The Monster Multiverse

Virtual Reality was a fasinating concept back in the day. The Lawnmower Man was a great sci-fi take on how VR can consume your life. And the Virtual Boy made a valiant, yet utterly failed attempt and bringing VR into gamer's living rooms.

The Angry Videogame Nerd said it best when he said "Technology has gotten better, but nobody really gives a shit about virtual reality anymore. And maybe that's for the best."

Is it really for the best though? We've already injected 3D into movies and games, and game consoles are always trying to hook players with more inventive means of immersion, like the Kinect. If developers are trying to get gamers more interactive with their games, then what better was to do it is there other than VR?

Mark my words. We're steadily getting closer to a new and improved era of virtual reality.

It's all about Augmented Reality now man. Just look at the 3DS.

Might be a mix of the 2 really, AVR = Augmented Virtual Reality. Where yes, everything you sense is virtually created, but is augmented by requiring body movement to properly function.

Creator_Drake wrote:Might be a mix of the 2 really, AVR = Augmented Virtual Reality. Where yes, everything you sense is virtually created, but is augmented by requiring body movement to properly function.

How does that work?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain%E2%8 ... _interface

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeuroSky

http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/09/brai ... ontrol-ga/

Still can be related, but it looks like they are going more for actual brain reading devices. Would be very powerful combined with the VR headsets. I personally would love it, but everyone seems to think VR can control minds. Maybe it is for "the best" as you say.

They just say that because it has the potential to be addictive as hell. Videogames are an escape from reality, but that escape is all in the person's head.

VR eliminates the fantasy and makes it real. After all, what we see, hear, and feel is construed as real. Right?

Helios Leinheart wrote:They just say that because it has the potential to be addictive as hell. Videogames are an escape from reality, but that escape is all in the person's head.

VR eliminates the fantasy and makes it real. After all, what we see, hear, and feel is construed as real. Right?

That is true.

Believe it or not I heard that Microsoft hasn't abandoned the concept.
But personally i'm terrified of the idea. When I was a kid I used one of those VR headsets. It didn't take long at all to break out in horrific headaches and eye pain.

And todays alternative VR rooms are still in the beyond premium stage. Then there is the psychological effect of "total" immersion, there is such a thing as too much. Would it cause long term problems? I'm not even talking about addiction either.
People just don't think about this stuff until it hits them like a truck.
The issue is that it puts stress on your brain when "awake" leading to future damage and whatnot.

The answer I would say is to look into augmented dreams. We know more about sleep than we do of VR to a mature state.
It is safer than VR will ever be due to the fact that you are not overloading yourself. It can in fact not only be for entertainment but as well as beneficial and medicinal.

But, even when the tech gets out there it will still take years for it to be consumer level in terms of finances.
So until then, I will stick to Nvidias 3D vision 2 surround on three 120hz displays for that.
Right now that is as much immersion as you are going to get today.

I am reminded of a something a friend of mine once said. "The last invention mankind will ever make is the holodeck. If we make that, we'll never make anything else."

Total immersion is scary. It lets you be anything you want, do anything you want, without any kind of social, moral, or ethical restrictions. The only limitations are the games themselves. If it gets to the point where people can simulate the exeriences of everything that a person ever wants as a form of immediate gratification, even if it's false, then we've got serious problems.

People will no longer want to interact with each other or do anything irl, since it's easier to do and just as satisfying. And while yes, there are certainly people who won't want it, or won't succumb to it, but really... Think about how many people you know that would rather spend all of their time in a dream world or a video game than reality?

If something like that ever becomes available to the public, society iteslf is going to have to undergo some very serious changes.

Helios Leinheart wrote:After all, what we see, hear, and feel is construed as real. Right?

Reality is in one's own present memory and one's own interpretation of their world. Sounds about right. Then again, we are reaching "The Matrix" level status with this kind of assumption. If it's too perfect do we become bored and yearn for chaos and surprises? If there is total peace do we look for means of war and new methods conquering of others? Most video games in general involve conquering other player's through means of "skill" by killing the other player or killing something in general.

Imagine if your life, freedom, or personal rights depended on VR gaming ability. Knowing how humans are, I would assume the worst with the introduction of a VR world. It could open a whole new world for others to try to destroy and others would try to ruin the world for those who may find solace in it. Eh sorry I'm in a grim mood because of this monster storm..heh. ^^;

This whole thing reminds me of a video I saw a few years back.

