Facebook Buys Oculus Rift For $2 Billion

[wesp5]

Seeing how since they're both in the same business now, Sony has mASSIVe design and production power. They can build everything themselves. Custom hardware, software, displays, etc.

 

Back on topic, after Sony announced this, I bet that Microsoft won't stay behind and will create something similar for the X-Box One. If they offer that for Windows as well the OR might not matter anymore.

[Lux]

Xbone only support 720p doesn't it? That would be ewww for a screen that close to the eye. I doubt its in the cards for them unless they're hiding 1080p somewhere

[Vae]

Interesting non-Facebook-related news...http://www.oculusvr....hief-scientist/

 

Michael Abrash, from Valve, is now joining Oculus.

[jay pettitt]

Me thinks they're just making job titles up now.

[Airship Ballet]

they are really a digital distributer trying to dominate the PC market.

 

Neither of us are properly qualified to say what is and isn't going on inside Valve and their heads, because we don't know. The difference, I think, is that I don't pretend to. All I can say with any degree of certainty is that they've done a lot of good in their short life and are doing really well for themselves at the same time. If you want to get carried away thinking that success = malevolence/world domination/monopoly then that's your prerogative but there's nothing out there to suggest they're the criminal masterminds you seem to have taken them for, while there's a lot to suggest they're not. It's an all too common attitude to shy away from the big fish and assume that they have some ulterior motive or hidden stake driving their actions just based on the fact that they're doing well for themselves and I'd really encourage you to re-evaluate it based on evidence rather than fear.

 

That aside, I've never quite understood the hype regarding OR. They're still thoroughly ghetto in just about every aspect aside from the obvious that they allow you get a bit more immersed. The technology isn't there yet, and I don't think they should be releasing things so quickly, but rather making revisions in private as opposed to advertising each new version as a better product. That said, I'm not really interested in it to begin with. I'd much rather they put their efforts into augmented reality as opposed to virtual. Call me old-fashioned but I don't think there's anything wrong with mouse and keyboard or a controller to play games with. A 3D space in the real world I can manage my life from, though? Bring that on as fast as you can.

Edited March 28, 2014 by Airship Ballet

[wesp5]

If you want to get carried away thinking that success = malevolence/world domination/monopoly then that's your prerogative but there's nothing out there to suggest they're the criminal masterminds you seem to have taken them for, while there's a lot to suggest they're not.

 

I never said Valve are criminal masterminds or something. Only that I don't trust them the same way I don't trust Facebook! Also I want them to make great games again, not only Steam this Steam that. Half-Life was one of the best games ever and HL2 was almost as great. But after that? The HL2 episodes were too short, there were similar good mods out at the time. They released Counter-Strike four times since then! Portal was a nice idea but again too short and not done by themselves alone. Portal 2 was a quick rehash and they did this even more obvious with L4D and L4D2. If their next game is L4D3, I couldn't care less! Team Fortress 2 has a cool art style but again it's just a mod where it's all about new gadgets nowadays. Dota 2 just the same! Maybe the flat hirarchy just doesn't work out to release big and original AAA single player games like HL and HL2 or they have just noticed that they can live much more easily by creating new hats than by creating new games!

 

I'd much rather they put their efforts into augmented reality as opposed to virtual.

 

I agree. Google Glass is perfect for Facebook, I don't see the kids of tomorrow wearing a big bulky display only to post something to their friends! After all even 3D TV hasn't really caught on because the glasses are too inconvenient...

Edited March 28, 2014 by wesp5

[Airship Ballet]

So the bottom line is that you want Valve to make Half-Life 3? Could have just said as much =P

 

Forget Facebook, I was more saying everybody in general should be working more towards AR than VR. AR has so many more applications whereas VR just does what we can do already from an immersive perspective. I just much prefer the idea of having, say, a holographic display that lets me control all the lights, heating, appliances and electronics in my house from my front door. Thing is, it introduces a new danger since any knowledgeable passer-by with a wi-fi connection could troll me on an entirely new level.

Edited March 28, 2014 by Airship Ballet

[stumpy]

someone probably told facebook that vr would make them trillions if they invested in it, and thats more like the reason they would invest in it than anything else, plus they could ditch the screens and go for a system that project the images directly on to the back of your eyeballs, it would still be oculus rift and cheaper to make as you wouldn't need a bulky headset, or you could refine the system into looking like sunglasses and when the glasses darken thats when the screens are activated, so you could sunbathe on the beach and access 3d facebook.

[Xarg]

So the bottom line is that you want Valve to make Half-Life 3? Could have just said as much =P

 

Forget Facebook, I was more saying everybody in general should be working more towards AR than VR. AR has so many more applications whereas VR just does what we can do already from an immersive perspective. I just much prefer the idea of having, say, a holographic display that lets me control all the lights, heating, appliances and electronics in my house from my front door. Thing is, it introduces a new danger since any knowledgeable passer-by with a wi-fi connection could troll me on an entirely new level.

 

So what you want, is something like this?

 

Hopefully Corning can come through with at least some of this.

[Airship Ballet]

Pretty much, although less about contacting people and more about making my house cosy as hell the moment I step in. The bathroom mirror would be awesome if I ever used one, maybe if they start shipping them on the inside of pizza boxes. I'd hate something like the kitchen surfaces: reducing everything to shiny glass just makes the place look gross.

 

 

they can keep this though

Edited March 30, 2014 by Airship Ballet

[Xarg]

I quite liked the darkening windows and the mirror as well, though you'd hope they could be done mostly by wire instead of wireless, with a short range proximity sensor on that "phone" all-in-one-activator-doodad-thing they were using to trigger the functionality. That rollout blueprint and the workdesk were pretty neat too.

[Airship Ballet]

I think it all looks rad, I just don't have a use for most of it.

[Vae]

Another Valve employee joins Oculus...https://twitter.com/oculus/status/450780024770023424

[Vae]

Looks like Samsung is making a move...Report: Samsung making VR headset, plans to beat Oculus and Sony to market