Project Morpheus to launch in 2016

[L_C_Scipio 395]

Definitely looking forward to learning more about this.

Source:

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2015/03/03/project-morpheus-ps4-vr-upgraded-coming-in-2016/

Project Morpheus: PS4 VR Upgraded, Coming in 2016

Posted by Shuhei Yoshida on Mar 03, 2015 // President, SCE Worldwide Studios

Hello from GDC 2015! About a year ago, we unveiled a prototype for Project Morpheus, the virtual reality system for PS4. Since then, we’ve been hard at work making the system even better. I’m pleased to return to GDC with an update on our progress, bringing us one step closer to its consumer release. We believe VR will shape the future of games, and I can’t wait for you to try Project Morpheus when it launches in the first half of 2016.

Project Morpheus

Our goal with VR is to deliver a sense of presence, making the player feel as though they’ve stepped inside the world of a game. The new Project Morpheus prototype brings us closer to that goal, as it improves the visual experience and tracking accuracy, both of which are critical to achieving sense of presence.

Key changes:

OLED display: In exchange for the 5 inch LCD, the new Morpheus VR headset is equipped with a 5.7 inch 1920 X RGB X 1080 resolution OLED display. This new screen expands the field of view and enables low persistence, removing motion blur.

120hz refresh rate: The previous refresh rate spec has been doubled for this new prototype, which means games for Morpheus can be rendered at 120fps. When combined with the OLED display’s high refresh rate and the power of PS4, Morpheus is able to output amazingly smooth visuals.

Super low latency: We know how critical low latency is to delivering a great VR experience, and we’ve reduced latency to less than 18ms, about half of what the first Morpheus prototype had. Low latency is critical to deliver a sense of presence, at the same time making the VR experience comfortable to players.

More accurate tracking: To make positional tracking more precise, we’ve added three LEDs to the headset – one on the front and two on the side – for a total of nine LEDs to support robust 360 degree tracking.

User-friendly design: We’ve made the Morpheus VR headset easier to put on and take off, with a single band design and quick release button. The headband supports the weight of the unit on the top of your head, so there is no pressure on your face. Other components have also been adjusted and configured to make the headset lighter, so that players do not find the headset cumbersome or uncomfortable to use.

Project Morpheus

Revealing this new prototype is an important step in our journey to release Project Morpheus, but there is more to come. We’ll share additional details at E3 and beyond. In particular, we’ll show more VR games at E3 and later events as we get closer to launch.

A new dimension of gaming is almost here, and PlayStation again is at the forefront with Project Morpheus.

[Ryan Pedro 0]

Definitely looking forward to learning more about this.

Source:

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2015/03/03/project-morpheus-ps4-vr-upgraded-coming-in-2016/

Project Morpheus: PS4 VR Upgraded, Coming in 2016

Posted by Shuhei Yoshida on Mar 03, 2015 // President, SCE Worldwide Studios

Hello from GDC 2015! About a year ago, we unveiled a prototype for Project Morpheus, the virtual reality system for PS4. Since then, we’ve been hard at work making the system even better. I’m pleased to return to GDC with an update on our progress, bringing us one step closer to its consumer release. We believe VR will shape the future of games, and I can’t wait for you to try Project Morpheus when it launches in the first half of 2016.

Project Morpheus

Our goal with VR is to deliver a sense of presence, making the player feel as though they’ve stepped inside the world of a game. The new Project Morpheus prototype brings us closer to that goal, as it improves the visual experience and tracking accuracy, both of which are critical to achieving sense of presence.

Key changes:

OLED display: In exchange for the 5 inch LCD, the new Morpheus VR headset is equipped with a 5.7 inch 1920 X RGB X 1080 resolution OLED display. This new screen expands the field of view and enables low persistence, removing motion blur.

120hz refresh rate: The previous refresh rate spec has been doubled for this new prototype, which means games for Morpheus can be rendered at 120fps. When combined with the OLED display’s high refresh rate and the power of PS4, Morpheus is able to output amazingly smooth visuals.

Super low latency: We know how critical low latency is to delivering a great VR experience, and we’ve reduced latency to less than 18ms, about half of what the first Morpheus prototype had. Low latency is critical to deliver a sense of presence, at the same time making the VR experience comfortable to players.

