A reader explains why dissatisfaction with PlayStation VR led him to try Oculus Quest, and why hes very glad he took the chance.
I have owned my Oculus Quest for two weeks now. The short story is I love it.
My only VR experience previously has been with the PlayStation VR. I was a first wave pre-order and then a first day buyer, so my anticipation had well and truly risen but it was slowly dashed by one thing: tracking. I have tried everything and I mean everything.
- 2 x PlayStation VR (the first one broke and was replaced with version 2)
- 3 x different rooms, with the last having minimal reflection
- 2 x cameras
- Many camera heights in the room
- Back lighting
- Green back lighting
- PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 Move controllers
- Many ideas from forums, including wearing gloves with the Aim Controller! I always felt that was someone having a laugh but apparently the gyros get affected by hand heat, so that was enough for me to try it.
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Unfortunately, whilst improvements happened the problems never went away.
Cinematic drift was just impossible when some of the best games would have the gun drift away within seconds. It only takes a few deaths, due to not being able to line your gun up, for frustration to kick in, so the whole set-up had started to gather dust.
Now I have not come here to slate the PlayStation VR. I really wish it had worked for me and if it had I never would have been tempted away, but tempted I have been.
I knew nothing of the Oculus Quest until three days after release. I had recently reached one of those multiple of 10 birthdays, and a few too many for me to now mention. So I had a reasonable about of money to spend. I read the first review here on GameCentral and it instantly grabbed my attention. VR with no PC or console – excellent news.
Pop onto Amazon and they have two left, not a lot of time to think so impulse buy and boy am I glad I did.
It has four very different, and all very important, advantages in gaming (from my experience ) and they would be:
- On point tracking (at last)
- Roomscale VR – just love the Guardian system at the start, everyone goes ooh!
- No wires. I thought this was a few years away yet but there are no wires or bits to stick around a room.
- Analogue sticks and the controllers are just a joy to use.
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Being able to move freely is just wonderful and it took a few days to break my mindset from always facing or searching for the camera. I can now turn around and walk towards things without messages appearing on the screen. The shootout mode on Dead And Buried II is just brilliant. I can only imagine how stupid I look as I search for cover in game and then peek my head over the top to fire at an opponent.
I have played games in the garden, you can draw out a massive Guardian zone and go all over the place – we have a well sheltered garden with no neighbouring eyes! [Even though were sure it works its advised you dont play outside, we should point out – GC]
The potential for wireless VR is immense. My friends and I had previously discussed, after a beer or two, how it would be great to play a team shooter in a large VR space against other teams. You could imagine headsets having to be wired like dogem cars, using moving cables in the ceiling. Would never work but now it could.
Hire out a sports hall, draw out your Guardian space and then off you go. Ready to play in minutes (I think). So turn up, play some VR for an hour, then off to the puRead More – Source
