‘Project Morpheus’ is Sony’s virtual reality headset for the PlayStation 4
The rumors are true: Sony’s working on virtual reality. The hardware is called “Project Morpheus” and it’s headed to the PlayStation 4. The headset is two pieces: a closed display and what looks like a PlayStation Move sensor built in. SCE Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida unveiled it on-stage tonight at GDC 2014; he said the “prototype” is “by no means final.” It’s the culmination of over three years of work, Yoshida said, and the prototype unveiled tonight will also double as a dev kit.
As seen above, a subtle PlayStation-themed blue light is emitted by Morpheus. A single wire can be seen exiting the unit on-stage; it’s unclear how the device will work with consoles. Sony’s clearly drinking the VR Kool-Aid: there’s serious talk about “presence” on-stage (the term Valve coined as the target for “true VR”). What are the specs in the headset? It’s got a 1080p display and just over a 90 degree field of view. There’s positional head tracking, 1000HZ refresh rate, a 3-meter working volume with full 360 degree tracking — it looks like anyone who wants to use Morpheus needs the PS4 camera. In terms of sound, the device has “true spatial sound” using binaural audio — pretty neat! It’s also apparently “highly adjustable” and support custom headphones if you’d prefer your own audio choice (it plugs right into the headset). Head below for more!
The current dev kit is wired, though the wire is “very long” (around 5 meters, we’re told). The dev kit also has a “breakout box” between the headset and your television.
PlayStation R&D engineer Richard Marks dug into the nitty gritty a bit: he said Morpheus needs a high-resolution, high-quality screen (“no problem,” he quipped), great sound (SCE is developing binaural tech to produce sound, incorporating that into the experience), tracking (he pointed out that the PS4 camera is “almost custom-built for VR”), and control (Sony’s sticking with DualShocks, cameras and Move, apparently).
Marks admitted that VR needs to be easy to use — as in, as simple as picking it up off the coffee table and quickly jumping in. So, perhaps no wire then? That’s still unclear. He finished with a plea to devs to create content for Project Morpheus, “which is why we’re announcing this at GDC.” Sony’s already working with a handful of devs, including Epic Games and Crytek. We expect it won’t be too long before the large world of game devs jumps in.
Update: In a Q&A following tonight’s session, we were told by R&D engineer Anton Mikhailov that the headset was given its project name for “the god of dreams” (he’s not lying). In terms of first-party Sony studios working on content for Morpheus, the Sony trio on-stage stayed mum, pointing to the handful of titles revealed tonight as the first example.
Unity 5 game engine brings advanced lighting, physics and audio effects to mobile, PC and now the web
At the Game Developers Conference, or for those in the know: GDC, we got a taste of the new Unity 5 game engine. For most of you, a new engine doesn’t mean much, but in the hands of the right people, it can mean more beautiful and realistic games. Unity, which powers any number popular titles, especially on the mobile front, is getting a host of new features for version five. Most notably is a new physics-based shader system and integration of Geomerics Enlighten illumination tools — that means more realistic lighting and shadows as well as console-caliber visual effects. The engine’s audio pipeline has also been rebuilt from the ground up for better performance and more flexibility when it comes to mixing sound and adding effects. But perhaps the biggest addition is early access to WebGL support, which means you’ll be able to build titles that work on iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, OS X, Windows, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, WiiU and any modern web browser. As an example, Unity will be demoing Dead Trigger 2 running on WebGL at their booth at GDC.
Filed under: Gaming
Imagination’s new graphics tech brings realistic lighting to mobile games
Even the prettiest mobile games tend to look a bit ugly, with simple lighting effects that remind you that you’re not using a more powerful console or PC. If Imagination Technologies has its way, though, those pocket-sized games will be truer to life. Its newly unveiled Wizard architecture brings ray tracing, a technique that calculates the path of every light beam in a 3D scene, to the company’s PowerVR mobile graphics cores. You can see the resulting visual boost in the picture above: every light casts a shadow, glass is more realistic and reflections accurately portray the surrounding world. The first core to use Wizard is the high-end GR6500, which companies can license for their mobile processors. Imagination hasn’t named customers, but we’d note that Apple and Intel are among two of its clients — don’t be surprised if your next iPhone or Windows tablet is a graphics powerhouse.
Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Tablets, Mobile, Apple, Intel
Source: Imagination Technologies
EA finally brings an offline mode to SimCity
SimCity has been surrounded by problems since its reboot last year, including having to deal with negative feedback due to the nature of its “always-on” gameplay. Now, EA’s hoping to turn some of these frowns into smiles, announcing that SimCity’s long-awaited offline mode will be available starting today. The update, after getting through its final test phase, began rolling out earlier this morning and should be at your mercy momentarily. As a result, EA says there’s going to be server down time “for a few hours,” so expect to put those city-building skills on hold for a little while. Don’t worry, it’ll be over before you know it. In the meantime, check out the video tutorial after the break.
