Samsung VR gear.

[gangzoom]

I know there are quite a few gamers around, been playing around the Samsung VR gear last few weeks and have been really impressed at what it can do. Originally wanted just a cheap Android phone to replace my dying iPhone 5, but a deal came up on a used S7 which I couldn't pass on, so ended up with another £400 handset instead of a £200 one .

 

After I took delivery I realised the handset worked with Samsung's VR gear....Had a look at prices online, and for £60 (used) I thought it was worth a go.

 

So here's what the headset looks like with the phone attached. It's surprisingly light, and even though I wear glasses because of all the head support it's more comfortable than wearing 3D spec on top.

 

 

The screen resolution is a little disappointing to start off with, these days we are all use to 4K/HD, this is more Quake 1/original UT resolutions. I know you can get higher res VR solution but they require hooking up to a PC/PS4, where as this works off a phone (and is really cheap).

 

The games:

 

Samsung have their own VR store, but unlike the Android or iTunes store most games/app are pay-once affairs, and a quite a few free VR demos. To be honest it's refreshing to find apps/games where you just pay once rather all this 'free to play' and 'in-app purchase' rubbish.

 

After trying a few free demos, I bit the bullet and splashed out a whole £3.99 on a space shooter called 'End space'. Had to get a Bluetooth game pad (£20) to go with it, but after spending a few hours playing it last week have to say I'm now hooked on this VR business.

 

From the screen shots you can see its a bit like X-wing/Tie-Fighter or Wing commander. Essentially you pilot a fighter flying round shooting at various things, dog fighting, doing maze runs around capital ships etc.

 

 

You control the ship with the game pad, shoot with trigger, So nothing new so far.....but the killer addition is instead of only been able to look at what's infront of you, you turn you head and the whole view in the cockpit changes. You can now visually 'track' that fighter by looking to your left/right whilst moving your ship in a totally different direction. Look up and you see a massive gas giant in the background, look down and you see the floor of the cockpit - as well as details about your ship. The guns follow where you look and is amazingly accurate, it'll track the smallest change in your head position/orientation. It totally changes your gaming experience, it's feels so 'real' I got a bit of motion sickness initially but now get use to it.

 

It's a little hard to explain, but essentially of needing a stupid 3 screen setup like the below, but without the stupid weird distorted FOV in the other monitors and much much more immersive.

 

 

You get a much more immersive experience than anything I've tried before, and really really hard to explain, you have to try it to really get it. The head tracking of the VR gear is incredibly accurate.

 

The potential for racing games is massive. Having cockpit view in current driving games is great, but in reality it's nothing like real driving, as in real life we are constant looking around and changing your point of focus. Traditional cockpit views just cannot deliver this, but a VR headset will change all this.

 

Sadly there is no racing games on the Samsung store yet. It may be because of the limited resolution of the current phone, or a lack of processing power, but something I would love to try something like Forza with a high res VR headset, a steering wheel, and surround sound....It'll take gaming to the next level!!

 

If you got a compatible Samsung phone I strongly suggest you give the Gear VR a go, but make sure you get a controller too, your need it. 3D was a bit of flop, and wearable's are also proving to be a bit of damp squid, but this VR thing is really coming of age.

 

For those of you with a big gaming rig I would think the Oculus Rift must deliver the next level of VR experience, and I'm a bit jealously of what you resolutions your be able to run in VR. Sadly I haven't got time to mess around a gaming rig these days, so I'll make do with the VR gear, and wait for the next round of updates. Samsung is apparently already working on the next VR gear.

 

On a separate note, I also found out you can get Mario Kart on the S7 for free.....Despite it's cartoon graphics the game play is still top class. Or maybe I'm just really rubbish at more realistic racing games

Edited May 29, 2016 by gangzoom

[Stutopia]

I picked up a cheapo (£18) for iPhone the other day after seeing one in the office, only really messed around with demos (space/underwater etc) and short films/docos (VRSE) so far, not dabble in a game yet.

 

For the money, it's been great fun. The image quality is a bit mince in comparison to doing things "properly" but really cool.

 

Keep sharing the apps you've enjoyed please mate

[DoogyRev]

there will be some very cool stuff coming for VR in the next 18 months

 

. . . but don't ask as I can't tell

[MLCMK]

Really liking the look of EndSpace,thanks for the heads up

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[TT350]

Anyone remember knightmare?