Notch Considers Bringing Virtual Reality to Minecraft

[Fanghawk]

Notch Considers Bringing Virtual Reality to Minecraft

If the Oculus Rift is compatible with Java, Notch intends to support it for games both new and old.

You may not have heard of the Oculus Rift just yet, but there is an increasing number of developers who want that to change. The Rift is a virtual reality gaming headset that will allow players to directly control in-game avatars simply by turning their heads in the real world. While gamers have seen virtual reality headsets come and go, the Rift's prototype quickly garnered a huge amount of support from the development community, including id's John Carmack, Epic Games Cliff Bleszinski, and even Valve's Gabe Newell himself. Now Minecraft creator Notch is showing his love for the device by promising fans that if it works as advertised, then his upcoming game 0x10c will have full Oculus Rift support. There's even a chance that Mojang's flagship title Minecraft will get retroactive support for the headset as well.

"Very excited about the Oculus Rift!" Notch exlaimed via Twitter. "If we get it to work with Java, 0x10c will support it." Shortly afterwards, Notch followed up with "I can't promise Minecraft until [Jens Bergensten] has tried it ... If I like it, I will certainly 'suggest' it."

To reiterate how big a deal this headset is to developers, one has to look no farther than the <a href=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1523379957/oculus-rift-step-into-the-game>Oculus Rift Kickstarter Page. The project was launched on August 1st for the headset's dev kit, a prototype version primarily of use to developers seeking to build virtual reality games. The project's $250,000 goal was reached within a day, and as of writing, the project is sitting at $1.3 million. For an unreleased dev kit.

The Oculus Rift could be a pipe dream, but it's a pipe dream that developers are throwing their money at and, in Notch's case, already planning to implement in their games. Of course, the Rift's ultimate success will depend on the commercial prospects of the headset itself, not the personal interest of developers. Since the team's Kickstarter project was a resounding success, we'll hopefully have a chance to judge the technology for ourselves soon enough.

Source: Joystiq

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[RatRace123]

So, how exactly does that work? Because I can only see it working with games in a first person perspective, and even then, only to use it to rotate your character.

You, the player essentially function as a mouse or a right analogue stick.

And that sounds like it would get old fast, not to mention probably painful on the neck.

 

[RA92]

Stupid Motion control gimmicks.

NEW COMPUTING PERIPHERAL HAILED AS THE NEXT BIG
REVOLUTION
DISMISSED BY HARD CORE TEXT BASED ADVENTURE GAMERS AS MOTION
CONTROL GIMMICK

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Apple_Macintosh_Plus_mouse.jpg

 

[Shinsei-J]

I don't like the idea of moving your head but damn do I want VR.
It's a pipe dream that could move forward a whole generation of entertainment and I bet anyone who can help will.
I also want to put an oblagatory Virtualboy picture in,
http://maximizedemulation.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/virtboy1.jpg
Now let us all pray to god that the same fate is not bestowed.

 

[The Great JT]

That's kind of a cool idea, I guess.

 

[Vie]

I'd actually quite enjoy having a VR headset. Being able to control your character via the normal WSAD + Mouse with the added ability to turn your character's head from side to side while doing things would be very immercive for me.

Sadly, I wear glasses. So I guess I'm buggered.

 

[Mike the Bard]

the thing's already hooked up to the unreal engine. Theses things die fast because of lack of support, but looks like the oculus got a head start.

hope it all works out for them.

 

[Scars Unseen]

Stupid Motion control gimmicks.

Not so much in this case. Anyone who has had the opportunity to use the TrackIR in a flight sim(or in my case, space combat sim) can tell you that being able to look around your ship by moving your head is a lot better than trying to do so with a PoV hat. 6DoF tracking is pretty awesome. And the Oculus would allow 1:1 input since you don't have to keep your eyes on a stationary monitor.

The only reason I'm not pledging money to this thing is that I want the consumer model.

 

[Sight Unseen]

My main question for this is "what if you want to turn 180 or 360 degrees?" Would you have to have a separate control to rotate your person's body in unison with the head to turn around? Because that seems like it would complicate things a lot.

