VR Overview

Prepared by Schell Games

Last updated on 7/21/2016

VR is here to stay

At Schell Games, we believe that after the massive flurry of VR hype in 2016, VR devices will be on the market indefinitely.

They will not completely replace our existing game platforms, but instead they will join our gaming ecosystem, living and thriving alongside PC, console, and mobile gaming. The difference will be that VR gaming will be the most intense gaming experience, the mode of entertainment that technophiles and gamers will value most in the long run.

But wait… isn’t VR terrible?

• It already failed in the ‘90s
• It’s just a fad
• We can’t solve motion sickness
• Nobody wants to wear silly goggles

… right?

Technology has come a long way!

New OLED displays and optical tracking systems allow for far more powerful experiences. Even better: motion sickness can be eliminated.

At Schell Games we’ve found that the goggles might look silly, but once you enter a VR world a magical shift happens.

We’re working hard to solve all the exciting challenges that are new to VR - and, with one of the most critically acclaimed VR experiences under our belt, we’re happy with our progress so far.

And we can’t wait to see what comes next!

VR comes in different shapes and forms, each with its own benefits and challenges.

Platforms vary in price, features, type of content they support and projected install base.

The major players in VR are

VR here, there, everywhere!

Google

Cardboard

Oculus / Samsung

Gear VR

Oculus

Rift

Oculus

Rift + Touch

HTC / Valve

Vive

Sony

Playstation VR

* In 2014, Facebook acquired Oculus for US$2 billion

Google

Daydream

UH… THESE ALL LOOK THE SAME TO ME

Yep, we get it. It’s easy to get these mixed up!

Read along for an in-depth look at each of these platforms - including price, features, content they support, development costs and projected install base.

And keep in mind: these technologies aren’t exactly all direct competitors. Think of them as tools that excel at different jobs.

Google Cardboard�VR for the masses

�A fold-out cardboard mount with lenses. Stick your phone in and you’re ready to go.

Great for on-rails 360 video, looking around, very low interactivity

Why it’s good

• Download apps and games like you normally would
• No wires = high mobility
• Low-cost head mount compatible with a large amount of devices
• 360 video is straightforward to produce and consume
• Lowest common denominator. If you can make it work on the Cardboard, you can (mostly) make it work everywhere else

Challenges

• Device fragmentation. Phone differences in resolution, graphics, memory, OS means lower-quality graphics and higher support and Quality Assurance costs
• Limited to rotational tracking present on phone
• Only physical input method is one button (actually a repurposed magnet)

Cost and availability - Available on Amazon for $15 (plus cost of phone)

Google Daydream�VR + Controller for the masses

�A cloth headmount for your phone, with the addition of a remote-like controller.

Great for pointing in 3D space, looking around and interacting, basic motion activities.

Why it’s good

• Planned compatibility with wide arrange of Android devices
• One-handed controller adds interactivity while keeping low barrier of entry
• No wires = high mobility
• Potential for huge market reach
• Pointing and motion controls are a great fit for the medium

Challenges

• Device fragmentation. Phone differences in resolution, graphics, memory, OS means lower-quality graphics and higher support and Quality Assurance costs
• Limited to rotational tracking on head & controller(Can’t detect side-to-side movement) & controller

Cost and availability - 79$ (plus cost of phone)

Watch Schell Games’ talk on Designing & Developing for Daydream

Schell Games developed the highly rated LEGO Brickheadz for Daydream

Oculus / Samsung Gear VR�Wireless headset for Samsung phones

�Plastic headset mount for Samsung phones. Includes touchpad for basic input.

Great for on-rails 360 video, looking around, interactivity via touchpad

Why it’s good

• Easy to set up - stick your Samsung Galaxy phone in and you’re done
• Download apps and games on phone like you normally would on the already existing and established Google Play store
• No wires = high mobility
• Enhanced rotational tracking compared to Google Cardboard
• Touchpad interactivity opens up the game design landscape

Challenges

• Only available for Samsung Galaxy phones
• Phone graphics cards, processors and screens are still a limitation
• Touchpad is a step up from Cardboard, but still only affords limited interactivity

Cost and availability - Available for $59.99 (plus cost of phone)

Schell Games’ award winning Orion Trail VR for the Gear shipped Holiday 2015!

