VR Is Still A Stupid Idea

[Codex Alpha]

I've always been a bit skeptical on VR, since it returns every 7 years or so, in some new hype-filled manner, but then fails to truly take off, because many of the issues and obstacles still remain.

I post this for information purposes, to also caution about anyone or corporations putting all their eggs into the VR basket, and to encourage also (regardless of Sansar) for Linden Lab to give more love, updates, UI, engine optimizations, beginner tutorials, creator tools, etc into existing Second Life - because there is still more that can be done.

Here is a good link I came across that details why VR still sucks.

My personal opinion? VR is a nice gimmick, until you get seasick using it, your neck hurts because of all the weight on your head, also the heat produced that makes it unusable in warmer climes... and the overexaggeration about 'immersion' that constantly accompanies this tech.

In a nutshell: VR will take off if Sansar includes POV sex, with vibrational devices strapped on the right areas.(Sorry, I had to be crude, but its true).   VR tennis? Who cares. VR Second Life sim with pretentious art? Who cares.

Much like waving your arms around at a giant screen ala Minority Report (giving RL users rotator cuff injuries), rather than a more efficient wrist move using a mouse, these are examples of practicality vs experience.

Maybe you have your own opinions. VR a gimmick? Will Sansar take off on a gimmick?

[Nalytha]

I don't think Sansar has good timing. (among other issues I have with it). This isn't the time to invest in such a huge project. Let the bugs be worked out with VR. More importantly, let costs catch up with the technological needs associated with VR. The simple fact is that many, many people can NOT afford the VR setup plus the computer needed to handle the games. What is very likely to happen is the same with Second Life -- people are going to attempt to play Sansar with subpar machines and their first impressions are going to be that Sansar must be crap, because it it looks and feels like crap on their system. Then they will write blogs, tell friends, upload reviews to Youtube, screaming that Sansar sucks without acknowledging a huge part of their poor experience was their own hardware.

I know I'm the minority here, but LL doesn't need to focus on Sansar. It doesn't need to focus on Second Life. It needs to focus on Second Life v.2.0. I know this comment is making some of you want to slap me right now. Calm down. It's just my humble opinion and I'm not going to argue the point to death. 

[Callum Meriman]

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entity0x wrote:

Will Sansar take off on a gimmick?

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Who really cares about Sansar? It has nothing to do with Second Life. We are not it's audience in any way, shape, or form.

[Nalytha]

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Callum Meriman wrote:

We are not it's audience in any way, shape, or form.

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I completely agree with this. 

[Monty Linden]

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entity0x wrote:

I've always been a bit skeptical on VR, since it returns every 7 years or so, in some new hype-filled manner, but then fails to truly take off, because many of the issues and obstacles still remain.

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As someone who owns VPL equipment, I certainly understand this statement.  But other questions aside, there is one irrefutable benefit to targeting a VR platform:  it enforces a rigorous discipline around rendering and audio performance.  You can't hide, you can't sweep it under the rug, you can't handwave and say the next Nvidia release will save you.  You have to do the work and get it right.  And that has a nice payoff for non-VR users.