The possibilities of virtual reality are endless, and they've been the fodder for science fiction for some time. From the constantly malfunctioning Holodeck in Star Trek to the Matrix in, uh, The Matrix, it's provided a fascinating subject matter to explore and develop.
Unfortunately, science hasn't quite caught up to the science fiction yet. Our attempts at VR have left a lot to be desired, and pale in comparison to their fictional counterparts. The pursuit just seems kind of hopeless for now.
Scratch that, seemed kind of hopeless. The makers of the Oculus Rift, a VR headset designed to augment and enhance the gaming experience, are hoping to change everything.
Oculus Rift is a new virtual reality (VR) headset designed specifically for video games that will change the way you think about gaming forever. With an incredibly wide field of view, high resolution display, and ultra-low latency head tracking, the Rift provides a truly immersive experience that allows you to step inside your favorite game and explore new worlds like never before.
...The Rift takes 3D gaming to the next level. There are a number of VR headsets out there, but none that deliver a truly immersive gaming experience. Most products either lack the technical features required for believable immersion or sit at a very high price-point ($20,000+) reserved for the military or scientific community.
We set out to change all that with the Rift, which is designed to maximize immersion, comfort, and pure, uninhibited fun, at a price everyone can afford.
Now that's all well and good, but we've all heard that claim before. It's not like this project has someone with serious clout and respect in the gaming industry to vouch for it, like Gabe Ne- oh wait, it totally, totally does. It also has the support of Epic Games' Cliff Bleszinski.
The team behind this project created a Kickstarter project to fund development kits. As of now, it has more than doubled the original goal; with 30 days left, the final tally should be quite high. If you would like to see the specs behind the device, read up more on the Oculus Rift, or donate to the Kickstarter (and are too lazy to use the link above), you can find it here.
The first game compatible with the device will be Doom 3 BFG, and looking at the footage, I can tell you this thing is a miracle; it actually managed to make Doom 3 worth playing!