Oculus Rift�Connect to the PC and grab a controller / mouse

�Wired VR headset comes with controller and harnesses the processing power of the PC

Great for focused field of view, high quality graphics, deeper interactive experiences

Why it’s good

• Each eye looks into a high resolution OLED panel
• Includes a gaming controller and can utilize the mouse
• High processing power allows for high-quality graphics and reduction of motion sickness
• 6 degrees of freedom tracking is superior to that of wireless headsets

Challenges

• Wired headset limits full rotational mobility
• Higher price point + requires computer to operate
• For now, only planned for Windows PCs

Cost and availability - Available for $599 (plus cost of high-end PC)

Schell Games’ includes mouse & controller support

Oculus Rift + Touch�Oculus Rift with VR-tracked controllers

�Oculus Rift with the addition of tracked controllers for natural hand movement in VR

Great for everything the Rift does well, with extended hand support

Why it’s good

• Shares the same benefits as the Oculus Rift plus:
• Greatly increases feeling of immersion
• Affords interactions that require hand motions and gestures
• Perception of one’s own VR-tracked hands greatly contributes to the brain’s sense of relative position of one’s body parts or proprioception

Challenges

• Sold separately - Additional cost on top of already high investment
• Creates platform fragmentation - experiences should aim to be compatible with Touch but not require it to operate

Cost and availability - Available for $798 (plus cost of high-end PC)

​

Schell Games’ is featured in the Oculus Touch Launch bundle!

Sony Playstation VR�Wired VR headset for the Playstation 4 console

�Wired VR headset will be fully compatible with Sony’s Playstation 4 video game console

Great for focused field of view, high quality graphics, deeper interactive experiences

Why it’s good

• No device fragmentation on Sony’s install base of over 25 million PS4s
• Backed by Sony’s marketing machine
• Brings VR to the living room of committed gamers
• Leverages already existing PS4 controllers and other hardware
• High resolution OLED display

Challenges

• Wired headset limits full rotational mobility
• Sold out at major retailers for Holiday 2016
• Resale on auction sites going for as high as $999

Cost and availability - Available for $399 (plus cost of PS4 & PlayStation Move Controllers)

Schell Games’ is available on PSVR!

HTC/Valve Vive�Transform a space into a VR world

�Headset, controllers and cameras setup for PC transform a room into a VR playground

Great for fully immersive experiences, standing up and moving around

Why it’s good

• Only consumer VR platform that encourages and fully tracks movement in a large space
• Full and accurate tracking of head and hands around the room
• Connects to the PC to harness its full processing power
• Unlike any other platform in the market

Challenges

• Requires an empty room to reach its full potential
• Complicated setup and calibration
• Tethered wires to PC, which the player brings with them where they move
• Comparatively costly ($1000-$2000 for a PC plus $799 for the VIVE hardware

Cost and availability - Available now for $799 (plus cost of high-end PC)

Schell Games’ & available on Steam for the HTC Vive

Google

Cardboard

Oculus

Gear

Oculus

Rift

Oculus

Rift + Touch

HTC / Valve

Vive

Sony

Playstation VR

Google

Daydream

Google

Cardboard

Oculus

Gear

Oculus

Rift

Oculus

Rift + Touch

HTC / Valve

Vive

Sony

Playstation VR

Google

Daydream

SO, WHAT DO YOU GUYS RECOMMEND?

Each device affords different types of interactivity and can reach a different type of audience.

So far, our development has focused on the Oculus Gear VR, Oculus Rift (+ Touch), PlayStation VR, Google Daydream and HTC/Valve Vive.

Great VR to check out

: developed by Schell Games

Get a feel of the medium with these VR experiences

• Oculus Rift
• I Expect You To Die - use your wits to escape deadly situations // video
• Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes - cooperate to defuse a bomb - one player in VR, while another player reads the bomb manual // website
• HTC Vive
• Water Bears VR - A VR puzzle game for everyone // website
• Aperture Robot Repair - high quality narrative piece // video (with nsfw language)
• TiltBrush - create art in VR! // video
• Oculus Gear VR
• Orion Trail VR - A space adventure centered around making tough calls // website
• Land’s End - A VR adventure from the creators of Monument Valley // website
• theBlu - look around the deep ocean // website
• Google Cardboard and Daydream
• Intro to Daydream - by Google’s VP of Virtual Reality // video
• VRSE - a collection of 360 videos // website
• Cardboard - Google’s collection of VR demos // website

Looking for more content?

Great VR resources

• Making great VR - article by Jesse Schell
• Designing and Developing for the Daydream Controller - talk by Schell Games devs
• Making great VR (video) - talk by Jesse Schell at Oculus Connect 2
• 40 predictions for VR by 2025 - article by Jesse Schell
• Vomitology 101 - article by the I Expect You To Die team
• Step into the page - Glen Keane shows the potential of creating art in VR

VR is here to stay

We have the expertise, passion, and development awesomeness to continue to shape the VR landscape.

Grab a headset and join us in our journey to explore and define the future of education and entertainment