I already have bad experience is battlefield games trying to drive a tank while aiming the turret, getting all mixed up with that, this would be even worse...

 

[Scars Unseen]

My main question for this is "what if you want to turn 180 or 360 degrees?" Would you have to have a separate control to rotate your person's body in unison with the head to turn around? Because that seems like it would complicate things a lot.

I already have bad experience is battlefield games trying to drive a tank while aiming the turret, getting all mixed up with that, this would be even worse...

It's not as bad as you think. Your body already knows how to move your head in a different direction than your movement. Gaming trains you to keep eyes forward, but adjusting to 6DoF is pretty quick. The reason that you get mixed up playing a tank game is that you are layering abstract movement methods. When's the last time you had to consciously think about the head movements necessary to check the traffic around you when changing lanes? It's completely different.

 

[Weaver]

So, let's say I'm on a PC. I want to use this thing.

To turn around I need to physically turn around, fine; what, then, do I use for all other inputs? Am I strapping a keyboard to my body here? Do I now need to stand up to play games?

This thing is going to go the way of virtual boy, play station eye, kinect, wii controls, sony move, power glove, light guns, etc.

Especially in a competitive scene. Turning around behind me in real life is slower than using my mouse in game, and it comes with all the downsides of spinning quickly, like getting dizzy, fluids in your head shifting, etc.

I would be very, very skeptical in investing money in this.
Remember this thing? http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/05/30/what-happens-when-kickstarter-projects-fail-after-funding/

People need to know that a kickstarter can fail, they have failed and, honestly, when they do you are basically up shits creek for getting your money back.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Sounds like more bullshit to me. Expensive shit that may make your game slightly more immersive if it's done perfectly.

 

[Tiamat666]

I think it's about time our giant leaps in 3D graphics were projected into a VR and not on a 2D-screen. I'm a little worried about the long term exposure effects though. Being visually immersed into a 3D world for hours, and then taking the headset off, sounds like it might have some side-effects.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

I will support VR only then I can control everything with my brain and not with my body. Anything in between would be bad because you see the virtual world, but move in the real world.

And I demand a Sword Art Online MMO as soon as someone makes a working VR system.

 

[klaynexas3]

So, let's say I'm on a PC. I want to use this thing.

To turn around I need to physically turn around, fine; what, then, do I use for all other inputs? Am I strapping a keyboard to my body here? Do I now need to stand up to play games?

This thing is going to go the way of virtual boy, play station eye, kinect, wii controls, sony move, power glove, light guns, etc.

Especially in a competitive scene. Turning around behind me in real life is slower than using my mouse in game, and it comes with all the downsides of spinning quickly, like getting dizzy, fluids in your head shifting, etc.

I would be very, very skeptical in investing money in this.
Remember this thing? http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/05/30/what-happens-when-kickstarter-projects-fail-after-funding/

People need to know that a kickstarter can fail, they have failed and, honestly, when they do you are basically up shits creek for getting your money back.

I'm having my doubts that that will be how it works. It probably works where you turn your head to the right and your character turns right for as long as you keep your head right, and then he stops turning when you move your head back to forward position, like how an analog stick would work. There is no way all the developers that have backed it would be with it if it were designed the way you described it.

Considering this has some actually decent backing with it, I'm doubting we'll see a fail at its kickstarter level. If it is going to fail, my guess is that it will be once it has hit the consumer's market.

I'm doubting that this will be perfect, but I think it will be more of a step in the right direction than motion control that we got for this generation of consoles.

 

[Scars Unseen]

So, let's say I'm on a PC. I want to use this thing.

To turn around I need to physically turn around, fine; what, then, do I use for all other inputs? Am I strapping a keyboard to my body here? Do I now need to stand up to play games?

This thing is going to go the way of virtual boy, play station eye, kinect, wii controls, sony move, power glove, light guns, etc.

Especially in a competitive scene. Turning around behind me in real life is slower than using my mouse in game, and it comes with all the downsides of spinning quickly, like getting dizzy, fluids in your head shifting, etc.