More accurate tracking: To make positional tracking more precise, we’ve added three LEDs to the headset – one on the front and two on the side – for a total of nine LEDs to support robust 360 degree tracking.

User-friendly design: We’ve made the Morpheus VR headset easier to put on and take off, with a single band design and quick release button. The headband supports the weight of the unit on the top of your head, so there is no pressure on your face. Other components have also been adjusted and configured to make the headset lighter, so that players do not find the headset cumbersome or uncomfortable to use.

Project Morpheus

Revealing this new prototype is an important step in our journey to release Project Morpheus, but there is more to come. We’ll share additional details at E3 and beyond. In particular, we’ll show more VR games at E3 and later events as we get closer to launch.

A new dimension of gaming is almost here, and PlayStation again is at the forefront with Project Morpheus.

 

I will be buying it...

[Plumbers Crack 4,083]

Hhmmmm?! VR headset coupled with games that lag and rubber band......mind the furniture!

[TigerBurge 2,375]

I honestly could careless about this. Same as 3D tv's if you ask me. What's the point?

[J4MES OX4D 10,161]

I honestly could careless about this. Same as 3D tv's if you ask me. What's the point?

I think VR gaming could be successful but only if developers are willing to invest in the concept and deliver tailored games that fully support it. It's already been impressively implemented on PC with the likes of ETS2 and we have the new Valve VR kit with Source 2 on the way which will be groundbreaking for high-end gaming. 

 

It could be a very costly fad though especially on console - hitting mainstream will be an uphill struggle especially with a hefty price point and if there is no titles worth getting aside from tech demos for the generation after; it wont be viable in the slightest.  

[Ryan Pedro 0]

I have always liked VR, and the potential... I remember playing a few of the arcade game versions in the mall that were absolutely awesome... here is some info on some software...

 

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/hands-on-sonys-morpheus-headset-is-a-virtual-112704984804.html

[Jason 1,245]

Can't wait to see how fast it makes me puke from motion sickness.

[L_C_Scipio 395]

From Polygon:

The new version of Sony's Project Morpheus is the most comfortable virtual reality headset I have ever worn.

The straps move all the weight to the back of your head where it's hard to notice, and the front screen can move forward and backward on a sort of track, leaving plenty of room for your glasses. There was some light bleed from the bottom, but overall it felt as close to wearing nothing as possible. Sony has obviously spent time on fit and finish, and it shows.

Sony has also announced a few details about the new hardware, and the specs are impressive. They've also stopped being coy about whether this is a product or just something to drum up headlines; the hardware is coming in the first half of 2016. There were a number of new demos at the GDC event, but the most impressive was "London Heist", a gunfight that used the Project Morpheus hardware and two Move controllers, one in each hand.

The demo begins with a man berating you about this and that, and it's hard not to flinch when he flicks a cigarette at you. He then hands you a phone, someone asks you to explain what happened earlier in the day, and you're warped to a shoot out in an ornate room as you stand behind a desk, complete with drawers you can open and find, imagine this, a fire-arm.

Sony's Move controllers handle virtual reality very well. I was able to reach forward and grab the handgun, and you have to manually pick up clips and slide them into the bottom of the gun to reload. There seemed to be some pretty strong aim correction as I ducked behind the desk and returned fire at people none-too-happy about my plans to steal a gem, but it felt like being in an action film. You have to make sure you stay behind cover, and return fire when they give you an opportunity.

The graphics weren't flawless, you can still make out pixels and interacting with the world through disembodied hands can be somewhat strange, but the level of interaction and feedback provided by the Move controllers and the PlayStation camera exceeds what we're used to from existing VR hardware.

It's an amazing demo. I felt in control of everything as it happened, and ducking to avoid gunfire while being able to aim back in a "realistic" way was a great way to show off the technology. It didn't feel real; I've handled a few firearms before and I know how hard it can be to fire accurately. It felt like you'd imagine it would feel if you ever found yourself in an action movie. It's wish fulfillment, and it works.

I've often written about how virtual reality needs to move past guns and violence, and I still believe in that stance, but I also can't ignore how well shooting games can be designed in virtual reality.

This is a tech demo, not a game, and I'm not sure how it can be turned into a full release, but Sony certainly proved that the Morpheus is up to the task of rendering complex scenes with graphics well above what we're used to in virtual reality. This is an impressive feat for the PlayStation 4, and a demo that does a great job of showing what the hardware can do.