Filed under: Gaming, Internet, HD
Via: Joystiq
Source: EA
Oculus VR exits first virtual reality collective
Just five days ago we told you about the Immersive Technology Alliance, a group of companies that are working on virtual reality coming together to support the burgeoning medium. At the time, we told you that Oculus VR — the company behind the Oculus Rift — was part of the group. That said, the announcement was notoriously missing any official statement from the Oculus folks. As it turns out, that’s because Oculus VR isn’t actually part of the group. Oculus offered Engadget this statement:
“There was confusion on March 13 about whether Oculus was a member of the Immersive Technology Alliance. We’ve spoken with the ITA’s leadership and clarified that we are not, and have not been, a member of the group. We appreciate the ITA moving so quickly to correct their website and media to reflect this.”
We’ve checked with the other members of the group, many of which responded to confirm their participation in the ITA, including EA and Technical Illusions. During the group’s first meeting today at GDC 2014, ITA Executive Director Neil Schneider kicked things off with a lengthy response to Oculus dropping support, heavily tinged with passive-aggressive criticism.
Schneider emailed us a similar statement, which detailed his side of the history between Oculus VR and the ITA (formerly the Stereoscopic 3D Gaming Alliance):
“Before Oculus started their Kickstarter, Oculus and MTBS had an agreement. We would give them free self-promotion on mtbs3D.com which started as the hotbed for Oculus’ launch and birthplace. All we asked of them was a basic level membership in the non-profit Stereoscopic 3D Gaming Alliance (S3DGA) valued at $5,000 US. This was conditional on their Kickstarter being successful, which it was. Oculus honored this.
During this formative period, Palmer Luckey has been in the loop on The ITA’s development since the beginning of this new movement. We had advisory board discussions through email featuring other members including Oculus VR (Palmer Luckey) and others who don’t need to be named. He was even invited to speak at the upcoming meeting, and couldn’t make it because of a scheduling conflict, but he said time permitting he was going to try and drop by.
In all our interactions, we have not received a single request to discontinue alliance membership. The Oculus logo has been on the site since they made their first payment some time ago, and they have not communicated to do otherwise. As it stands, we have an alliance of 20+ members. We have every expectation that they will continue to be industry leaders and continue to be part of this alliance.”
All that said, that is most certainly one side of the story. Though Oculus’ statement on the record comes off as flatly pragmatic, it’s clear here that Oculus VR — the industry standard in VR, at least for now — isn’t interested in participating in the ITA.
Fortunately for the ITA, many other verified members are making really cool products. Technical Illusions’ CastAR was the first device shown off at the meeting (after the somewhat awkward Oculus-related intro), and it’s clear that many of the folks here aren’t simply trying to cash in on VR while it’s a hot commodity. The messaging cooled as well, with a YEI Technology rep pointing out that there’s room in VR for lots of different ideas, and this first meeting is representative of that. We can’t disagree with that.
This is the week virtual reality goes wide
After attending the first day of the annual Game Developers Conference, the only games I played were in virtual reality. In the following four days, many, many more VR experiences will happen. Some will be good, some will be great, some will be not-so-great. One thing’s for sure: when this week’s over, the VR landscape will look very different.
SONY
Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the room right now: yeah, we’re all pretty sure that Sony’s got a VR headset and it’s going to be shown at GDC. This panel right here — which takes place this evening and we’ll be liveblogging — features a trio of big names at Sony’s PlayStation arm: Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida and PlayStation hardware R&D guys Richard Marks and Anton Mikhailov. Those three are particularly interesting for a few reasons. First, Yoshida already professed his love for VR to us last year. Second, the latter two gentlemen were previously involved with another major PlayStation hardware initiative: PlayStation Move. We’d call it less than shocking if some form of PlayStation-branded virtual reality headset is announced during tonight’s panel.
Of course, what Sony’s rumored headset can do is what matters most. Even the rumor mill is relatively light on this one; the only suggestion of its ability is that it’s superior to the original Rift dev kit and more similar to the Crystal Cove prototype from CES. Here’s hoping we’ll find out tonight!
OCULUS VR
Will we finally see the Oculus Rift retail unit at GDC? Sorry to tell you, but our money’s on no. Last we checked, there’s no launch window for the retail version of the Rift. And, wouldn’t you know it, the original Rift dev kit just recently stopped production. It’s no secret that, after the Crystal Cove prototype was shown at CES, another development kit would eventually have to exist. Now seems the perfect time to introduce a newer model dev kit with a higher-res screen, depth tracking, and “low persistence” — one giant step closer to what we’ll eventually be able to buy in stores.