I would be very, very skeptical in investing money in this.
Remember this thing? http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/05/30/what-happens-when-kickstarter-projects-fail-after-funding/

People need to know that a kickstarter can fail, they have failed and, honestly, when they do you are basically up shits creek for getting your money back.

You're doing it wrong(or in this case, thinking of the concept wrong).

This won't be for controlling movement. It will be for controlling head movement. Why would you turn your body around? It doesn't track body movement. You move your head. That's it. And if it fails, it won't be due to 6DoF not being useful(it is). There are already successful products that do that. If the display works out(and gains enough developer support), then this will be a big upgrade to my TrackIR due to the 1:1 tracking.

Annnd some videos:

ArmA 2

Dirt3... notice how he looks towards upcoming curves

IL-2

 

[Weaver]

So, let's say I'm on a PC. I want to use this thing.

To turn around I need to physically turn around, fine; what, then, do I use for all other inputs? Am I strapping a keyboard to my body here? Do I now need to stand up to play games?

This thing is going to go the way of virtual boy, play station eye, kinect, wii controls, sony move, power glove, light guns, etc.

Especially in a competitive scene. Turning around behind me in real life is slower than using my mouse in game, and it comes with all the downsides of spinning quickly, like getting dizzy, fluids in your head shifting, etc.

I would be very, very skeptical in investing money in this.
Remember this thing? http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/05/30/what-happens-when-kickstarter-projects-fail-after-funding/

People need to know that a kickstarter can fail, they have failed and, honestly, when they do you are basically up shits creek for getting your money back.

You're doing it wrong(or in this case, thinking of the concept wrong).

This won't be for controlling movement. It will be for controlling head movement. Why would you turn your body around? It doesn't track body movement. You move your head. That's it. And if it fails, it won't be due to 6DoF not being useful(it is). There are already successful products that do that. If the display works out(and gains enough developer support), then this will be a big upgrade to my TrackIR due to the 1:1 tracking.

Annnd some videos:

ArmA 2

Dirt3... notice how he looks towards upcoming curves

IL-2

Oh, I see how it works now. Can you turn it off? Like, what if I want it to stop looking where I'm looking, and just stay centred on my crosshairs for instance? I suppose this would be up to the game in question to implement.

I still actually find the notion of playing a game with this thing strapped to my face incredibly unappealing.

 

[Scars Unseen]

So, let's say I'm on a PC. I want to use this thing.

To turn around I need to physically turn around, fine; what, then, do I use for all other inputs? Am I strapping a keyboard to my body here? Do I now need to stand up to play games?

This thing is going to go the way of virtual boy, play station eye, kinect, wii controls, sony move, power glove, light guns, etc.

Especially in a competitive scene. Turning around behind me in real life is slower than using my mouse in game, and it comes with all the downsides of spinning quickly, like getting dizzy, fluids in your head shifting, etc.

I would be very, very skeptical in investing money in this.
Remember this thing? http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/05/30/what-happens-when-kickstarter-projects-fail-after-funding/

People need to know that a kickstarter can fail, they have failed and, honestly, when they do you are basically up shits creek for getting your money back.

You're doing it wrong(or in this case, thinking of the concept wrong).

This won't be for controlling movement. It will be for controlling head movement. Why would you turn your body around? It doesn't track body movement. You move your head. That's it. And if it fails, it won't be due to 6DoF not being useful(it is). There are already successful products that do that. If the display works out(and gains enough developer support), then this will be a big upgrade to my TrackIR due to the 1:1 tracking.

Annnd some videos:

ArmA 2

Dirt3... notice how he looks towards upcoming curves

IL-2

Oh, I see how it works now. Can you turn it off? Like, what if I want it to stop looking where I'm looking, and just stay centred on my crosshairs for instance? I suppose this would be up to the game in question to implement.

I still actually find the notion of playing a game with this thing strapped to my face incredibly unappealing.

You're right: that would likely be application controlled. I know that the ArmA 2 video explicitly says that you can turn that off. As for the face strap thing... I'd say wait for the consumer model and see how that one works, but I'm guessing VR displays in general are never going to be to everyone's liking.