Neuer SteamVR Controller als Antwort auf Oculus Touch?

Valve zeigt auf den Steam Dev Days einen neuen Prototypen eines SteamVR Controllers, der fest an eure Handfläche angebracht wird. Ein wenig erinnert die Form an die Oculus Touch Controller, doch der Controller von Valve könnte sogar noch etwas mehr bieten.

Neuer SteamVR Controller

Da der Controller fest an eure Hand angebracht wird, müsst ihr an keiner Stelle den Controller selbst festhalten. Ihr könnt somit die Hände komplett öffnen, ohne das der Controller herunterfällt.

Der Controller trackt nicht die genauen Bewegungen der Finger, doch er kann erkennen, ob die Hände geschlossen sind oder nicht. Ein ähnliches Prinzip kennen wir von den Oculus Touch Controllern. Bei diesen erkennen einzelne Button, ob der Finger auf der vorgesehen Fläche aufliegt. Durch die spezielle Form soll das Greifen von Objekte sich viel natürlicher anfühlen, als es mit aktuellen Controllern möglich ist. Tolle an der Idee ist, dass ihr Objekte auch ganz natürlich werfen könnt. Ihr öffnet einfach eure Hand und schon lasst ihr das gewünschte Objekt fallen. Somit könnten Virtual Reality Inhalte noch viel natürlicher spielbar sein, als es mit den Oculus Touch Controllern bald möglich wird. Für die Steam Dev Days bauten die Entwickler von Cloudhead Games eine spezielle Version von The Gallery: Call of the Starseed, um die neuen Möglichkeiten zu demonstrieren.

Natürliche verlangt ein solcher Controller aber auch eine komplett neue Denkweise. Eine herkömmliche Positionierung von Button scheint bei diesem Modell sehr schwierig zu werden. Wenn die Spiele geschickt gestaltet sind, solltet ihr aber auch mit wenigen Button auskommen. Die Portierung der Spiele wird aber nicht in jedem Fall einfach sein.

Aktuell ist nicht klar, ob Valve diesen Prototypen jemals in ein finales Produkt überführen wird. Es ist aber denkbar, dass andere Partner von Valve die Idee aufgreifen und einen entsprechenden Controller vertreiben werden.

[Quelle: Twitter]

 

 

 

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Valve Teases New VR Prototypes at Steam Dev Days

Steam Dev Days, Valve’s annual developer conference, just started and from the tweets we’ve seen (no press allowed!) VR is getting the star treatment this year already.

According to press release sent out yesterday, visitors to Steam Dev Days “will be given a chance to test-drive and provide feedback on new VR prototypes.” So far we’ve seen a few slides come out of the event teasing SteamVR-compatible hand controllers and a new basestation in the works.

AltspaceVR’s ‘Cymatic’ Bruce Wooden got as quick snap of the slide showing what appears to be SteamVR hand controllers in various form-factors, including a very curious controller that seems to wrap around the back of your hand so you can keep your palm open, and not constantly grasping the controller.

PlutoVR’s Shawn Whiting tweeted out a slide about the upcoming (and unrevealed) SteamVR basestation due out sometime in 2017. Could it mean another room-scale headset is around the corner?

We’ll be keeping our eyes out for more tweets and clandestine periscopes of all things VR to come from Steam Dev Days.

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SteamVR Running On Linux Could Open Up VR To More PCs

SteamVR Running On Linux Could Open Up VR To More PCs

Reports from people at Steam Dev Days indicate Valve Software may have made some progress bringing SteamVR to Linux, suggesting the private company is getting serious about supporting a wider range of PCs with its VR platform.

Linux is also what SteamOS and its Steam Machines are built on, meaning robust support for Linux with SteamVR could also be a step toward Valve offering a kind of simplified PC that’s a bit more like a game console running SteamVR.

Currently the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift only work on Windows machines. Most frequently, those headsets access software released either through the Steam or Oculus store on a Windows machine. But it’s possible that, built on the open source core of Linux, VR might be able to get a fresh (and cheaper) start without a Windows license being attached to the cost of every VR computer.

Valve did not allow press at its Steam Dev Days, so we are still trying to nail down more concrete plans from the company from sources at the event.

Send HTC Your Idea for a Vive Accessory and Win a Free HTC Vive

The Vive’s Lighthouse tracking system is an impressive piece of tech, considering it boasts sub-millimeter, 3D room-scale positional tracking for a VR headset and hand controllers using lasers. But haven’t you ever wished the Vive controllers could be used for more than just hand tracking? Maybe you want a Lighthouse-compatible harness for your dog, a cool gun accessory, or maybe you just want to keep track of your beer while in VR? Now’s your chance to pitch your crazy accessory idea to HTC.

HTC will be running the accessory contest through its Viveport community forum, and letting members vote on their favorite entries. The top three ideas—whether they’re created for the Vive headset, controllers, base stations, or all three—get a free HTC Vive system. The grand prize? The lucky winner could have their idea 3D printed into reality.

Potential designers may want to get out their reading glasses however. HTC maintains in their lengthy contest rules that the winner’s design is to exceed no more than $1,600 USD in cost when it comes time to 3D print—but doesn’t clearly say whether you’re allowed to slap on Lighthouse sensors to everyday objects or not. Considering the rules explicitly state that all aspects of the design “must be solely owned by or licensed to [you] or in the public domain,” it’s safe to say most people won’t be able to just pop on individual sensors to everyday items like a beer koozie. After all, Valve’s Lighthouse sensor technology is protected under a royalty-free license, but you can only obtain it after going through a $3,000 course.

See Also: New Images for 2nd HTC Vive Developer Kit Supposedly LeakedSo you’re probably better off designing around the hardware than making your own from the ground up.

SEE ALSO
HTC Vive Accessory Store Now Stocks Things You Actually Need

Design submissions must be uploaded to the Viveport Community by October 30th with the contest officially ending on November 7th.

HTC Vive Accessory Contest

Note: Only legal residents (18+) of the following countries can enter to win: United States, Canada (excluding Quebec), United Kingdom, Germany, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Switzerland, Norway, Poland, Austria, Belgium, Russia, Thailand, Singapore, India, Mexico and Japan.

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Steam Now Boasts More than 600 VR Games and Apps, 30% of Top 10 Steam Games Are VR

Focusing on cross-headset support, Valve aims to make Steam the go-to place for virtual reality content distribution. Now touting more than 600 VR titles, the platform’s VR apps are steadily rising through the ranks of the entire Steam library.

steamvr-oculus-rift-setup-install-games
See Also: How to Use the Oculus Rift With SteamVR in 4 Steps

Among Steam’s top 10 best reviewed games, 30% are VR compatible, including the #1 position which has been held by Valve’s The Lab since at least as far back as July, and is now the best reviewed game among Steam’s entire library of more than 10,000 games.

Newly joining the top 10 best reviewed games is Rec Room, an Early Access VR title that combines a social VR experience with multiplayer mini games. The title is rated ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ with 99% of 515 reviewers giving it a positive vote.

steam-top-rated-games-9-28-2016

While The Lab and Rec Room certainly get a boost in positive reviews thanks to being free, VR-compatible title Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, a cooperative bomb defusal game, holds the #10 position even with a $15 pricetag.

Meanwhile, VR games like Raw Data made a splash at launch by hitting #1 in the Steam Top Sellers list, later confirming to have reeled in more than $1 million in revenue, an impressive figure for a game exclusively built for a still fledgling install base of HTC Vive users.

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