VALVE
This is a VR prototype headset from Valve
Valve insists it isn’t creating any consumer-grade VR tech just yet, but the folks behind Steam are still a presence at this year’s GDC. Besides coming for the business side of the show (finding new employees, brokering deals with other companies, etc.), we’re hopeful that the new Steam Controller iteration will be at the show for a fresh hands-on. In case you missed it, Valve added eight buttons in place of the touchscreen in the original prototype.
There’s also no indication that Valve’s updated game building tech, Source Engine 2, is getting any real showing. It makes most sense to show off fancy new engines with games, though, and that’s best saved for a private event or E3. We’ve not heard anything on the former, and the latter is approaching quickly (this June).
Oh, and Half-Life 3 will finally be re-announced and given a release date: it’s available right now! Hooray! … No no, not really. Sorry y’all.
THE REST
Yes, I did only mention two VR headsets. So what about the rest? GameFace Labs is here, albeit with the same prototype from CES (which uses Rift optics). We spoke with CEO Ed Mason yesterday morning and his company is working toward its next prototype for soon after GDC. His company was the only other VR headset maker we found at CES this year. At GDC, however, they’re one of five or six (that we know of thus far). Some may be hangers-on to the sudden mass interest in VR, but we also expect to see some very interesting new entries in the field of VR by weeks end.
We’ll of course bring it to you live, as fast as we can, from sunny San Francisco.
Microsoft to take Xbox One to 26 new countries in September
On sale in 13 countries, Microsoft’s Xbox One is already pulling in the sales. Now that A+ titles like Titanfall and Twitch game streaming are finally with us, the company is ready to take the next-generation console to new markets: 26 of them in fact. Gamers on all continents will be served, but you’ll have to wait until September to get your hands on Redmond’s new black box. In the meantime, check out if you reside in one of the confirmed markets in the list after the break, and then wait a few short weeks until Microsoft shares more information on its local launches.
The full list: Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and UAE.
Filed under: Gaming, Microsoft
Source: Xbox News
Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes: The Joystiq Review
It’s a pleasure being lost in the universe of Metal Gear. With every game, and with every return of director Hideo Kojima, the fascinating stealth series redraws the boundaries of its dense military fiction, pushing them back to include more and more characters and conspiracies. We feel like time-travelers in Metal Gear’s byzantine blend of fact and fiction, leaping back and forth between the future and past of a legendary soldier named Snake. Now we enter 1975 in Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes, and bless its prequel heart – there’s a spot in the statistics screen reserved for time paradoxes.
Kojima’s fiction may be impenetrable to the newcomer, but one man’s convoluted is another man’s complex, and it’s your job to infiltrate the latter. Ground Zeroes effectively acts as the cold open for the upcoming and separately released Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, sending Snake through a massive rain-drenched encampment in Cuba. It’s not quite the glorified demo your cynical self might suggest, but this tantalizing playground does show how Metal Gear Solid will change its crouching silhouette yet again.
The mission to rescue Chico and the duplicitous Paz, two important figures from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, is just the first step in a new, freely explorable environment. It feels daunting at first, but clear goals keep you pointed in the right direction. Ground Zeroes is a confident game for the confident player – the one who sees the playground hiding beneath Metal Gear’s tankers and army bases. This one’s just a whole lot bigger.
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Filed under: Gaming, Software, Sony, Microsoft
Source: Joystiq
Valve’s latest Steam beta makes it even easier to go full VR
Despite the fact that most of us still don’t have an HMD (head-mounted display) like the Oculus Rift, Valve is embracing VR gaming wholeheartedly. Its latest SteamBeta now has a “virtual reality mode” right in the view menu, negating any of the last beta’s command line futzing. Assuming you have the SteamVR beta installed and an HMD plugged in, you can now switch quickly between the desktop and VR or Big Picture modes. Your HMD can be hot-plugged in while Steam is running too, unlike before. With those tweaks, Valve seems well prepared in case a highly-anticipated VR headset shows up at GDC 2014 this week, or something. Right Sony?
Filed under: Gaming
Source: Steam
Latest Xbox One update preview revives friend log-in notifications
The Xbox One’s March update is so last month, those enrolled in the update preview program are already being invited to test the latest batch of upcoming tweaks. Version 1404, the April update, or whatever else you’d like to call it, will be rolling out over the next couple of days, with features and fixes being implemented piecemeal. Nevertheless, we know the full intentions of the next update, which will bring back friend sign-in notifications, make it clear who on your buddy list is engaged in multiplayer action, and allow you to check their favorite apps. A ‘saving game’ progress bar will be added, as well as flags that show what games/apps are being updated or have been recently. Beyond that, there’s another fix for the European 50Hz media playback problem, this time for Blu-rays, and improvements to voice and motion controls, game recording quality and compatibility with A/V gear under the One’s control, like TVs and set-top boxes. Most of us will have to wait until the update is properly tested, remember, but take comfort in the knowledge it’s on the way.
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