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At E3, they (finally) announced Fallout VR and Doom VR, both due later this year!  Oculus also announced a new bundle that can save you $100. Trailer for Fallout VR: Fallout VR is due for release in October.   It's already available for pre-order at the Steam store .  Not sure what's the point... there's no special discount and it's not like they're going to run out of stock. Trailer for Doom VR: The trailers don't mention anything about the Oculus Rift compatibility, but Oculus Rift can play almost all games on Steam VR, so I am supposing Rift players won't be left out. Meanwhile, there's a bundle for Oculus Rift + Touch that gives you an extra $100 credit for the Oculus Store .

Pimax 8k is the world's first VR headset with 8k resolution .  I got the chance to try it out at CES 2017. Most of the current desktop and mobile VR headsets have screens with limited resolution.  Their individual pixels and the gaps between them are visible, making it look like there is a screen door over them.  The screendoor effect can be distracting or immersion-breaking for some people. Another limitation of current desktop and mobile VR systems is their field of view.  Current VR headsets' field of view are around 90 to 110 degrees.  In actual use, this means that you see the frame of the headset, so it's like you're looking through a window or porthole.  Seeing the frame around your field of vision constantly reminds you that you're looking through a headset and diminishes immersion. Pimax 8k addresses both of these issues with its "8k" resolution.  Actually, its resolution is 4k per eye (3840 x 2160 per eye), which is 6.4 times higher than the ...

Nolo can add roomscale VR with motion controllers to any mobile VR headset, and it is also incredibly affordable. Current mobile VR headsets ( Samsung Gear VR ,  Google Daydream , and Google Cardboard) are limited to head tracking with 3 degrees of freedom.  You can move your head in any direction but it cannot track your forward-backward, side-to-side, or upward-downward movements.  Meanwhile, desktop VR systems ( Oculus Rift , HTC Vive , and Playstation VR ) have positional tracking with 6 degrees of freedom, but they cost much more. Nolo by LYRobotix helps to bridge the gap between mobile VR's affordability and desktop VR's more sophisticated tracking capabilities by adding 6 degrees of freedom to any mobile VR headset. Nolo consists of a base station, a head tracking unit and two motion controllers. It uses a combination of ultrasonic and optical tracking and RF signals to track the headset and two controllers in a space up to 13 feet by 13 feet (even larger than the ...

HTC showed several interesting new accessories and peripherals for the HTC Vive. 1. New headstrap with integrated audio. HTC showed a new headstrap that has a ratchet for easier adjustment, similar to the Playstation VR.  In addition, the new headstrap has integrated headphones, like the Oculus Rift.  The headstrap is also made of a sturdier material like that of the Oculus Rift, unlike the current fabric headstrap that stretches over time and becomes frayed.  HTC said the new headstrap would be available sometime in 2017 but did not disclose the price. 2. Vive Trackers Vive Trackers enable game developers to add tracked peripherals for their games.  For example, a tracker could be added to a table tennis racket to enable the racket to be tracked within a game. 3.  Wireless glove controller At least one manufacturer is adding a wireless glove that can track hands as well as fingers with pinpoint accuracy. You can see that it has a Vive Tracker to track its movem...

Today is the last day for the Oculus Store Winter Sale which has huge discounts on many games for Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR and HTC Vive (via Revive).  Here are the ones I've tried. I have several of the games that are in the winter sale.  I've arranged them approximately in the order that I like them (my taste leans toward casual games).  Note: unless otherwise noted , buying the Gear VR version of a game will not give you the Rift version, and vice-versa. OCULUS RIFT / HTC VIVE (before buying, pls. check for Revive compatibility ): Superhot VR : take on an army of agents, as you control time to execute perfect attacks and dodges.  I got the non-VR version of this game by accident on Steam and didn't get a refund in time, so I was pretty annoyed about paying for it "again."  But when it went on sale I did get it, and it is indeed incredibly fun.  If you have a Rift or Vive and you have any interest in action games, it's a must-download. Damaged Core : o...

