Valve and HTC have combined to create the highest standard of VR to date, but it brings into relief what makes this new tech both exciting and problematic
We’ve had plenty of time with Oculus Rift and tested PlayStation VR extensively, but neither of them come close to the virtual reality experience of HTC Vive. The difference is that it’s a combination of the best elements of both devices, offering the fidelity of Rift and the interactivity of PlayStation VR when it’s combined with Move controllers. The use of remotes and sensors to give you a full room VR experience is what makes Vive stand out. The immersion into the experience is more complete, the reality more convincing.
But HTC Vive represents the biggest barrier to entry for all of the VR tech currently looking to get attention. At $799 the kit is $200 more expensive than Oculus Rift out of the box and that’s before you even consider the likely costs of making sure your PC is up to spec to run the devices. Conservatively, even if you keep your rig relatively up to date with new upgrades, you could be looking at $1,000 as an entry price to join the VR revolution and that’s realistically a lot more than most of us are going to be able to afford. Accessibility and affordability are massive hurdles for all the VR headsets to overcome, even PlayStation VR is likely to have this issue to some extent, and for the HTC Vive that barrier is tougher to crack than for the others.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
But it is extraordinary, of that there can be no doubt. You first realise this as you set up the Vive and step into the testing room that is your first introduction to the tech. Headset on, ears plugged with headphones, you’re instructed to pick up the remotes and without thinking you’ll walk to them and grab them. Except you’re not seeing them. You’re seeing the VR representation of them that happens to be one-for-one exactly where they are in the room around you. It’s a small representation of the precision this tech has that indicates how smooth the experience is going to be from there onwards.
What it brings to mind is the feeling we had first trying out the Wii. That thrill of interacting with a digital world in a new way is just as palpable, only now caught up with more advanced and intricate technology. But for the most part experiences in VR are similarly as light and gimmicky as they were on Nintendo’s hardware. While some titles have hinted at deeper gameplay and more robust mechanics, they are largely still tech demos, showing off what HTC Vive can do, but not coming close to offering a narrative or multiplayer experience that will last for longer periods of time.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
And visually, while the one-for-one tracking can be dazzling, VR in its current state is still rather simplistic. The pixels of the screen are often visible, and cartoon or exaggerated art styles are common, covering up some of the limitations. It’s a little like taking a step back a generation in order for the dual image that’s outputted to the headset to remain smooth. It can sometimes feel, therefore, as if even the HTC Vive is showing potential rather than final proof of the VR concept. And that’s a daunting prospect given the financial layout involved.
It’s as demanding on your other resources as it is likely to be on your bank account. Fortunately we have access to photographic equipment, such as tripods and such, so setting up the Vive sensors for viewing our playing space wasn’t too much trouble. Likewise, finding room in our office didn’t prove too much of a challenge, although we did just barely make the cut in terms of using the minimum required space for moving around in VR. In a bedroom where clear floor space is typically at a premium (we’re making no judgements here, beds take up a lot of room) or even in a living room where sofas, coffee tables and more will typically be occupying space, trying to fulfil the needs of Vive to get the best experience is going to be tough. For many it is essentially impractical, even before you get to the expense of it.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
HTC Vive is utterly captivating. Putting the headset on and experiencing what Valve and others have put together for it is easily the best VR experience we’ve ever had. However, it only manages to put in sharp relief the challenges of accessibility and price that face all the VR tech right now. If anything, it proves that a full-room experience is superior to a static one and perhaps that puts Sony’s PlayStation VR in a stronger position than some might have thought. While the Vive is hitting retail soon and will be available to all, we’re not expecting it to launch a VR revolution, just as Oculus Rift hasn’t. To try out Vive is to want one for yourself desperately, but wanting it and being able to have it and use it at its best are still too far apart. VR has a long way left to go.
HTC Vive might not change the world, but these games did. Grab our 30 Games That Changed The World special issue now!
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
