After more than a year of owning VR headsets it's about time for the first VR report.
As of beginning of 2021, PC VR situation with Valve Index and Oculus Rift S is best summarised with following quote:
"It's too much hassle."
-- fire of texnoforge
VR is really an impressive technology already, we finally have:
- almost decent resolutions
- great sensors (eps. Valve Index Controllers)
- sufficient FPS (I was able to get smooth 90 FPS out of few games)
- games making proper use of new features
Both the input and output devices are advanced enough to bring full immersion but... it's ergonomy that prevents me from using it regularly:
- headset is heavy
- headset is attached with a fat cable
- headset must be sitting on head preciselly
- movement is unpleasant due to cable pull and worsened vision as headset slides out of its position on head
In games with movement, it takes about 20 minutes for me to get annoyed and rage quit. I can remain longer in sitting games with a top time of 6 hour in Elite: Dangerous but the overall experience is simply such a hassle I rather leave the VR kit turned off and use good old flat screen.
VR is currently good for short experiences but poor ergonomy prevents me from long-term usage including development. In current implementation VR remains an enthusiast's toy. The progress is great and number of VR devices grows as does VR ecosystem but it's not yet in a state I'd recommend it for general use.
recommended steam VR games
voice of texnoforge
- Vox Machinae
- GORN
- Blade & Sorcery
- Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
- Until You Fall
- Jet Island
- Elite: Dangerous
- Compound
fire of texnoforge
- Moss
- Half-Life: Alyx
- Vox Machinae
- Elite: Dangerous
- Paper Beasts
honorable mention
- Fractal Alchemist (not really a game but an impressive VR fractal tool)