[youtube]9xGJNQZ3wCA[/youtube]

Watch the anime called "Sword Art Online" that's the kind of VR I like

Apparently, Doom 3: BFG is officially VR compatible.

http://www.oculusvr.com/

Some is developing a VR headset that's suppose to be a lot better than regular conventional VR machines. Testimonies from well known game devs agree with this.

I wonder when they'll make the Zero System...

Severontous wrote:Believe it or not I heard that Microsoft hasn't abandoned the concept.
But personally i'm terrified of the idea. When I was a kid I used one of those VR headsets. It didn't take long at all to break out in horrific headaches and eye pain.

And todays alternative VR rooms are still in the beyond premium stage. Then there is the psychological effect of "total" immersion, there is such a thing as too much. Would it cause long term problems? I'm not even talking about addiction either.
People just don't think about this stuff until it hits them like a truck.
The issue is that it puts stress on your brain when "awake" leading to future damage and whatnot.

The answer I would say is to look into augmented dreams. We know more about sleep than we do of VR to a mature state.
It is safer than VR will ever be due to the fact that you are not overloading yourself. It can in fact not only be for entertainment but as well as beneficial and medicinal.

But, even when the tech gets out there it will still take years for it to be consumer level in terms of finances.
So until then, I will stick to Nvidias 3D vision 2 surround on three 120hz displays for that.
Right now that is as much immersion as you are going to get today.

I am going to go with you are assuming all the worst without much to back it up. stress on your brain when awake leading to future damage because I use VR to fly or something?

I admit I haven't heard of the term augmented dreamer before, but I AM a lucid dreamer. I am conscious in my dreams, and in complete control of them. At some point, I even wrote a long forum post about people being able to go lucid as well, and you know what? I am 100% for full immersion VR. Lucid Dreaming is not some fix all magic bullet for experiencing the things that you want in life. For one, it's hard. It takes a lot of work and mental training to be able to do it, and even with hard work, some people just can't get it to work. Even if you're experienced at it like I am, you don't get a 100% success rate either. The other problem is there is always something that will nag at you when your dreaming. No matter who you create, or what you experience in your dreams, there is one overriding thing that will start to naw at you. You're alone. You are crushingly alone while dreaming. You aren't with another live person, and you know that there is nobody behind that avatar you created. VR gets rid of all of that.

And there are so many GOOD applications for VR, from construction, education, business , entertainment, medical, etc etc. Forcasting all these doomsday scenarios just isn't productive in my mind.

That's one thing good about NOT lucid dreaming- I don't know it's not real! Still, VR is STILL not real since it's a fake image uploaded to your brain..the only difference is that outside stimuli is involved. Some people can get "into" the plot and dialogue in games, so why is it just being alone? You are still alone in a single player game and alone with a character that doesn't exist, but some people can still feel connected to them regardless whether they are alone or not..

Now if they combined VR with some kind of dream augmentation..wow.

I think a big part of the issue Feathers, at least for me is that everything that I dream is my own creation, my own thoughts. You always get what you want, always. I remember back as a little kid watching nick at night, and a I love Lucy episode came up where supposedly somebody went to heaven. They always got what they wanted.... and it started to eat at them. They started to hate always getting what they wanted, but they couldn't get away from it. Turns out they didn't go to heaven. Getting everything you wanted was it's own form of hell. With VR comes the ability to play in other peoples imaginations like never before.

Books, television, videogames, movies, stories... you're always experiencing somebody else's imagination, their story, their rules.... and as humans we are drawn to that.

Premade VRs sound interesting, but as for interaction with people directly I'd probably stay away. I like having that control myself. ^_^

I take back most of my "tinfoilhat" statements earlier.

Because it seems that the industry of it is going in the correct direction after all.
Not EXACTLY pure VR. But it is stereoscopic 3d with out the double images on your display, it is not to big and they made it into a goggle (the cardinal sin being a 'heavy' headset) and at around $300 that is pretty freaking cheap for technology like this.

This is the first step to nerve gear folks.

All I know is that if I get VR headgear like that, I'll be staying away from any types of horror-themed games. Can't risk head trauma from those sneaky-assed jumpscares. And playing Doom BFG edition really does give me the occasional jump alone. Nope, I don't intend to have an imp come at me from a screen visor, too close for comfort.