The Oculus Store has a big discount on two games (both work not only on the Oculus Rift but also on the HTC Vive via Revive). Superhot VR is a motion-controlled VR version of the PC game (but with different level designs). In this game, you are a secret agent on a mission to infiltrate an enemy base.  You are armed with nothing and you face an army of agents.  But time moves only when you move, allowing you to execute perfectly timed attacks and dodges.  It's one of the best VR games I've played. Here is a trailer: Technolust is an interactive story set in a cyberpunk dystopia.  I haven't played it myself, but it looks quite immersive.  Here is a review by Upload VR: Superhot VR is regularly $24.99, and is on sale for $19.99.  Technolust is regularly $19.99 and is on sale for $11.99. Both games will work on both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive (via Revive) but please note that Superhot VR requires motion controllers ( Oculus Rift users need to have an Oculus ...

​Finch Shift is a new motion controller designed for your smartphone which is designed to enable your VR-ready smartphone to play apps for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift . Finch Shift uses a pair of motion controllers and a pair of arm bands.  Each controller and arm band has modified inertial measurement units.  By combining the data from the arm bands and controllers, the software is able to determine the location of the motion controllers without using external cameras or sensors. ​ Here's a video of the Shift being used: Finch claims the Shift can be used with: - smartphone games adapted for the Finch Shift - games designed for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift - non-VR games where you use the Shift as a joystick. ​ I'm not sure how the Shift can enable smartphones to play HTC Vive or Oculus Rift games because of the processing power required, and because smartphones currently don't have positional tracking.  In any case, Finch Shift will be at CES 2017 and I will vis...

Holo Impact: Prologue There are literally hundreds of VR games available on the Steam store for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.  While many (or even a majority) are not worth playing, there are some excellent games that have escaped the notice of users.  In this series of posts, I'd like to highlight some very good games I've tried that are not very well known (yet). Holo Impact: Prologue (HTC Vive; Oculus Touch).  This is a super awesome shooter (pictured above).  In concept it's somewhat similar to Xortex from the Lab, where you control a space fighter with your motion controller.  But in Holo Impact, you are flying forward.  Yes there are a few games in this genre, but Holo Impact blows them all out of the water.  Besides the spectacular graphics, the gameplay is also fun, and it's a little challenging but not overwhelming (at least in Normal difficulty)! If you like shooters, this is a must-buy for the HTC Vive or Oculus Touch (yes, Holo Impact is ...

Did you find an Oculus Rift under your Christmas tree?  Here are the best free games to demo your new Oculus Rift ! GAMES Here are some of the best games to demo the Oculus Rift: 1.  Lucky's Tale .  This is a third-person platforming adventure, similar to Super Mario, where a fox is trying to rescue his friend.  In VR, this game looks like a miniature world with characters that have come to life in front of you. 2.  Farlands .  In this game, you are a scientist exploring an alien world.  Your task is to gather information about the creatures in the planet and perhaps even befriend them.  Farlands is a highly immersive experience and it feels like visiting another planet. 3.  Herobound: Spirit Champion .  This is a third-person action adventure where your character is on a quest to rescue elemental spirit to defeat the element of fire which has imprisoned the other elements.  The game is as much about action as solving challenging p...

Here are some of the best free games to demo your HTC Vive ! 1.   The Lab .  This game was made to show off what the Vive can do, and I think it's still the best Vive demo to date.  It's a very polished collection of VR experiences and minigames by Valve.  The VR experiences range include exploring scenic real-world locations in VR, repairing a robot, exploring Dota's Secret Shop, and more.  Minigames include an archery-based tower defense game and a space shooter where your controller becomes a spaceship. 2. Cosmic Sugar .  Play with stars in a galactic nebula as they follow your controllers. 3.   Google Earth VR .  Fly anywhere around the world and explore places in VR. 4.   Irrational Exuberance: Prologue .  This is an interactive VR experience that begins in an asteroid in deep space.  This VR experience requires a roomscale VR setup. 5.  NVidia Funhouse .  This is a collection of carnival games intended to test your g...