowed people to get up and move around and have fun gaming, even for people who weren't really gamers in the first place. And if you watch the videos, running is done in them. Also, crouching and jumping could be caught via something such as the Kinect (as they've demonstrated in videos somewhat I believe) or some type of gyro sensor mounted in say the gun or controller you have, or even on the harness/belt.

 

[1Kurgan1]

The whole problem with the concept is, going off the DayZ mention is, when I use to set my marker to Berezino and see 5000m, and I would sprint the whole way. With that, 1/4 of the way there I think it would be nap time. It sounds fun to tinker with, but not for serious game use.

 

[Frag_Maniac]

As Kurgan pointed out it's not so much a matter of whether you can sprint, but whether you'd want any game involving it to become a track meet/marathon.

 

[Guitar]

So don't? If I have nothing to do for a few hours and want to get a workout that I wouldn't otherwise do, and want to play let's say L4D2 or something, why not play it where I can run around and use some of my energy/burn some calories while having fun and feeling more immersed in the game then I might with a KB/M?

 

[Frag_Maniac]

So don't? If I have nothing to do for a few hours and want to get a workout that I wouldn't otherwise do, and want to play let's say L4D2 or something, why not play it where I can run around and use some of my energy/burn some calories while having fun and feeling more immersed in the game then I might with a KB/M?

I just can't see it in games where you can sprint for a long ways or indefinitely. Even for those more suited to running it would get tiring.

 

[AphexDreamer]

I don't understand why VR gloves weren't looked into, and in Sony's case why they didn't opt for Gloves instead of the Move. One can make a fist and have it as though you are holding an object.

Really looking forward the the Rift, the Omni just seems a bit exhausting but pretty cool. I'd get it if it is priced right.

 

[Guitar]

I don't understand why VR gloves weren't looked into, and in Sony's case why they didn't opt for Gloves instead of the Move. One can make a fist and have it as though you are holding an object.

Really looking forward the the Rift, the Omni just seems a bit exhausting but pretty cool. I'd get it if it is priced right.

They have been. That is the next logical step in the VR environment. I heard it was going to be around $400-$600, but I was thinking more like $1k easy...it will be announced this month via the Kickstarter I believe.

I just can't see it in games where you can sprint for a long ways or indefinitely. Even for those more suited to running it would get tiring.

I'm not understanding your point really. You don't have to use this. It isn't a requirement, so don't? Play games that are either made to support it or games that you have a linear level progression. This obviously isn't made for an open world game.

 

[Frag_Maniac]

This obviously isn't made for an open world game.

LOL, one of the 3 games they show it being used with is Skyrim, which let's face it, involves vast exploration in a very open world setting, and you can't just fast travel everywhere. If anything the whole VR concept is being slanted at making navigation and exploration in games with realistic and open environments more realistic. I'm just saying there's going to be some clear stumbling blocks along the way that keep it from being as real world as they like to make it look.

 

[Guitar]

LOL, one of the 3 games they show it being used with is Skyrim, which let's face it, involves vast exploration in a very open world setting, and you can't just fast travel everywhere.

Just because you can use it with a game doesn't mean it is made for it. But this game will probably work with all games in a way (essentially if it just was recognized as a controller of sorts). And again, I'm not sure how hard it is to understand - don't use it if you don't want to? Some people have the energy and want that immersive experience, and note everybody plays for hours on end. Some people have only have time for an hour a day at most, so when they want to play they want a full experience and use this. And again, it could serve as a great workout device for someone like myself who doesn't do it otherwise.

 

[kn00tcn]

so wait, what's so bad about a run button? i would be fine using the physical walking as just a sneak mechanic

it doesnt matter what games they show, it's better than some ugly tech demo

& i wouldnt be using this for cardio

 

[ste2425]

That would be fun until your playing l4d and waiting for the really unfit guy to catch up as you all run off.

It does look like good fun but more in the way arcade games with the actual gun you point at the screen are fun. Don't think i could own or use one on a regular basis though.

 

[Frag_Maniac]

And again, I'm not sure how hard it is to understand - don't use it if you don't want to?

I could just as easily say, and actually HAVE been saying, that it's designed around real world immersion, not pushing a button to jump or run. Why is it so hard for you to understand that when a device is made to be drastically more immersive, doing certain things via button is just a buzz kill for that immersion? It's like being in an immersion bubble, then suddenly seeing a gaping hole in it. That's why I think they'd be better off just keeping the visual part of it VR, and leaving the rest to a controller, because the waffling back and forth between bodily control and fingertip control seems kinda pointless.

 

[AphexDreamer]

I could just as easily say, and actually HAVE been saying, that it's designed around real world immersion, not pushing a button to jump or run. Why is it so hard for you to understand that when a device is made to be drastically more immersive, doing certain things via button is just a buzz kill for that immersion? It's like being in an immersion bubble, then suddenly seeing a gaping hole in it. That's why I think they'd be better off just keeping the visual part of it VR, and leaving the rest to a controller, because the waffling back and forth between bodily control and fingertip control seems kinda pointless.

Its just taking a series of small steps to get us to that ultimate state of immersion. If one could get the Kinect, Move, Gloves, Omni, Rift and a whole sort of peripherals working together, we'd probably achieve it. Then we'd just have to make sure that all that gear doesn't have us feeling like we are in a tin can and that it is all comfortable. Until we get to that state, opting for buttons here and there is a bargain.

 

[Guitar]

http://www.virtuix.com/kickstarter/


And


http://www.virtuix.com/contest/

 

[PLAfiller]

Linux coverage: Virtuix Omni Prototype Unboxing & Technology Overv...

 

[Guitar]

The Kickstarter is almost funded - and it's been up for less than 3 hours.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1944625487/omni-move-naturally-in-your-favorite-game?ref=live

 

[Guitar]

Funded.

$264,740 as of 1:35pm EST. Amazing.


More than double the original amount as of 3:45pm EST.

 

[Guitar]

Not sure if anybody is following, but it's up to almost $500,000 in a single day...it was funded within a mere 2 hours of release. That's amazing - and great for the people that said there wasn't a need/want for this.